drawing by hand

Well, I am trying to improve my drawing by hand and I did not realize how much i used Xara for simple thing. I do not have some of the basic discipline that traditional cartoonist have. Example, just drawing a circle. I tried it and well I had to draw it in Xara, print it and then trace it to get it right. okay I did not do that, but my hand drawing of a circle or a straight line for that matter was not as straight as I thought it should be. Also something like drawing eyes. In Xara it is easy, draw on and copy,paste and flip. by hand one eye is huge, the other is tiny. my characters are kinda freaky. which would be great if that is what I wanted. So what is all this about? Nothing i guess, except new and budding cartoonist(this so includes me), please don't stop sketching by hand.

Matt

You should try following the Gnomon Workshop drawing tutorials, eventhough you are probably an experienced artist there are quite a few handy techniques.

http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/


Availor

Matt -- You are experiencing a classic problem. Your hand will not do exactly what your mind thinks it should be able to do. Some people find it easier than others and they are mistakenly labelled as "talented". The truth is almost everyone can learn to draw. Through practice you will find that relatively quickly your hand & mind will merge so your hand becomes a more useful instrument of your mind.

The traditional technique for learning to draw is to draw, draw, draw. Carry a notebook and draw/doodle/sketch every chance you get. Do that and in just a couple of weeks you'll see dramatic improvements. Once you get over that first hurdle you'll find it far easier to look at other's drawings and really understand what you need to do to learn certain skills you like in that person's style. Then you just practice more.

Beware of the 'talent' trap. Many people won't draw because they think someone might see their drawing and think it crap. Our culture totally makes people paranoid about looking 'untalented' in anything. People think you either have it or you don't but it is a myth. The reality is basic drawing is a skill that you can teach yourself easily.

By the way I've found drawing to be very much like riding a bike - you don't forget how. I draw relatively infrequently now but twenty+ years ago I drew all the time (several hours per day / seven days a week). The thing is I find I can draw as well today as I ever could.

Go for it! Draw, draw, draw!

Regards, Ross

Availor, I checked out the link. There is a lot of information there to absorb. thanks you very much. I know I am going to enjoy it.

Ross,
Thank you, what you say is very true. I was have a very frustrated moment when I wrote the thread. This weekend I went and bought a bunch of doodle pads from big lots to stash all around my house, car and one to carry with me. You are right about stopping because on the so call "No talent". I believe that is where I had a problem several years ago. So i will be drawing, drawing, and well drawing. :D

Thanks again guys, I look forward to what I will be learning.

Matt: A tip. Try drawing circles from your shoulder, not your wrist. Keep your wrist motionless and make the mark on the paper using the muscles of your upper arm. You get better control.

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Originally Posted by b3rntumb3r

Matt: A tip. Try drawing circles from your shoulder, not your wrist. Keep your wrist motionless and make the mark on the paper using the muscles of your upper arm. You get better control.

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b3rtntumber,
I tried that and , wow what a difference. Can this work also for detail work to?

Try to listen to some music, too. A relaxed mind is a good thing to have while doodling. Don't worry about getting things "perfect". Strive to get the image in your head on the paper, that's the important part.

It should work for a lot of things and enable you to draw straighter lines easier. Very fine detail is probably best accomplished working from the wrist. Think of the way your wrist moves: you have complete control of only about a 55-60 degree arc. That's why it's harder to draw a circle from the wrist. Your shoulder has better 180 degree control.

Glad I could help.

Er, excuse me, I'm a little flakey today. Your shoulder has better 360 degree control. Your writst controls a 90 -100 degree arc.

Another tip is to sketch out your drawing first. Don’t let your first lines on your page be your final drawing.

With my attached image, I drew two circles – both freehand. The first was drawn with a quick single continuous line. The second was drawn with shorter strokes and rotating the paper. For the second, pretty much using the same wrist motion in the same location. Just rotating the page to complete the circle.

The sketched circle turned out better.

Sketch lightly, so it’s easier to erase and make adjustments. As things are looking good, darken the good lines a bit that will be part of your final drawing. Sketch out your whole drawing, then ink it in later. Or just leave it all done in pencil.

For budding cartoonists, don’t try and go from blank page to finished drawing with your first set of lines you put down on paper. Sketch it out first. Start out with rough shapes until you see what you want, then start adding more detail/form to them. And don’t worry too much on how it turns out if you’re not totally pleased with it, because your next drawing is always going to be done better.

Thanks everyone. please keep the ideas coming, for i am learning. all be it, a little slowly, but picking up speed.

Ahhhh... I feel like my drawing has actually taken a turn for the worse or s going backward. I sketch and sketch and, well the frustration. Sorry just had to vent. I will keep practicing and try not to be a perfectionist.

Post a sketch Matt ----> Let's have a look-see.

okay you asked for it. :D I am reading Chis Hart Book Cartooning for beginners so you should recognize some of the drawings or maybe not. The guy and boy I seem to draw fine, except the hair. but for some reason, the woman, i find hard to draw. :confused: both with everyone I find sketching Hair very troublesome. I know that practice will make perfect, but I could use some advice. So I humbly and gladly ask please.

Those are all excellent!!!! The guy in here you want as a tutor is Bob Hahn!

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Originally Posted by -=Drifter=-

Those are all excellent!!!! The guy in here you want as a tutor is Bob Hahn!

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Thanks, Drifter.

Hmm.. I wonder if we could get Bob Hahn to start a thread or a tutorial on cartooning? Would you have the time sir (Bob Hahn) or the patients?

or maybe Zeb?

Remember one thing, Matt: some days you're hot and some days you're not. Persist and you'll only get better.

I will b3rntumb3r. It is just right now somethings are just getting the better of me. I mean Hair, how hard could it be to draw. of course I get my own cut almost buzz-cut so I would not have to mess with it. hmm.. could there be a mental block there? :) But never fear I will continue on.

Okay Matt, so you're not comfortable with the hair. What's needed now is a method to get you out of this hairy situation. Easy --- now that you've been struggling with the hair you've simultaneously made yourself a more astute observer of how others approach drawing hair. Now if you look at drawings (comic book art, book illustrations, watching cartoons, etc) you'll see the techniques others have used to illustrate hair. In the past you would not have been able to truly appreciate their techniques but now you can! Before you saw their illustration but could not "see" their techniques. Now you can so study their lines and try to understand their techniques. Practice doing as part of that study and you will find something that works for you. By trying different approaches you will find one or two that will 'click' with you and become part of your style.

All the best to you.
Regards, Ross

A site I visit often:
www.drawn.ca
Sometimes I'm inspired AND intimidated at the same time :eek: . Just soo much talent in there.
A recent topic led me to this link:
http://thephotoshopexperiment.blogspot.com/
Very detailed explanation on the processes involved. No, I'm not promoting PS, and the process can be adapted to work on any software.
Keep drawing. That's the key.

Thanks Ross, I will do just that. I think I understand. When I started drawing, i found myself noticing the shape of people's head everywhere I go.
Thanks again.

Grafixman, thanks for the links. about the only links I seem to find have been on anime or manga style. Great Style, but not one I wish to follow.

I will keep at it.

for everyone who has helped today. Thanks

Okay, I am still learning about the hair, but here is what I have found so far. For me it is important to find 2 important things.

1. Where is the hair line?
2. Where does the hair part?

So the hair line is 1/3 from the top of the skull and the part, well were ever you like it to be.:D

Now this will not work for every hair style, but it is a great place to start.

A couple other observations, do not compare your drawings to anyone else. You will either get prideful or like i did and get discouraged. Secondly, ask for help. This site is GREAT for help and encouragement. Thanks Everyone, it help new artist like me. If someone suggest something, it is not to tear you down, but to help you. Lastly practice, practice, practice. Which I will be continuing doing. So enough grammar mistakes. Here are some sketches I did today. What do you think? Am I far off on the how to start drawing hair?

matt, you underestimate yourself and your talents

your drawings are great

except i would say the girl's eyes are too close together - unless that is the way they are - in which case i apologize to both you and her!!!!!

thanks Drifter, yeah her eyes are set too close.
:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Grafixman

A site I visit often:
www.drawn.ca
Sometimes I'm inspired AND intimidated at the same time :eek: . Just soo much talent in there.
.

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thanks grafixman for this url I have put it in my favorites full of ideas.

Wanted to share this with everyone. Thought it was interesting. I was talking with my aunt about looking for cartoon stuff to practice drawings and she handed me a kid's coloring book. At first I was very confused until I started to flip through it and found many different body type, hair styles, clothing examples and poses. Not very groundbreaking news, but for budding cartoonist, why not.