So You Wanna Be An Artist, Eh?......(A Tutorial).....

[Sir Wulfington 276]

This tutorial is like me throwing a Mozart concerto at a fledging music student and telling them that if they can't work it out, they don't care enough about music. It's way too much at once, when the key to ANY artistic improvement (visual, musical or otherwise) is baby steps and practice. It's all very well to tell new artists they need to do this, that and the other in order to become good, but this is just ridiculously overwhelming for someone just starting out. I'd go so far as to say it's demoralising. Believe me, if I were to teach students - regardless of subject - in the manner outlined by this tutorial, I'd lose those students faster than rats from a sinking ship.

 

The first step to learning to play an instrument is learning how to produce a note from it.

Likewise, the first step to learning to draw (at least for cartoons) is learning to produce simple shapes.

 

The second step to learning music is learning to play the things you hear. Even simple things, like 'Mary Had A Little Lamb.'

The second step to learning to draw is putting simple shapes together to create a picture. (Probably a pony, in this case.)

 

The third step to learning music is making up other little tunes with the few notes you know.

The third step to learning to draw is rearranging the shapes which make up a figure to create different poses or characters.

 

The fourth step to learning music is learning to read it.

The fourth step to drawing is just practicing steps 1 to 3 for... well, forever. It's not like we ever stop.

 

The fifth step to learning music is adding expression, dynamics and other nuances.

The fifth step to learning to draw is looking at ways in which to improve your pictures. Shading, colour, thickness of line, and so on.

 

And the golden rule for both of these: PRACTICE.

 

It takes years to become a good artist. Draw the things you like to draw. Most of all, have fun. What's the bloody point if you're not enjoying what you're doing?

 

I use the exact same philosophy with music students too. Above and beyond everything else, have fun. I want them to play what they love! If that happens to be Star Wars instead of Mozart, well, if it's getting them to practice, who gives a flying feather?

As I've said to others here, the point of this guide is to inform people on what they need to do and how to do it (gonna update with one thing I forgot, line quality). It's for those who don't know what they're doing wrong and want to find out. Don't just assume everyone is going to get overwhelmed, not everyone is so fragile. I stand by my statement that if they really want to improve, they'll take my advice, instead of letting themselves be scared off by it because "it's too much". You're gonna get overwhelmed, seeing the work of great artists, thinking of how much work they had to do to get there, how much work they had to put into their pieces. But someone with a true passion for being good at art will brave their fears and press onward to victory.

 

The mentality that every newbie is sensitive and that we have to sugarcoat every thing so they don't get too scared and quit is silly. Anyone who quits art because they're too "overwhelmed" by my guide had no true desire to improve in the first place, or they didn't care enough.

 

Along with a step for proper linework, I added a bit more advice and cleaned up the guide to make it more readable.

Edited June 12, 2014 by Sir Wulfington

[Kay Dreamer 884]

@@Sir Wulfington,

 

It looks slightly less overwhelming than it did before not that it has proper headers. But I still wouldn't call this a 'tutorial'. A list of advice for late-beginner to intermediate artists, maybe.

 

 

 

The mentality that every newbie is sensitive and that we have to sugarcoat every thing so they don't get too scared and quit is silly. Anyone who quits art because they're too "overwhelmed" by my guide had no true desire to improve in the first place, or they didn't care enough.

 

 

Are you serious? Af I employed this philosophy on instrumental students, they'd all quit on me. (Which is KIND OF an indication you're a bloody rotten teacher.) Sure, not all of them will go on to be principal chairs of the Vienna Philharmonic, but that doesn't mean they can't achieve a level of ability which allows them to play all their favourites reasonably well. If I frightened them all off right at the beginning with blunt language and unrealistic standards, I'd be denying the gift of music to an enormous amount of young people who may find it very valuable throughout their lives. Just because they need to proceed at a gentler pace does not mean I should write them off as 'not caring enough'. They often DO care; they care so much that any failure is taken by them to be a failure of themselves as a person, and they quit because they can't handle that. Being warm and supportive softens that blow, and can make the difference between a student staying on, or a student quitting in frustration.

 

Most beginner artists are young teenagers. Your advice would maybe work for someone in their 20's. Not 13 to 15 year olds.

[Castle Bleck 19,392]

Step 4's fine and dandy... unless you have unsteady hands.

[Sir Wulfington 276]

@@Sir Wulfington,

 

It looks slightly less overwhelming than it did before not that it has proper headers. But I still wouldn't call this a 'tutorial'. A list of advice for late-beginner to intermediate artists, maybe.

 

 

 

 

 

Are you serious? Af I employed this philosophy on instrumental students, they'd all quit on me. (Which is KIND OF an indication you're a bloody rotten teacher.) Sure, not all of them will go on to be principal chairs of the Vienna Philharmonic, but that doesn't mean they can't achieve a level of ability which allows them to play all their favourites reasonably well. If I frightened them all off right at the beginning with blunt language and unrealistic standards, I'd be denying the gift of music to an enormous amount of young people who may find it very valuable throughout their lives. Just because they need to proceed at a gentler pace does not mean I should write them off as 'not caring enough'. They often DO care; they care so much that any failure is taken by them to be a failure of themselves as a person, and they quit because they can't handle that. Being warm and supportive softens that blow, and can make the difference between a student staying on, or a student quitting in frustration.

 

Most beginner artists are young teenagers. Your advice would maybe work for someone in their 20's. Not 13 to 15 year olds.

 

I just don't agree that this is too intimidating. I just don't see how it could be. I imagine it'd be off putting to lazy people, tho, but again, they don't care enough else they wouldn't let themselves be put off. This is just a list of things a newbie has to improve on, I'm not asking them to do it all at once, I assume they'll do the intelligent thing and take it one step at a time, instead of being "overwhelmed". I really think you and others here have this false sense that new-comers are extremely fragile and can't take a large amount of advice at once. I'm sorry but I'm not going to accept that that's the reality, I stand by what I said, if they can't handle my guide because "it's too much" than they don't really want to be an artist badly enough. I simply refuse to accept that my guide is bad because I'm not treating new artists like they're babies.

 

Step 4's fine and dandy... unless you have unsteady hands.

 

Unfortunately, I don't believe you can be a good artist with shaky hands, unless you can learn to steady them somehow. It's extremely important that you can hold you're hand stable when drawing, I just figured that was a given.

Edited June 12, 2014 by Sir Wulfington

[Stellafera 3,836]

I just don't agree that this is too intimidating. I just don't see how it could be. I imagine it'd be off putting to lazy people, tho, but again, they don't care enough else they wouldn't let themselves be put off. This is just a list of things a newbie has to improve on, I'm not asking them to do it all at once, I assume they'll do the intelligent thing and take it one step at a time, instead of being "overwhelmed". I really think you and others here have this false sense that new-comers are extremely fragile and can't take a large amount of advice at once. I'm sorry but I'm not going to accept that that's the reality, I stand by what I said, if they can't handle my guide because "it's too much" than they don't really want to be an artist badly enough. I simply refuse to accept that my guide is bad because I'm not treating new artists like they're babies.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_0tPIPvwAc

 

Fluttershy was flat out awful at flying, like some beginner artists may be at art. And a beginner artist, in a way very similar to Fluttershy, might be too afraid to even pick up a pencil because of this.

 

But she had friends who encouraged what she could do and tried to help her succeed slowly. The final choice to fly was hers, but if they were all as "blunt" as Spike, she would've never flown to bring water up to Cloudsdale at all.

 

She was not lazy. She flew faster at the end of the episode than she ever did in the wingpower tests. But putting your heart and soul out there in any creative pursuit for the first time is hard and frightening. It is! And if being "coddling" is the difference between an artist starting off with mediocre work and not starting at all, I'd rather be coddling, every time.

Edited June 12, 2014 by Stellafera

[Powderpuff 390]

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.

[Castle Bleck 19,392]

Unfortunately, I don't believe you can be a good artist with shaky hands, unless you can learn to steady them somehow. It's extremely important that you can hold you're hand stable when drawing, I just figured that was a given.

 

I've found wrapping your hands/wrists tightly helps.

Edited June 13, 2014 by A.V.

[HeartFeltPuma23 180]

For the love of Jesus Christ don't ever become a teacher. 

I'm an artist myself,not that good,still trying to figure out things,like shading and whatnot,and as an artist that is putting his soul into improving I find this intimidating,everyone starts somewhere; Your first examples are stupid,you picked a piece of someone that has probably a lot of years in drawing behind his back and compared it with the piece of somebody that probably just started (both with drawing and digital art) of course the second piace will be bad. 

 

 

Art is imagination,everyone does what he wants,there aren't rules,"art" can be a spit of red paint on a white canvas,"art" can be a naked body,everyone does what he pleases,and everyone,with his phase,improves and then becomes good,so good that others will look at his creations and will admire him for his work,of course not everyone will become that good,and somebody may even completely abandon art,but it is just because they didn't practice enough or because they didn't like it in the first place. 

 

Your whole post was just throwing "things" at the reader,and in some cases you even admitted that you don't know some things,if you aren't at a "high level" don't try to "help" people,because you can't,simple as that. Somebody with the knowledge absorbed in years,decades,of drawing can give advice,not somebody that thinks that just because they "have made research on it" they can make other people improve with their harsh words and harsh statements.

[Castle Bleck 19,392]

@Sir Wulfington,

 

But I actually somewhat liked your OP.

Edited June 13, 2014 by A.V.

[Sir Wulfington 276]

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.

 

I'm certainly able to give advice on the basics of art, because I know that much. My tutorial could be better written because I'm not very good at explaining things through words, hence why I sound unproffessional. I'm just trying to tell people what they're doing wrong and what they need to do in order to make their art right, I'm not even trying to force them into a specific style, just the bare bones of ALL good art. I'm basically pushing people in the right directions because I would do a pisspoor job of explaining every last bit of it myself.

 

For the love of Jesus Christ don't ever become a teacher. 

I'm an artist myself,not that good,still trying to figure out things,like shading and whatnot,and as an artist that is putting his soul into improving I find this intimidating,everyone starts somewhere; Your first examples are stupid,you picked a piece of someone that has probably a lot of years in drawing behind his back and compared it with the piece of somebody that probably just started (both with drawing and digital art) of course the second piace will be bad. 

 

 

Art is imagination,everyone does what he wants,there aren't rules,"art" can be a spit of red paint on a white canvas,"art" can be a naked body,everyone does what he pleases,and everyone,with his phase,improves and then becomes good,so good that others will look at his creations and will admire him for his work,of course not everyone will become that good,and somebody may even completely abandon art,but it is just because they didn't practice enough or because they didn't like it in the first place. 

 

Your whole post was just throwing "things" at the reader,and in some cases you even admitted that you don't know some things,if you aren't at a "high level" don't try to "help" people,because you can't,simple as that. Somebody with the knowledge absorbed in years,decades,of drawing can give advice,not somebody that thinks that just because they "have made research on it" they can make other people improve with their harsh words and harsh statements.

 

No, a spit of red paint on a canvas is not art, that's the kind of mentality that allows con-artists like this guy to get away with crap like THIS:

 

 

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/11/14/an-orange-balloon-dog-sold-for-58-4-million-so-here-are-10-cool-jeff-koons-balloon-pieces/

 

 

Or Mark Rothko's "art"

 

 

 

This is not art and I will never accept it as such. I see nothing artistic about these "works".

 

And I'm not trying to appeal to people who don't care about quality, if you just do art just to do art than you can do whatever you want, but good art has a few basic rules that need to be adhered to. Like I said, anatomy can be distorted, but there are right and wrong ways of doing that. The point of the comparison between the two pieces was to show an example of unrealistic anatomy done right and just plain bad anatomy (along with bad lighting/shading, hence why the bad picture looks flat).

 

 

@Sir Wulfington,

 

But I actually somewhat liked your OP.

Thanks....I guess.

Edited June 13, 2014 by Sir Wulfington

[Powderpuff 390]

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. 

Edited June 13, 2014 by Powderpuff

[Kay Dreamer 884]

If you ever became a teacher you would either face reality and change your tune, or you would be fired. Because while a few students may be able to cope with your 'tough love' mentality, the vast majority would flat out give up within the first week. When a class does that, it's not a reflection on the kids; it's entirely a reflection of poor teaching skills. And surprise, good teaching skills are pretty damn helpful when writing 'tutorials' because if you're putting out stuff like this, you're stepping into the role of a teacher whether you like it or not.

 

There's a giant difference between coddling and setting realistic goals. Coddling is telling a clarinet player who squeaked the whole way through a piece and flubbed half the fingerings that she deserves an A+. Realistic goals is setting her an easier piece which she will be able to play well and feel good about, while constantly placing the focus on improvement instead of perfection. Beginners are the hardest of any group to teach. You need to guide them toward improvement while still keeping them inspired and giving them constructive feedback without being completely negative about their current skill level.

 

Replace 'clarinet player' with 'artist' in the above, and it's exactly the same.

 

@@Stellafera has it EXACTLY right. Fluttershy's case fits perfectly as an example of what most beginner artists are like. Beginner musicians, too.

 

The expectation that a beginner is in any way pre-equipped to learn something from your post without walking away feeling overwhelmed and demoralised is very unrealistic. As I said, it'd work for intermediates. Not beginners. If you'll forgive me for using a pedagogical term, it's waaaaaay outside their zone of proximal development. Which pretty much means that however well-intentioned you may be, most beginners aren't going to learn anything at all from this.

 

To be honest, I have pretty damn high expectations for my students. However, I give them a great deal of support, I celebrate their improvements with them, and I create realistic, achievable and fun goals for them to strive for.

[Sir Wulfington 276]

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 might concede on the balloon dog in that case (if it was a straight up standard balloon dog than no), tho he apparently didn't even make it himself. It's still not worth anywhere NEAR what it sold for, no work of art, no matter how great, is. However, I'll never accept that stuff like two orange squares as art. We have to draw the line somewhere, or else one day we'll have people calling a blank piece of paper "art". Tho that's probably already happened.....

If you ever became a teacher you would either face reality and change your tune, or you would be fired. Because while a few students may be able to cope with your 'tough love' mentality, the vast majority would flat out give up within the first week. When a class does that, it's not a reflection on the kids; it's entirely a reflection of poor teaching skills. And surprise, good teaching skills are pretty damn helpful when writing 'tutorials' because if you're putting out stuff like this, you're stepping into the role of a teacher whether you like it or not.

 

There's a giant difference between coddling and setting realistic goals. Coddling is telling a clarinet player who squeaked the whole way through a piece and flubbed half the fingerings that she deserves an A+. Realistic goals is setting her an easier piece which she will be able to play well and feel good about, while constantly placing the focus on improvement instead of perfection. Beginners are the hardest of any group to teach. You need to guide them toward improvement while still keeping them inspired and giving them constructive feedback without being completely negative about their current skill level.

 

Replace 'clarinet player' with 'artist' in the above, and it's exactly the same.

 

@@Stellafera has it EXACTLY right. Fluttershy's case fits perfectly as an example of what most beginner artists are like. Beginner musicians, too.

 

The expectation that a beginner is in any way pre-equipped to learn something from your post without walking away feeling overwhelmed and demoralised is very unrealistic. As I said, it'd work for intermediates. Not beginners. If you'll forgive me for using a pedagogical term, it's waaaaaay outside their zone of proximal development. Which pretty much means that however well-intentioned you may be, most beginners aren't going to learn anything at all from this.

 

To be honest, I have pretty damn high expectations for my students. However, I give them a great deal of support, I celebrate their improvements with them, and I create realistic, achievable and fun goals for them to strive for.

 

Look, all I did was make a tutorial detailing all the basic things that an artist needs to learn in order to be good at it. I don't see any reason to believe that anyone with a desire to learn would be turned off by it. I expect artists struggling to improve to look at it, soak in the information, and start working on each step one at a time, not get scared off. If they're somehow too intimidated by it and decide to give up on art, then they either lack the passion to be a good artist or are just too lazy. You're acting like newbies are extremely fragile individuals, when I don't agree. You are acting like they're babies, and I won't treat them like that, I'll assume they're mature individuals with a strong desire to improve. If you want to be treated like a baby, go to a teacher who'll do just that.

 

Sorry, but I'm just not going to change my mind, if someone doesn't like my guide because it's "too much", than tough, you don't really want to learn badly enough.

Edited June 15, 2014 by Sir Wulfington

[Kay Dreamer 884]

@@Sir Wulfington, 

 

Well if you're going to ignore the advice of an actual teacher who deals in the arts, I suppose there's not very much I can do for you. My entire life revolves around helping beginners find their feet and improve. I have the experience. I've read the research. I know how this stuff works. I know why some kids give up while others keep going, and I know how to reduce the number who do leave. I know where to support them and where to give them challenge. I know how to craft high expectations with attainable goals, and I know how to keep students motivated and allow them to have fun while still guiding them toward improvement.

 

You say you want to help people. Beginners. You might want to start by listening because you're going about it all wrong, and you will end up doing the opposite of what you would like.

[Sir Wulfington 276]

@@Sir Wulfington, 

 

Well if you're going to ignore the advice of an actual teacher who deals in the arts, I suppose there's not very much I can do for you. My entire life revolves around helping beginners find their feet and improve. I have the experience. I've read the research. I know how this stuff works. I know why some kids give up while others keep going, and I know how to reduce the number who do leave. I know where to support them and where to give them challenge. I know how to craft high expectations with attainable goals, and I know how to keep students motivated and allow them to have fun while still guiding them toward improvement.

 

You say you want to help people. Beginners. You might want to start by listening because you're going about it all wrong, and you will end up doing the opposite of what you would like.

 

No I get that some people have low self-esteem and can be put off if you explain things in a way that makes it seem to them like improvement is impossible. This guide, however, is not even remotely like that, it's simple explanations on what one needs to do in order to improve, each step short and to the point. I refuse to accept that ANYONE who's not simply too lazy or doesn't care enough would be scared off by such a guide, there's just no way. I'm just not going to accept it no matter what. I'm not going to sugarcoat anything, I'm telling them like it is. This is how I teach people, straight and to the point, no bullshit, and if they can't handle that, if they can't handle the reality of what they'll have to do in order to get to where they want, than they're hopeless.

[Kay Dreamer 884]

 

 

This is how I teach people, straight and to the point, no bullshit, and if they can't handle that, if they can't handle the reality of what they'll have to do in order to get to where they want, than they're hopeless.

 

 

And that's the #1 most important thing you're taught as a teacher, above and beyond anything else, constantly reiterated throughout your career. No student is hopeless. You never, never, ever give up on a student. Teachers don't get paid to give up on people. Call me naive if you will. The world needs more idealists.

 

Besides which, as I've said before, this guide is not simple for most beginners. It's best targeted toward low-level intermediates. (High level beginners at minimum.) There's nothing wrong with it exactly, aside from being blunt. (But I kinda get the feeling that 'blunt and direct' is sorta your thing.) You're just pitching it at the wrong crowd.

 

I would have learned something from this when I was at a low-intermediate level. I would have rolled my eyes and ignored it as being 'too hard' when I was a beginner. (And as you can see, ignoring advice outside my ideal developmental zone never stopped me progressing as an artist. I gobbled up all the advice which was within that zone, however.)

[Sir Wulfington 276]

 

 

And that's the #1 most important thing you're taught as a teacher, above and beyond anything else, constantly reiterated throughout your career. No student is hopeless. You never, never, ever give up on a student. Teachers don't get paid to give up on people. Call me naive if you will. The world needs more idealists.

 

Besides which, as I've said before, this guide is not simple for most beginners. It's best targeted toward low-level intermediates. (High level beginners at minimum.) There's nothing wrong with it exactly, aside from being blunt. (But I kinda get the feeling that 'blunt and direct' is sorta your thing.) You're just pitching it at the wrong crowd.

 

I would have learned something from this when I was at a low-intermediate level. I would have rolled my eyes and ignored it as being 'too hard' when I was a beginner. (And as you can see, ignoring advice outside my ideal developmental zone never stopped me progressing as an artist. I gobbled up all the advice which was within that zone, however.)

 

 

 

I'm a realist, so I know that some people are just hopeless, some can get better but they need to help themselves first. And the way you described yourself as a beginner, saying you'd ignore my advice because it's too hard, well, I have no patience for people like that. I'd tell them to leave until they're ready to learn, because I don't think anything I can say at that point would help them, they need to grow up and accept what they'll have to go through in order to improve, else they'll remain bad artists for the rest of their lives. And some people do because of that, which is unfortunate, but they have only themselves to blame.

 

I'm trying to teach people who are willing and ready to learn, I even gave encouragement showing the progress of terrible artists who eventually became good, if all of this isn't enough, if there are newbies who think this is too much or they don't need my advice, than I have zero patience for them. I'm not going to try and fight with every single person who's either too scared, too lazy, or too arrogant to do what's necessary to improve. My guide is here for when they're ready to take the next step to becoming a good artist, and if that's never for some people, than so be it. Like I said, they have only themselves to blame.

[Castle Bleck 19,392]

I'm not going to try and fight with every single person who's either too scared, too lazy, or too arrogant to do what's necessary to improve.

 

While you should be sympathetic to the "too scared" people, the "too lazy" and the "too arrogant" people indeed have no bucking excuse(s).

[Rascal~ 657]

When I first read the original post weeks ago, I got the disdain feeling that it wasn't much of a tutorial, just more like a dump of information that an experienced artist could probably pick through, if they understood what was going on. 
A tutorial is made to inform someone, usually in a skill or action, so that they may learn. It's kinda like teaching, but it's the textbook, and for most cases this stuff is online. So, since it's kinda like teaching, you gotta have teaching elements. 
So I'm Kay's side with all the points she is trying to make, You mister Wulfington, would probably be the worst teacher ever. 

As I read the first post now, yeah it's better structured and such, but I still feel like giving this to someone who doesn't already have an understanding of these things might be a little on the pointless side. Your very blunt, which sometimes doesn't matter, but most of the information you placed down would not be helpful unless someone already knew these things with at least a basic understanding. An artist may be trying to learn all these things, but it would be too difficult to decipher what you are talking about exactly. And when I saw an artist, I mean your ideal artist that you have in your head, someone who is trying to pursue this art and will try as hard as possible to do it. 
Like the metal about the metal shading, I know shading, I can do it. Though I've recently started learning how to draw metal and such and learn how to do the steps with any other piece, on a piece with some metal. That explanation you gave, well I couldn't understand a word you were saying, it wasn't making all that much sense, and I do understand shading. 
^ Right there, a learning artist trying to achieve and get better with her own work, trying extremely hard to improve, and this example has proved that this word dump doesn't work all that well. 

 

A common trait in newbies, I believe, is how they draw lines. They do what's called "scratch lines", which is basically repeated slashing at the page to form a single line, resulting in a very messy excuse for one. You want to keep your pencil steady for the entire length of the line, draw in one consistent single stroke. It's hard, but you can erase mistakes depending on how dark the pencil is (or, if you're doing it digitally, you can infinitely erase ). If you're drawing a long straight line, just get a ruler out. I've heard that you should draw towards you, not away, I think I agree, tho do whatever works best. Just remember to not do the "scratch line" technique, hold the pencil steady all the way to the end of the line. You don't have to have every last bit of the linework perfect, but you do need to make sure to have as much of it as clean as possible.

 
Also, I think I hate this paragraph, even more than the forced encouragement at the end of your first post. 

You know what's a common trait in newbies? Thinking they can do everything with perfect lines. You know what's a common trait in newbies? Thinking they can do everything in one stroke. You know what's a common trait in newbies? Not. Bloody. Sketching. 
If you want to draw anything, with at least a trace of effort and value, you sketch that piece of work. It doesn't matter if you're drawing a cartoon punk skunk for a friend, or drawing a friend as a pony for fun, or drawing little eyes in math. If you did not sketch it, then it ain't worth anything, it is worth nothing. You can feel no pride, no feeling of accomplishment, that piece is worthless. 
I don't care if you think drawing multiple lines for sketching is bad, or looks shitty, or something else you're gonna pull up. If you do not sketch, then you have a worthless piece of art on your hands, made by your hands. 
I personally love to see sketches, I think it shows a lot more character and looks more beautiful than a finished artwork, or even just simple lineart. And you know what? Sometimes it is better, sometimes the sketch is better than the finished piece. 
You know what? I'll put up my own art on the line here. 
 

Guess what, that used that scratch line technique, that is a sketch I posted a couple of days ago, I'm still not finished with everything, but it is so much better than what I would have come up with, with one stroke. 
So, I'm not going to test out everything else you posted in that post, but judging by the fact that you are telling people to literally stop one of the fundamental steps in drawing art. Well, what kind of message is that sending out to people? I ain't going to keep reading and taking advice from that. 
 

[Castle Bleck 19,392]

When I first read the original post weeks ago, I got the disdain feeling that it wasn't much of a tutorial, just more like a dump of information that an experienced artist could probably pick through, if they understood what was going on. 

A tutorial is made to inform someone, usually in a skill or action, so that they may learn. It's kinda like teaching, but it's the textbook, and for most cases this stuff is online. So, since it's kinda like teaching, you gotta have teaching elements. 

So I'm Kay's side with all the points she is trying to make, You mister Wulfington, would probably be the worst teacher ever. 

 

As I read the first post now, yeah it's better structured and such, but I still feel like giving this to someone who doesn't already have an understanding of these things might be a little on the pointless side. Your very blunt, which sometimes doesn't matter, but most of the information you placed down would not be helpful unless someone already knew these things with at least a basic understanding. An artist may be trying to learn all these things, but it would be too difficult to decipher what you are talking about exactly. And when I saw an artist, I mean your ideal artist that you have in your head, someone who is trying to pursue this art and will try as hard as possible to do it. 

Like the metal about the metal shading, I know shading, I can do it. Though I've recently started learning how to draw metal and such and learn how to do the steps with any other piece, on a piece with some metal. That explanation you gave, well I couldn't understand a word you were saying, it wasn't making all that much sense, and I do understand shading. 

^ Right there, a learning artist trying to achieve and get better with her own work, trying extremely hard to improve, and this example has proved that this word dump doesn't work all that well. 

 

 

 

Also, I think I hate this paragraph, even more than the forced encouragement at the end of your first post. 

 

You know what's a common trait in newbies? Thinking they can do everything with perfect lines. You know what's a common trait in newbies? Thinking they can do everything in one stroke. You know what's a common trait in newbies? Not. Bloody. Sketching. 

If you want to draw anything, with at least a trace of effort and value, you sketch that piece of work. It doesn't matter if you're drawing a cartoon punk skunk for a friend, or drawing a friend as a pony for fun, or drawing little eyes in math. If you did not sketch it, then it ain't worth anything, it is worth nothing. You can feel no pride, no feeling of accomplishment, that piece is worthless. 

I don't care if you think drawing multiple lines for sketching is bad, or looks shitty, or something else you're gonna pull up. If you do not sketch, then you have a worthless piece of art on your hands, made by your hands. 

I personally love to see sketches, I think it shows a lot more character and looks more beautiful than a finished artwork, or even just simple lineart. And you know what? Sometimes it is better, sometimes the sketch is better than the finished piece. 

You know what? I'll put up my own art on the line here. 

 

 

Guess what, that used that scratch line technique, that is a sketch I posted a couple of days ago, I'm still not finished with everything, but it is so much better than what I would have come up with, with one stroke. 

So, I'm not going to test out everything else you posted in that post, but judging by the fact that you are telling people to literally stop one of the fundamental steps in drawing art. Well, what kind of message is that sending out to people? I ain't going to keep reading and taking advice from that. 

 

 

His "Step 4" part, I disliked. Too impractical.

Edited June 17, 2014 by A.V.

[Rascal~ 657]

@@A.V.,
Impractical? More like idiotic in my eyes.  He's trying to show others how to do techniques and skills in the trade, and then he comes up with that step. I'm sorry, but all reputation for how good it may or may not be has gone through the window, I would possibly through the book out if it were one, or use it to burn in the winter, which I think I would do in this cold. 

[Kay Dreamer 884]

@, 

 

That's coming along quite nicely, you have a good sense for proportion. As a tip, I'd definitely recommend sketching a figure without clothes first, before drawing the clothes over the top. It helps to make the fabric look more natural when you consider how it sits on the body underneath. But the figure is balanced, and he's not overly stiff either. You're off to a good start there!

 

A fun thing to try is to just sketch a bunch of figures - no clothes, no detail - in various poses. Just super quickly, about 60 seconds each. (You can then grab a few of your favourites and create more complete pieces from them. It's a good way to get interesting and unique ideas for poses.) You'll find your lines will actually become longer and more confident as you become quicker and more experienced, because the accuracy you get from the very small lines will begin to translate into longer ones the more you draw. It's still 'sketching', but the longer lines within the sketch help give the thing you're drawing more weight and flow. (Of course accuracy is also important, so don't be afraid to go back over areas until they look right if it's a drawing you really want to finish.)

 

 

 

And the way you described yourself as a beginner, saying you'd ignore my advice because it's too hard, well, I have no patience for people like that. I'd tell them to leave until they're ready to learn, because I don't think anything I can say at that point would help them, they need to grow up and accept what they'll have to go through in order to improve, else they'll remain bad artists for the rest of their lives.

 

Funny how you say that, as I happened to became a pretty good artist by proceeding at my own pace, and assimilating advice like this if and when I felt ready for it. (Which was not as a raw beginner.)

 

As I said, you're pitching it to the wrong crowd. I can't teach a bunch of Year 8's a lesson on Year 10 music theory and expect them to understand, can I? When they inevitably fail, the issue is not with them being 'hopeless' - the issue is with me having ridiculous expectations, and not catering to the appropriate level to help them learn.

 

And Rascal makes some good points about your explanations as well. Having re-read a few things, there are definitely some issues I need to bring up.

 

It's very obvious you don't have much experience in actually doing the things you're talking about. For example, your notions on colour are completely wrong. Not even kidding, you've given terrible advice. There's nothing wrong with dull colours. Over-saturated vibrance looks horrible if you don't have any idea how to use it correctly. Plus, if all you ever use is complimentary colours, your art will become very boring indeed. You need contrasting colours in there somewhere. Heck, pink and green are on the opposite ends of the colour wheel, and they look great together if you actually know what you're doing. So do blue and yellow. Unify those with a green, or perhaps even a purple for shading, and they look fantastic.

 

The easiest way to get a metallic sheen on an object is to lightly mark which areas you want to keep completely white, and simply remember to shade progressively darker as you approach the white-marked sections. The darkest area is right next to the pure white part, on the side heading away from the light source.

 

Composition considerations are useless for beginners until they have proportion at least somewhat solid. Priorities. 

 

Lines; while you do want to encourage beginners to move away from 'chicken scratch', initial lines are supposed to be somewhat messy - that's the entire point of sketching. Solid line work can be done over the top of a sketch, either with a brush, fine liner, graphics tablet, whatever. Flowing sketch lines (in contrast to jittery ones) are a good thing to strive towards, but they're still gonna be messy. The best way to encourage this is timed figure sketches, which can be refined later.

 

In summary: If you can't explain basic artistic concepts in a manner which is concise, accurate and easy to understand, then what's the point of trying to teach them to anyone? An experienced artist such as myself can understand what it is you're attempting to say, but a beginner sure won't.

 

I'm not trying to be overcritical or rude to you here, but you need to address this stuff if you're going to try to help others. However sincere your desire to aid budding artists may be, if you're giving incorrect or unclear advice, and you're pitching at a level that's far too high, you're doing more harm than good.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Kay Dreamer

[Sir Wulfington 276]

When I first read the original post weeks ago, I got the disdain feeling that it wasn't much of a tutorial, just more like a dump of information that an experienced artist could probably pick through, if they understood what was going on. 

A tutorial is made to inform someone, usually in a skill or action, so that they may learn. It's kinda like teaching, but it's the textbook, and for most cases this stuff is online. So, since it's kinda like teaching, you gotta have teaching elements. 

So I'm Kay's side with all the points she is trying to make, You mister Wulfington, would probably be the worst teacher ever. 

 

As I read the first post now, yeah it's better structured and such, but I still feel like giving this to someone who doesn't already have an understanding of these things might be a little on the pointless side. Your very blunt, which sometimes doesn't matter, but most of the information you placed down would not be helpful unless someone already knew these things with at least a basic understanding. An artist may be trying to learn all these things, but it would be too difficult to decipher what you are talking about exactly. And when I saw an artist, I mean your ideal artist that you have in your head, someone who is trying to pursue this art and will try as hard as possible to do it. 

Like the metal about the metal shading, I know shading, I can do it. Though I've recently started learning how to draw metal and such and learn how to do the steps with any other piece, on a piece with some metal. That explanation you gave, well I couldn't understand a word you were saying, it wasn't making all that much sense, and I do understand shading. 

^ Right there, a learning artist trying to achieve and get better with her own work, trying extremely hard to improve, and this example has proved that this word dump doesn't work all that well. 

 

 

 

Also, I think I hate this paragraph, even more than the forced encouragement at the end of your first post. 

 

You know what's a common trait in newbies? Thinking they can do everything with perfect lines. You know what's a common trait in newbies? Thinking they can do everything in one stroke. You know what's a common trait in newbies? Not. Bloody. Sketching. 

If you want to draw anything, with at least a trace of effort and value, you sketch that piece of work. It doesn't matter if you're drawing a cartoon punk skunk for a friend, or drawing a friend as a pony for fun, or drawing little eyes in math. If you did not sketch it, then it ain't worth anything, it is worth nothing. You can feel no pride, no feeling of accomplishment, that piece is worthless. 

I don't care if you think drawing multiple lines for sketching is bad, or looks shitty, or something else you're gonna pull up. If you do not sketch, then you have a worthless piece of art on your hands, made by your hands. 

I personally love to see sketches, I think it shows a lot more character and looks more beautiful than a finished artwork, or even just simple lineart. And you know what? Sometimes it is better, sometimes the sketch is better than the finished piece. 

You know what? I'll put up my own art on the line here. 

 

 

Guess what, that used that scratch line technique, that is a sketch I posted a couple of days ago, I'm still not finished with everything, but it is so much better than what I would have come up with, with one stroke. 

So, I'm not going to test out everything else you posted in that post, but judging by the fact that you are telling people to literally stop one of the fundamental steps in drawing art. Well, what kind of message is that sending out to people? I ain't going to keep reading and taking advice from that. 

 

No, scratch lines are to be avoided completely, you need to break the habit completely else it's easy to fall back into it, and I say that out of experience. You don't need to use scratch lines to draw out the basic idea for the picture. I didn't say draw the entire picture in one single stroke, just that each line should be. Don't scratch line to form your linework, basically. As for metal shading, I'm not good at explaining things, so I did what I could. It was just an example of one way to draw metal.

@, 

 

That's coming along quite nicely, you have a good sense for proportion. As a tip, I'd definitely recommend sketching a figure without clothes first, before drawing the clothes over the top. It helps to make the fabric look more natural when you consider how it sits on the body underneath. But the figure is balanced, and he's not overly stiff either. You're off to a good start there!

 

A fun thing to try is to just sketch a bunch of figures - no clothes, no detail - in various poses. Just super quickly, about 60 seconds each. (You can then grab a few of your favourites and create more complete pieces from them. It's a good way to get interesting and unique ideas for poses.) You'll find your lines will actually become longer and more confident as you become quicker and more experienced, because the accuracy you get from the very small lines will begin to translate into longer ones the more you draw. It's still 'sketching', but the longer lines within the sketch help give the thing you're drawing more weight and flow. (Of course accuracy is also important, so don't be afraid to go back over areas until they look right if it's a drawing you really want to finish.)

 

 

 

 

Funny how you say that, as I happened to became a pretty good artist by proceeding at my own pace, and assimilating advice like this if and when I felt ready for it. (Which was not as a raw beginner.)

 

As I said, you're pitching it to the wrong crowd. I can't teach a bunch of Year 8's a lesson on Year 10 music theory and expect them to understand, can I? When they inevitably fail, the issue is not with them being 'hopeless' - the issue is with me having ridiculous expectations, and not catering to the appropriate level to help them learn.

 

And Rascal makes some good points about your explanations as well. Having re-read a few things, there are definitely some issues I need to bring up.

 

It's very obvious you don't have much experience in actually doing the things you're talking about. For example, your notions on colour are completely wrong. Not even kidding, you've given terrible advice. There's nothing wrong with dull colours. Over-saturated vibrance looks horrible if you don't have any idea how to use it correctly. Plus, if all you ever use is complimentary colours, your art will become very boring indeed. You need contrasting colours in there somewhere. Heck, pink and green are on the opposite ends of the colour wheel, and they look great together if you actually know what you're doing. So do blue and yellow. Unify those with a green, or perhaps even a purple for shading, and they look fantastic.

 

The easiest way to get a metallic sheen on an object is to lightly mark which areas you want to keep completely white, and simply remember to shade progressively darker as you approach the white-marked sections. The darkest area is right next to the pure white part, on the side heading away from the light source.

 

Composition considerations are useless for beginners until they have proportion at least somewhat solid. Priorities. 

 

Lines; while you do want to encourage beginners to move away from 'chicken scratch', initial lines are supposed to be somewhat messy - that's the entire point of sketching. Solid line work can be done over the top of a sketch, either with a brush, fine liner, graphics tablet, whatever. Flowing sketch lines (in contrast to jittery ones) are a good thing to strive towards, but they're still gonna be messy. The best way to encourage this is timed figure sketches, which can be refined later.

 

In summary: If you can't explain basic artistic concepts in a manner which is concise, accurate and easy to understand, then what's the point of trying to teach them to anyone? An experienced artist such as myself can understand what it is you're attempting to say, but a beginner sure won't.

 

I'm not trying to be overcritical or rude to you here, but you need to address this stuff if you're going to try to help others. However sincere your desire to aid budding artists may be, if you're giving incorrect or unclear advice, and you're pitching at a level that's far too high, you're doing more harm than good.

I'll concede on the color part, only because I have little experience with it. It's the only thing I lack experience in, along with digital art and paint. But what I will say (and I edited my OP to reflect this) is that you shouldn't make a character out of conflicting colors, as it just looks unnappealing to the eye. A picture with background stuff and other characters of colors that conflict with the focus of the drawing? Sure, an entire character designed of colors that don't go together? No, it's offensive to the eye. But I do see appeal in pictures composed entirely of complimentary colors.

And yes your initial linework is gonna be filthy, but you still want to avoid scratch lining, you don't want to get used to doing that because it becomes hard to stop.

 

I don't think I'm having unrealistic expectations, I'm telling people what they need to do in order to improve, and I refuse to accept that it's too much to ask of them. It's like trying to teach someone how to build a bird house and giving them the instructions and then they turn around and tell me "this is too much" and give up. Like, really, I bought a dresser months ago and didn't immediately know how to build it, than I read the instructions, and within an hour, it was successfully constructed. You're basically telling me newbies are quitters, well, what do you expect me to do about that? I'm giving them the knowledge, if they wanna just give up because they can't handle it than that's their own fault.

[Rascal~ 657]

@@Kay Dreamer,
Thank you, I've been trying to get some advice/critique on it for a while now. 
 @@Sir Wulfington,
You know what? You would probably be more helpful actually going to art threads and pointing out flaws that you can see. I like to think that you started this tourtial endevour because you took a look, and what you say was horrible. I agree, you have no clue how many times I've had to just beg and complain to another artist to get them to help me because it seems no one else does, or like this time around someone came by and helped out. 
You may be better help actually practicing writing up critiques and helping out artists with their techniques, then maybe go and write a tutorial. 

[Sir Wulfington 276]

@@Kay Dreamer,

Thank you, I've been trying to get some advice/critique on it for a while now. 

 @@Sir Wulfington,

You know what? You would probably be more helpful actually going to art threads and pointing out flaws that you can see. I like to think that you started this tourtial endevour because you took a look, and what you say was horrible. I agree, you have no clue how many times I've had to just beg and complain to another artist to get them to help me because it seems no one else does, or like this time around someone came by and helped out. 

You may be better help actually practicing writing up critiques and helping out artists with their techniques, then maybe go and write a tutorial. 

 

The whole reason I made this thread was because the thought of having to go to each and every thread here of artists who really need help to improve is just exhausting. It's really bad when you type out a massive post explaining everything wrong with a person's artwork and how to improve, when they either never respond or get hostile and cuss you out. I don't recall either happening here, but still, it can happen. It seems that too many people suffer from Dunning-Krueger and as a result can't see the flaws in their own work, so trying to give them criticism, even constructive, is pointless. They need to get over their Dunning-Krueger if they're ever going to improve.

 

Anyway, I thought it best just to make a big tutorial thread for people who actually want to become good artists, get it pinned, than leave it at that. Because I just can't do it, I can't take trying to critique people individually anymore. It's far too much for one person. And besides, just making a tutorial and getting it pinned is far better.