need some help (shadows/drawing supplys)

[Alos]

1st question, when drawing shadows, should you go real slow as to not screw up and go out of line?


2nd question. what brand of paper/pencil/pen should i use? is there really any difference in what i use since i really really stink at drawing?

[mtw]

Originally posted by Alos
1st question, when drawing shadows, should you go real slow as to not screw up and go out of line?
It's kind of a personal preferance. If you do go out of line, you can always erase. Sometimes it will look okay if you do. It just depends on how neat you want to be. If you're drawing from life, it would be best to go slowly, because that way you can really see the shape of the shadow with your eye. I hope that made sense.


2nd question. what brand of paper/pencil/pen should i use? is there really any difference in what i use since i really really stink at drawing?
It doesn't matter. When you do get more advanced, you can become more conscious of your materials because they will give a different effect. For right now I would suggest some 2B or 3B pencil and sketchbook paper.

[magnut]

For now, you should be as messy as you can be. As messy as it needs to be. What I mean is, you (when you're learning to do something) don't need to start your learning process by trying to do finished-looking material. If you do that, then you're focusing on the totally wrong thing.

Starting out, you should (my opinion) work with VERY broad materials (large charcoal sticks, for example). BE MESSY. What you're needing to do at this time, is to understand how light wraps around a shape (look at a simple ball with a light source beading down upon it). When you start to absorb that as a general concept, then you shoud start working on sketching things, people, places... applying the concept that LIGHT LAYS UPON, AND WRAPS AROUND whatever it illuminates.

Try thinking of anything you draw, not of where shadows are to be placed, but as where the light is to be placed. I have seen some amazing paintings, where people would paint on a black canvas, bringing out the most marvelous shapes and highlights.

This is what scratchboard illustrators do. They start out with the darkness, and 'flesh out' the characters/environments.

But anyway, when you're at Level One, you shouldn't be thinking of jumping up to Level Eight, until you're ready. And, it seems as if (by your post) that you're not ready. You need to take the time to EXPERIMENT! BE MESSY!

It seems you don't have enough knowledge and experience as yet built up within you to even know what you want. One doesn't know what one wants, unless one has sampled everything, yes? (Okay, that was a very overgeneralized statement, but I think you get my point.)

You have about 10,000,000 really crappy drawings in you, before you get to be consistent about producing good ones. This is the learning process. Don't disregard it, by being impatient.

Oh, and the paper/pencil question you asked... ANY KIND, EVERY KIND! It's part of the experimenting process! How can you know what you're comfortable with, unless you're trying all of what's out there? You're going to have to start building your own 'vocabulary' of how you approach things, and what kind of medium goes with what kind of surface.

Good luck!

[Jeff Gran]

magnut that was a kickass reply and it helped me as well. I like how you can tell by the kid's questions that he's smart and will understand the real answer. Cheers man. And Alos, do it man. When you learn the way of seeing it enhances your life (and I'm only half way there).

[Alos]

thanks much for your reply! i have been experimenting with the circle with the lightsource but there is no way im goin out and spenin money gettin charcoal sticks and tons of pencils.

ive been trying to advance my skill by drawing misc easy objects. like soda cans, light switches and plugs, even my thumb.

[FabianV]

Keep At it :)

As for me I'm drawing myself from the mirror until I can go to life study classes...

I use any type of paper but as for pencil I use Graphite Pencils.. 3b mostly