First Proper Go

[Gullick]

So I've been wanting to learn to draw for ages, and seeing your guys work finally made me give it a try. So here it is, my first proper go using DemonicBunny666's youtube tutorials (great teacher btw).

Thats What You Get (Paramore) is what I was listening to at the time and just seemed to fit the girl =]

Any tips on how to improve would be great. Thanks very much

Edit:: For some reason my scanner made the shading look a bit weird =/

[BG-57]

Cute picture. Although you should get a proper sketchbook. I've ruined too many good pictures by putting them on lined paper.

Are you going for an anime look here? If so, I'd make the eyes bigger and centered a little lower.

[black orb]

Any tips on how to improve would be great.
>>> Just keep drawing, everyday, all the time. That helps to improve in most of the cases.

[scrumpleberry]

keep drawing all the time, look at anatomy and things in tutorials. If you can teach yourself to see things in 3D it really helps.

If you do want to draw in anime, please don't limit yourself to just one style. Trying lots of things is the only way to help yourself grow (/hypocrite)

[Balzac]

Draw on anything you find. Napkins, scrap paper, , post it notes, your mums favourite book. Different textures of paper give different results. Don't think you have to spend money on a sketchbook.

[Setzer the Gambler]

Drawing comes from a firey passion deep within one's soul. It doesn't appear just one day out of the blue, it is something that you have to build, just like a love relationship.
Drawing is expression, there is no right way to draw, too many people think that realistic proportions are the only way to go, but, most of the time, this limits the creativity of a person. In other words, if abstract is the way to go for one, then fully go for it.
Practice makes you perfect, if you really have any intentions of drawing, you will need to practice a lot knowing that improvement can be, most of the time, years away. But looking back can also encourage you as well.

[scrumpleberry]

Drawing comes from a firey passion deep within one's soul.

Ehhh, it doesn't have to. I can understand what this guy is saying, but you don't have to feel INTENSE every time you want to draw something. Your drawing is for you. Draw spontaneously! Draw when you're chilled, when you're angry or upset, or when you're happy.

No, you don't have to make your anatomy perfect to be an artist, but getting a good sense of 3D and perspectives and anatomy will really help you so much to understand what it is that you want to put down on paper, even if you skew reality in order to create your art.

But hey, I think we're being a bit scary here. Just doodle when you fancy for the time being, don't worry about any of this passion or anatomy stuff until you feel ready to take it to the next level. Practise makes perfect!

[Balzac]

Yeah, I've never felt a firery passion when I draw. I certainly didn't have a firery passion when I was drawing a billion and one pictures of King Monkey. Maybe I've been doing it wrong oll these years.

Anyway, don't limit yourse;f to drawing anime, draw anything and everything you see. Try to bring them to life. You'd be amazed at how easy drawing characters becomes when you can put life into an inanimate object. You should give the emotional sack a try. ;)

[Setzer the Gambler]

Drawing comes from a firey passion deep within one's soul.

Ehhh, it doesn't have to. I can understand what this guy is saying, but you don't have to feel INTENSE every time you want to draw something. Your drawing is for you. Draw spontaneously! Draw when you're chilled, when you're angry or upset, or when you're happy.

No, you don't have to make your anatomy perfect to be an artist, but getting a good sense of 3D and perspectives and anatomy will really help you so much to understand what it is that you want to put down on paper, even if you skew reality in order to create your art.

But hey, I think we're being a bit scary here. Just doodle when you fancy for the time being, don't worry about any of this passion or anatomy stuff until you feel ready to take it to the next level. Practise makes perfect!

I'd still say not to limit yourself with figurative...
Go abstract once in a while, it feels much better sometimes.

[Lawr]

Not bad, maybe bring her eye down a little lower and a little more centered and bring the ear up! That's kind of picky I guess.


If you keep drawing often it becomes easier and easier to do and as a result you'll become a better drawer. You could also try different art styles or drawing things other than human[oid]s. ( Drawing weapons and monsters are good breaks from plain humans )

[Setzer the Gambler]

Not bad, maybe bring her eye down a little lower and a little more centered and bring the ear up! That's kind of picky I guess.


If you keep drawing often it becomes easier and easier to do and as a result you'll become a better drawer. You could also try different art styles or drawing things other than human[oid]s. ( Drawing weapons and monsters are good breaks from plain humans )


I am not sure I am understanding what you mean by your first line. What I am trying to do is to encourage her that there is not just figurative art styles out there, there is also abstract, there is also anime, there is also realistic, there is also 3d, there is also perspective. To close oneself to only what the society wants is to restrain themselves from the inner creativity they have deep inside.

You can practice, but you can also express yourself on something else. Not just restrain yourself to a single sheet of standard paper, but to draw on bigger scale and to let your arm guide what you want to do. When I teach art, I tell my students that:
I am not showing you how to draw, I am giving you tricks for techniques and you can do what you want with these tricks. Let yourself choose the style you are drawing. If you feel like making an abstract painting, then go! If you want to be figurative, then go!
Liberty is an important word.

L'expression libre et la créativité sont les racines de l'artiste comme la pensée du philosophe est le coeur de celui-ci.

[scrumpleberry]

EDIT: I'm sorry, that was probably uncalled for. Please forgive me, I've been feeling a bit weird lately. Let's just let everyone do their own thing.

[black orb]

When I teach art, I tell my students that:

>>> You are an art teacher?, woah thats great. I never thought I would see one arround here.. :D

[Setzer the Gambler]

When I teach art, I tell my students that:

>>> You are an art teacher?, woah thats great. I never thought I would see one arround here.. :D

*cough* It was written under my username... ^^;;;;
lol ;)
But the difference is that I teach in French, not in English... :P
English is my L2.

[Garnie]

nice piece. i believe that all you need to do is keep drawing and you will get better naturally. always remember that everyone has different styles, so you work wont be exactly the same as others you admire.

[black orb]

When I teach art, I tell my students that:

>>> You are an art teacher?, woah thats great. I never thought I would see one arround here.. :D

*cough* It was written under my username... ^^;;;;
lol ;)
But the difference is that I teach in French, not in English... :P
English is my L2.
>>> Well, most of the people here post only random/nonsense stuff under their usernames, so I was surprised that you really are an art teacher..

[Setzer the Gambler]

When I teach art, I tell my students that:

>>> You are an art teacher?, woah thats great. I never thought I would see one arround here.. :D

*cough* It was written under my username... ^^;;;;
lol ;)
But the difference is that I teach in French, not in English... :P
English is my L2.
>>> Well, most of the people here post only random/nonsense stuff under their usernames, so I was surprised that you really are an art teacher..
s'alright sweetie, a lot of things isn't taken seriously on the net :D
Ah... freedom XD lol