Forum posts by Icouldntthinkofaname

No I completely agree! That's how it looks when I do it, but there's a huge degree of skill needed to simplify effectively. They just announced a new gundam series with designs by take, whose work is ultra-stylized and fairly simple, and whose art I also really like (you've seen their designs if you've played any Pokémon since Sun and Moon).

I try to do all those things, but it still feels like I end up back where I was before. I'm not necessarily pursuing consistency so much as a need to not have to think that hard about it, but when I try not to think that hard or gp faster, I slip into the habits I'm trying to escape. Like, I've tried actually using timers, but I hate the results because they're actually moving away from my goals.

I realize this looks very self-deprecating so small clarification- I think there's probably fairly easy fixes here, but I'm having a hard time applying them. I tend to shift to something new for 1-2 sketches and then it's like I forget how to, or I have to force it.

Yes!

I mostly mean in terms of character art - I essentially went anime -> semi-realistic -> back to anime and am struggling to fully return to "anime"; the way I've studied is very rooted in say, realistic fundamentals and while I have never really gone full realism, I'm having issues simplifying and stylizing in ways that would be back to "full anime". Someone on here a while back (though I've deleted the thread since iirc) compared my current style to Marc Brunet and that's a good baseline for what I don't really want.

Aaat the same time, a lot of my more anime influences still have semi-detailed features (Shigenori Soejima, Yusuke Kozaki, etc). Simplifying too much looks "flat" and kind of amateurish, but I'm not happy with my current habits either, which feel awkward / stiff; too much detail for some things, but not enough for others. I can try to draw some quick examples, but I'm actually still stuck on mobile right now.

I'm also having issues with just drawing more attractive characters, lol. Eyes in particular are a nightmare, and the faces never look quite "right" to me.

I don't like my art style.

I've done the usual of "studying artists I like" and trying to pick up elements from them, but no matter what I do, I eventually fall back into old habits. It's very frustrating. Nothing seems to stick. I have specific goals and artists I like, even! And I can recognize an issue.

I know "style" is a bit misleading, but I do mean it in the sense of "I hate the stylistic choices I make". I'm aware of this, but everything I draw feels like it ends up with those choices no matter how much I'm trying to avoid them or trying to pick up something new or even just studying. How do I get out of the hole?

Please don't suggest changing medium! I don't have a laptop still, so I've already been forced to do that.

I'd love to see more anatomical references, like skeletons or muscles (obviously not real ones, but the the models used in classrooms and such might work).

I'd also like to see more tutorials or resources for exaggeration and stylization! We seem to have a lot of animators here so I think it would be helpful.

Old thread so I deletes my original response, but Reddit's art / critique culture is also just horrible. You're more likely to get nitpicked, called lazy, or roasted by edgy "that's reality, kid" weirdoes than actual critique. A few Discord servers have that too, but I've gotten slightly better results on those.

(Oh no I'm not offended! I agree! I got into the series with Portable so I have a soft spot for it).

Thank you again!

Good plan! TYSM!!!



(Great news! I'm also a cosplayer! Just need to figure out how to translate that to art.


I actually have a soft spot for original P3's art, but I definitely prefer Metaphor's overall look, I think a lot of the designs are really cool).

Wait, really? For some reason I feel like arms especially don't click - I think it's something about the way they bend, but I always get really frustrated when working on them. It's hard to see your own progress sometimes, but that's kind of a relief. No news is good news, huh.



I don't really have anyone off the top of my head for foreshortening specifically, but I generally try lean pretty anime when it comes to faces and other details (artists like Shigenori Soejima [especially in Metaphor], Yusuke Kozaki, and pakosun). For body anatomy I like a bit more definition (things like Jen Zee's Hades art or more recent Guilty Gear entries), but can afford to not adhere strictly to that goal in some work (doing all that for an animation seems inefficient). Coloring (I'm actually struggling with consistent goals for this one - I like a lot of coloring styles) and adding details like clothing seems to also cause some 3D issues, but I don't have many examples because my laptop is in the shop.



(also yeah that pretty much never worked for me, it mostly just messed with the anatomy. Boxes worked much better but every so often there's a weird angle that I can't make them make sense for).

Beyond frustrated with many years of experience and dedication to this specific topic in particular for nearly 2 years now. My brain refuses to do "3D" - things like foreshortening and limbs. Torsos don't really have this issue and I can draw passable 3D shapes, but arms, legs, and heads never seem to be convincing. They always look "flat".

Here's what I've tried (so please don't suggest these):

- Draw A Box

- Multiple textbooks (Force, Anatomy for Sculptors, Drawing the Human Head, Figure Drawing: Design and Invention)

- Actual classes (I got a B :'D )

- YouTube channels such as Proko, Marc Brunet, Ethan Becker, and more or less anyone who's posted decent anatomy tutorials.

- Drawing from photos, movies, real people I see outside, and other artists, aa well as muscle studies

- This website

- For methods specifically, I've tried both coil foreshortening and bounding boxes (slightly better results for these, but becomes an issue when filling in actual anatomy).

Almost everyone tells me to just study more or that I'll get there with more practice, but almost all I do is study. I've filled multiple sketchbooks now, please help! Examples: https://imgur.com/a/3ehjBWW

I own the book! But my laptop is under repairs and I don't have access to it right now (at least, not on a large enough screen to be helpful).

I actually watch all of those channels already except Fine Art Academy, which doesn't really suit my needs, and Michael Mattesi (who I didn't know had a YouTube channel - thank you! Michael Hampton also has one, which I recommend).

Thank you, though! I appreciate it a lot!

I understand that this well intended, but you're not really helping or warning people by putting them down. Telling people "you must not understand this" "if you can't even do that" "it's too late if you're that" is discouraging. It's rude. People saying things like that to me made me want to quit.

Your mindset has been poisoned because the way you're learning isn't effective for you; don't poison other people too. You have actual commentary, even; you could just say "try 15 second practices and work on your shapes", without the assumptions or defeatism. I'd argue that that would be more helpful.

If how you're learning doesn't work, find a new method or a better teacher, and unlearn that set of "lessons" you've put in your bio. Your experiences are not universal.

(Apologies to OP here; I'm going to go ahead and stop replying on a critique thread).

Idon'tknow, genuine question here - is there a reason you keep replying to people in that way? How is saying "you must not understand all those details" helpful? You don't actually know for sure what OP knows based on just these sketches.

Remember that learning what critique to accept and what to reject is also a skill. You are allowed to care what comes out, especially since analyzing your own work and mistakes (kindly) is part of the process of improving.

My laptop is broken, so websites / services / paid courses just aren't an option. I want to practice. Is there a structured course for anatomy / etc on YouTube (honestly, something in the vein of Bob Ross or a class session), or a challenge where each stage is split into different videos?

Please don't suggest Proko or Marc Brunet, I already watch them.

Happy to help!