Uncomfortable in the post "OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: 250 Cylinders (#2)"
2015-10-01 19:35
I'm glad to see that you took the box construction to heart - a lot of people seem to skip that, despite it being right there in the video. I do agree with what you mentioned in another comment, about your ghosting falling apart a bit here. It's true - you're much looser and much sketchier with these. Because of this, your line quality comes out much hairier, and the forms themselves feel less solid. The constructions themselves are still pretty good, but they're definitely hampered by that line quality.
Anyway, good job completing the challenge. I think they would have been excellent had you taken the time to ghost through your lines more cleanly.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 4: Drawing Insects and Arachnids (version 3)"
2015-10-01 19:32
My biggest concern here is that you are not applying contour lines very effectively. First and foremost, you don't tend to wrap the contour lines convincingly around the forms, giving the sense of a rounded 3D object - instead, your forms come out flatter. Compare your use of contour lines on these insects to your homework from lesson 2.
Secondly, you're applying those contour lines pretty evenly across the entirety of the form, like a 3D wireframe mesh. Try to avoid this. First off, look for natural features in your reference image that serve as contour lines. That is, features that wrap around the 3D form, giving a clue as to how that form warps through 3D space. Insects tend to feature a lot of natural segmentation, which functions as contour lines. If you can't find anything to reinforce that sense of volume, then use one or two contour lines, but don't spread them out evenly. When things exist at predictable intervals, they start to look artificial.
Generally your insects do improve over the course of the set, but I really get the impression that you're not spending enough time studying your reference image, and are too eager to jump into drawing perhaps a little half cocked. Focus heavily on establishing those forms as convincing 3D forms. All the detail in the world won't fix a weak construction. Also consider how those forms connect to one another, how the cylinder of a leg might fit into the ball of a joint.
I'd like to see you do four more pages of insects, focusing heavily on creating convincing, solid lay-ins with a clear illusion of 3D form.
Uncomfortable in the post "John Park starts an affordable online foundational art program, "Foundation Group""
2015-10-01 15:21
Thanks for the offer, I'll definitely keep it in mind.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-30 19:01
Nicely done! Generally you did a good job. Your line quality is well-controlled, and your form constructions are generally pretty good. I did notice in some situations (top left of page 3) where you had a cylindrical tree trunk, your contour lines did not wrap around the form terribly convincingly. They seem to almost be there, but not quite.
My only significant concern though is your application of those contour lines. Try to refrain from just applying them all over the place, and spacing them out regularly like some kind of 3D wireframe mesh. First and foremost, look for details in your objects that function as natural contour lines (that is, details that convey the flow of that surface through 3D space). If you cannot find any at all, then you can add one or two artificial ones, but try not to space them out at even intervals, as that tends to look man-made.
I'm marking this lesson as complete, so feel free to move onto the next lesson. It should give you a great deal more practice with contour lines and the like, as insects tend to show a lot of great natural contours in their segmentation.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-29 19:54
The confidence of your lines is good, though at the same time, I think you may be too loose and sketchy. What that ties back to is that you're thinking on the page, rather than spending enough time thinking and visualizing before you actually put a mark down. Try to consider whether a mark you put down will contribute to the drawing or your understanding of it (like drawing through forms or adding contour lines). If the mark you want to draw does not contribute in one of these two ways, it's probably not worth drawing. For example, a lot of the time you've got several lines attempting to perform the same task, where only a single line would do.
Also, consider putting a bit more thought into the center lines of your leaves specifically. Those center lines drive the gesture of the leaf, so if it is weak, the rest of the leaf will lack energy.
Anyway, generally your work does look good, your forms are solid and I think you've done a good job of breaking down forms. These are just things that I'd like to stress as you continue to move forward.
I'll mark this lesson as complete, so feel free to go onto the next one.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-29 19:36
Better. Good enough for me to mark the lesson as complete, but there is definitely still room to grow. The biggest thing that jumps out at me here is that you're not using contour lines particularly well, as though you're applying them just 'cause, rather than understanding their purpose.
Remember that these lines run along the surface of a form, to help describe how that form twists and turns through 3D space. you've got quite a few cylindrical forms in there where your contour lines don't wrap around the form at all. They're just loose, careless curves thrown on there that serve no purpose.
Keep an eye on that.
As you move into the next lesson, you'll find that contour lines become more important. Try to refrain from just throwing a bunch of contour lines onto a form and creating a sort of wireframe appearance. Instead, find places where those contour lines exist in the subject itself. Like in the insects, they've got a lot of natural segmentation. Before adding anything artificial, look for natural details that serve the purpose that artificial contour lines would otherwise.
Anyway, go ahead and move onto the next one.
Uncomfortable in the post "As promised, August is over and critiques are open once again"
2015-09-28 19:52
No to both of the things you said.
First off, DEFINITELY don't rush. I've sent a lot of people back to redo entire lessons for rushing. Secondly, the point here isn't to expect yourself to master each exercise by the time you've submitted it for review.
I'm looking for two things:
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Discipline - signs that you have devoted the time that you needed to in order to do your absolute best at each exercise. It's very easy for me to tell the difference between sloppy, rushed work, and work from someone who simply hasn't yet developed the skills to do it perfectly. As long as you are putting your all into an exercise, you will gain from it. If you rush, you won't learn much.
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I want to see that you understand what you should be aiming for. At this point, I'm interested in ironing out misunderstandings as to how each exercise is expected to be performed. When I mark the lesson as complete, you may not be able to do it perfectly, but you will know the direction you'll need to continue walking. All I'm doing is pointing you in the right direction.
All of these exercises - especially those from lessons 1 and 2 - are ones you're expected to continue doing over a long period of time. You won't master it in days, or weeks. Even those who do art professionally benefit from doing these kinds of exercises regularly. Mastery is a goal, but not really a location anyone will ever truly reach.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-28 16:33
The lack of notes on that one page is perfectly fine - unfortunately however, you are expected to have completed and submitted lessons 1 and 2 before you are able to receive a critique for this one. While you are free to use the lessons to teach yourself in whatever order you like, if you would like to take advantage of the critiques I offer, each lesson must be done in order, and you must wait for me to mark a given lesson as complete before moving onto the following one.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-27 22:37
It's better, but it's still showing the issues I mentioned earlier. Timidness, looseness, etc.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 4: Drawing Insects and Arachnids (version 3)"
2015-09-27 17:07
Definitely continue working on fighting against that looseness, but I think you're doing great otherwise. Your forms are conveying a great sense of volume, and your renderings look nice. I especially like that boxy tarantula, it really does a great job of driving home the combination of form intersections with organic objects.
Great work!
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 5: Drawing Animals (version 3)"
2015-09-27 17:05
I think you're doing a better job of demonstrating those points of intersection than before. Your proportions still seem to be out of whack much of the time, but that is something you'll have to focus on as you continue to practice (spend more time observing your reference than you spend drawing). As far as this lesson is concerned, I'm going to be marking it as complete.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-27 16:51
I can definitely see that this was challenging for you - many of these drawings are hit and miss, with the majority falling into the latter category. Page 9 was one of the better ones, but it has issues of its own.
I'll outline some of the problems below.
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When facing an actual physical object, you're getting overwhelmed by all of the visual detail that's being thrown at you. This is normal. There's a lot going on, but you need to train yourself to recognize the major forms and lay those in. It's like laying in a scaffolding. That's what all of these lessons from here on in are about. Laying things in, and breaking down complexity. If you look at my demos again, you'll notice that I have no qualms with adding lines that aren't really there. All that matters is that each of the lines you draw MUST contribute something, either to the drawing or to your understanding of the forms themselves.
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Your lines are timid, sketchy and loose. You're not visualizing - you're thinking right on the page. Remember the ghosting technique - remember the necessity of thinking and planning before every single mark. Consider what that mark contributes to your drawing. Do not sketch, draw with confidence. Mistakes will happen, that's a given, but you can't let that fear hold you back.
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As I mentioned before, you're too caught up in details. For example, the edges of leaves - often they are wavy or tattered or spiky along their edges, but at first you need to ignore that. Capture the general form of the leaf - this usually means a simple curve. Follow this process. Relating back to the previous point, see how each curve is a simple, continuous curve all the way through. It's not one line made up of several sketchy marks, and doesn't show any sign of a lack of confidence. The use of that center line as your first step is also important, as it governs the flow of the entire leaf.
I'd like you to try this lesson once again. Be sure to reread the demos as well.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 7: Drawing Vehicles (version 3)"
2015-09-25 22:15
Once again, old thread was locked, so here's a new one.
You can check out the old homework submissions to get a sense of what kind of mistakes people make, so you can avoid them yourselves.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 6: Drawing Everyday Objects (version 3)"
2015-09-25 19:08
It definitely is difficult, and you're right - the scale of the objects can often be quite intimidating. In order for me to help you figure out what exactly is the problem, you're going to have to actually show me some of your drawings.
Uncomfortable in the post "OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: 250 Cylinders (#2)"
2015-09-24 19:56
You certainly completed the challenge, and for the most part the cylinders look pretty good. I do want to point out that you didn't really apply anything that was covered in the video, however. Specifically, I see no consideration for the minor axis, and no attempts to construct any cylinders by starting out with boxes. Both of these become very useful when we start worrying about building up geometric objects (lessons 6/7).
I'm still marking the challenge as complete, but please revisit the video at least so you have a sense of what I'm talking about.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 4: Drawing Insects and Arachnids (version 3)"
2015-09-24 19:46
Okay, so the trouble lies with your lay-ins, early on. You're still not quite thinking in terms of 3D forms, or in terms of simplification. This is totally normal - when faced with a complex subject, it's very easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of visual information that's being thrown at you.
Here's how I would tackle the lay-in. Your general breakdown isn't bad, but you're still getting too caught up in the complexities of each form. Don't worry so much about that.
There are two goals at this point:
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Capture the main elements as simple 3D forms - a combination of the basic geometric forms (balls, tubes, boxes, pyramids, cones) and where necessary, simple organic forms. We are approximating things - even though the wasp's head might not be a ball, it's close enough. Using a ball allows us to establish 3D forms, which we can then work off of as scaffolding.
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Avoid thinking on the page, or using several lines where one will suffice. Thinking on the page is basically how I describe overly sketchy behaviour, because it's caused by people failing to think and plan before they put their pen to the page. Think first, then draw. Don't chicken-scratch, instead ghost over the form you'd like to draw. Organic forms can be a little more difficult to nail in one shot, but don't be afraid to make mistakes.
I'd like you to do four more pages of insects, taking these points into consideration.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-24 19:34
So, like I said, I'm marking this lesson as complete.
There's two major problems that you're still doing that I'd like to point out, though.
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Some of your linework is still a little chicken-scratchy. Use the ghosting method on all of your lines.
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You are still forgetting to start simple - a lot of the times your leaves/petals have complex edges right off the get-go, instead of starting with a simple shape and then breaking that shape down like this.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 4: Drawing Insects and Arachnids (version 3)"
2015-09-23 20:18
These are alright, but I'm a little concerned about how your forms are coming through. A lot of them seem to feel a little more flat than they should. I'd like you to do one more drawing of an insect, but take a series of photos throughout the process so I can see what it looks like at the various stages of completion.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 6: Drawing Everyday Objects (version 3)"
2015-09-22 19:48
I'm going to mark this lesson as complete, but there are a few things I want you to note.
Most importantly, you definitely need to rewatch the video for cylinder construction (from the 250 cylinder challenge post), as well as the demo videos from this lesson (since you're a patreon supporter). There's a few key tricks that you're completely missing and avoiding.
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When drawing cylinders, be aware of the minor axis. Actually draw it, and then align your cylinder to it.
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When drawing cylinders, especially when they need to be positioned in a very specific location or aligned to another object, start with a box. Find the center line of that box (the line between the midpoints of the top and bottom planes) and use that center line as the minor axis for your cylinder.
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Look at figure 0.2 from the lesson. This technique is used to find the center of a plane, and is integral to constructing forms. You cannot simply eyeball this stuff. Get used to subdividing planes so you can align other forms to exact positions.
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You're not ghosting your lines. As a reminder, I've included the ghosting methodology below. Force yourself to use it, even though it will take you far longer to draw a single mark on the page than it does right now. It's extremely important.
The Ghosting Method
Identify - where does your line start and end? Is it straight or does it curve? Is it an ellipse?
Prepare - find the most comfortable angle of approach (rotating your page if necessary) and ghost through the motion of drawing it. Don't just do this a couple times - the point is to make your arm and muscles feel that the motion is familiar and comfortable. Do it as much as is necessary.
Now your brain has had its say, and has given your muscles their marching orders. Keeping the rhythm of your repeated ghosting, lower the pen to the page and draw the mark using that same motion. Your brain should not interfere - your pace should be steady and confident, and quick enough so that your muscles can take over.
You're practicing a lot, which is great, but you're forgetting the key points of each lesson. If you apply these concepts, you'll see far greater improvement than you are currently. Ultimately it is completely up to you to put these principles into action and I hope you will step back and compare how you're approaching things right now to the various methods and techniques I've presented over the last six lessons.
Uncomfortable in the post "Bonus Notes: Identifying Textural Details"
2015-09-22 13:40
It isn't easy, but it's all about learning how to control the amount of pressure you exert on the pen. A 0.5mm tip can create an astounding range of line widths once you've learned to control it properly. I'm a bit rusty, but here's a similar texture drawn on a post-it note
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-21 17:52
Very nice! At times you're a bit sketchy (which relates to thinking more on the page than attempting to previsualize and preplan) but your work is still very well done. Your forms are communicated solidly, and your balance of details is attractive.
I especially enjoyed your baobab tree. Feel free to move onto the next lesson.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-21 17:33
Detail is pretty irrelevant at this phase. I'm really only focusing on your ability to lay in form, which is still lacking.
You're not alone in this, though. I'm noticing that just about everything I want to point out in your work is the same as a critique I wrote fairly recently. Instead of having me repeat it all, I'm just going to link you to it.
Once you've read over that critique (the overdrawing I did for that student is also relevant to you - focus on drawing that center line of each leaf/petal first), I want you to try another five pages.
Regardless of how you do, I will mark the lesson complete after that. I'm not generally pleased with leaving people at this lesson too long. It's an important lesson, but it's the sort that takes a little while to sink in, and people generally do better as they move forward.
Uncomfortable in the post "OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: 250 Cylinders (#2)"
2015-09-21 17:28
They're looking pretty good, but keep an eye on cylinders like 22 and 19. The far end needs to have a larger degree than the near end. Also make sure you practice the method outlined in the video that describes starting with a box, and also be more aware of the minor axis when drawing these things. I'm kind of getting the sense that you didn't watch the video.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 4: Drawing Insects and Arachnids (version 3)"
2015-09-21 17:06
There's some good stuff here, though your drawings seem to fall apart a bit in the middle. The last few are demonstrating some very nice forms though, so it looks like you're improving considerably over the course of the set.
One concern I have actually has nothing to do with your drawings - your scanner's contrast is set really high, so it makes the drawings themselves come out rather harshly. Always be sure to use the 'photo' preset on your scanner, as it tends to capture the greatest range of values.
Now, as for your surface detailing, I definitely see that your are still struggling. Drawing larger actually should help, rather than make things more difficult. I'm still seeing you resorting to hatching and scratchy lines a lot of the time, rather than really paying attention to your reference image. This may help.
I'd like you to try another couple pages of insect drawings. First focus purely on building those forms, as you did in the last few. Then when it comes time to apply detail, draw a circle around your focal area and study your reference image for the kinds of information that gives it its texture. Think before you put down every single mark - if you find yourself wanting to just lay down a bunch of scratchy lines, stop and look at your reference again.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 6: Drawing Everyday Objects (version 3)"
2015-09-19 17:46
The old lesson has exceeded 6 months of age. You may continue to post your homework submissions here.
You can still check out the previous homework submissions and critiques - since all of the exercises are fairly standardized, it's always helpful to look through what other people did right and wrong, and what kind of critiques they received.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 4: Drawing Insects and Arachnids (version 3)"
2015-09-19 16:05
Generally very nice work. There is one recommendation that I have though - don't let the detailing overpower the form/construction. It's very easy to get so caught up in the detailing that you forget about the form underneath, and when that happens, it's possible to add details in such a way that they contradict, and ultimately flatten out, that form. One example of this is the hornet on the top of page 5.
Anyway, you still did quite well, and the amount of attention to detail is pretty impressive. Keep up the good work, and feel free to move onto the next lesson.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-19 15:08
It's getting there, but there are still a few concerns. Most importantly, when you draw leaves, you should start out with the center line. This allows you to establish a clear gesture/flow/direction to your leaf, which all of the other lines will then conform to.
Secondly, you're not really grasping the purpose of the contour curves. Or at least, you're giving that impression. It's not about building a wireframe for each and every object - that would be a bit nonsensical. All you're doing is adding what is necessary to help describe how that form deforms through 3D space. In the case of leaves, the leaf has minimal deformation from side to side - the most significant one follows along the length of the leaf. In this sense, the center line itself is a contour line that describes how it moves through 3D space.
For the most part, you need to look for contour lines where they already exist in your object, before even considering adding artificial ones. In this case, the veins on the leaves often work as contour lines. Look at how they actually flow over the surface of the leaf. Often times you'll have to simplify them because they tend to spread out a little too much, but you can at least begin to hold true to them before introducing lines that don't actually exist in the reference.
Sometimes, it is necessary to add extra 'artificial' contour lines. When you do, I strongly recommend that you not space them out evenly across a surface, and that you not overdo it. Try to avoid that wireframe look, as it tends to come out stiff and uninteresting.
Take a look at this. Notice how the contour lines I have radiating out from the centerline don't cut straight across the leaf? Instead, they sort of follow the direction the veins would. This gives us a much stronger sense of the gesture of the form.
Now, while I do want you to practice this stuff further, I am going to mark this lesson as complete. Reason being, I don't like keeping people at this lesson for too long. The next one tends to help a lot more when it comes to establishing form and dealing with contour lines, as insects have a lot of natural segmentation that lends itself to finding contour lines rather than creating new ones.
Uncomfortable in the post "As promised, August is over and critiques are open once again"
2015-09-19 14:31
For faber castell's pens, I generally use the F.
Uncomfortable in the post "Video: Uncomfortable Does RGD 03"
2015-09-16 21:11
It is still of considerable value. While I may not be drawing the lines, I can still (sort of) see them in my head. Ultimately line and shape are just means of understanding the forms themselves. When you learn to draw, it's the same - you use one of these approaches with an end goal of understanding the forms. Whether you do it through line or shape is at least somewhat irrelevant. Ultimately I've always found line to be much more approachable, and it works better with pen/ink, which in turn has other benefits towards learning and developing confidence.
Uncomfortable in the post "My thoughts on inspiration and motivation, and how to deal with their absence"
2015-09-16 18:32
In my experience, moleskine pricing tends to be pretty consistent. Honestly though, I'd recommend Cottonwood Arts. I've heard that Moleskine's quality has decreased somewhat recently. Cottonwood's sketchbooks are fantastic, and they tend to be cheaper.
That said, your best bet is to use loose printer paper for these exercises. You don't want to be worrying about being really neat to the point that you feel nervous about drawing through your forms and shapes. Sketchbooks tend to come with a bit of added anxiety, especially for beginners.
Uncomfortable in the post "My thoughts on inspiration and motivation, and how to deal with their absence"
2015-09-16 16:23
I really appreciate that! I can't take all the credit, of course - a lot of the things I pass on to you guys are what I was taught. People like Norm Schureman and Peter Han really devised and refined a brilliant strategy for learning to draw. But anyway, I'm really thrilled that you're taking the lessons to heart, and that it's really pushing you to move forward, towards your goals.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-16 01:48
3 pages of full plant studies - which, of course, start off as lay-ins.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 5: Drawing Animals (version 3)"
2015-09-15 19:56
Very nice! I don't remember what your last ones looked like, but I'm sure it's a big improvement. There's just two things I want you to note, but I'm going to mark this lesson as complete so feel free to move on to the next one.
The first thing is something you're already doing for the most part, but I do want to emphasize its importance - always consider the shoulder mass. You're acknowledging that joint for sure, and I see it all over, but just remember that there is an entire volume that exists there. Consider whether or not it requires a bit more of that bulk to be defined in the drawing or not.
Secondly, I do notice that your approach to drawing is a little sketchy. This is okay, but as you move ahead, try to think less right on the page, and visualize more before putting down any marks. Consider what kind of line you want to add next, and what purpose it serves. This will work to gradually clean up your drawings in general. Remember the ghosting method from lesson 1.
Uncomfortable in the post "My thoughts on inspiration and motivation, and how to deal with their absence"
2015-09-15 18:18
I just mentioned that because it's an extremely common problem. What we tend to see on the internet these days is people painting super fast. Speedpainting, sped up videos, etc. We come in thinking that if you're slow, you're worthless. It's true that the industry demands people to produce good work fast, but what we don't see is the time that those professionals have put in learning to do things painstakingly slowly. So, it's just a warning - take your time, and don't worry about speed.
Uncomfortable in the post "My thoughts on inspiration and motivation, and how to deal with their absence"
2015-09-15 18:06
You started three months ago. You're supposed to be slow as molasses. Worrying about speed right now will cause you to take shortcuts and shoot yourself in the foot.
Uncomfortable in the post "My thoughts on inspiration and motivation, and how to deal with their absence"
2015-09-15 17:43
These were the things I studied. I just picked a subject without too much thought or deliberation, each night. Random objects, landscapes, portraits, animals, vehicles, and screenshots from movies/tv.
Yeah, this is my subreddit, so the only answer I can give you for what you should study are the lessons that I post here. Lessons 3-7 all focus on different kinds of subject matter, emphasizing construction.
I have read however that you find drawing boxes boring, and that has gotten in the way of your progress through the lessons. Not really much to say on that - you will find a lot of things worth doing are boring and tedious. There are many roads to learning how to draw, but regardless of whose advice you take, you will probably find yourself hitting a ceiling if you avoid things that aren't fun.
Uncomfortable in the post "My thoughts on inspiration and motivation, and how to deal with their absence"
2015-09-15 15:27
I totally understand that feeling. It was very much like that for me when I was younger. There were on days, and there were off days. It felt like it was par for the course, and I accepted that.
At a certain point, I stopped accepting it. It was all too inconvenient. Whatever I was feeling that day - frustration, apathy, depression - all of it needed to be set aside, if only for a time.
I remember the point where I started transitioning from someone who was passionate about illustration as a hobby, to someone who could potentially make a career out of it, was when I decided to embark on a challenge. Thirty one days, each day I'd spend 3 hours at least, and each day I'd paint at least one photo study. Studies don't require much in the way of creativity, so regardless of how I was feeling, I knew I could do it. And ultimately, I did. I was working full time as a game programmer, so most nights I'd come home exhausted and burnt out, but there simply was no other option. It had to be done, and so it was done.
That's ultimately what discipline is all about. You eliminate any other options or choices. I will admit however that what really helped was the fact that this period of forcing myself had an end date. 31 consecutive days, no more. It was a goal I could see on the horizon.
After completing that, I felt that in general, I was less constricted by what people would consider art block. It was still there, and it still weighed on me, but less so. It's been three years since then, and these days the idea of art block doesn't even cross my mind. If I sit down to draw, I don't stare at an empty canvas. What I draw may be garbage, but I'm not afraid to put down those first few marks and get the ball rolling.
I won't say that I don't have days that are harder than others to get started. At work, some days are harder than others, but the very fact that I need to deliver, and the fact that I cannot tell my boss "oh i had an off day," means that regardless, I need to produce something. I don't see it as a matter of, some days you just can't win. Every day, you simply cannot afford to lose.
Uncomfortable in the post "My thoughts on inspiration and motivation, and how to deal with their absence"
2015-09-15 13:42
I have a couple friends who try to write, and they struggle with it as much as any visual artist. Their words are our lines, and we're always so terrified to put something down on the page if it's not perfect. I always tell those friends to forget about trying to write something great. Focus instead on writing something.
Uncomfortable in the post "My thoughts on inspiration and motivation, and how to deal with their absence"
2015-09-15 13:39
Haha, that's a great quote!
Ultimately fear is our biggest opponent. If you're afraid to draw, you won't get better, and if you don't get better, you'll continue being afraid. It's a vicious cycle that ultimately you can only break by picking up that hammer and blocking out any and all self-doubt.
Ultimately, we don't start off confident - we fake it. We fake it, and as we keep faking it, it becomes a little less of a lie every day.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 3: Drawing Plants (version 3)"
2015-09-14 23:13
Hmm.. Inspiration is... a bit of a farce, really. You hear about it a lot in relation to art, but it's just nonsense, all of it. Drawing is a skill like hammering a nail. You might not be great at it yet, but there is nothing stopping you from gettin' down and hammering away.
If you start to think about it in terms of this lofty concept that requires the perfect alignment of your soul and mind to spurt magic from your fingertips, then you might catch yourself thinking, "man I just don't have it in me to hammer that nail today." It's a normal thing, really - we've all been conditioned to feel that way about art. At the end of the day, what we're doing here is not art. We are not artists. We are artisans, and we are mastering a craft like any other.
Perhaps one day we'll use that craft to give voice to something loftier, a message that is truly inspired, but for now, all we're doing is hammering away. So when you feel uninspired or unmotivated, pick up your hammer and do it anyway. I will admit - it's easier to do that when someone's paying you :P
Anyway, onto your homework. I always feel a bit iffy about critiquing work that was started ages ago, because even time itself can have an impact on how you understand the world. Because of this, I do feel a steady improvement over the course of your work, but I'm still going to point out core problems that may or may not be of concern right now.
Really there's two main problems.
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I notice here and there that your contour curves aren't doing too great a job of wrapping around cylindrical objects (stalks, stems, trunks). It's a problem we deal with in the organic forms with contour curves exercise in lesson 2, so you should go back to it and watch the video on the topic once again.
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Next, I think you have a tendency to jump into complex shapes too early. Remember that everything we draw needs to start off simple. This goes twofold for flat objects that bend through 3D space, like leaves and petals. They just happen to demonstrate this concept better. Often leaves will have fraying or curling at the edges, but when we lay them in we need to ignore this. Focus on the direction/gesture of that leaf, and capture it with simple curves. Then use those curves as a scaffolding to break down your forms and add detail. The reason is that when you jump in with complex details first, the gesture/curvature of the leaf gets lost, and it ends up looking stiff. Try to tackle them like this.
Honestly, I'm not 100% satisfied - I think you're moving in the right direction, but I want to be sure that we have these things hammered out. I'd like to see three more pages of plants.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 5: Drawing Animals (version 3)"
2015-09-14 22:50
Unfortunately on principle I can't give you much of a critique - I require people to go through all of the lessons and let me mark them off as complete one by one, because the way the lessons are structured, earlier lessons will weed out specific problems better than later ones (which often tend to mask them). If I give you an in-depth critique, it'll set a precedent that will bite me in the ass later.
What I will tell you however is that your drawings are generally quite good but you are demonstrating a very common problem that you've probably read about in other critiques I've written. I talk about this issue here when critiquing another's work. The notes and demos I've included there should apply to you as well.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 4: Drawing Insects and Arachnids (version 3)"
2015-09-14 22:45
Generally not bad. Your forms are coming together fairly nicely. Some definitely came out better than others, but generally I do see some nice progress as we move through the set, and I like the way you're thinking through the problems of texture and construction.
Overall I don't really have much to say - you're moving in the right direction, and there isn't a lot I'd change about how you're approaching things. Keep up the good work, and feel free to move onto the next lesson.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 5: Drawing Animals (version 3)"
2015-09-13 14:55
I thought about it a bit after reading your suggestion. I think that if there were a dedicated thread for all homework submissions, that would probably make it a little easier to keep track of them (for me), but the downside would be that it would be much more difficult to find past homework submissions for any given lesson, since they'd all be lumped together.
My critiques aside, it helps a lot to go through other peoples' submissions for a given lesson and look at what I've had to say about their work. Generally the more successful students do that, so I would hate to hinder that.
Ultimately I still intend to take critiques off of reddit and move them to the website itself, where I can manage it all much more effectively, but that's a long way off (because I can't really be bothered).
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 4: Drawing Insects and Arachnids (version 3)"
2015-09-13 02:20
I think you may have missed the point of the demos I linked you to before, specifically in relation to the "clear points of intersection". From these drawings, I see a strong sense of form, but you're applying that form without too much regard for how these animals' bits connect together. I do see some hinting at the shoulders and such, but I'm still seeing your major lines coming out of the bottom of the torsos, rather than from their sides where the shoulders sit.
Here's a breakdown of one of your pages. You've got to remember that everything is a solid 3D form that connects to something else. While your forms and volumes feel three dimensional, they do so in a way that resembles an animal made from clay or putty - the connections don't entirely make sense. Think harder on how parts extend and extrude out of others - how those legs link to the shoulders, how the muzzles extrude out from the cranium. Don't just hint at these things, actually draw them.
Try another couple pages and we'll go from there. Don't worry about going into texture/detail.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 5: Drawing Animals (version 3)"
2015-09-13 02:02
The old lesson has exceeded 6 months of age. You may continue to post your homework submissions here.
You can still check out the previous homework submissions and critiques - since all of the exercises are fairly standardized, it's always helpful to look through what other people did right and wrong, and what kind of critiques they received.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 7: Drawing Vehicles"
2015-09-13 01:40
Some of these are definitely better than others, though I do see significant improvement over the course of the homework set. One thing I am concerned about however is that in general, it looks like you're not terribly comfortable with the construction of simple boxes (and to a lesser degree, cylinders), so when you're tasked with drawing them in the context of a more complex construction, you get a little overwhelmed.
I think you would benefit greatly from doing the 250 box challenge and the 250 cylinder challenge, as well as a few pages of form intersections from lesson 2.
Once you feel comfortable, try another 4 pages of vehicles.
Uncomfortable in the post "OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: 250 Cylinders (#2)"
2015-09-11 20:12
I noticed one consistent mistake across the majority of your cylinders. Your near plane is almost always smaller than your far plane. This makes these cylinders read more like cones that have had their tip cut off, because they all seem to be trying to converge towards the viewer.
You did complete the challenge (which was just to draw 250 cylinders), so I will mark it as complete, but you should probably try practicing this a little more. Be sure to rewatch the video linked in the challenge post if necessary, and also practice constructing cylinders by starting with a box. It may help you wrap your head around this near/far plane issue.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 14: Composition"
2015-09-09 17:32
It's true that when I'm laying down those shapes, I have a vague idea of what they're intended to be - but I'm still focusing on their existence in my composition as shapes, and their particular arrangement is still fluid. The tent's support can be set up in a multitude of ways. I decide which way works best for me based on the shapes they create.
Ultimately however, your decisions are going to be swayed if you have a vague idea of what you want to paint. Sometimes you have no idea at all, and you're just looking for neat combinations of shapes. Other times you know exactly what you need, and it becomes a bit of a struggle to try to forget about those preconceived notions of what you need to exist on the canvas.
I find what tends to make shapes more interesting is playing with the balance between different kinds of edges. A square isn't that interesting - it's a bunch of straight edges with 90 degree angles. Cut a triangle out of the side of that square though, and we start to get something a little more complex. Still a little boring, because everything's straight. Make one of the edges of that triangle cut-out a curve, and now you've got an interesting transition from flat and directional to an easing curve.
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 14: Composition"
2015-09-07 22:10
I was going to say, "fuuuck, I donno man" but my graphic designer friend who is sitting next to me suggested that you find a piece of art that you like, and I'll point out what kind of shapes are interesting in the composition.
Man, leave it to a graphic designer to know all about how to tackle questions about shapes.
To add, however, a graphic designer I am not, so I'm not entirely qualified to answer this question with all that much accuracy. That said, there is a great way to learn about those aspects of composition: read a book.
Here are a few that might help:
Uncomfortable in the post "Lesson 4: Drawing Insects and Arachnids (version 3)"
2015-10-01 19:58
I usually define the center line of a form, then create the form around that, then reinforce it with contour lines. As for jumping to the anatomy lessons, they only require lessons 1/2 to be completed so you're free to do that as well.