#i rlly gotta practice anatomy more

[victoriacoffee]

I officially learned how to use the multiply layer setting! Kinda sad it took this long, but I also barely did digital art until kinda recently

Definitely gonna rant in the tags

Because I can't not post these, here's a pic of it before most of the shading for comparison, and also a picture of him with the tower and house *not* blurred because I did kinda put work into the scene even though I knew it was getting blurred, ya know?

[toxooz]

What inspired your currently coloring style? I'd love to know your process and who/what inspired you to gain such a beautiful way of depicting your characters. What is your process for practicing anatomy as well? Love your stuff!

THANK YOUUU I've always chased the Movie Screenshot look but im recently working on the barrel of worms that is color theory and the way lighting/shadows affect different surfaces. My go to rn is rim light sksksk but im kinda itching to do more challenging lighting scenarios its just a matter of pin pointing What to study and taking the time 🤙 so i guess a movie look and noticing interesting lighting/shadows throughout my day and trying to apply that in drawing form 🤘 as for the anatomy I like to take a scientific approach to it like studying the muscles and where they stack up, how they can move even down to the positioning of the tib and fib, or just real life references or hell sometimes i gotta look at my own arm to grasp wtf a pose is lmfao but i also recommend loose gesture drawing and grasping the overall flow of a pose or limb it rlly helps keep your hand loose and relaxed and can piece the drawing together easier and faster

[zelterxc]

THANK YOU a bunch. this rlly helped me cause i used 2 be a perfectionist & i wanna branch out w my style more !! i noticed the more i worried ab how my art is made the less i had fun! also happy new year ralph !!

👍👍👍 definitely experiment with what’s fun! It also helps that if you want to learn something new, learn one new thing at a time, and don’t overwhelm yourself. It’s a big undertaking to learn all of human anatomy, but less difficult if you practice like, one body part at a time. Learn to draw an arm. Just one. And it’ll all start connecting as you learn more. …Tbh I gotta do that again I’ve gotten rusty on some stuff lmao oops

[stunfiskz]

i rlly gotta practice drawing gore stuff and look more into like anatomy n where shits placed and all that cuz it is so much fun jl;fda

[roi-chan]

I rlly love your art style,,, do you have any drawing tips for a beginner orz

THROWS MY DINNER TO THE SIDE, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, I AM VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS KINDA ADVICE HSDKJFHSDF-!!

Ok, first all! I’ve been drawing a very long time for I am past being a Young Adult and now am a full blown adult, lols! When I was first learning to draw, I didn’t even have a computer in my home- that was fancy business man.

That being said, I quickly figured out why beginners can get disenchanted really easily (and how, I, too, fell into that disenchantment after a few years of drawing).

First, never compare yourself to others. This is so stupidly hard, and it can crush you easily. Especially to those much younger than you, and are beyond what you consider your skill level. People are being exposed to amazing creative ideas at younger and younger ages, and are inspired by that. Keeping up with what feels like the entire world is difficult.

Instead of seeing other people’s art and being crushed that you may never be as good, ask yourself, what is it I like so much about this art? You have admit, some artists just stick out to you. It’s a matter of preference. There’s some artists who I love their art style, some for their coloring style. Figuring out what you love about art pieces can help you develop you creative voice!

For example, in a more broad scale, my lowest interest is in color. It’s why my pictures tend to be clean cut and boring. Because that’s my jam. I love dynamic styles and poses tho! Nobody told me this tho, so it took me years to realize that’s was my interest and to start developing in that aspect. Now that I’m happier with my dynamics, poses, that sort of thing, I’m slowly pushing towards color!

Just. Please. Remember that, above all else. You can always learn and practice anatomy, backgrounds, styles, but strengthening the heart for always feeling overlooked, under appreciated and not good enough takes a long time.

But for literal art tips!

To be honest, I started with fanart. Sailor Moon, Hamtaro, Powerpuff Girls, Zoids, Tenchi Muyo!... ya, them oldschool Toonami shows lol!!

It helped me because I had a set character design to work with. I had something to compare to. “If I draw her legs longer, it’ll look better!”

I’m not kidding. I used to record Sailor Moon episodes on my VCR, pause frames, and draw them lol! But when I got a strong enough foundation, I started drawing my own original fanart! That gave me the confidence to push past redraws of frames and making even original characters! ^_^

And don’t worry if you have troubles with certain areas of the body. Honestly, I worked so hard on drawing faces and hair. That was my favorite- especially eyes. Slowly, I’d draw more of the body as the months went on!

Don’t try to bite off more than you can chew, basically. Don’t feel pressured to make every piece a flamboyant, full body treasure. Half bodies just mean you can put extra love into the details, right~?

Oh, oh! And don’t always feel like you gotta push your boundaries! If you like drawing girls in lacy dresses but are bad at drawing boys, well god dammit, draw them girls! It’s what you enjoy. When you feel up to the challenge, try the dude.

Pushing yourself too much, too hard, just ends with a lot of bitter feelings.

On that topic of learning how to draw things! Tutorials are great! Don’t be afraid to be picky about them tho. Some tutorials just aren’t made in a way that teaches you well. It’s no different than a teacher- some teaching styles just aren’t for you. Don’t feel bad, just keep looking for the ones that make you go “Ohhhhh!!”

Bouncing back to something I said up there! ^ This might sound mean, but also look for things you dislike in others’ art. For example, I’m very particular about chibis. I hate when they have pointed chins, most of the time it’s not very cute to my eye. It’s all a  matter of opinion! You gotta take notes of what you like and dislike, it’s all part of growing! You aren’t being mean. Unless you purposely go out of your way to tell the artist what you dislike and that’s it, then I hope you lose your tablet pen. :(

Don’t toss things! I started with traditional art, and I have a lot of art from as far back as 2003! They are embarrassing reminders of your newbie days, but to compare what you did then versus now is incredible! Be proud of the smallest of growths, because you’re even just a decimal point better than what you were yesterday!

One other thing. The people that have grown in this generation tend to be shyer than previously before. Even as recently as yesterday, I was looking down at my own art. But then I saw this ask in my inbox and it made something click.

You just never know how many people actually enjoy your art. There’s so much that goes into  it. Not just how well the art is drawn, but the concepts, aspects, detail, love you put into it. People can see that, a point of view that’s obscured from the artist’s sight because we see it from our mind’s eye. What we envisioned versus what we spat out on paper.

I know this isn’t a very helpful ask in term of literal drawing tips. ;;; But these are things I wish somebody told me, it’d have saved me from a world of heartache over never being good enough.

Art is one of the many things that can be learned- by anybody. It’s up to your determination, creativity, and your unique view on how you see the world and showing us, the audience, how the things that have inspired you became your unique, creative voice!

It can be a slow process.

It can be a painful process.

Sometimes it’s like taking 1 step forward, 3 steps back.

All you have to do is take a step back and look at it from a different angle. All art is art, regardless of how much time or effort you put into it. And you know what? I can’t tell you how many times I hated something I worked on, saved it, and a few days or weeks later I reopen to it to realize... it’s actually not bad. I’m just being hard on myself.

For those days, just sketch. Loose, scribbly drawings! Or maybe try new things. Buildings. Interior shots. Nature. Animals. A new style. Anything!

Just remember. It’s okay to feel discouraged, it’s okay to feel proud. Remember that art is never a perfected ability- but something you are always growing and learning. But never, ever, give up!

Giving up is absolutely the only 100% way to never get better at art.

And lastly, thank you, anon! This is a well timed ask, because I needed to hear these words, too. I have renewed determination! ^_^ I’m honored to hear such words. ;;;;

So, good luck, anon! I believe in you!