Mensajes en el foro por Ab2qj

Nicely done, but take look at the cast shadow on the tabletop. Draw a line from the right edge of the cast shadow tangent ot the sphere. Do the same on the left side. Those two lines should be parallel, at least if there is a single light source. You are right, it is not easy!

That Proko video is a good one.

Regards,

James

Tell me about it. I think it is natural in developing any skill to have plateaus and regressions but with drawing it is also an issue of perception. As you skills progresses your standards also get higher, often at a faster rate than your skill.

What I have found helpful, is to try not to judge your progress in “real time”. After I do a drawing, I put it aside and don’t look at it critically until at least the next day. I am often surprised about how much better it became overnight.

The phenomena is called the “artist’s curse”. As you are working on a piece you are looking for what is wrong and trying to make it right. After a while all you can see is the weaknesses.

No more than once a week, or better, once a month, look back at your earlier work and compare. You will be in a better position to judge your progress and areas to work on. Better yet, find someone knowledgeable to give you an objective critique. You will probably have to pay for this.

Whatever you do, keep practicing. Good luck!

Drawing is the process of creating an image from dark and light tones. Typically one draws on white paper with a dark medium like graphite or charcoal. That way you create the darks and leave the background for the lights. One could also do the reverse by using dark, or “toned” paper with a light medium. Like white chalk on a blackboard.

More interesting is to use a medium toned paper and two drawing tools, one dark and one light. Charcoal and white chalk for example. That way you use the background paper for the middle tones, the charcoal for the darks and the chalk for the highlights. Lots of old masters did this. Usually they are described as, “colored chalk on toned paper”.

You can buy toned paper in various colors or make it yourself by painting white paper with a light wash of watercolor or acrylic.

Regards,

James

I would love to see this also. I find myself pausing to count how many images I have drawn.

I am new to this, (about 18months) so take my advice for what it is worth. I think the key is to draw a lot, so I buy reams. (500 sheets) of 12x20 newsprint and draw on a large clipboard. The stuff is cheap so I don’t mind using lots of it. Also I know it will turn brown and brittle in a few years, so I am not tempted to get to “precious” about fussing over any one drawing. Once a month or so I do the 30 minute class mode from this site in a spiral bound sketchbook and keep it to track my progress.

As for drawing implements: charcoal pencils and Conte crayons work well on the newsprint. Graphite less so, unless it is very soft. I find that changing media occasionally helps keep me from making the same mistakes over and over and creates the opportunity to make new ones. I will try anything that makes a clear mark on the newsprint and is easy to sharpen, or doesn’t really need sharpening like the Conte crayons; pastel pencils in dark colors, Cretacolor pencils, etc. Markers will bleed into newsprint and ruin the sheet underneath and won’t let you use both sides of the paper. Ballpoint pens don’t feel right to me as I tend to draw with an underhanded grip.

I started drawing by copying Bargue plates which was lots of fun and confidence building. For that you use Nitram charcoal sticks or graphite pencils sharpened to needle points, but that I find too fussy for gesture drawing.

Have fun and good luck!

I have the same problem. Now my 94 day streak is broken!