Forum posts by Kim

Hey Mike!

I’ve been told I focus too much on the outline of the drawing instead of the whole image. Is there anyway I can fix that?

I answered almost this exact question for someone right here: https://line-of-action.com/forums/topic/critique-requested-for-1510-gesture-drawings?page=1#post-2672

I think it will prove useful to you as well! :)

I’ve heard a lot of artist using arms helps with getting good lines. But what about the smaller details? Can I use my wrist for the more detailed parts? To sum up the question, what are the exceptions to using your arm?

Yes, you can use your wrist for details. Drawing from the elbow or shoulder is better for large, broad, confident strokes. However, you should not be arrived at needing detail until after your under construction is done. (Again, check out that link)

• Kim edited this post on September 9, 2018 10:17pm.

Huzzah! :D

Oh golly, no! Thanks for letting me know, I've fixed it now. I think my brain has melted a little doing so much site-launch stuff this weekend :)

You might want to look at this: https://line-of-action.com/article/master-pencil

And also this: https://line-of-action.com/art/view/1

Both discuss methods of better shading/blending :)

• Kim edited this post on September 9, 2018 5:59pm. Reason: Fixing a link

Is that shading issue something you have only with faces, or just in general?

hey Wing, what length of time were you using for this drawing?

Gesture is only one part of many things you will have to study. It's totally okay to start with gesture practice. You don't need to learn to draw all the details first.

Have you read these articles?

• Gesture basics #1: Line of action
• Gesture basics #2: Head, ribcage and pelvis
• Gesture basics #3: Joints

• Kim edited this post on September 8, 2018 9:21pm.

Hey bgarcat, do you have any specific goals for what you're trying to learn right now other than "on a tablet"? That can help a lot in focusing our feedback. :)

Both should now be working. Thanks for letting me know about this! :)

I think the #1 way to "get used to it" is to expose yourself to it by trying it until it's something you're used to. Like with anything, there's an adjustment period where the newness is uncomfortable and you have to remind yourself a lot what your goal is.

If you really need help drawing smaller, give yourself less space. I have a a tiny sketchbook, about 4 inches by 5 inches, that I can keep in my purse. Using a surface like that would give you a constant reminder to downsize!

Contact form fixed. Addressing the pencil exercises next.

Great catch! I will work on fixing this right now.

There was an older version of this post that I have retired, as there isn't really a scrap of recycled code from the old website, so naturally we're going to have a different set of issues.

A list of known issues we're working on fixing:

* The "critiques given" weekly critique counter is not resetting on users who are very active critiquers

* The "critiques received" box on the Your Studio page never updates.

Fixed

* Class mode sometimes speeds up after a break Fixed 06/29/2022

* Class mode on the environments tool does not advance photos Fixed 1/8/2019

* In the animal drawing tools, selecting "All but insects and other creepy crawlies" will throw an error where the tools claims to have no matching images even though it most certainly does. Resolved 10/13/2018

* "All mammals" in the animal tool DOES show only mammals, but not ALL available mammals. Resolved 10/13/2018

* "react" box is too low when clicking the "react" buttonon mobile, so it looks like it didn't open. Resolved 10/13/2018

* "reacts" work on responses to own sketchbook images, when really only critique responses should be reactable. Fixed 9/18/2018

* Stand-alone URLs are not being properly converted into links on the forums. Fixed 9/18/2018

* There's an error that can occur when trying to save a custom goal Fixed 9/18/2018* 7 day streak badges are showing as broken images Fixed 9/18/2018

* Sometimes when copying/pasting from another forum post, you'll end up with bizarre extra bbcode styling that we do not actually support.

* Some of the blog post images need to be re-linked, since we've moved all our files around. UPDATE 9/8: I'm about halfway through linking everything back up.

*Sometimes forum topics are appearing out of order Tentatively fixed 9/9/2018

* Choosing "only show live animals" in the drawing tools is causing the tools to erroneously report that it doesn't have any images. Fixed 9/9/2018

* Some of the tool images appear more blurry/pixelated than before. Not yet clear why this is effecting some images and not others. UPDATE: We have a clue, the server is working to regenerate images with the new compression guidelines, we'll see if that rights this! Update 9/8/2018: Everything is confirmed back to normal with tool images now.

* Because we don't have proper timezone settings yet, what day study time is assigned to can feel totally absurd for some users.

• Kim edited this post on September 7, 2018 6:59pm. Reason: Fix to blurry images being tried
• Kim edited this post on September 7, 2018 8:57pm.
• Kim edited this post on September 7, 2018 9:40pm. Reason: Password reset issue was resolved, removing it from the list
• Kim edited this post on September 9, 2018 6:31pm.
• Kim edited this post on September 17, 2018 6:02pm.
• Kim edited this post on September 17, 2018 11:50pm.
• Kim edited this post on September 19, 2018 2:10pm.
• Kim edited this post on October 14, 2018 3:03am. Reason: Fixed animal image categories, react box on mobile
• Kim edited this post on January 7, 2019 4:47pm.
• Kim edited this post on January 8, 2019 5:55pm.
• Kim edited this post on July 5, 2022 8:05pm. Reason: Adding fix for classmode speed up

A list of features we are planning to add to the site, mostly in no particular order:
* Mute for critiquing, so you can skip seeing particular people's work in your critique queue if you find you never have anything useful to say to them.

* Delete multiple playlist images at once

* Delete multiple sketchbook images at once

* Improve & increase he tips & lessons offered in clss mode for subscribers

* Review & expand FAQ

* Add "basic shapes" drawing practice tool

* Ability to filter the study store (Criteria like by tool, hide already purchased or full member-accessible, etc.)

* Photographer credit management - so you can update your portfolio link on your submitted photos whenever you need to, or even have multiple credits (For example, if you want to include the model's name in the credits for some photo bundles as well)

* Search tools for the forums

* Better pause for the tool countdown timer while the loading spinner is displaying

* On a person's LoA anniversary, send them their oldest sketch of the year and their latest sketch of the year to see their progress.

* Blocking other members from sending you PMs, responding to your forum topics, or commenting on your images

* Ability for users to delete comments on their own images

* Categorization of sketchbook images

Stuff being considered that may or may not get added

* Social authentication, like logging in with your Google or Facebook account

* Experience points? Levels of some kind? Maybe we'll just run a Habitica challenge! ;)

* Site translations to other languages? Portuguese, Mandarin, Dutch and Japanese might be our biggest demand, looking at our analytics data. We do have volunteers who have mentioned maybe helping with translations to German and Spanish, as well, however.

Completed
* 360 degree views tools 11/25/2021

* Pay for photo bundles with Alipay

* Pay for subscriptions with Alipay

* More work done on caching - this isn't exciting or sexy, but it will help to keep the site speedy and strong for years to keep up with our growing community! :)

* Ability to design your own class-lengths with custom pose lengths and breaks (full subscription members only) Added 10/20/2020

* Better email settings

* New study tool category: filter by age range 05/01/2020

* Push notifications! Want to be nagged to get your study in? Want to know right away when someone has left feedback on your critique requests? Added 1/13/2019

* Allow purchasing gift-vouchers for subscription time? Might be nice around the holidays!

* Easy method for users to delete own account Added 1/7/2018

* Add last message date/time to inbox Added 11/7/2018

* Non-intrusive reminders to review your practice goal if you haven't changed it for four weeks or longer Added 11/7/2018

* Subscribe/unsubscribe from our mailing list from your account page

* A more streamlined system for us to be able to send photographer payouts

* Pay for photo bundles with Paypal Added 11/5/2018

* Pay for subscriptions with Paypal Added 11/21/2018 in the form of purchasing gift codes

* Adjust which book resources are recommended based on user's goals

* "First class" that introduces the concepts of gesture practice

* New study tool: environments (indoor and outdoor)

* Greyscale mode for the study tools (subscribers only) Added 9/17/2018

* Flipped mode for the study tools (subscribers only) Added 9/17/2018

* Adding back the book resource suggestions

* Timezone account setting, so all timestamps and day starts will look right to individual members.

* In-class tips and focusing goals Added 10/9/2018

* Doodlers and Full subscribers can choose to be forwarded directly to the image upload page after a practice session, with their current practice goal and the study time intervals they were working with already pre-filled into the description of the uploads... Automatic critique requests, just upload your work and hit go! Added 9/12/2018

* Even deeper filtering for the practice tools: Want to only study people who are sitting down? Exclude images that feel too glamorous? Only draw birds seen from behind? Stay tuned. Completed 12/30/2018

* Ads for non-subscribers -- doodlers and full subscribers won't see these, but soon non-subscribers can help support the site's continued upkeep and improving by seeing a few ads. Added 12/23/2018

• Kim edited this post on September 17, 2018 6:37pm. Reason: Crossing off some finished features
• Kim edited this post on December 24, 2018 4:40am.
• Kim edited this post on December 30, 2018 8:30pm.
• Kim edited this post on January 4, 2019 11:46pm.
• Kim edited this post on January 9, 2019 5:04pm.
• Kim edited this post on January 13, 2019 11:21pm.
• Kim edited this post on January 14, 2019 2:42am. Reason: Crossing off push notifications
• Kim edited this post on October 24, 2020 6:25pm. Reason: Crossing off more finished features
• Kim edited this post on November 30, 2021 10:51pm. Reason: Adding 360 degree tool to completed list

This looks like a good start, and congrats for making practicing a priority and putting time into it! :D

Based on what you say you're trying to accomplish, I would suggest for awhile, try the exercise of drawing the hips and torso as 3d objects rather than two dimensional shapes. Make them cubes or oblong spheres rather than boxes and ovals. If you have time, you can do the arms, legs and head in this way too. This will help promote your perception and understanding of how the figure is constructed in space, not just what it "looks like."

We started building such a tool about... oh, three years ago, but faced challenges that stopped it from ever quite being released.

I can't say anything definite, but I would suggest that you might look for new life in that project as more new features roll out after our new site release in September... You didn't hear it from me! ;)