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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: 63427; 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
I want an Awesome iron clothing!! Maybe it could be a way to get a better posture xD
Loved the mistake notes, thanks :3
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amazing tips from an amazing artist
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Well...
This is stuff I figured out a long time ago...
But I still have trouble with the clothes one...
I'm bad at figuring out where the bunched up parts or creases in cloth goes...
Not even wearing something similar to the character and looking at the pose in a mirror helps...
The cheek and nose thing I never really based off of anime...
(also most of my stuff isn't here on DA)
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I also have trouble with clothes.. like where do the folds even go???
But I think what will help is practice. Looking up tutorials and practicing drawing different types of folds... yea.. practice.. I should do that.. xD
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Awesome! Thank you! (To be honest, I still have no idea how to draw wrinkles in clothes.
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DA has many tutorials on that.
Or you could just use reference pictures
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I seem to have a lot of trouble drawing from pictures. If I want to draw something, I have to get it into my head, then back out onto paper. Part of it might also be my lack of patience.
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I love that breaking bad picture xD
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It's a good idea for a tutorial, and I know everyone has to start somewhere, but I don't think the quality of the OP's original example drawings really illustrate the ideas OP is trying to represent; in short, I think OP is still very much a beginner, or draw's at an amateur level. OP has made a bit of good progress over the years but I just don't find the original examples effective, since they aren't being executed well. I feel as though there are still some fundamental misunderstandings about light, anatomy, and form.
I don't mean to come onto your page and bash you. But I do believe you have some more learning to do before you use your own work to demonstrate concepts you haven't mastered (or been able to execute effectively) yet. Everything you've said here is valid, but the examples that aren't external sources are, well.
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> I don't mean to come onto your page and bash you
But you actually did :')
I thought of this tutorial as a workshop, rather than an example of how-to-do-art.
I've been doing workshops for about 2 years now. We always do live-drawing there. And even though we're not professionals, we can explain things... by making them personal.
Every person can link a great example of work to a bunch of beginners and tell them "that's how you should do it". It's not that hard. The point is that, to most of the kids coming to those workshops (yes, KIDS), that isn't encouraging at all. As a kid, I used to get discouraged by seeing awesome images of art as well. Because... there was no way in hell I could do something like that that in the next 927349374 years. And since I only saw the result, and not the progress, it didn't made that much sense.
From what I've learned over the years, is that a part of teaching (again, especially to kids) is in how you present your information. With the help of a professional teacher, we've learned that it would sometimes be better to do things intentionally wrong and then let kids reflect on that, than just showing them "This is how it should be done". It's about more than just showing what is right. It's about motivating people.
And if I may be fee enough to tell you so; you might still need a lesson in that.
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"Showing them what is right--"
But you're not doing that. I'm saying your examples are not adequate. It's fine to encourage people or motivate, but I do not think these examples do that. The tutorial would be more valid without your original work.
And if I "still need a lesson" in anything, that's fine, because I'm not the one making tutorials. Like I said, you're not spreading misinformation (the points you make are correct and really valid). But despite your work over the years, you haven't improved much. Your traditional work is better, I'll concede, but you have a long way to go before you start using your own work to demonstrate how things "should" be done.
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I never said I was absolutely right.
Every tutorial, no matter how good, is an interpretation of the artists. Loomis published plenty of books about his art. And even though he sold many, and there are many artschools working with his methods, there are many more that reject it because of the 'unrealistic proportions'. So tell me... what is right? It's all a matter of interpretation anyway.
I don't know what it is that you intend to do.
I already told you I didn't mean to show an example of what is absolutely right. That wasn't my intention in the first place. It was my intention to show people a reflection on what I did and what could be done better. Just like the many people that make tutorials about "how they draw water" or "how they use colors". Yeah, it might not be 100% correct. I've seen countless of how-I-do-stuff tutorials that weren't 100% right, yet they helped me see things in a different light. And that's what teaching is.
It seems to me that you just want to desperately bash on something that you deem wrong.
I don't know why. I guess it's either frustration or insecurity. Because people that are really confident with their own work (the professional concept artists that I met, at least), and were convinced they were on a high level, wouldn't care less about such a tutorial... or would at least have the common sense to understand that there's more to teaching than just 'right' and 'wrong'.
I'd prefer it that you don't take your frustration out on me, though.
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Oh goody, because I think your art could be a lot better, I must be terribly wounded and insecure, is that right?
I didn't come here and say, "God your art sucks, don't make tuts." I said, "Your art has a long way to go, but the tutorial is valid."
I don't pull punches in critique but I'm not cruel. Don't assume that I have a hate complex or that I'm "desperate" because I had issues with your work. Take the critique head-on and improve from it. It isn't good to teach misinformation, however.
Also, please don't reply anymore if you're going to wax poetic about my supposedly sad and bitter life. It doesn't make you or me a better artist, and it's a waste of our time.
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I would've seen it as valid if you actually took the effort to give proper feedback on my artwork. Instead you just come barging in, telling my art isn't any good and not suited for a tutorial, and that's it.
If you wanted to give good critique, you could've told me what I could improve on. On the artworks, I mean. Since that's where apparently your problem is. Well balanced critique goes further than just saying 'this is wrong'. It should include a suggestion on how to improve as well. Otherwise it's just bashing, no matter how many nice words you use to cover it up.
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I told you that yes, your art isn't sufficient to support your tutorial. I also said that the points were valid, and that the stock images you were using were getting the job done. I suggested you use the stock images exclusively. Didn't I? Go back and look at my comment. I didn't bash you. Your feelings are hurt and you're angry my critique didn't praise you enough.
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How we can take you seriously when your art is so unskilled? Let's not forget your extremely immature name, I would let it go and bother tutorials that are invalid.
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lmao if it's any consolations that was one of the most polite critiques i have ever seen.
i have to agree, artist is upset.
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Oops, typo with "draws."
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Very nice tutorial, though you seem to imply that something like stylization is inherently bad. That's what the nose thing [usually] comes from, a deliberate choice by certain artists to render the nose in a specific way (even if the people mimicking such styles don't understand that). Some draw a line, some draw just dots for the nostrils, and some even get rid of the nose entirely, depending on the aesthetic they're trying to go for. I also don't think it's fair to call anime/manga with such noses 'cheap' considering the sheer amount of work that goes into making them.
I really like the suggestion to use movie screenshots the most out of this whole thing, really. That's actually a really good point I don't think about very often myself, though I don't think I've ever used model shots like the one you showed for my shaded drawings. They tend to be pretty visually boring.
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> you seem to imply that something like stylization is inherently bad
Stylizing is a bad thing if you don't know WHY you do the things that you do. If that's the case you just end up like "My drawing looks weird, but I don't know why and I don't know how to fix it". And that's pretty bad. Because then you're stuck.
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Yes, that's why I added the [usually] in there, and the bit about people not understanding that.
I will also say you're right, that a lot of the how-to-draw books and lessons you see don't tell you why they do things the way they do.
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So totally faved. I remember cutting my chops with alot of early anime how-to-draw-books. And seeing this reminds me of my older drawings from back in the day. Good thing though I had a constant thirst for knowledge, and was always reading, practicing and searching for tutorials. And alot of observation. I sure have come a long way through the years. Eventually moved out of anime, though I intend to go back some day.
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this is awesome, im so glad they are here and i have read them.
goes to prove that there is always something to learn in art. even for the masters lol
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This was actually really helpful! ^^ ARIGATOU!!!
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This tutorial is so awesome
I especially love the awesome ironing mom part, my art can relate with it xD
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Awesome ironing mom XD
Seriously though, that's a mistake I often make. Thank you for this tutorial
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Thank you for this. A lot of these things are things I know I need to fix in my art but my biggest enemy is crunch time; I just don't have as much time as I'd like to really make things look as good as I want them to or should.
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This is seriously just a really good tutorial and I loved the part with the awesome ironing mom, ha. I used to do the same thing and am still somewhat guilty of it when I'm feeling lazy. Oh the shame.
Anyway, I've had a few people ask me questions on my alternate account (it's a lot more art driven) and I'd love to be able to help them, but I'm horrible at explaining things past.. Uh, I just kind of do it... yeah... art... I'm keeping this in mind so I can link people to it instead of making it worse, ha.
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This is SUPER helpful, since I'm still a total beginner I think I'll keep this in mind next time I go to draw! :3
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hahaha, this was a great read
awesome ironing is definitely a common problem, i can relate
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I was wondering what the book was that you read on color theory? If you don't remember thanks anyway. Great tutorial btw. :]
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Color & Light, by James Gurney
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this is so helpful. thank you very much
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not everything has to be realistic, you know, these are nice tips for people who want to draw realistic characters, but others might actually want a more unrealistic style. If everyone followed these rules strictly, nothing would have a unique sense of style
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Knowing about mistakes that are commonly made can often help improve said styles. Having a "style" is not a free pass to make mistakes, only an excuse to be lazy 90% of the time.
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It's nevertheless good to be aware of the mistakes that are in a certain style.
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Definitely helpful! Even if you've taken classes and know things, it's good to be reminded!!
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This tutorial made me realize so much!! Thank you for sharing!!! *O*
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Adding this to my favorites. Some of the things that you advise to do I already do because I'm a perfectionist (Cheek, nose), though the creasing and shading are things I struggle with because I often cannot tell how much shading should go into things, and the creasing because I haven't actually work-worked on that yet. (Appears occasionally).
This will help me greatly in that aspect.
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This tutorial is a brilliant idea and I'm surprised that these tutorials are rare on deviantart.
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(excuse my bad englisch and not using critique function)
Whenever you give advice to someone (doesn't matter if that someone is better or worse than you on a technical level), never show your own art as an example on how to do it right. Just like a teacher who would never cite his own work.
It's safe to assume that every beginner isn't unaware of everything. They are aware of clothfolds, light and shadow and the problem of form, perspective and symmetry. "So don't be an idiot like i was" You weren't an idiot either. You just didn't know how to deal with a certain problem which is normal.
You've learned something and now want to share it with everyone else which is great (and please continue doing so) but it's not very helpful to tell someone "it's wrong, this is how i do it". It just fuels frustration to see someone better than yourself. Nobody can read your mind. Give out some ressources like tutorials or artists you look up to. What did you read to have these eureka moments, share this.
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> never show your own art as an example on how to do it right
I did this on purpose, to show how much difference a few on those things can make.
My intention wasn't to show how to make the most awesome work in the world. It was to show fixes for common problems. Much like the workshops we do.
> It's safe to assume that every beginner isn't unaware of everything
I have to disappoint you on that one.
I've been doing workshops for kids for 2 years now... and those 5 where about the most common things people didn't know about.
Most of them just came to me and told me "My drawing looks weird, what did I do wrong?"
> Give out some resources like tutorials or artists you look up to
As you haven't been following me, you probably don't know.
But I've written plenty of journals with resources and tips & tricks already.
The most heard problems is "I can't afford this book", "I can't get my hands on this book", "It's too hard to understand" or "the amount information is too overwhelming".
Most of them are kids, though. You can't expect them to read a 200 page book on one subject (in a foreign language -- to those that aren't native English)
I think you have to keep in mind, in general, that this tutorial isn't aimed towards serious art student.
They get their lessons in school anyway. And yeah, they had to read all their books.
This type of tutorial (or workshop, whenever I give them irl) is aimed towards the beginning hobbyist artist, that just want to make drawing 'look right' without having any further intention.
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Everyone is flipping their tits because you used your own work as an example? Fucking christ, there is NOTHING wrong with that if your work is done correctly.
Dear internet, stop taking shit the wrong way. It's a helpful internet tutorial. Not a world class art classroom. Grow up please.
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