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Venturing into off-topic, but I just want to stand up for Koons a little bit here. His balloon animals are not made out of balloons. They are stainless steel. It is really, really, really, really, really difficult to get steel to look like that. I know I sure as heck can't do that. Alot must have went into their creation...I'm guessing there's some kind of armature, a steel frame underneath, then the surface is likely comprised of a bunch of different panels of steel that are joined together perfectly and seamlessly. If you've done welding before, you know how ridiculously hard it is to get perfect, invisible seams...So I'm not sure why the Koons isn't "art", is it a lack of skill in your eyes? Because I do think his balloon animals are pretty impressive in both technique and concept. (But wait, do we believe that concept doesn't matter? I'm losing track here.) But anyway, I see what you're trying to do, and it is a good effort. I obviously disagree with you, but you really do seem to care and are making an effort to help others. And that's great! But I would advise against talking too much about "good" vs. "bad" art. The basics are enough.

I agree with everything Kay Dreamer has said. It's also a little apparent that you are, at best, at intermediate level yourself...I'm not sure if you really have the authority to be creating a hardcore tutorial when you don't have a full grasp of what it is you're trying to teach.

Twelve is not small. Twelve is usually an age where it is perfectly fine to be outside, alone with a group.

It happened in the morning, not at night. And let's remember they are 12 years old, not small children. GeneralApplejack, I do disagree with you, but I'm on my phone and can't type up a sufficient response

At least drugs weren't involved in this case. I hope the victim's recovery is speedy and as painless - physically and mentally - as possible.

I'm not sure about placing too much blame on the parents, at least not for letting their kids out in the woods. In one of the articles I read, it said the birthday girl's mom let them go to a nearby park...a park. When I was 12, I ran around the neighborhood, parks, woods, etc. alone and with friends all the time. So many people have. I think there's a balance that needs to be struck between protecting your child and giving them the space they need to grow and understand the world, and I worry that cases like this will lead to parents keeping their kids inside, or constantly suffocating them with too much supervision. I mean...what would think, "oh, they may take one of my kitchen knives and stab their best friend in the park, so maybe I shouldn't let them go"? And the kids having access to knives...I had access to them ever since I was tall enough to reach the kitchen counter. Isn't that kind of common? Sharp, pointy things are kind of critical parts of our everyday lives. If the parents knew their kid had serious mental issues, then they could have made an effort to hide all dangerous objects. But I don't think these parents knew how far gone their children were, and these kids could have stabbed their friend with scissors if they felt it was necessary. The problem isn't the knives, or going outside unsupervised (at 12 years old...). Buuuuut...on the flip side, I do think their internet usage should have been monitored. A lot of parents know pretty much nothing about the internet - they don't understand what kinda messed up stuff is on here, or how easily their kids can access it. And really, kids can get on the internet anywhere now, with phones, game systems...It's getting outta control. Parents do need to become aware of the stuff their kids are being exposed to on the internet, and either block them from those sites or have discussions with them about what is real and what isn't. No one should know their child more than them, so it is up to them to decide what their kids are mentally prepared for. Most of the reports I've seen about this are geared toward educating parents about creepypasta and Slenderman, and calling it a "wake up call" for parents to monitor their children's internet useage and discuss these things with their kids. I think that's the right way to look at this. Yeah, the girls did something really, really horrible. We can all see that. But what is the bigger issue here, what can we get out of this, to make sure it doesn't happen again? Because you guys are right - it will never just be Slenderman, it will never just beCreepypasta. There will always be something to delude idiots to do horrible things. So parents need to be on top of the media their kids consume.

Here's a mini self portrait I did (kinda counts?). I used a bit of artistic license.

Thanks! She took about...4 hour to pant? Here she is finished.

The most important things for artists of any and all skill levels is that they keep on painting, drawing, writing, composing, sculpting...whatever, with their eyes (and heart) open. And that they continuously ask for advice and feedback. Really, everything else will fall into place if they do those two things. But...minor detail here, but...one of the first things I learned in my first figure drawing class was not default to a centrally placed figure. Even if there is no background. That makes for a boring composition, and there is no thought to that decision - it is a not-decision. There are, of course, infinite ways you can get around this rule. Because that's one of the things you do in art...Learn the rules, then question why they're there. If the rule makes sense, know why it does. If it doesn't, f*ck it, but know why it's bull. Or maybe you'll just decide to apply it to certain instances. Whatever, doesn't matter, it's art! Haha. Edit: if you don't mind, I would like to add a little personal story to this comment. I keep on thinking of more things to say after I've left this thread, haha. On using a blending stump, and blending: when I first started drawing, I learned that blending/smudging was how you shade. It just was. So I used it, a lot. Eventually I became unhappy with my shading. I pinpointed the problem to my reliance on the blending stump. Okay then, I cut it out of my toolkit. Didn't use it, and when I saw others rely on it, I saw it as a hallmark of amateur work (and I believed myself far better than amateur at that point...). I noticed that you generally get much more specific, accurate, intentional marks if you actually draw out the strokes. And if you couldn't draw out the strokes well and make them look even...well, that was another hallmark of an amateur to me. Only a year ago did I learn that, well, actually the blending stump/smudging can be useful. But in moderation - used with care, and in the right times/places. Because it is just another type of mark. And the best drawings have a balanced, coordinated, particular use of a variety of marks. That's just what I believe now, but I don't know how I'll see this a few years from now. My own personal rules morph and change, I acknowledge that. It's inevitable. So the original post is more of your own current set of personal rules. But artists learn new things constantly, there isn't a concrete, definitive, set way to *be* an artist...

She's all baked and carved, ready to be painted...

Kristoff is finished. Here he is with Anna and Elsa.

Finished and painted the sculpt of Kristoff as a pony, so now I'm branching out to other Disney movies. Started Mulan with a sketch, will soon start sculpting.

Thanks I started sculpting him, but unfortunately I ran out of clay (already). Will hopefully get more later today so I can get his sculpt done soon.

Still sticking Frozen characters into the pony mold...wanna make a sculpture outta him like I did the sisters. Sorry for the cell phone pic. Advice is appreciated.

Clothing existed far before "this book" was written...

I think I posted these two like, a billion years ago, when they were still unpainted. Well, I finally finished Anna up, so I wanna show off the finished result. Elsa gave me an insane amount of trouble from the start. Kept on cracking and falling apart, primer was sticky and gumming everything up...Anna went by so much smoother in every way possible. Since Elsa was done first, I guess I can say that shows improvement? Haha.

I do have trouble with it, like everyone here I'm very quiet and shy. Online too, I barely ever post unless it's about my art or something. I'm also terrible at keeping conversations going because I always run out of things to say. And people would think I didn't want anything to do with them since I wouldn't talk, so they leave me be. But I don't like being left alone like that. It's self-inflicted. I recently made a drawing about this though, being shy and all that. And it was a BIG drawing - 25 feet long. Through it, I was able to speak up and open up about myself, and now my classmates are more actively trying to be friends with me and include me in things. I've made more friends in two months than I have in two and a half years at school here. I still have trouble talking to them sometimes or keeping conversations going, but they know now that that's just how I am. And at least I am a good listener

Thanks, you guys I'm glad they're looking good, they've been such a pain to get this far, haha. (Literally...there are tiny blood stains on Anna from an exacto incident.)

I made a thread a few months back for the lineart of the drawing in my avatar, and then I attempted to color it like, five times, and I tried redrawing it and shading it in graphite...I don't know why I'm so obsessed with getting that stupid drawing right Now to take it a step further, I'm attempting to sculpt them out of sculpey. Elsa has been the biggest headache. Each of her legs have broken off at least twice, and there are cracks running along all over her. Anna cracked a tiny bit, but it's not nearly so bad. Elsa even took a tumble and lost all of her limbs and horn at once (but I didn't miss the opportunity to make plenty of Let it Go jokes...). So yeah, clearly there's a lot I need to learn when I work with clay. Anna has an armature and Elsa does not, so I'm guessing that is what was causing most of the problems. I just need to give them tails, then my boyfriend is going to paint them for me (he paints miniatures and I have neither the skills nor patience to do so.) So yeah, will update soon hopefully! And hope you guys like them so far.

Self portrait! It's of me, so it totally counts, right?

My favorite girls' name is probably Lorelei. For boys, it's Lucas.

You've got an good handle on graphite! I like the little white highlights on the lamp, they really help give it the glass-like appearance.