Forum posts by Jcmlfineart

This is from about two weeks ago and is a merging of two images. This is the digital assignment from about two weeks ago. I have plans to make it into an original painting late next year. If you have any ideas to improve before the final step, I would be most grateful.

"Hello, Wonderland? I have your order."

Ps, does anyone have any good pallet knife references or tutorials? I am most interested in trying this style of painting.

All the best,

JCML Fine Art

Post links to your longer, more formal works.
Got something cool you did this year? Show us and let us know what you plan on doing next.

Knowing where you have been and what energisers you; also helps other creatives.

"Nothing is original; instead, everything is renewed."

Let us renew each other's work!

All the best,

JCML Fine Art

Post 3 artists that have influenced your work or have inspired you to pick up your drawing implement again. If you can, pick ones that are off the radar of the general art community.

When we study art, we learn a lot, and if we look at artists who are doing something well, it could change how we approach what we do at the surface.

Example of an Artist OFF Most Peoples Radar:
Rosa Bonheur. Knowen to some of the art worlds. If in a general conversation, most people may not know who she is or that she painted cows and other animals. Her gestural quality in all of her work is monstrously excellent, and her animals are freaking majestic. If you are studying animal drawing, I would suggest you check her work too.

Example of an Artist ON Most Peoples Radar:
Davinchi- Need I say more?

Right, so I am counting the example above in one of my three. Unless someone decides that's cheating. (I will consider out your argument).

Wynford Vaughan Thomas. I found this person on my Facebook newsfeed a few years ago. Thomas is a relatively known artist in the Margate area of the Uk. I study Wynafrod's works because they have so much energy and atmosphere.

Felix Vallotton is known for his prints, but I enjoy learning from his still lives and figurative paintings. He has a great sense of form and a bit of humour as he paints things like hands wonky in a more serious-looking work look at "the five painters". The second figure on the right, his left pinky, is so off. I think he may have painted it that way intentionally. I got to see some of his works in the Tate about three years back. I think this painting is lovely, but even if he could not get that hand right, it fills me with joy cause his work is in the Tate, and even he may have gotten it wrong! See, there is hope for us all.

Hope to read from you soon.

All the best,

JCML Fine Art

Post your favourite references and resources you found the most helpful to your drawing adventure so far.

I'll go first. My most interesting read is called: The Alchemy of Paint

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alchemy-Paint-Science-Secrets-Meaning/dp/0714531723/ref=asc_df_0714531723/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310785600414&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2026088030913715244&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007204&hvtargid=pla-523859846827&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

It's all about the history of colours and pigments. I can't stop reading it.

The most helpful figure book is called Drawing lessons from the Masters by Robert Hale

Thanks in advance for your inputs.

All the best,

JCML Fine Art

Icantdrawyet,

1. Change how you hold your pencil. Hold it like an artist, not a scribe. Line quality comes from how long you allow your implement to flow out of your hand gracefully. Wrist movement can not do what an elbow does, and an elbow can not do what a shoulder can. You may also want to consider weight training for your arms with drawing in mind. Not many artists do this but the results are pretty cool. Same with your posture and breathing. How we sit or stand while we make stuff influences how well it is made.

2. Place fewer figures on the page—no more than two. You are not wasting paper. You are helping yourself focus on only that figure. When we have more than one on a page, we have to stop and think about composing the page, so it is not messy. Better to just have less so you can learn more.

3. Use larger paper. A3 or bigger. The larger piece will free up your hand to draw more from your elbow or shoulder. Plus, more extensive reports will influence your line quality. You can get A3 sketchbooks if the loose-leaf paper is not your jam.

4. Fine a few books and study. Try the Science and practice of Drawing. It's wordy but quite informative.

5. Practice more with simple shapes. Try drawing perfect 2D Shapes in one stroke of your implement. It is harder than you will realise and if you can do this you can slowly up your game to 3d shapes, Shading and vp's. Yeah, this is a lot more boring, but it is so much more difficult and informative than many think. Yeah, it won't necessarily look good on Instagram, but it will make you a better artist.

If you would like any help or would like to reach out in any way just jot me a line.

All the best,

JCML Fine Art

Pastabother,

Drawing is like weight training. If you want to get better, I suggest you create a drawing routine and keep to it. I also suggest you take on a few workbooks or collage course books with assignments in them. Do all the exercises, but redo the ones you find difficult or uninteresting as you may learn more from the things you are disinclined to do. They make the "Ah-Ha!!" moment all the more rewarding. Or they do for me at least.

When you create your workout routine, don't forget to place a lot of the simple basics in alongside the complicated fun gestures like the ones on this website.

One great exercise is to try to draw perfect basic 2d shapes in one stroke. Circles, squares, triangles, parallelograms and ovals are great options.

Once you master this, do it again but timed, like gestures.

Want to up the game again? Try it with 3d shapes. This helps you enhance your understanding of vp's and light.

Then again, time out those gestures.

Warning: Yeah, this is a quick exercise, easily done on a train. But... it can be quite taxing on the brain. Have a reward ready before you begin.

You can also add shading and all of the other bits and bobs that make art awesome looking. Often we wanna make cool things because they are more postable on social media or get more affirmation from others to further our skills. But they are called foundational blocks for a reason. So do more of them to make your hand control and skills better.

If you would like to draw simple forms from life use these: Stone blocks I can not recommend these enough. They are well worth the investment and should be in any artists studio.

If you do this kind of warmup before you start gestures, which is similar to stretching before working out, you will be amazed by how much more improvement you will have when taking on more formal works.

Enjoy pushing pigment, and if you ever need a body double to draw at the same time as you. Or would like a study buddy. Feel free to email me: Michellercusack@gmail.com

All the best,

JCML Fine Art

Dokki,

If you would like to get an excellent reference for hands, and for that matter, the rest of the body, I would suggest you purchase or look for in your collage library: Classic Human Anatomy: The Artist's Guide to Form, Function, and Movement

The illustrations are fantastic, and she breaks down the anatomy of the hands from what we as artists can and can not see and how pointers work.

On your last drawing, it is essential to remember: When the had is stretched out with thumbs nearest your navel, the radial and ulna cross making an X. But, If you are open-handed,- thumbs away from the body, so that someone can put something in your hand those bones don't cross. But if you push way or palms down, so you can not receive something, the bones will make an X.

The best way to remember is X=No.

Since you are interested in animation, I thought you might find this little body betrayer exciting and use it to further your figures.

Knowing how the bones interact It think will help you become better in your studies. Take 2 hours a week and study all kinds of anatomy human and otherwise. Or better yet study 15 minutes before each time you draw and focus your drawings on how those parts of the body move and interact with the skeletal structure. Then draw them. Eventually, with enough practice, you will draw them in without even thinking about it.

I hope this helps you.

If you would like a study buddy, feel free to email me: Michellercusack@gmail.com I feel it is always nice to have someone to study with because it keeps you more honest and on task with your goals.

All the best,

JCML Fine Art

BCSkulls,

Drawing is like working out in the gym. You got to warm up first, or you will hurt yourself and your image. How you do that is up to you.

Here is an example of my drawing regimen:

1-hour reading current art exercise or education book.

Thirty minutes are drawing shapes in one stroke.

Thirty minutes are practising line quality and shading exercises.

Gesture class on this website- anywhere between one hour to 3 hours.

Formal study drawing based on what I read that day-30 minutes-1 hour.

Whatever formal work I am currently making- End of my workday.

As you can see, I start with the simple skills and work my way up the more complex, more detailed works. Study what you want to learn about anatomy, change to simple drawing tasks so you can think about what you learned, then apply them as you switch from gesture to more formal works.

As to the critique: try for things you felt were the most successful, are in the middle of the drawing session, or ones you think are weak/poses you believe are hard to accomplish. We can learn a lot by the things we are willing to show our skill levels to others. I think samples are acceptable, but the more you post your work the more feedback you will get.

Enjoy your studies!

All the best,

JCML Fine Art.

Jon_draws1242,

The presentation says a lot about how much you care about your work and what you are studying. Take the time to rotate your pictures to the correct orientation and place filters on your work so that it looks like a fresh sheet of paper. You can do this by editing your photos on your phone, or later on a computer program. Make it look like we are in-person looking at your sketchbook. Yeah, it takes time. But if you learn this skill early, it will change who follows your work, who will take time to critique it or who will take you seriously as an avid hobbyist or professional artist.

You have great spacing between figures. But some of your better drawings have fewer drawings on the page. Try and draw one figure on each page. It is not wasting paper, it is an exercise to keep you focused on the one form you are drawing with the others distracting you from your task.

All the best,

JCML Fine Art

Eeveeiscurrentlydrawing,

I think you may benefit from working with Higher H pencils and work your way up to B pencils. Your hand to surface looks like you may be a naturally hard presser of the pencil when creating searching lines. That's fine. But to aid your drawing skills, don't fight the way you draw the image. Instead, why not try starting with lower value pencils first? Then when you feel you understand your searching lines, take more confidence and move in with a softer, richer graphite pencil.

I think you will see a real difference in your gesture drawings if you make this small change. This drawing style works best for graphics 1 minute or more. Unless you have spent 15 minutes on 5-second pictures, then switch to 30-second drawings. Then you will find that it is relatively easy to change pencils in that small time frame.

If you are still keen to stay with your same pencil value, I suggest doing some pencil control exercises before you start your gesture drawing. I know most times gestures are study drawings. But if you work on your pressure to penmanship skills, your gestures will be more expressive because you will have better control over your hand-eye coordination.

If you would like a terrific resource full of drawing exercises, try Drawing, A Contemporary Approach by Claudia Betti and Teel Sale. I have the 5th edition; there may be more updated ones than my version of the textbook. I always turn to it when I need to get back to the basics.

Enjoy your pigment pushing.

All the best

JCML Fine Art

Fellow Artist Creative Community Members,

Name one exercise you found most helpful to help you understand shape, form, light, portions, anatomy, or value.

------>This will be wonderful as we all can teach each other better skills to get us to the next level in our artist drawing journies.

Also, If you have a great book recommendation that is full of drawing study ideas I am sure we would all like to know where to get better resources.

All the best,

JCML Fine Art

Michellercusack@gmail.com

I live in England, but I study in Minnesota at SMSU. I love tacos, making my pigments, and I am obsessed with colour.

Any of ya'll jot me a line any time. I want to hear from you.

Or I have Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jcml_fine_art_by_michelle_rose/ We could do a draw at the same time video chat. Sometimes it's nice to have someone doing the same thing you are at the same time. Or we could all play the line game Thicker, thinner, darker, lighter. Actually, this would be a lot of fun with a bunch of us all playing at the same time.

I feel like this is sort of like one of those dating shows that used to be on Tv, and we are all saying, "Pick me! I am a cool art kid, I swear!!":D

Hope to hear from some of you soon.

All of the best,

Michellerose Cusack

JCML Fine Art.

Part of it is creating your drawing environment.

Things like the kind of music or podcast you listen to while you draw can change your line quality. You can use this to your advantage as if you need to be hard with your pencil listen to something that is heavy like death metal but doesn't use the same music if you are working with delicate work, try lofi beats.

How distraction-free is your work environment?

Do you need to talk out your movements? Are you suppressing your natural dawing ways for others in the same room?

How do you fit your drawing sessions into everyday life?

Do you need to change your goals to keep yourself interested in what you're studying, so you stay in the studio?

You can use classical conditioning on yourself to aid your drawing process to excel. For example, every time you prepare your drawing area with no distractions you get a cookie at the end of your drawing session. Or at 11 am = drawing time.

Small things like this will change your drawing sessions a lot! And if you do the same routine, your memory will improve because your brain loves these types of condoning because they are associated with the feeling of comfort.

I hope this helps.

All the best,

JCML Fine Art

Creepdimensions,

Your goals have a lot of storytelling. Who are you reading, researching, and editing to help you along in your process?

Word writers I like are PL Travers, Lewis Carol, Roland Dahl and Sean Lang. Visual narratives I like are Cezanne, Kara Walker, Peter Brugal and Albrect Durr. (Just to name a few) I know these are not comic books, but I have not gotten too much into that sean yet. Do you have any recommendations? I always like a good story and learning about new artists.

I am a traditional artist trying to get into digital art. I applaud your efforts because, to me, there is nothing so frustrating as knowing how to do something and not being able to accomplish it on a computer. So to start, I have been taking a digital art course this semester. I feel overwhelmed, but I know it's a good start in the right direction. If you have any tips I am all reading eyeballs.

Why not give Robert Hale's Great Masters' book a go? A lot of information breaks down the basics, and he speaks at length about narrative art.

All the best in your adventures,

JCML Fine Art

itzhoyt,

One of my favourite baseline rules I learned from Robert Hale, writer of "Drawing from the Great Masters"

Least Important----->Most Important

Nose-----------------------> General Shape of the Head

Fingers----------------------> General Shape of the Hands

Brests-----------------------> Ribcage

Details are not Structure--->Shape creates Structure

Focus on what is most important and then bring in the details.

Change your paper to size a3 or bigger, and your grip on your pencil to an artists grip.

These three things will change so much for you if you keep at them every day.

I suggest you try for 30 minutes to 2 hours of 30-second poses, depending on your time and availability. Do this for 15 days straight.

Why?

Shorter poses don't allow you to get sucked into the small details. There is no time to do so. Plus this shorter time will allow you to get quicker at analysing what are the basic shapes in the form, and where the line of action is located.

If you need help, I am just a jot away.

All the best,

JCML Fine Art