How to draw
I was told that it would be best to learn how to draw before moving into 3d art for games. At my best I can probably draw a... stick figure...
So, my question is, what would be the best way to learn how to draw? Please dont say practice, because that is quite obvious, and I do about every day...
By the way, Im 14.
Thank you Polycount
So, my question is, what would be the best way to learn how to draw? Please dont say practice, because that is quite obvious, and I do about every day...
By the way, Im 14.
Thank you Polycount
Replies
And yes, unfortunately practice is a huge chunk of getting better at drawing - search around for tutorials and focus on areas you have trouble with. If you don't enjoy drawing perhaps try sculpting?
As an aside, what made you interested in doing 3d art?
Well I've always been interested in video games, and I am looking to learn more about how to make a game, so I have at least a little knowledge before I get into college.
I have an idea I hope to bring to life in the future, I can picture how I want it to look, and I would like to draw it out as some concept art, but there is a problem with that... I am a terrible artist.
Training your eye is the most important thing. It will give you a huge advantage.
How does one "Train your eye"?
Check out these links http://wiki.polycount.com/CategoryConceptFundamentals
Draw 50% from your imagination, 50% from real life and anatomy books or images.
And of course, just experiment and keep drawing and learn from your mistakes. Fill sketchbook after sketchbook with studies. Draw from observation as much as you can.
And most importantly; never get discouraged. There's no such thing as natural talent (not to any significant degree at least)- it all comes down to willpower. Hard work.
You might want to look in to this. There are other instructors on Gnomon workshop you might want to look in to as well. Follow the exercises they tell you to.
It also depends on what you want to draw. If characters, you may want to buy an anatomy book for artists and dra.....wait
You are 14.
Is there a problem, with me being 14? Its not like I haven't read anatomy books before... There is a health class in school if you didnt know...
The best way to learn how to draw is by building.... Core fundamentals[ame="
Theres also this Pile of Recourses on Conceptart.org with good perspective assignments to practice
if you can, take some summer art classes at an art museum or local college.
Nice first step is asking for help very good move, now just post some artwork along the way in the sketch book section here to see your progress and maybe critics.
Best of luck you've got a huge head start if you start very seriously right now, so lucky.
Phs-ed? Yes I know, Well if you want you can trace the pictures from the anatomy books.
Currently I am using are:
-Sarah Simblet's Anatomy For The Artist.
-Eliot Goldfinger's Human Anatomy For Artists: The elements of form.
-The Monster book of Manga.
Huh?
I was trying to pencil in a joke. But it seems that it a little too sketchy for people to get:/
- Ctrl+Paint
- Enliighten
- Android Arts
Now now, drawing with a broken pencil is pointless :poly142:
I'll just reiterate that focused practice, not just idle doodling, is going to be your best bet for gaining drawing skill.
Also, check out this site.
www.ctrlpaint.com
Lots of really great information there, presented in very nice videos, its video-game art slanted, and its free.
Keep coming back to Polycount. Post your work. Develop a thick skin, so you can hear criticisms without getting your feelings hurt. Good luck!
If you really are an ABSOLUTE beginner I'd recommend "Drawing on the right side of the brain". It's a good read at the very least, but it should help a lot. Otherwise search books and tutorials on basic rendering techniques, and try drawing from life.
Another few skills that are key are perspective and anatomy. Perspective can get a little complicated but it's not that hard to learn the basics at least, and it is incredibly important. Even if you don't want to do characters, I'd say learning anatomy is a great way to practice your drawing skills, as well learn all sorts about structure and form. I'd recommend "Figure drawing for all it's worth" by Loomis (all of his books are great) as well as Bridgman's anatomy books.
Like others have mentioned, train your eye. Learn to truly 'observe' the world. If you're drawing an apple.. don't draw what you think an apple looks like. Draw what you can actually see. Once you break down that wall your drawing should improve a ton.
Also, never get discouraged - there's a ton to learn and there always will be, even masters at their craft have plenty to learn. What's important is to take it one step at a time, keep an open mind, and strive to progress. It's great that you're taking this seriously at your age, I hope you stick to it. If you're ever confused as to what you should do next, there are plenty of resources online to read up on, plus you can always ask on here.
Oh, right, critique is utterly important as well. You honestly probably won't get very much feedback here on beginning level drawing, since we mostly focus on 3d or digital painting, but go ahead and start a sketchbook thread anyway. There are countless other forums out there you should be posting to as well. Try conceptart.org. I know it's intimidating posting on a site with a ton of super talented artists, but it's the best way to get better. Try not to take it too hard if someone gives you a harsh critique - remember, they're trying to help you get better.
In my experience, however, you do not need to be "able to draw" in order to work with 3D art for video games. It will surely help though when communicating ideas and improving your vision for detail etc.
I think there is a big difference than being a jerk and making a joke. At the very least we are bumping his thread.
30 minutes - 1 hour: Gesture drawing (1 minute each) using the following tool:
http://artists.pixelovely.com/practice-tools/figure-drawing/
30 minutes - 1 hour: Drawing heads (Using the Andrew Loomis approach to get started). These I spend 2 minutes each on.
30 minutes - 1 hour: Pick a part of the body (head, torso, etc) from an anatomy book, draw it several times and then try to draw it from memory again and again until I can get it right. Escorche is also supposed to be a good method of doing this but since I want to get some freehand drawing in as well as study anatomy I choose the former method.
1 hour to a couple of hours (depending on whether I lose myself in time
The key to approaching these studies (I guess this is what i've experienced but others might have found differently) is repetition and focused approach. I don't like to spend too long on a piece of work (for example drawing the human figure and then shading it meticulously) as to me that seems less like learning and more like polish.
The quick study approach I find teaches your brain to recognize proportions, foreshortening and relationships of shapes very quickly (even in the colour exercises, where your result may look like your squinting at a person rather then looking at them from a focused point of view). Not to mention that between working 8 hours a day, working on personal projects at home as well as trying to maintain a healthy personal life I cannot really give a massive amount of time to these studies
It takes time to see progress and improvement (could be months!!), but if you don't give up on it (< this is essential), you will see it.
My goal from the above exercises is to not only be able to draw and paint better but also to see and analyse things better so that I can apply these traits to my 3D too.
Good luck mate
While the graphic shape is important, especially for design, it only holds 2 out of 3 dimensions...
There r a tons of tutorials that go into either route but few that take both and distinctly draw the line between them
The worst case is that many of the 'live demos' out there have some guy explain his workflow with 'well I just do this <awesome thing>' and never actually go into the rational behind it
http://analyticalfiguresp08.blogspot.se/
http://www.drawsh.com/?spref=fb
Michael hamptons book Figure drawing Design and invention is great.
When I was your age (ha I can say that now) I did mostly real life drawing (backgrounds, flowers, trees,ect.) and I got good at it but by the age of 14.5 I made up my mind that I did not want to do backgounds and what i really wanted to do was characters and of all the years I spent trying to learn how to draw characters I can only tell you five things I have learned.
1)Keep drawing- But don't draw the same thing over and over, but remember %50 real/%50 from your head (for me I made a webcomic to keep me drawing)
2)Get a Drawing tablet- trust me you need to learn to draw on a tablet, as well as pen and paper (I'm still trying to do this)
3)Don't learn one style/Keep learning- Back when I was at your age (ha I did it again) when I stated doing manga drawing until I was about 15.5 when I started drawing a more real style and it was hard for me (and still is) because I lacked the basics
4)YOU DO NOT DRAW TO TRY TO GET TO AT OR BETTER THEN SOMEONE'S LEVEL- Never draw to "beat" someone at drawing nor look at someone's art and say I want to draw like them
draw for yourself and your own dreams. Make a goal to be at a level that you want to be.
5)Don't be afraid of figure drawing- It's only porn if you make it
Places that helped
Polycount-As I came here about two years ago and my art has gotten some much better ( this is the nicest forum I have ever been it helpful people no troll and a helpful wiki at the top)
Fine art- It's a nice place to learn with models for figure drawing and tutorials (This is one of the best I have seen so far)
Artists Pixelovely and Posemaniacs- Both sites are very good for Gesture drawing
Ctrl Paint- You most likely be using a computer to draw at some point so this site is the best for it This will help as well
Deviantart- Just go if I tell you about it you may never go. They do have good tutorial groups: Like this one, this one, and even this one
Artist Walkthrough By tamaraR- This is one of the best tutorial in the world I know it's a bold statement but it's true.
idrawgirls.com- The funny part about the site is %40 of the site is about drawing girls, the rest is men and backgrounds.
Babelab- Don't go until your 16 or older
ConceptCookie- The part of cgcookie set aside for concept art
It is always good to take a rest from time to time
This road is a long and hard one, but hey what road isn't.
Hope this helps
and magic sucks