Any tips for a newbie?

[SapphireSmirk 7]

Looking to be a pony artist but i have NO idea where to start,sorry if I put this in the wrong category but i need help here,i wanna make this happen!

[~Lawful Jordo~ 2,066]

I'm a pony artist :3

 

all you have to do is ask around my friend!

 

Could you elaborate on what you want to happen? what kind of tips are you looking for?

[Vicke 3,189]

I got all this with just one simple Google search.

http://www.dragoart.com/tuts/8102/1/1/how-to-draw-my-little-pony,-friendship-is-magic-style.htm

 

I'm pretty sure that this will give you plenty of training and it looks to be pretty good.

Good luck

[Reversalx 129]

hmmm have you had experience drawing before? Otherwise, id recommend starting to draw and shade 3d forms and shapes, also some basic perspective stuffs(point 1- point2). well, that's how i started anyway

The perspective and 3d forms will indefinitely help you in any future drawing, ponies included.

after that, start sketching ponies, or anything you like, recommended with a reference picture! Just don't trace, you wont learn that way. The more you "copy", the more you improve, as you will incorporate the styles of the different authors' and works you've seen, forming a solid base for ur drawings, and helping you form your own style. Now get to drawing

and remember, google is your friend.

[CloudFyre 848]

There are a zillion things I could try to help with, but I guess I'll just say this:

 

I'd suggest looking into both GIMP and InkScape as drawing programs. GIMP is a free raster (also called "bitmap") graphics program that acts very similar to the more expensive option, Adobe Photoshop. InkScape does vectors, which are images that can be expanded without blurring. However, drawing vectors has a different process than sketching raster graphics with a tablet/mouse.

 

I'm new to this myself, but I'd say that the best thing to do is just to start copying images on your own. Start by simply opening an image, creating a new layer above the image, so that you have an invisible layer above the original image to work with. From there, try to sketch over it and color it in. Once you're comfortable with that, try doing the same thing, but without the image directly underneath. (Perhaps have the image somewhere nearby just to look at.) After a while, the anatomy and drawing style should become more familiar to you, and you can toy around with custom poses, etc.

Edited November 13, 2012 by CloudFyre

[JeanHover 326]

You thought I would miss "singer" in the tags, didn't you?

 

If you plan on singing any time, just throw your voice onto that trusty old MP3 format and bathe it in a nice bath full of Youtube! Bronies out there are kind and will give you tips on how to improve.

[CloudFyre 848]

You thought I would miss "singer" in the tags, didn't you?

 

If you plan on singing any time, just throw your voice onto that trusty old MP3 format and bathe it in a nice bath full of Youtube! Bronies out there are kind and will give you tips on how to improve.

 

Wow, not sure how I missed that.

 

Well, that pretty much makes my post null and invalid if you're trying to go into music. Apologies OP for the confusion.

Edited November 13, 2012 by CloudFyre

[SapphireSmirk 7]

I'd like to have a style that isnt completely the same as MLP but not so different you wouldnt know it was fanart,so im unusre,i know that no one can give me my own unique style but an tips would be useful,thanks for your answers guys

 

You thought I would miss "singer" in the tags, didn't you?

 

If you plan on singing any time, just throw your voice onto that trusty old MP3 format and bathe it in a nice bath full of Youtube! Bronies out there are kind and will give you tips on how to improve.

 

i would like to do art aswell so this isnt a complete waste,i want to form an art style as well,dont worry at all everyone,all of the comments are useful

[Winterbass 763]

I'd like to have a style that isnt completely the same as MLP but not so different you wouldnt know it was fanart,so im unusre,i know that no one can give me my own unique style but an tips would be useful,thanks for your answers guys

 

 

 

i would like to do art aswell so this isnt a complete waste,i want to form an art style as well,dont worry at all everyone,all of the comments are useful

 

If that is what you're after then do not worry any further! For you have come to the right place!

 

Anyway, to start drawing you always create basic shapes to draw, some don't and some do, but it's best to try when starting out. If you look at a pony's body you'll see that the whole body is actually made of circles like some sort of skeleton for the pony, here, I've drawn a small explanation for ya':

 

 

 

Of course, still assuming you do not have a drawing tablet you won't be able to analyze the pony except if you print them out. But you don't really have to. As you can see I took Twily and analyzed her pose, drawn a basic form out of it and drew her bones alongside with it. After that I drew over the skeleton itself. That's how you basically learn to draw, using basic shapes until it becomes something nice. Using an anchor point to draw something you want to draw. The rest is creativity, skill, a tiny bit of talent and a little bit of luck.

 

Onto the style! Ahh yes, the style, style is kinda hard to work with, there really isn't a way to gain one, you just draw, draw, draw. Until you find a style you like. However, there is a little trick to find your style a bit quicker. Whenever you're drawing, don't try to draw the image you have in your head completely accurate, let your creativity take over for a bit and just go, dance with that pencil! Don't be mad when something doesn't work out, it happens to all of us, that's why we practice. Instead, take a step back and say "whoa, wait a second, is there anything I don't like about this picture?", if the answer is yes, don't try to erase it, you're just practicing, keep that eraser and use it when you're making a drawing, not scribbles or sketches. But think about how you can improve that point you didn't like, and draw the same thing again while keeping that little thing in mind and what you need to work on. So basically, draw! Let your creativity gain control over your hand and that pencil! Draw the world like you imagine it! Just follow some basic rules (Or not! Always fun to experiment!) and you'll find a style, you'll start to draw better and you'll become awesome in just 10 seconds flat!

 

That's it I guess, just remember, drawing well is only gained by practice, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be fun! Drawing is fun! It's awesome! So go on and set the world on fire with your art!

Edited November 13, 2012 by Winterbass