Drawing frustrations

[koshi† 0]

Grrr...I keep trying to draw stuff but I can never seem to get it right! Either everything is misaligned and disproportionate or all the lines are really rough and jagged looking.:@

 

I've looked at so many tutorials and not one of them has really helped a whole lot. Most of them start by asking the reader to draw a circle...something which I can't really do. Yeah, I can't even draw a circle right.

 

I think most of those tutorials tell what to draw, but not how. And I need to learn how.

 

A lot of people have told me my artwork is good...maybe I'm just overly critical of myself. But a lot of times when I try to draw something, I can't even get it started right and end up making so many mistakes that I just get really frustrated and quit.

 

Maybe this should be in the Rants & Raves section...but I really feel like I need some help here. :-/

[Carson Coyote† 0]

I can't draw circles either.

[VC_Wolffe† 0]

I took an art class in college that really helped with my lines.

 

I know exactly what you mean, I have had the same troubles.

 

But in my class they taught us not to fear the line as we make it, and to never Jude until we are finished with the line.

 

We would sit for hours and just scribble over our pages, and do as many sketches of things as we could.

 

Not like the back and forth move,want people favor automaticity when starting out drawing.

(it's not a bad way, just it makes it harder to have confidence in your lines)

 

We would draw a single quick line, and then continue to do other quick lines and use them to get the form, and shape of what ever we were drawing.

 

It really helped me when I did it, and now I don't have that feeling of dread when drawing as much. XD

[Fahn† 0]

You need to be more relaxed when you draw

 

Since you now have a tablet and GIMP, you can use layers. There are many websites that'll give you the basics. Esentially, you need three layers to create a basic lineart drawing; the background, which you would set to "white", and 2 transparent layers. You can label them whatever, but I prefer to call them "base sketch" and "lineart".

 

Layer them in the following order: On top should be "lineart", then "base sketch", then your background. If you want, you can add the lineart layer later after you have completed your base sketch and background.

 

Now, here is where you can relax. Take your tablet, and on GIMP select a light shade of a color. Personally, I prefer to use blue "ink" for this. You can apply as much or little pressure as you like, but loosely sketch a crude gesture drawing of whatever it is you have in mind. Don't worry if anything isn't symmetrical or just right, because you can easily fix this. You can also set the back of your pen to the eraser.

 

After you have drawn it out, take your time refining it, making certain details more bold and pronounced, and making it look like what you want it to be.

 

After you feel comfortable with the sketch, either create or click on the lineart layer. You have two options: you can either draw over your sketch by hand, or you can use path and trace tools. Each has advantages and trade-offs. Hand drawing gives your drawing a signature "you" look, but can be frustrating if you're not getting desired results. Path and trace is VERY precise and much easier, but it makes all of your lines the same hardness and consistency (unless you want that) and you don't really improve your drawing skills this way. I use both my hands and paths.

 

When you are finished drawing your lineart, you can either delete or "turn off" your sketch layer by clicking on the eye symbol in the layers toolbox (if you don't know how to get to this, then click on windows>dockable dialogues>layers or press ctrl+L). You should now have a clean lineart drawing on a plain white background.

 

You can leave it as is, or add another layer and title it "paint". Make it transparent and put it BEHIND your lineart. Click on the paint layer, select a color, and scribble on your drawing. If the paint is over your lineart, then you either selected the wrong layer or your layers are not stacked correctly. If it is behind the lines, you're doing it right. Now you can paint behind your lineart without having to worry about making mistakes and erasing a LOT of hard work. Trust me, I've done that before... it sucks.

 

This necessarily won't make you a BETTER artist... only time and practice can do that. If you have not been following these steps on GIMP, they will make digital art a lot less tedious and MUCH easier with fewer mistakes. If you really want to know how to get better, then look at other artists' works, study HOW they made a line or shape, then try to emulate it until you're happy with the results. That's how I became a decent furry artist. I couldn't draw anthro to save my life, so I copied a few pics from FA, cut out the "nasty" stuff if there was any, and studied hands, faces, etc, until I was pleased with my results.

 

Get some other artists stuff and study it. That is some of the best advice I can give you. Oh, and don't get frustrated... you'll get better

[Hybrilynx† 0]

it takes time/practice and some people just cant draw certain things. i really cant draw stick people (at least not yet) and look at my avatar/signature.

[koshi† 0]

Thanks for the help guys...I think I just let myself get flustered way too easily. Dx

[Pooty_BlaDiBla 0]

You are very similar to me. I have the same problems.

 

Also, nobody can draw a perfect circle. It's impossible.

[Fahn† 0]

You are very similar to me. I have the same problems.

 

Also' date=' nobody can draw a perfect circle. It's impossible.

[/quote']

 

Giotto free-handed a perfect circle to prove to the pope that he was the greatest artist in the land.

[DeltaK9 0]

Practice!!!

[DasPurpleSegway† 0]

A word of advice: Sometimes I find that I draw better when I'm not trying.