Newbie Artist Questions

[Magikarcher]

I have been drawing/doodling since a very young age, but only in the last few months have I become really serious about becoming a better artist. I have a Wacom Bamboo Tablet, Photoshop E7, Corel Painter E4, and a lot of free time. I have been just messing around with all of my resources, and familiarizing myself with the programs, and I am now ready to draw. The problem is I have hardly any training (a handful of art lessons), and no inspiration of what to draw. So this leads me to my questions.

1. How should I get started, should I just draw a ton until I do something I like?
2. Is it normal to have no inspiration of what to draw?
3. Are there any practices I could do to get better? (other than drawing as much as possible)

Thanks! Sorry if this isn't the right forum to post in, it seemed right to me. :rocker:

[Meloncov]

1. How should I get started, should I just draw a ton until I do something I like?

You could do worse than that. A more structured practice will give you results faster though; you want a mix of drawing from life (both people and objects), studying anatomy, copying masterworks, working from photos, and from your imagination.

[dpaint]

To work in a realistic manner learn how to draw basic forms. Cubes spheres, cones, cylinders. These are the basis for everything more complex. You can get them for cheap at a craft store usually styrofoam or plastic foam. Use a single light source to light them at first and when you get comfortable with that you can add more lights or colored lights

[Diarum]

I would say study more with pen/pencil and paper then with the tablet because it is easyer to learn from pencil then with the tablet and the stuff you learn from the pencil will transfer well into the tablet when it comes times. I have a Bamboo (is yours a "fun"?) tablet but I stopped doing that as much because when you do it with pencil and paper your in a sense killing two birds with one stone. And your not limited to your computer or house. Correct me if I'm wrong someone.

[AriaSidra]

This is what I recommend:
1. Make a sketchbook in here. People here know more than I do, and they'll probably help you with specific things (which makes everything faster).
2. Challenge yourself. I go to posemaniacs.com every day as a warm-up and do 20 pose sketches (that would be about 10 mins). Now, I'm getting into the habit of drawing at least one still life in color (something quick that takes less than 20 mins) and then finish by drawing something from a reference pic, usually anatomy (that would take me about an hour). Total would be about an hour and a half. And if I have time to read something that has to do with art or do studies, even better.
3. Do studies. There's all sort of things you can study about: anatomy, lines, lightning, color, textures, perspective, etc. When you know more about art, you usually become inspired by every small detail in life because you can perceive them better.
4. Be confident but not too confident.

[Lightship69]

the key to this question is do whatever works for you! dont be put off and dont let anyone else put you off.

Practise drawing everything and look at the work other people have done to see if you can get what they were trying to do or show you the viewer.

Post your stuff up in here and develop a hard skin some of the crits will feel deeply personal and hurtful, but thats not the case at all. The truth is that we are just protective usually because we are artists and we dont like people bad mouthing our work, its not personal and if you want to make money at it then thickening of the skin is way necessary.

This site may help you too it is loaded with tutorials :-

http://artwiki.wikidot.com/anatomy-people-links

Ok I hope that helps, if not feel free to tell me to take a hike (I wont be offended it happens a lot!! I have a thick skin LOL)