Need Advice Getting Started

Turks

Hi Polycount

Apologies if this is an inane question, but I'm lost and feel like I haven't improved in some time even with regular practice. I've been drawing for a good chunk of my life now. However, I feel I've reached a plateau at this point and I'm not sure how to proceed. I feel like there is a more correct/optimal way to improve your skills, but I'm lost on how to move forward. Obviously, I understand that I need to be drawing everyday, but if it's just aimless drawing I feel it'll take a ton longer to improve than is needed.

 I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips or links for building a curriculum for improvement that balances time/investment. What should I be drawing and where should I be focusing?

thanks

mnxoh

Hello. Would you show some of your drawings and tell what you would like to improve in them?

Turks

mnxoh said:

Hello. Would you show some of your drawings and tell what you would like to improve in them?

https://www.instagram.com/_dancontreras/
 
Here are some drawings I've done in the past. I feel I'm really bad with proportions and scale as well as just rendering in general.
In my mind, these are extremely broad fundamental issues that I should learn 'correctly.' And I ideally would like to have some structure when learning, rather than just drawing aimlessly and picking up bad habits. I just lack direction and I'm not sure how how to address these issues even though I'm aware of them. Like improving proportions. How do I train my eye to accurately gauge scale and  etc. 

mnxoh

Judging from the drawings you've posted I wouldn't say they're terribly disproportioned. Maybe it's not that bad as you see it.

If you want to improve precision of your drawing, I would advise to concentrate on working on precision in terms of size and proportion first and leave light and shadow for later.

Try to draw some simple stillife subjects from life. Lines only - no light and shadow. Try to choose something with simple singlecoloured nonreflective materials and simple form/silhouette close to the basic primitives - cube, sphere, cylinder. You can make a cube from paper and try to draw it - good excercise. Fruits, vegetables, teacups, plates etc. can also work. Use construction lines. Use comparative measurements to check yourself. Start by eyeballing then check with measurements if you feel it looks wrong.

If you feel that stilllife is too difficult try copying something flat, for example some drawings or paintings that you like. Approach is the same: draw by eye, if in doubt - measure to check.

The most basic excercise I can think of to train yourself to judge proportions is to draw some lines of random length. Then try to divide them in two equal parts. Try the same with dividing by 3, 5, 7 parts. Use ruler to check how close you are. Drawing squares that are perfectly square, drawing perfectly round circles can also help.

Turks

@mnxoh

Those are interesting exercises. I'll give them a shot. Perhaps starting a sketchbook here would help as well. 

Thanks man!

MykulJaxin

@Turks

Hey, friend! I ask myself this question all the time. I think self-reflection and critique are important aspects of growing as an artist, but...

I also think it can be a waste of time. I took a digital painting class a few summers ago when I was a student. One of my classmates spent the entire time looking at cool reference and finding inspirational quotes. He never got anything done or grew much because he was overthinking it. I've spent this entire year trying to find a job since graduation in December and not really maintaining my regular drawing schedule. I've wondered why I haven't improved, but really it's because a lot of what I considered "art practice" was aimless doodling reinforcing negative habits and spinning my wheels. I'm rambling, but what I'm trying to say is this:

I totally get wanted to maximize your time and get the most bang for your buck, but don't waste time trying to come up with a "Quicksilver" approach. Humility is an effective tool for recognizing that you need to change or there's room for improvement, but don't get stuck trying to come up with the perfect curriculum. Do lots of artwork, push yourself, venture outside of your comfort zone, and you'll grow (almost always slower than you want to).

So many of us struggle with this very topic, I think it would be helpful for you searched for some older threads just to realize that you're probably doing just fine. Then get out there and get to work! Here's a topic I've been looking at lately, I think there's some great stuff in here: http://polycount.com/discussion/151539/how-do-you-get-better-at-drawing

And your drawings seem fine. The only problem is that there's only 7 of them, spread out over almost 3 years.

Turks

@MykulJaxin

I suppose you're right. I probably am overthinking this way too much. I should really just get to work. 

I guess I'm really just worried about learning all these imagined wrong habits, but as long as I produce plenty of work and examine it critically  I can hopefully avoid these imagined pitfalls ha. And thanks for the link, I'll be sure to take a look!

th1355en

 I've been drawing for a good chunk of my life now. However, I feel I've reached a plateau at this point and I'm not sure how to proceed.

This is all too normal man.  I really believe we all learn and grow at different speeds but... There were years where it felt like I was stuck in this endless cycle, going no where, and I stopped progressing completely, but really I was just drawing in a comfort zone i developed over time.Not exploring new things or consciously thinking about what I was drawing. Plateauing isn't a bad thing, it just means you hit a peak and your ready to do some more research on how to reach the next level. spend more time on a single project and consciously think about every brush stroke or texture etc. Taking breaks can be really beneficial too, like try not doing anything for a month.