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DamaiMikaz — [Tutorial] Beginners mistakes, and how to fix them
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Published: 2014-03-01 20:18:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 63422; Favourites: 3798; Downloads: 613
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Description
I came up with the idea for this tutorial a while ago, when I was giving drawing workshops on another convention.I noticed that a lot of beginning artists that I met actually made the same type of mistakes.
The mistakes listed here are the ones that I used to make as well, when I was younger.
Things that took me quite the time to learn, because these are the things people often don't tell you.
I can still remember having an Eureka moment when I discovered these simple things. I hope you will have the same.
(PS: this tutorial is aimed towards beginners in art. If you're advanced, you might know this already)
Just to rule out a few things:
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Comments: 583
. . .Oh my, there are more down there. I'm sorry they aren't taking it so well.
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With all due respect to Electrical-Socket and their admittedly harsh review, I believe I learned a lot from this. Thank you.
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Well, she had some good points in her review.
That's why I allowed it.
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I guess constructive criticism is better than the destructive kind, or none at all.
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I don't mind people thinking my art is bad, if they provide (reasonable) reasons why they do so.
In the end, everybody is entitled to his/her own opinion
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Then may I offer a kind suggestion?
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Basically, what I am getting from the mass of comments:
You used your own art for your OWN TUTORIAL with helpful suggestions and shit you've learned over the years; SHAME ON YOU. Because using your OWN art for YOUR OWN TUTORIAL is shit on you.
"It's MY style and I'll draw wrong things if I want to , because your a big meany face for telling me I do anything wrong ever. Mommy said I am the next Picasso anyways."
Basically DA's childish audience out in force with lots of butthurt to share. I thought this was mighty helpful since I struggle with ALL of the above while trying to create a style I am comfortable with drawing and can draw decently. So thank you. You aught to just disable comments and be done with the nonsense. :/
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> Because using your OWN art for YOUR OWN TUTORIAL is shit on you
And if I used someone else's art I would be slandered for bashing other people's art (and even I would think that would be fair, because it's cowardly to expose someone else's mistakes).
No matter how you twist or turn this issue, you could never do it right.
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Yeah, well fuck people for being so goddamn assinine they can't just be glad you added in helpful information and leave it at that. Everyone wants to make something out of nothing because they can hid behind a god damn computer screen with no consequences to do it. How sickening is that. :/
Sorry Damai u_u, just deny comments and be done with it.
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Nah, I guess it's just that it's easy to bash on an artists that has many views.
What many people don't realize that being well known isn't particularly a choice.
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Yep this.
I recently have been bashed for posting a rant about the way some of these younger popular artists "bash" their fans. (Often bullying them or blatantly being shit heads TO SAID PEOPLE, just because they asked for help or wanted an art trade).
I was then told " I was the same (definitely not true) because I had/have "page rules". That I was rude/same type of bully because I didn't take requests and asked people to note me about groups they'd like to invite me too instead of spamming me with invites etc. Basically, once again, making something out of nothing.
People just want to be butthurt. 
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"Mommy said I am the next Picasso anyways." That cracked me up XD It is so true!
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Holy hell there's some silly people on this. 
P.S. My god, people don't seem to understand this is not demanding you do exactly what you say. People are so weird, sometimes!
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I feel you gave me a lot of tips. I've definatly got to work on my ironing (lol) and my shading of course. That's one of the most complex things for me. Sometimes I just want to put solid spots but in my own opinion I hate doing that so I try to blend the colors in to make it seem more real even though I draw anime people. I've learned to stray from the side nose though I used to do it all the time. I'm actually still working on getting angles right as well as.... er I guess you probably don't care about what I've tried to improve with... -.-' hehe, I still liked your tutorial and it made me laugh a bit. I'll keep it in mind though when it comes to ironing and shading/lighting effects and what not.
"Thank you so very much DamaiMikaz! They are useful tips!" Says Seiiki while throwing her arms into the air in relief her struggles with drawing are now less complex because of your awesome idea to give a few tips on Deviantart.
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I have been trying to get clothes-wrinkles right forever x_x Even in my cartoony style, I always put some kind of cheeks on the face (even if just on the side the character is facing), but things like the nose I didn't even think about. Neat advice!
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While I don't agree with this tutorial on certain points, I don't see why you should get hate on this as well. It's not the best tutorial out on the site and it's not actually clear (you should be more concerned with explaining how shapes affect shading rather than just point out how much of a difference it makes, and you've focused on stylisations rather than the more important techniques), but the important thing is
1. tutorials are only guidelines and whoever thinks that a tutorial is absolute law is a bit ignorant in how art works, and
2. we're all human.
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It might not be a real tutorial, but more like a workshop.
The main goal isn't to teach people 'this is how you should do it', but rather make them aware of things they don't know or they haven't given thought yet.
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The way you have worded it sounds very much like "you're doing this wrong", which is the problem why. Also, it's dA, people are going to think it's a real tutorial with real advice and you're an expert etc etc etc. Welcome to deviantART.
If you were more neutral with your wording, perhaps.
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Or people should just learn how to read things in context and stop being butt-hurt over something that was never intended in the first place.
Seriously... it's not that hard to have realistic expectations.
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Like I said, this is dA. Most people don't read, period. It's an easy mistake to make and I don't blame you, but next time be careful about how you write on the internet. There will always be someone to misinterpret or twist your words to whatever they want; the only part where it's your problem is whether you want to give a shit or not.
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this is helpful. 
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i dont know why everyone is being such a dick, i thought this was helpful.
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No, I see where you're coming from on all of this, and I have to say I agree. With all of it. I tried it out today in a few stupid little doodles in a notebook during classes, and stuff I drew with your tips in mind looked a hell of a lot better than the stuff I did without taking care. I still draw flat cheeks, but with time I think i'll find a compromise between my drawing habits and realism, and a little experimentation usually doesn't hurt.
I sincerely thank you for taking the time to make this. However, long you took, it was worth it. It really did help me out ^U^
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hmm why is this entire thing just about what you hate about some types of art.
this really shouldn't count as a tutorial.
i really hate it when some people try to make tutorials but point people in the wrong direction.
some of the stuff you pointed out to be 'wrong/incorrect' is just part of some styles.
are you just trying to push people to adjust to what you dont like? i really doubt that, since you seem to claim that you're not on a high horse, with a recent journal you wrote. im just curious.
btw, you take critique horribly. really. just say thank you and accept the critique. even if its just a critique saying, "hey u suck", no one except you can actually choose to take it so personally.
but before you have the chance to try to troll me like you have to other people and say i am an angry anime/manga fan, no; i am not a fan of anime/manga. its too damn emotional for me, but to each their own. i won't judge people's fucking tastes.
don't get me wrong, i love your art. i just feel like you took your anger out on something that will lead people to change their styles just because you said so. people think you're a professional. Regardless to what you think, people will try to learn as much from you as they possibly can. You're a professional in lots of people's eyes, and that's never going to change. I really don't give a damn as to whether you actually care about your watchers or not. I'm just pointing this out, whether you know it already or not.
If I bother you on a personal level, go ahead and block me over it. I most likely won't notice.
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img.pandawhale.com/37020-didnt…
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You're the one trolling, especially when profanity is thrown in it shows how anxious you are. Slander is the most pathetic form of trolling because you create a justification to fuel your debate, she never once called herself a professional, you talk about her like she's a narcissist. She spends time helping people and most of them appreciate it, I don't know if you're envious or simply a troll but it doesn't make it alright to attack someone who's done nothing wrong. If you hate the tutorial go harass another one, you're a bad egg out of the 11 normal ones and we don't need you spreading your plague. Telling someone to block you then indiscreetly insulting them is very immature, you're skilled with art but not everyone else is, we need all the help we can get and it doesn't help when you demoralize someone who's simply sharing her experience.
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(sorry for putting this into two comments, I accidentally submitted it)
I told her to block me because a lot of people find me very offensive. If it bothers her, big deal. Blocking is a convenient way to keep someone away from you. I won't go out of my way just to say shit. I said it, because the majority of people who hear that won't do it, because who would actually listen and block someone who says such a stupid thing? I said it, because I know myself well enough to know I have trouble recognizing when I am too harsh. I wanted a chance to explain myself if she took it offensively, if it would even help anything.
I really don't say anything to be mean. I know a lot of people don't see stuff the way I do. I can treat a lot of stuff as a joke. I tend to forget how offensive I can sound. I do this because I've been through a lot, and no words anyone says can ever bother me after all of it. I really do forget that some people don't have all the inner strength/endurance in the world and will get hurt over a few words. (I know that sentence sounds bad, but I don't know how to word it any other way)
If anyone ends up caring enough to get angry at the words I say, I can try to pacify the anger,.. but, thats all I can do in the end. I know people will get hurt, and people will get angry, and try to spray the insect spray at me because they simply do not agree; which I understand. Its a human defense mechanism; its completely normal. Few people will sacrifice their poor souls so say things that the majority doesn't agree with, because not a lot of people care, or want to bother will the flames they suspect they will get in return.
Lastly though, I have one question. How was I trying to demoralize her?
Demoralizing as the way I see it = straight up crushing someone, or corrupting the morals of someone. I mean, maybe It seemed like I was trying to crush her, but.. that wasn't my intention.
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It's cute how you somewhat contradicted yourself after insulting the people you insult.
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Eh whatever explaining to you isnt going anywhere its like trying to make you see red when I see blue
See ya
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You see red, I see blue
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lol whats the difference?! XD are you just trying to get the last word?
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It's obvious what you were implying.
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i wasn't implying anything with that!! i couldve chose any other colors and it still wouldnt have mattered! rofl! 
yeah, u blocked me and i cared enough to log on to another account! shit, man! u are trying to get the last word! i didn't think anyone actually cared about that!
look further into the comments and see what we said to each other, if you are so frustrated. d:< u aren't going to win! i have all the time in the world to talk to u. i can tell youre a fun person to talk to. no sarcasm there, just in case u were gonna get upset over that! not implying anything there! i swear!
… go ahead and block me again tho, i dare u d: or report me, even better! it would give me a good laugh when i log back in to find im banned or some shit.
anyway, if ive hurt you. for what its worth, im sorry d:< there, u won. be happy.
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Man, you sound very insecure, man. How many sock accounts do you have? Because only trolls use sock accounts.
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actually, that was my account that i use to put random art i did but just didnt want to put on my main account for personal reasons. d:
this one, i just made one day. i dont know why. gummy bears amuse me.
just so you know, this account will only have one comment made, which is my last comment to u. i'll remember this if i ever log on to this account again.
it is the only other account i have, so i guess this is goodbye.
but… before I go.
DamaiMikaz didn't need you to defend her. she is a very, very strong person. If you know her at all, you would know that.
I'm very secure, however. You didn't influence me at all. I have my shit together, and always will.
"Man, you sound very insecure, man." I say 'man' a lot. Its a habit of mine.
I know you'll always think I'm a troll, but hey, i can't change that. However… i'm always there if you need someone to talk to. AngelbunnyXOXO. Any time, any day. I'll be there, regardless of who you are, or who is reading this. I don't care if you note me, or comment me, or whatever. You can even send me some hate if you need someone to take it out on. I won't be hurt.
See ya.
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That's what the Scraps folder is for.
Pandas amuse me.
Neato.
Oh all this is about her? You read the whole thing and you know I was helping her, not white knighting, I was complimenting the person who attacked her not saying "Shut up bitch, you're art sucks and hers is amazing." She talks about how one person can easily ruin her mood in her journals and in her most recent one said she said she turned off her internet for several days because of trolls telling her to kill herself, you can't tell me I'm not allowed to be nice to someone.
I'm sure it's a habit when you're on a sock account typing up an anxious message full of exclamation points and profanity, especially when polls say approximately 80% of dA is female.
Did you want to be friends?
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I wasn't attacking. I don't hate the tutorial. I don't go around harassing tutorials. I just cared enough to point these out. It was just my comments about the tutorial; my thoughts on it. It didn't have to be read, or replied to.
Also, I believe anyone is allowed to express themselves in any way that they fucking want to, whether they do cuss, or whether they don't. I also believe you're allowed to say whatever it is that you want to say that reflects how you're feeling inside. I'm sick of all these people that like to say that if you swear, you're a bad person/uneducated/evil.
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"It didn't have to read, or replied to"
"Also, I believe anyone is allowed to express themselves in any way that they fucking want to,"
"I also believe you're allowed to say whatever it is that you want to say that reflects how you're feeling inside."
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Sorry for budging in, but "You suck" isn't criticism.
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I dont mind the budging in though. So its all right.
Anyways though, I meant that even if it is a simple stupid comment like that, it shouldn't be taken seriously.
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I don't know where you saw the anger-part. It wasn't meant to be angry.
That's it's focused towards manga... okay... I admit that. The art-workshop group that I'm in is mostly at anime conventions. So that might be why the focus is towards that style. Most of us teach manga-related styles.
I came across many people in the years that learned how to draw anime from those chris hart books. They, them self, told me "it looks weird, but I don't know why". Tell me, how am I not supposed to tell them that there's a fault in the style they want to adapt to begin with? That it's not them doing it wrong. But that it's in the style itself.
I tell them how it works in realism, and tell them "this is why it looks weird". And then it's up to them to choose whether to change that or not. But at least they now know why.
> people think you're a professional.
So tell me... how exactly am I responsible for people that willingly choose to ignore the truth?
> people will try to learn as much from you as they possibly can. You're a professional in lots of people's eyes, and that's never going to change
Personally, I think people are free to learn whatever they want from whoever they do.
I too learned from the popular deviants on the internet. Some of them have many flaws as well. I see that now, but I didn't see that back then.
Did that make the journey less enjoyable? No.
Did I ever blame them for not being exactly 100% right? Not really, because I still learned something.
And since I relied on free tutorials, instead of an expensive education, the responsibility of gathering knowledge was on me. Not on the teachers. Because they weren't paid to teach me. They were just helpful people that I happened to come across.
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Thank you, all of it actually sounds a whole lot less.. bad, now. I didn't want to come off as too harsh by the way. I apologize if I did.
But no, you're not responsible for people that willingly chose to ignore the truth. I wouldn't really see what you see as the truth though. I think that people think and call you a professional because you're really good. Your artwork has that professional air to it. Just.. the way your stuff looks. The atmospheres, mood, everything really! Just.. the way it looks! It looks professional, so people think you're a pro at art, and I think you really are
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In the freelance website business, I was once told that you were considered professional in the business the moment you started actually selling your services. Hence my definition of professional has always been "someone that does it for a profession". Since I never sold art, I don't consider myself a professional. This might be by choice. I don't know, since I actually never tried to sell.
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Yeah… so technical XP but... its understandable. I know you've heard this before,… but… if you wanted/needed to,… you could definitely sell, and for a high price. You have enough people that love your work for it. d=
Im really sorry that you have been getting hate. Its been really making me feel bad. I lost sleep over it. I knew you only did/still do drawing for just fun.
See… I don't take anything offensively, no matter what it is, or who said it. I tend to forget how much words can hurt for other people. I really wish I could switch places with you right now, even if only for a while.
Here,..i'll tell you something crazy. I've made like… countless accounts on here. I also only do art for fun. I never wanted popularity or anything, so I kept deleting my accounts over and over until this one happened. I got something similar to stage fright due to lack of confidence. I ended up getting a few hate messages, and couldn't handle it and kept running away. I've stayed with this one because in the past 6 months or so… because SO much has happened for me. Terrible, terrible, endless nightmares of terribleness. (lol the word terribleness sounds funny) After all of that stuff happened (I won't go into it all, relax haha xP) , nothing will bother me any more. I ended up having to deal with lots of people closely. Also, I only stayed because a good friend of mine gave me a month of premium membership and I didn't want it to just go to waste. He paid for it.
...Look, don't lose hope over this silly tutorial. You just have a lot of popularity. With that, comes people that don't like/agree with the same things as you do. I'll never know why, it really.. sucks. I saw your rant. Its just not right that people are straight up telling you to just die. I think you should just not ask for critique. I remember being scared of critiques. They can be really harsh. You only do it for fun, you don't need the extra harshness. Sigh… and I also know that you have some sort of sickness. Theres that to deal with… its like a giant ball of blah. I don't know all the details,.. but.. please. You don't have to deal with this place. You have a lot on your plate.
You'll make it through this. I know you can. You're a strong, caring lady. I didn't mean it when I said I didn't give a damn about you. I don't think any of the "haters" really mean any harm to you, either. People are usually angry for a reason. They probably have issues in their life, and are taking it out on you. There are a million reasons why a person might be angry, that have nothing to do with you. We are all humans trying to make it through life.
aand.. I dont know what else to say. |'D Except for I really am sorry. It was a selfish and stupid thing to do, and it will never happen again. I can be really harsh and be completely unaware of the damage. I go by "words will never hurt me, and neither will sticks or stones.".
Well.. just know that I'm always here to talk. You can message me any time, about anything at all. I'm always there. If I can help you in any way… just say the word and I'm there. I probably seem like a complete jerk… but I can be a loyal friend all the way to the end.
I'll be there for you, okay? I'll never leave this place unless hell freezes over, or I lose access of the internet. |'D I'm here for you.
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