Need advice please!!

[Talokk]

Hi!
I just found this website yesterday and was wondering if anyone here could give me some advice.
So here's the deal.. I'm a 15 year old from England who has a strong passion for character art, at this moment in time my art work is.. lets say.. 'not up to scratch':S .
At my school i took the subject 'graphic design' over art and am really regreting it but i can no longer take art as a subject.
Are there any 'self tutoring' programs i should be looking at to improve my art?
Thanks in advance.

[Earendil]

Keep a sketchbook with you during your free time, and study objects and structures you daily encounter. Practice practice. If something doesn't look right, try and figure out specifically what elements could be improved upon.

Most importantly, don't give up or beat yourself down because your art isn't "quite up to scratch".

Hope this helps. :)

[Talokk]

Thanks!! Didn't expect such a quick reply! :D

[Wasker]

Do as many of Seedlings assignments as possible and you'll get better, and read anatomy.

http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=81332

[drummingpariah]

Andy Loomis has some amazing freely-available books available, you could spend years studying those, and getting something new out of it every day. I've been doing a "sketch-a-day" with a specific goal in mind. Every Sunday, I grab 7 objects that I'd like to sketch, with a specific theme, and spend a half hour every morning after waking up on whatever my goal is for the day. It's easier to be discliplined when you have rules to apply to yourself. If you have a scanner, posting some of your work and asking for advice is a good idea, but try not to take criticism too personally. We're ALL trying to improve. And of course, ask questions! It seems like you're off to a good start.

[Talokk]

Thanks again all!

[Storyboard Dave]

Just immerse yourself as much as possible into art. Go see great art from the classics to the latest contemporary stuff. What is it that you like? Just soak it all up and keep drawing 24/7 is probably the best way to go about it and don't slow down.

[Shantih]

Everyone's given great advice. I assume you're doing your GSCE's now? If you work hard and try to make a few pieces of work (like still lifes, etc) to show your teachers, when it comes to A-level, if you choose to do it, they may well let you on, especially if you also do well in graphics. Entrance into A-levels isn't half as hard as they lead you to believe.

If they really refuse, you can normally take the art GNVQ (one year) without a GSCE and then you're definately allowed to take art A-level.

To be honest, you don't have to do a huge amount of work to get a good grade at GSCE, most of them do little or no work outside lessons and it's often not very good either, so if you work hard at your observational skills, life drawing and anatomy, etc, then you could wind up as good as most of, if not all, the GSCE class anyway.

Good luck!

[Micaiah Nelson]

Me, I'm still in Highschool and i sketch every class. But that wasn't advise because I pass with D's. But please take note to sketch every day Keep and KEEP a study of anatomy. No mater what kind of art you do it has to be somewhat anatomically correct. Make sure everything evens out. Draw your characters in every angle possiple. BE CREATIVE. I get my creativity from all types of music. Seach thread and for my sketch book Micaiah Nelson dead sktechbook.

[Talokk]

Been busy with my gcse moduals and mocks for a while so not had chance to come onto CA :o but I just thought i better thank everyone for giving me such good advice :}

[devbot]

hey im in the same position iv jus finished my GCSE's and had my exhibition the other night. im looking for advice just like you and now im sketching 2 hours a day and studying andrew loomis and burne hogarth books on the anatomy. many teachers iv had have told me im extremely talented but my anatomy work is not good so im working and working on this. hopefully i can make it some day because art is my life.