Any advice for a 12 year old whos interested in drawing?

[boomheadshot45]

Hello, i'm rather new here, and i'm looking for some advice, i'm only12, hence the title. I'm pretty bad at drawing, but i'm saving up for a wacom tablet and a scanner. Tablet- So i can draw like on the computer, and draw then put it into other programs to maybe paint and other stuff. Scanner-so i can show you my work, so you guys/gals can critique my work. I've been just drawing like wierd creatures that i've been making up. I'm pretty bad at drawing heads, especiall hair/noses/mouthes. Whenever i try to draw a girl it ends up like a shemale. I'm also looking at picking up an anatomy book so i can look at how the bones look, how they move, ect. I'm just wondering if any of you have any advice for me or any comment/input. Also, does anyone know any websites/anything that has drawing tutorials? Thank you for taking the time out of your day to help me, thanks .

[Moogle]

I tried out drawing a female character. Sometimes, you just have to try a male one if you are going to start drawing characters. Some find Males harder than females.

Right now , I would start out with a male. Then, female after you got your basics down.

If you MUST start with a female because they look nicer ;) (assume you're a male) then you can always just find some pictures from Final Fantasy or other good fantasy drawings. From there analyze the hip size, where the curves come in.

Just to tell you, most drawings have ax exaggerated look at hips (hourglass shape) but it seems oddly realistic.

:) I hope that helped T_T. I am not expert but I have made my first person that looked like a female. Still working on male models too.

[sleep]

right now, let me tell you, you don't need the tablet. i turned 16 a few months ago.. and i still don't use the tablet too much. nice to see you're getting a head start. scan and upload some pages from your sketchbook if you know how, and make a digital sketchbook so that we can all see what you're up to and tell you where to need to improve.

if you want drawing tutorials, i could only suggest loomis' books that you should buy. online ones generally arent that good.

as much as the head start is good, i believe a lot of art is just unlocked with age anyway. when i was younger, about your age, i wanted to learn everything i know now, from books and things. i'd read and read, and not absorb any of it.. you just wake up some day in the future and think 'hey.. yeah, i noticed that thing about anatomy, i'll incorporate it now'

basically, find the more basic books by loomis, you might be able to find a link to the PDF files somewhere here {saveloomis.org, the site with all the books, was taken down}

draw from life lots, and draw from pictures. right now you shouldn't concentrate too hard on your art to be honest. don't lose your childhood to ambition and work, haha. but practise everyday.

[Elwell]

Draw what makes you happy.

[sleep]

what elwell said. in my case, that'd be porn~

[boomheadshot45]

thank you moogle, tie, and i will elwell. I think of just starting to draw enviroments, because they aren't as hard as humans/real life animals for me. I may just get like a cheaper tablet, and maybe some good pencils and some nice paints stuff. Thank you!
Very fast EDIT:Tie, if i could, i would, but alot of people walk past my room. And yes, i'm a dude so its ok for me to say that

[sleep]

Lol..

[faux pas]

Yeah, what tie said. I'm 17 and never use my tablet because i'm still learning the fundamentals with pencil and paper :nohope: I think the best advice I can give you is just to stay focused and draw as much as possible. Oh and use reference if you dont already.



By the way, here are those loomis books... they're great! :D

http://acid.noobgrinder.com/Loomis/

... I think you can still get them here

[darkchild]

Doesn't matter what age you are, start with the basics. Grab something to draw with and something to draw on, pick a topic of interest and go for it. Stick with non digital art first. Good luck:)

[Red_Rook]

Draw what makes you happy.


good lord they are getting young these days. But thank you Elwell, thats exactly what I meant to say. All the people that are ranting on about you not needing a tablet, or that you NEED to start with female characters, i dont know where any of that is coming from, it all seems really subjective. IF you want a tablet and want to start to learn to paint, hell go for it! I mean when I got my first tablet i was still learning the baasics, and it acctually helped me with loads of stuff, especially my colour theory. The most important thing is without a doubt that you draw. I dont really care what it is you draw aslong as you draw it and its fun for you.

Maybe some of it is relevant to lets say a 17 year old who has to go to an art school in a year, but my guess is you have a good six years before you need to worry about any of that. For now just cultivate a passion for drawing, but as far as thats concerned I think you are definetly on the right track. Dont however bog yourself down with "learning the basics" with only pencil and paper, and only working from ref and only drawing cubes and basic figure proportions and still lifes. Son't get me wrong that is important, and you certainly should be learning it aswell, but Honestly its a little boring to be doing that all the time. You have to develope your imagination at the same time, Its just as important, so get a tablet if you want to and for gods sake dont hesitate to draw dragons, and spaceships and monsters, because at this point thats going to help you just as much, and anyway its hella fun, and thats the really important part.

[Red_Rook]

I tried out drawing a female character. Sometimes, you just have to try a male one if you are going to start drawing characters. Some find Males harder than females.

Right now , I would start out with a male. Then, female after you got your basics down.

If you MUST start with a female because they look nicer ;) (assume you're a male) then you can always just find some pictures from Final Fantasy or other good fantasy drawings. From there analyze the hip size, where the curves come in.

Just to tell you, most drawings have ax exaggerated look at hips (hourglass shape) but it seems oddly realistic.

:) I hope that helped T_T. I am not expert but I have made my first person that looked like a female. Still working on male models too.


I dont even begin to understand this piece of advice



oh and i believe i forgot to post this: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=42 you will find many good tutorials there, be sure to check our the one by prometheus|ANJ

[JustinBeckett]

Dude, just draw, keep drawing, if you keep it up till my age, which is still very young, 19. Your gonna be kicking so much ass. I suggest taking a look at those loomis books posted in this thread, they are some of the best learning material an artist/young artist can get his/her hands on.

Depending on the level of your drawings right now, if you can draw lines values etc.. and apply them to your drawings fairly successfully i think you will be ready for playing around with a tablet. If you can barely draw though, work on your drawing skills first. Personally i feel it is necassary to learn how to draw before attempting painting.

Anyways, just draw what makes you happy, don't chase a dream that isn't true, if you are doing it because everyone else is, then stop now. If not then good luck on your long journey, you have alot of time ahead of you, make the best of it!

~JB.

[Dizon]

explore the different styles and artists.

[charger]

By the way, here are those loomis books... they're great! :D

http://acid.noobgrinder.com/Loomis/

... I think you can still get them here
my guess is Eye Of The Painter is in color unlike the copy of it on that so does any one have a color pdf of it?

[Elwell]

my guess is Eye Of The Painter is in color unlike the copy of it on that so does any one have a color pdf of it?
Nope, you're not missing anything. The original plates are B&W.

[Prometheus|ANJ]

Use whichever medium that will allow you to learn the most without having to struggle with the medium itself. I like using my tablet+Photoshop to do color (ie. painted) studies, because that way there's less obstacles in the way of learning, such as dried paints, sprawling brushes, solvents, etc. It also allows me to be more brave and try new things out without having to fear ruining the painting permanently (because with digital tools I can undo and stuff).

But if you're that young, I'd probably say pencil and paper is the best way develop an understanding of shapes, masses and line harmony. You'll also need the motoric skills (wrist swooshyness).

[0kelvin]

But pretty much the fact that you're asking these questions at 12 shows you're on the right track. Keep on drawing, and keep enjoying it.



0kelvin

[charger]

Nope, you're not missing anything. The original plates are B&W.
:( o well





but back to topic. i have a tablet pc and i really never use it for drawing. i think its better to draw on paper then on my tablet. so im with the people saying that a tablet is not needed yet. i also have a scanner that i dont use. i just take a pic of the drawing with my digital camera.

[boomheadshot45]

Thank you so much for the input/comments/support!

[Interceptor]

for a young artist. the best advice I have is to not learn a style before you learn to draw.

[Barts]

draw everyday

[k4pka]

Why do you always write in triplets/thirds/three's?

[Dile_]

Why do you always write in triplets/thirds/three's?

Who ? :O

[asoir]

Why do you always write in triplets/thirds/three's?
Why do you have two lines before your signature starts? ;)

[blanquish]

people say to draw creatures and imaginary stuff first, to this I say no.
Before you learnh to do any thing interesting learn to use line, shade appropriately and to draw accuratley, this is a skill that is best to start out with.
In other words, ref drawings and anatomy.
Get some photos and copy, its the quickest way to be able to portray anything.

[Magic Man]

Hello, i'm rather new here, and i'm looking for some advice, i'm only12, hence the title. I'm pretty bad at drawing, but i'm saving up for a wacom tablet and a scanner. Tablet- So i can draw like on the computer, and draw then put it into other programs to maybe paint and other stuff. Scanner-so i can show you my work, so you guys/gals can critique my work. I've been just drawing like wierd creatures that i've been making up. I'm pretty bad at drawing heads, especiall hair/noses/mouthes. Whenever i try to draw a girl it ends up like a shemale. I'm also looking at picking up an anatomy book so i can look at how the bones look, how they move, ect. I'm just wondering if any of you have any advice for me or any comment/input. Also, does anyone know any websites/anything that has drawing tutorials? Thank you for taking the time out of your day to help me, thanks .

Tip 1: Don't get a wacom.

Tip 2: Use that money to buy reference books.

Tip 3: Draw everday.

[Magic Man]

I tried out drawing a female character. Sometimes, you just have to try a male one if you are going to start drawing characters. Some find Males harder than females.

Right now , I would start out with a male. Then, female after you got your basics down.

If you MUST start with a female because they look nicer ;) (assume you're a male) then you can always just find some pictures from Final Fantasy or other good fantasy drawings. From there analyze the hip size, where the curves come in.

Just to tell you, most drawings have ax exaggerated look at hips (hourglass shape) but it seems oddly realistic.

:) I hope that helped T_T. I am not expert but I have made my first person that looked like a female. Still working on male models too.

...my first WTF of the day. :xpld:

[Dile_]

Magic man : I must say that my wacom helped me so much
that I dont have words for it... or maybe im wrong, maybe
all nice guests in my sketchbook helped me so much that I dont have words for
it..... <3 :yayca: <3

[Slash]

In case the subtle hints arent clear, dont look towards final fantasy or anime in general for references. in fact, dont look at drawings at all for reference. Try to draw as much as you can from life. it doesnt have to be people, try drawing the tv remote, an ashtray, a pillow or whatever. learning to observe is important.


But then again, you're 12 years old, and as others have mentioned the most important thing is to draw for fun and nurture that passion for drawing. Because soon you'll be a teenager, and teenagers tend to loose interest in everything, exept things that only requires a 30 second attention span. If you can keep the passion and practice until you're 16-17, you'll have a great advantage when/if you go to art school.

[Vishaka]

You mentioned you might focus on drawing certain things because you find certain subjects hard -- such as faces. I'm no Leonardo, but I think the best advice I would give you is to practice drawing the things that you find challenging, otherwise you'll find yourself 20 years old and still unable to draw a face the way you'd like it to appear. >_>

Also, I'd disagree on a few points other people have made... I think you can learn an enormous amount from copying the art of others, even if it is cartoonish (and even anime) as long as you ALSO draw from a lot of real-life reference. Many great artists have an animation/anime-influenced style that they've taken to the next level. :3

[GunTrouver]

Hey, always nice to see some young guys start something sinful.
I'm just 17, so not much older than you;) I remember when I was 12, I liked Dragonball very much. Now I knnow it's stgupid stuff but in the past I was fascinated and tried to draw in a simillar style. I drew my hole life so I had some experiences before. I don't know if my advice is a good one but before I started learning professional with books I just drew from imagination which was influenced by comics, tv shows and books I liked. I think that was good to develope my own style because I didn't used ref. or something. Than I started with anime/manga drawing books but I you ask me it's better to start with a rela anatomy book, like the loomis ones. You don't have to know every muscle, just learn the formes and shapes of the body and how they fit together. As the others told you I'd wait with the tablet until you got the basics of drawing. It's also good to do some traditional painting before start with digital ones. It helps to understand colours and structures.
Train your imagintaiton as much as your anatomy skills and you'll become a great artist:D
(sorry for my bad english:P)

[Crash]

people say to draw creatures and imaginary stuff first, to this I say no.
Before you learnh to do any thing interesting learn to use line, shade appropriately and to draw accuratley, this is a skill that is best to start out with.
In other words, ref drawings and anatomy.
Get some photos and copy, its the quickest way to be able to portray anything.


Yeah and make him bored and hate what he does.


Just try to have as much fun as you can. Thats why we all do it right?


OH and start a sketchbook. You can be the new mindcandyman. And if you dont post everyday we will send scorpions and wasps in your email.

rawr

[Red_Rook]

Yeah and make him bored and hate what he does.


Just try to have as much fun as you can. Thats why we all do it right?


OH and start a sketchbook. You can be the new mindcandyman. And if you dont post everyday we will send scorpions and wasps in your email.

rawr


thank you crash for being the voice of reason <3

[wookiedabo]

poor kid. pick one of the answers here, preferably the simplest, and run with it until you feel the need to learn constructively.

[strych9ine]

Here are a few rules to help you get started on the road to being awesome. Please take notes.

1) Forget traditional media, it's a thing of the past. If you want to break art down to the basics, start with MS Paint. That is how we learn to identify with some of the classical digital artists.

2) A good warmup before doing your MS Paint exercises is to practice turning a tracing of your left hand into a turkey. See if you can really turn on the imagination and draw a pilgrim in the distance behind him.

3) Lens Flares make any boring paintings pop. In a perfect world, my pencil would have a lead tip, and eraser, and a lens flare applicator.

4) The best way to capture feeling and emotion is all in the eyes. That's why you should always make them as huge as possible. Just like when anyone learns anatomy, you should look to manga for inspiration. If your character is frustrated, don't forget those squiggly lines on the cheeks!

5) Gasmasks are just about the coolest thing you could put on a character. If a nuclear dawn engulfs your character's world, you'd better goddamn be sure he's prepared to face it. I would also put a number or identifying symbol somewhere on it so his other gasmasked compadres can find him in the rubble.

And always remember, art is never about fun. It's a painful, lifelong trial that only the most masochistic of us are brave enough to endure. Embrace the pain and you'll do just fine!

[Red_Rook]

lol cody

[Mamoth]

Here are a few rules to help you get started on the road to being awesome. Please take notes.

1) Forget traditional media, it's a thing of the past. If you want to break art down to the basics, start with MS Paint. That is how we learn to identify with some of the classical digital artists.

2) A good warmup before doing your MS Paint exercises is to practice turning a tracing of your left hand into a turkey. See if you can really turn on the imagination and draw a pilgrim in the distance behind him.

3) Lens Flares make any boring paintings pop. In a perfect world, my pencil would have a lead tip, and eraser, and a lens flare applicator.

4) The best way to capture feeling and emotion is all in the eyes. That's why you should always make them as huge as possible. Just like when anyone learns anatomy, you should look to manga for inspiration. If your character is frustrated, don't forget those squiggly lines on the cheeks!

5) Gasmasks are just about the coolest thing you could put on a character. If a nuclear dawn engulfs your character's world, you'd better goddamn be sure he's prepared to face it. I would also put a number or identifying symbol somewhere on it so his other gasmasked compadres can find him in the rubble.

And always remember, art is never about fun. It's a painful, lifelong trial that only the most masochistic of us are brave enough to endure. Embrace the pain and you'll do just fine!

You might want to print that out as a NOT TO DO LIST ;p

[wittle]

the more time you take to observe the world around you, the easier it becomes to emulate it and manipulate it in your work. collecting books is always great for reference, but if money (or space) is an issue there're always libraries full of books... wandering aimlessly through them is a great way to stumble on hidden intellectual/artistic treasures.

if you want to focus on drawing people, a good little exercise is to take a sketch book, go somewhere with lots of people and watch how they move, stand, gesture... try and sketch as many stick figures in as many positions and try to get each to articulate as much emotion as possible.

[pogopuggie]

The single most vital lesson I ever too from anyone anywhere was:

Draw what's there, not what you see.

Your eyes are constantly presuming things are a certain shape and tone, but in physical reality there are details so strange our eyes gloss over them. Sometimes when doing life scetches the best thing to do is focus not on the positive (actual object/figure) but on the negative (space surrounding the object/figure)

Oh- and yes, DEFINATELY draw from LIFE as often as possible, it tends to retain more soul, and is a very very good place to start mainly to gain the knowlage of how to draw the thing from your mind without it infront of you.
:)

[Crash]

thank you crash for being the voice of reason <3


Wow...just wow....Voice of reason...


Its like losing my virginity all over again. >:D

[Evil_Sloth]

plan to be the best, do what you have to to get there and stay there.
Attitude = win. "This dude OWNSORZ..., im gonna kick his arse some day..."

[Tully]

.... in fact, dont look at drawings at all for reference...

Though I agree with the rest of your post, Slash, I'm going to have to differ here. Copying master drawings is one of the best ways to learn to draw. There is absolutely nothing wrong with copying so long as you're not trying to pass off the work as an original thing you drew. It's about learning! It's helped me tons and I'd highly recommend it.

That said, don't try to force a style. Style will come on it's own as you learn. That includes anime, disney-like characters.. anything. You want to be your own artist, not like every joe shmoe, right?

Also any time you're drawing from life and you're having a hard time determining exactly what you're seeing, shut one eye. It eliminates your binocular vision (because your eyes see two different things and your brain melds them together) and makes it easier to translate the 3D image in front of you to the 2D surface of the paper.

That and have fun!