• Hello everybody! We have tons of new awards for the new year that can be requested through our Awards System thanks to Antifa Lockhart! Some are limited-time awards so go claim them before they are gone forever...

    CLICK HERE FOR AWARDS

The I'm actually doing something productive Art Thread



REGISTER TO REMOVE ADS
Status
Not open for further replies.

iDrops

It's a Farce...
Joined
Jul 15, 2011
Messages
840
Awards
6
Location
Rainland
I've been wanting to make an art thread for a while but never did because eh. So I'll dump some of my drawings here and yeah. I'm not very good with anatomy or lighting btw which is why I'm not drawing full body. I'm also bad with exciting poses, I just can't think of any. help me.

Digital drawings for now, will post some more traditional stuff later.

Spoiler Spoiler Show


Spoiler Spoiler Show


I have a question for everyone which has bothered me for a while. When is referencing/copying from a photo or something considered a bad thing? I always thought that copying was fine but I always see it being looked down upon. I quit art for two years because I kept hearing how using a reference was wrong, and at the time that was all I could do. Then I get back into art and now I see everyone doing it all the time in some way or another. Like they would copy a certain pose they've seen but draw their character instead. It confuses me.

I personally think if you're starting out then using photos and other things helps a lot, but then you need to get away from that and start drawing from your mind. It really helps you to grow as an artist that way. I think you should have a balance between drawing from your mind and using a reference.
 
Last edited:

Wehrmacht

cameo lover
Joined
May 17, 2007
Messages
14,057
Awards
3
Location
brland
Re: We don't sell chicken feet here

professionals use reference all the time. there's nothing shameful about it. you do gradually want to build up a visual library and come to rely on it less overtime, but as long as you need it, you should use it. it IS worth noting that a lot of professionals typically take their own photos to create a personalized reference pool that belongs to them unambiguously, so as to avoid problems with the copyright owners of photos.

Anyway, I think the main issue with your work atm is really just your drawing, and you might want to work a bit on that moreso than painting itself for now. not that you should stop trying to learn about painting altogether, but i would suggest laying off color for a bit and doing works in greyscale, and also picking an easier subject like still lifes because

1) human skin is a very complex, nuanced thing and difficult for beginners to paint

2) it's much easier to see values (aka the most important part of painting) when there's no color involved.
 

Shasta

Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
625
Awards
6
Age
29
Location
somewhere on twitter
Re: We don't sell chicken feet here

Your painting is great, but you lack in the actual "drawing" department. I'd say practice actual drawing first before you begin to paint, or else it won't stand out as much. After all, you can't drink without it first being in a container.

As for copying or using references.

Copying a drawing: I don't look highly upon it at all, in fact I put it in the same category as tracing over something. I can understand if you are trying to learn the style or feel of a certain drawing, just don't do it too much, because 9 times out of 10, you more than likely won't end up copying the picture the way you want to (just talking about copying, tracing is just one huge NO).

Referencing a drawing: This is fine, and like Weh said in the post above me, professionals do it all the time. The thing about referencing is that you can take certain ideas and tidbits from it while still expanding your creativity and keeping it original. I mean, but don't just steal ideas, obviously.

Remember, no art style is completely original, it all has an origin somewhere.
 

iDrops

It's a Farce...
Joined
Jul 15, 2011
Messages
840
Awards
6
Location
Rainland
Re: We don't sell chicken feet here

professionals use reference all the time. there's nothing shameful about it. you do gradually want to build up a visual library and come to rely on it less overtime, but as long as you need it, you should use it. it IS worth noting that a lot of professionals typically take their own photos to create a personalized reference pool that belongs to them unambiguously, so as to avoid problems with the copyright owners of photos.

Anyway, I think the main issue with your work atm is really just your drawing, and you might want to work a bit on that moreso than painting itself for now. not that you should stop trying to learn about painting altogether, but i would suggest laying off color for a bit and doing works in greyscale, and also picking an easier subject like still lifes because

1) human skin is a very complex, nuanced thing and difficult for beginners to paint

2) it's much easier to see values (aka the most important part of painting) when there's no color involved.
It's good to know that using a reference isn't a bad thing because I find my drawings look so much better when I do that.

Well dang that annoys me since it's only recent that I started to work in colour, I prefer working in greyscale. Thanks for the help, I will try and work more on my drawing. I think I need to go back to working on paper for now, when it comes to drawing I'm better on there.

Your painting is great, but you lack in the actual "drawing" department. I'd say practice actual drawing first before you begin to paint, or else it won't stand out as much. After all, you can't drink without it first being in a container.

As for copying or using references.

Copying a drawing: I don't look highly upon it at all, in fact I put it in the same category as tracing over something. I can understand if you are trying to learn the style or feel of a certain drawing, just don't do it too much, because 9 times out of 10, you more than likely won't end up copying the picture the way you want to (just talking about copying, tracing is just one huge NO).

Referencing a drawing: This is fine, and like Weh said in the post above me, professionals do it all the time. The thing about referencing is that you can take certain ideas and tidbits from it while still expanding your creativity and keeping it original. I mean, but don't just steal ideas, obviously.

Remember, no art style is completely original, it all has an origin somewhere.
Haha, copying was how I started drawing until I was told off by some people that I shouldn't do it. I don't do it any more though, that's way waaaaaaaaaaay in the past.

I like the idea of taking parts from different references to create something original. Thanks for the help~

Speaking of drawing, I found one I did three years ago. Shading could have done with a little more work but I still like it. So would you guys say I should go back to doing drawings like this?
Spoiler Spoiler Show
 

quiteMAD

What a guy!
Joined
Jan 4, 2006
Messages
6,887
Awards
1
Location
In your head.
Website
defineprog.deviantart.com
Re: We don't sell chicken feet here

professionals use reference all the time. there's nothing shameful about it. you do gradually want to build up a visual library and come to rely on it less overtime, but as long as you need it, you should use it. it IS worth noting that a lot of professionals typically take their own photos to create a personalized reference pool that belongs to them unambiguously, so as to avoid problems with the copyright owners of photos.

Anyway, I think the main issue with your work atm is really just your drawing, and you might want to work a bit on that moreso than painting itself for now. not that you should stop trying to learn about painting altogether, but i would suggest laying off color for a bit and doing works in greyscale, and also picking an easier subject like still lifes because

1) human skin is a very complex, nuanced thing and difficult for beginners to paint

2) it's much easier to see values (aka the most important part of painting) when there's no color involved.

I'm just here to second this. I used to be one of those people that shunned using reference, because I thought it was somehow cooler to make something without it. But my art improved exponentially when I started using references. These days, if I don't use a reference, it's usually out of laziness lol.
 

Shasta

Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
625
Awards
6
Age
29
Location
somewhere on twitter
Re: We don't sell chicken feet here

It's good to know that using a reference isn't a bad thing because I find my drawings look so much better when I do that.

Well dang that annoys me since it's only recent that I started to work in colour, I prefer working in greyscale. Thanks for the help, I will try and work more on my drawing. I think I need to go back to working on paper for now, when it comes to drawing I'm better on there.


Haha, copying was how I started drawing until I was told off by some people that I shouldn't do it. I don't do it any more though, that's way waaaaaaaaaaay in the past.

I like the idea of taking parts from different references to create something original. Thanks for the help~

Speaking of drawing, I found one I did three years ago. Shading could have done with a little more work but I still like it. So would you guys say I should go back to doing drawings like this?
Spoiler Spoiler Show

While it looks good as a whole, I can't identify the separate bone articles in the skull, probably the teeth are the only thing I can individually identify. As you said though, this is three years old, so I won't hold it to you. It looks really good though, I love the shading on it.
 

iDrops

It's a Farce...
Joined
Jul 15, 2011
Messages
840
Awards
6
Location
Rainland
Re: We don't sell chicken feet here

While it looks good as a whole, I can't identify the separate bone articles in the skull, probably the teeth are the only thing I can individually identify. As you said though, this is three years old, so I won't hold it to you. It looks really good though, I love the shading on it.
Yeah that's the problem I'm getting with it too, I can't recognise anything in that drawing. Thank you. C:

Well no thread of mine would be complete without this guy
Spoiler Spoiler Show


It's kinda rushed so that's why the shading is a bit eh. Don't ask about the hands or the feet. I kept trying to make his legs longer since he's supposed to be tall, I don't know if it looks right.
 

Rydgea

keeps leaving X-mas decor up year-round.
Joined
Oct 21, 2011
Messages
2,775
Awards
13
Website
backloggery.com
Re: We don't sell chicken feet here

The problem with making only the legs longer is that he looks anatomically incorrect. The thighs droop way down. His squatting stance looks kindof awkward. The right arm (his right) looks way too stiff and his left hand juts up towards the top of the hilt. The bevel in the sword goes from one end to the other? I've never seen this on a sword before. Anyways, a lot to work on. I definitely encourage practicing drawing and usage of references before moving on to coloring. Congrats on making your thread! :D
 

iDrops

It's a Farce...
Joined
Jul 15, 2011
Messages
840
Awards
6
Location
Rainland
Re: We don't sell chicken feet here

The problem with making only the legs longer is that he looks anatomically incorrect. The thighs droop way down. His squatting stance looks kindof awkward. The right arm (his right) looks way too stiff and his left hand juts up towards the top of the hilt. The bevel in the sword goes from one end to the other? I've never seen this on a sword before. Anyways, a lot to work on. I definitely encourage practicing drawing and usage of references before moving on to coloring. Congrats on making your thread! :D
I had a feeling just changing his legs would cause a problem. The whole thing was done without a reference which is why the arms and such are stiff. I've never drawn a sword in my life so XD Thank you for the help~

That drawing was more to show where I'm at without using references so now I know what to improve on.
 

iDrops

It's a Farce...
Joined
Jul 15, 2011
Messages
840
Awards
6
Location
Rainland
I think it's time to breathe life back into my art thread~

I've been having some mixed feelings about art in general in the last few years, mostly due to my current art degree which is more about modern/contemporary art than anything else. I've been swaying back and forth between wanting to get better and loving art to giving up and hating it all haha. Lately however everything has changed for me in that aspect. I realised that I'm not going to get any better any fast if I don't do something about it (I know that sounds obvious haha) so I've been trying to draw/paint everyday. So anyway, the moral of that story is DON'T GIVE UP, YEAH.

Now onto some stuff I've been doing recently. There is a lot more but I haven't finished with it all yet because I'm so slow.

Spoiler Spoiler Show


I've been so obsessed with Castlevania lately, all my current drawings are basically Castlevania related haha.
Spoiler Spoiler Show



Spoiler Spoiler Show
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top