Off on the wrong foot?

[Mimiokis]

I've been looking around this place for quite some time now, finally got the balls to sign up and ask for some advice of my own. I love this place because everyone seems so intelligent and I learn so much. Gotta love learning!

I'm 15, so naturally like every other being born during my time, I got into art through Anime and cartoon animals... bad move, I know. I just recently decided to crack down get serious about art after reading some posts on this forum (I'd told myself months ago I'd "get serious"). I'm wondering if the way and not necessarily the things I draw is all that crippling. I'm hoping if they are, they're curable. Most of all I'm worried about these aspects:

1. My drawings are practically microscopic; smaller than 3x5 index cards. I see that amazing artist usually work in enormous canvases and then resize... But if I work in large sizes everything goes wrong proportional-wise. And thats taking into consideration that my proportions are already... lacking to say then least.

2. I mostly draw on the computer these days, and I never sketch when I do a "major" piece. Ever. I just can't do it, my pea sized brain gets confuddled with the messy lines and destroys everything when I try to go over it neatly. And I'm not sure if this is a reason why my anatomy is so wonky, working in small areas for long amounts of time, but I know that I've really got to study the anatomy I've been putting off for so long. I've got tabs open for that on Firefox right now.

These are just things that I've noticed that I do differently than others and am afraid that if I don't look into them, they'll come back to bite me. I don't know how drawing small can really affect anything in a negative way(I may be naive), but not sketching probably makes my pictures looks stiff... I wouldn't know since when someone points out that something is stiff, nine times out of ten I can't spot it even after the claim.

(hopefully this is in an alright place...blagh >>; )

[icebergart]

it would probably help to be able to see some of your work.
From what you said though I would say you are heading in the right direction, by "getting serious" that is. I think all the anime and cartoon monsters are just abstractions from real things, and that it helps to know the proportions and characteristics of those real things before you ever abstract from them.

[Sirithduriel]

Agreeing with icebergart, it helps if we see some of your stuff as it is now.
Perhaps sketch using pencil and paper first. I know digital sketching makes it easy to change stuff, but I find pencil and paper gives you more control over what you're doing. And just sketch bigger. It'll look wonky at first, but you'll get better at it in time :)

[HunterKiller_]

Yeah, post some of your work, that will make it much easier for people to help.

Don't put off anatomy, you need to study it.

[Farvus]

I see that amazing artist usually work in enormous canvases and then resize... But if I work in large sizes everything goes wrong proportional-wise.

1. If you see some bad proportions, that is the first step to improvement. Next step would be seeing what's wrong with them. And the last one, drawing better ones.
By avoiding large size of drawing you don't give yourself chance to see those mistakes. That's why it will be harder for you to improve.

2. Everyone starts with messy lines. Instead of using technique that allows erasing and doing undo, face your weakness and try for example ink technique that can't be erased. Right now I'm drawing anatomy with nib pen and I really have to worry about putting single lines to get some level of clarity. After getting used to such limitation I know that my pencil strokes will look the same. Single and carefully placed curves.

I entirely agree with Atlantis. You have to find that balance between getting out of comfort zone (which could mean boring, frustrating exercises) and just having fun.

If you don't give up you're gonna reach the level you want to. I'm 100% sure :).
Good luck.

[Dizon]

What's so bad about "Anime" and cartoon animals? The important is that it got you started in drawing!

Don't worry about drawing small. Lots of artists do that in order to see the big picture, and they also use those small drawings as a guide for bigger work.

Good luck, man. Welcome to CA!!!

[Pau1Winslow]

I was in your boots about a year ago. I, too, wanted to get a foot in the door and be apart of this amazing art form. I've always drawn, which has helped a lot. But anyway, I've bascially been familiarising myself with the digital painting world for the past year, and was very careful in my approach.. I'd recommend taking the same steps to anybody interested in getting things off the ground.

Reading through ImagineFX religeously every month and browsing through online portfolios, studying both the names and works of digital greats like Mike Corriero, Daniel Conway, Marta Dahlig, Patrick Reilly, Francis Tsai, Melanie Delon, Henning Ludvigsen, Bryan Beus, Martin Bland, Dan Milligan, Kuang Hong, Andrew Jones, Jonny Duddle, Hoang Nguyen (this list is just so long..) and some other favourites of mine that I discovered through IFX's FXPose feature like Mike McCain, Blaz Porenta, David Smit and Mikko Kinnunen (again, it goes on and on), was a big stepping stone.. I wanted to know what I was talking about and this was a big help.

Secondly, I dedicated hours (and still do) to studying the fundamentals of colour theory, perspective, lighting and everything else that act as the building blocks to progression. You can never know it all.

Thirdly (and throughout), I fill pages and pages of my sketchbooks with anatomy studies and life drawings, teaching myself to draw what I see and have also developed a love for drawing landscapes with my own fantasy twists. It's a lot of hard work but if you're as serious as you say you are about picking it up then you should learn to love every step of the way.

I try to draw for at least one hour a day but that can often spill into two or three hours, depending on the rest of the day. This obviously includes playing around in Painter and Photoshop, very loosely trying to re-create the type of apocalyptic landscapes that I scan in from my sketchbooks.

It's a lot of hard work, as I said, but I f'n love it. I'm very much obsessed with digital painting :P I hope I've helped give a little insight.. I'm no master, but I'm determined to climb to the top of the ladder.

[Seedling]

You’re 15! Quit worrying about what you have or haven’t done in the past. You were a kid in the past, you’ll be an adult in the near future, and right now you are at the perfect time in your life to start seriously exploring the paths that you think you might like to possibly follow to a career. And if you think you might want to do art for a living, just start directing your projects to be teaching you what you don’t yet know. Easy! ;-)

Come join us in Concept Art 101. The link is in my sig. . .

[Serpian]

You have problems drawing big? PRACTICE DRAWING BIG

You have problems with anatomy? PRACTICE ANATOMY

I could go on but I think you get the point. Draw, draw, draw, everyday. Copy anatomy from books, but more importantly, DRAW FROM LIFE. It's frustrating as hell, but it's the most important practice you can get regarding the human body. And if you have a tablet, you can draw on your computer, but nothing beats getting the basics down traditionally. And if you draw with your mouse, STOP. That's not gonna get you anywhere.

DRAW, dammit!

[Mimiokis]

Thanks for the advice guys. I've returned from under my rock. I've been looking for books that I found suggested in an archive around here, I went in the public library with a list of about 15 books, worth a shot, right? I came out with not a singe one! I'll just have to check a bookstore once I get some money. Meanwhile, I'll just have to assault a mirror won't I?

I really haven't drawn anything in forever, just doodles here and there while I search for books... Thats why I don't really have anything decent to show. I'm full of excuses... I have a Deviant Art account like every other teenage 'artist' that has a bunch of my crap on it, but you're not supposed to link to those, now are you? I also confiscated a medical anatomy book from a teacher at school today, I'll see how much good I can do with it...

No worries, I got a tablet the first time I "got serious" last year. I'm trying to learn to work with my left hand (I'm a righty). I have no idea what that might do, but I'm hoping it will do some good with balance or something. maybe? XB

[Belledin]

Switching up hands is always a good idea. Changing up your tools every once in a while helps, as well. First a thick pencil, next a big fat marker, then maybe a fine point pen. Also, changing scale helps, as well (I used to have the small/big issue, myself). Just remember that the purpose of sketching is practice and practice will produce unpleasant results at times. The important thing is to just keep drawing. That is the only way to improve.

Go hang out at a place where you can sit and watch a lot of people. Then start drawing. At 15 I know I had very limited resources from which to draw (no pun intended). So, I worked with what I had which was drawing kids at school, or people at the mall. Now I live in New York and draw on the subway.

Long story short: draw. Then draw some more. And when you're tired of drawing, draw even more. Good luck.

[Rblackmore]

Just a heads up, many good books on drawing and anatomy can be found FREE online(legally...). I was able to get Bridgman's Human Machine and Constructive Anatomy, along with a couple other great books online. Also, Gray's Anatomy is free online here (http://www.bartleby.com/107/)
Good luck, and IMO stay away from the japanime. Men are supposed to look like men afterall!