Not another newbie!

Hi there, I am another new person coming to try out some of the practice sessions.
I am going to keep trying to post in this thread here because if I start popping around everywhere I shall procrastinate all day reading other posts etc etc.

I used to draw at school and pretty much stopped there until 3 years ago and I started doing some sketching again.
Not really been into it seriously for any length of time but I am now taking a life drawing class and wanted to practice free hand. I am fine with a grid, can do very detailed pictures but I want to loosen up and get some good freehand skills in.

I hope to practice at least every other day with the view of getting something down everyday.
I suffer from psychotic depression and so I can have days where there is no doing anything. I'm slowly getting better and I find art very therapeutic.
I have in the past been a perfectionist (still have the traits) but I am going to be brave and show as much work as I can on here in the hope that I may get some good critique,,,and be ok with it.

Hello, I'm glad to be here.

Welcome, I am not a newbie to drawing but a newbie to the forum here :) So we are both newbies. Great you are getting back into it. I have had long periods of time without drawing too. I did find other outlets during those times though such as computer, art, and guitar.

I also have suffered clinical depression in the past. Was actually on disability for it for a number of years prior to 2010. But shhhhh, that's my little secret at work lol. Actually, the HR dept and a few managers pretty much know, and they are cool, but you know how some folks get so never mention it there, otherwise I don't care who knows.

Keep at it, look forward to seeing your drawings. I had professors at art school that would outright rip up some people's drawings as a critique :o Don't worry none of that nonsense happening here.

Thank you for sharing your story. It seems you've a lot of experience.
Drawing really does help keep my mind a little more still. It's a respite from thoughts that bombard me. Ha, well some people want to keep it secret but I don't worry about it too much. It just is. I also get psychosis, so which means I get paranoid and delusions (think that people are out to get me or reading my mind etc) which means I may sometimes withdraw or be highly suspicious of everyone!

I'll upload some of my pictures later. I shall warn you that they are truly awful. I think I need to do some slightly longer timed drawings, say 3 minutes, for a while before going into class mode because I am just not getting the gestures done or using the skills and techniques properly in the class mode.

Ha, I have become a lot more relaxed about taking criticism, I have been a perfectionist in the past and although there are elements of that still I am learning that it is all about the learning. Development is the key. So here goes!

Thanks again for your reply.

Some very bad drawings coming up!!

Your text to link here...

I've gone slightly backwards here. The earliest ones are the last etc. but I prefer the lumpy earlier ones to the latest ones. Not sure I'm getting the hang of this gesture lark.

Not awful at all. A pretty solid start I think. I think the most successful ones, as far as gesture, are the ones where it looks like you started with the line of action and built up a little around it. I really like that you tried all different technique in each set, really cool. That's a great way to learn. A lot of folks just stick with one thing that works for them, which is fine too. But I think you develop a lot more if you try different things. I like the more structured one's personally, but Henri Matisse might disagree there :) The earliest ones you show are really reminiscent of his work. I think the least successful of the lot re the ones on the right page on the second image down of post #9370. Some proportional issues in those (they are some tough poses) and not as nicely stylized as the first batch you drew. But hey, that's how we learn right? lots of trial and error. Keep em coming :)

Thank you for your feedback. I'm really fussy over my drawings and submitting images like this is bloody horrifying for me! Ha!
I'm trying to use different things. I'm also using Wysp too, and I allow myself 5 mins for each of those so that I have some more reinforcing work to look at after practice.
Thank you again for your thoughts, much appreciated.

Ohhh. I never heard of wysp. I looked it up, looks good.

Here's a tutorial I picked up a while ago which looks great but have yet had a chance to really watch:

https://creatureartteacher.com/product/drawing-human-anatomy/

Even though I've yet to watch this one, everything Aaron Blaise is gold. He's one of my favorite current artists.

Try not to be horrified to submit your drawings, like I said I think you have as solid start. No one's gonna bite your head off and if you have a bad drawing day, well, it's not a life or death situation. It's a personal learning experience so pick and choose the advice that resonates with you. Also, remember if someone gives you straight out negative criticism, that is often a reflection of their inner selves not you. Being a mean spirited person is like looking in a mirror all day yelling at yourself, but the mirror is other people. Weird world we live in.

Hmm, test, I just wrote a fairly lengthy post, submitted, then it disappeared. Is this working? sorry

Hi, working in the last post but not the lengthy one. sorry about that...there's nothing worse is there.
Been to life drawing class this morning. Good fun. Getting somewhere slowly but still a little tight and muddy as I shade everything to murkiness...need to get some simpler shading in. But my priority right now is trying to get proportions.

Hey, I'm just commenting because I'm new as well. I'm having a blast with these pictures. The four different categories are just what I'm looking for too. First, I'll start with the human figures then the faces then move to the hand and lastly animals. I'm so excited to see my results at the end of the year.

Hi Carzydogz, sounds like you have a good plan there.
I'm hoping to get proportions right first then move on to details.
Need to do the face and hands and feet too. So I guess we can share progress reports.

Hey there another noob here, you should be very proud to get back into it. Its very hard to consistently make art! After a long time you start to get rusty and it can be very hard to keep up practice especially with the craziness of regular life. Just keep at it! Even if you only have the time or strength for one sketch, it's incredibly helpful to just be consistent, it'll help you shake the rust off and keep it off. Good luck with everything! Your Gesture Drawings and sketches look really good too!