How do artists improve their drawing skills?

[zoobyshoe]

Phenomenal artwork zooby. If you don't mind me asking, how do you handle smudging when working with pencils? I have a horrible time with this when I work on portraits. I'll get something exactly how I want it only to smudge it a bit later when I'm working on something else. It is annoying as all hell, because I can never "repair" it back to the way I originally had it.

-GeoMike-

Easy: I lay a piece of paper over the part of the drawing where I'm going to rest my drawing hand to work. Nothing special, just a piece of printer paper.

When smudges happen, repairs can be done, but it is frustrating to have to do them. I fiddle with all kinds of erasers, cutting them to different shapes with an X-acto knife, and also use the kneeded eraser, which you can pinch into shape.

Glad you like the drawings!

 

[Blahness]

Zooby: Brilliant. Honestly, I don't have the determination, and based on what you say, the physical time to make beauty like you've done, but I'm going to try to make it look... more.

I only get in-class time, which is a problem, but... meh.

(I also have horrible handwriting, and Doctor Grandma has prescribed me 4 Handwriting books. Woo.)

 

[GeoMike]

Easy: I lay a piece of paper over the part of the drawing where I'm going to rest my drawing hand to work. Nothing special, just a piece of printer paper.

Damn, I was hoping you had some super-secret method. I guess I'm just a big klutz, I've used paper but I always end up accidentally moving the paper while I have pressure on it -- then I have a large fuzzy smudge.

-GeoMike-

 

[JasonRox]

Ok, I just got back from Zooby's thread, and... just WOW!

Do you have a website or something?

 

[zoobyshoe]

Zooby: Brilliant. Honestly, I don't have the determination, and based on what you say, the physical time to make beauty like you've done, but I'm going to try to make it look... more.

I only get in-class time, which is a problem, but... meh.

(I also have horrible handwriting, and Doctor Grandma has prescribed me 4 Handwriting books. Woo.)

As for drawing well quickly, our DaveCP30 (or whatever those numbers after his name are) is the person to talk to. He draws great stuff freehand and even from memory rather quickly.

Projectors and grids are for when you want strict, realistic proportions. That isn't always desirable because the altered way an artist renders something without these strict controls is often better, more interesting and personal, than when the proportions are photorealistic. Dave's art is a case in point: he's got a personal style I really enjoy.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Damn, I was hoping you had some super-secret method. I guess I'm just a big klutz, I've used paper but I always end up accidentally moving the paper while I have pressure on it -- then I have a large fuzzy smudge.

-GeoMike-

Hmmm. I've never had any particular trouble with the paper moving and smudging things. I suppose I unconsciously watch out for this or something. Hard to say.

Ok, I just got back from Zooby's thread, and... just WOW!

Do you have a website or something?

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad you lke the stuff. No, I have no website. That thread is my main public show.

 

[Evo]

Here's the link to zooby's arwork.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=95252