Messages du forum par Jcmlfineart

Honey Bee1331,



Do you warm up before you start working on your formal drawings? Do you stop working on what you're doing and move on to other things when you feel stiff? Do you plan out your works by making thumbnail sketches? How many times do you redraw your image before you work on the final?

Often we want everything we touch to look AMMAZING! But that's never the case. One must be able to reproduce the same thing a few times, create drawing workout routines and study if they want to get better. It's not wasting paper, it is investing in your abilities as an artist.



Until you post some of your work into your sketchbook on this website, I feel this is the best advice I can give you. Take the time to do the work and study anatomy, and the basics like drawing cubes, eggs and cones with different light sources. Yeah, it's boring snoring stuff, but that's what is often needed to get to any state near-photographic reality.



All the best,



JCML Fine Art

Honey Bee1331,

There is a cool book I think you should read while taking breaks from your drawing called "Outliers" By Malcolm Gladwell. It talks about how long it takes for someone to get good at something, anything- including drawing. It takes on the question, "Are you born with talent, or can you earn talent?"

Or, if you are not a reader/this encourages you to pick up the book watch this...

[url=]20 hours to Success[/url]



Artist blues are real! That's why I joined this community. Just yesterday, I was feeling rather down on my drawing abilities, so I looked through my old sketch leaflet books, and I can't believe the difference nearly a year of constant study has made. What I can do in 30 seconds now would have taken me 5-10 minutes to achieve back then.

This website gives you a badge of honour if you draw 33 days straight for 30 minutes or more. Why not make it one of your goals? Keep your first drawing. Give the first drawing to someone and tell them to hide it from you. Then draw for the allotted time. Once you prove, you got your badge to your buddy who hid your drawing; they can give it back to you. Then look at the difference. I am sure you will be shocked.

(I still have yet to get this badge, but I am trying)

If you would like a book to study, try "The Artists Way" It's made more for writers, but visual storytelling is still a kind of journalism. The book has a lot of nice prompts that have helped my journey through the years. Give it a go, and tell me what you think.

Slowagain,



There is a beautiful book called Classic human Anatomy by Wilson. All the mussels are colour coded, there are visual and verbal explanations, and it does a fab job at showing how the joints move.

However, if you want something with exercise, try Drawing from Life. It's a college textbook, but I have always found it helpful.

If you go through both of these and still need some help, try Drawing lessons from the masters by Robert Hale. He has some cool basic art block ideas that have helped me along my art path, unlike other references I have tried.



If you try any of them and still need a few more references, let me know, and I can send you more.



All the best,

JCML Fine Art

Right looks like I am gonn'e start this thing So here goes!



Welcome to our art group.



I started using this website at the beginning of this year and decided to contribute to it as it has helped my studies about 2 moons ago.

Big goals:

I am a tetrad artist currently working my way through college in Minnesota, but I love and live in Watford England. My major goal is to be a commission artist, creating paintings or drawings, especially for my patrons. Custom work is my favourite art challenge.

The book I am currently reading is called Colour by Victoria Finlay it is all about where pigments come from, how they are made, and who makes them.



Funny story: " A God, Tacos and Wednesdays"

Here in England, salsa is not very good. I love spicy food, and as much as I love a good curry: I grew up thinking spicy meant more the flavours of South America. About a week ago, My husband found this cool taco with the best salsa I have found so far that doesn't taste like Asian-SouthAmearican fusion.

He placed an order and had it delivered home. He planted it in the way of what I was working on in my sketchbook at the time. I was a bit annoyed, but hunger was more powerful than my sketching yen. I pushed my work to the side. I read the white words on the brown paper bag. "Jesus Saves Your Tacos". I have dyslexia what it really said was "Jesus Salvador made your Tacos". I ripped off the white sticker, thought it was odd that a restaurant would be so forward with their religious views. Shugging, I proceeded to eat my taco goodness.

Meanwhile, my husband left the apartment to get his part of our weekly Wednesday order-in meal. By the time he was on his way back I was in mid 3rd taco thinking the phrase- "Thank you, Jesus!" (I find this ironic as I am Jewish, but if this is what Christmas states like, I am in.)

It was at this point I noticed my reading error. I was in mid taco bite and could not help getting guac and salsa up my nose from laughing so hard. And of it is at this moment that he looks at me with snot quack, salsa and spit all over my face. He looks at me and says, "Oh Jesus! What happened?!" I wiped my face with a napkin and said "Well, he saves" Then proceeded to laugh uncontrollably for the next minute or so before I could explain what happened.



Looking back, maybe it's not that funny, but at the time, in the moment the oddest most ordinary things can be funny, even Jesus Tacos on Wednsdays.

I know of Tite Kubo, author of Bleach, One Punch's Yusuke Murata, but I do not know Tatsu Yukinobu's work. I am guessing that he-she is a manga artist? Yeah?

If so, what is the name of their main manga?

If not, will you send us a link to some of your favoured peace's?



Are you more interested in anime or manga? AND... are you making comics? If so, share. We would love to see your work.



All the best,



JCML Fine Art

Let's open up and share

Tell us something fun you did this year.

What is your major overall art goal?

Annnd... how about a funny story.

If Some of you are comic book writers, or you feel dry on inspiration why not take someones prompt response and turn it into an artwork.

Go!

All the Best,

JCML Fine Art

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