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I'm drawing again, and will keep drawing.
16 years ago
Back in 2003, a good friend named 
AlexSpastic collaborated with a coloring of Taz and Lola. He was happy at the way I colored it, and told me that with practice, I could possibly draw that well, too. For several months over two years, I'd hang at his place and practice drawing. He knew I was uptight in trying to get it "perfect" from the beginning, and tried encouraging me to relax and continue. It's been a while since I've seen him. He's still drawing and knowing right, practicing his techniques on the same checklist he gave me to work on.
Drawing, for the most part, remained a small hobby for several years now. For a while I'd draw for several days, then scoff at my failures and let life distract me from continuing. Every time I went back to drawing yielded the same result, but I kept coming back to it. Each time I wanted to feel like I could do it - to draw for fun and learn over the years. Above all, most of my friends in the fandom are good artists, and despite being able to color, I felt so out of the loop. They'd draw fan art or con sketches, have art jams and talk about cool stuff, while I'd hopelessly sketch something, then give up halfway out of frustration and embarrassment.
I wanted to stop putting off learning to improve and stop making excuses.
Tonight, I wrote a plan to practice drawing each day for 1/2 hour to 1 hr. Each day, I will complete a new topic from a list of several, such as drawing 10 hands, or five human heads. The weekends will have 2-3 hours to catch up on missed topics assigned during the week, and spend at least 1 hour reading a drawing topic from a specific book. Whatever time is left is spent implementing the topic I read.
At the end of the month, I will complete one picture. Either a new subject will get a complete line drawing, inking and coloring, or an existing drawing will get a full ink-job, or coloring. For now, those original drawings will be fan-art or long-overdue dedications to their fursonas.
I really like drawing in the anime/furi style - kinda like the JenKiwi drawing (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/853886/), so that is the style I'd like to focus on. :)
Why am I posting a journal entry about it? This approach encourages me not to quit again, given I'm expected to draw nearly every day and show the results. I also expect to fail many, many times. Someone is bound to throw a bone and tell me how I could improve it.
Day 1 is Wednesday. Most times I'll draw human features, and then some furry stuff for shits n' giggles. :)
Thankfully, Alex also taught me to avoid trying to be popular in this fandom. I love it for the type of artwork depicted here, and already know there's no popularity outside of it. But it's where most of my drawing buddies are, and for once, I'd like to eventually contribute to an art jam with the confidence, fun, and creativity that they have.
Someone out there, please wish me luck.
AlexSpastic collaborated with a coloring of Taz and Lola. He was happy at the way I colored it, and told me that with practice, I could possibly draw that well, too. For several months over two years, I'd hang at his place and practice drawing. He knew I was uptight in trying to get it "perfect" from the beginning, and tried encouraging me to relax and continue. It's been a while since I've seen him. He's still drawing and knowing right, practicing his techniques on the same checklist he gave me to work on.Drawing, for the most part, remained a small hobby for several years now. For a while I'd draw for several days, then scoff at my failures and let life distract me from continuing. Every time I went back to drawing yielded the same result, but I kept coming back to it. Each time I wanted to feel like I could do it - to draw for fun and learn over the years. Above all, most of my friends in the fandom are good artists, and despite being able to color, I felt so out of the loop. They'd draw fan art or con sketches, have art jams and talk about cool stuff, while I'd hopelessly sketch something, then give up halfway out of frustration and embarrassment.
I wanted to stop putting off learning to improve and stop making excuses.
Tonight, I wrote a plan to practice drawing each day for 1/2 hour to 1 hr. Each day, I will complete a new topic from a list of several, such as drawing 10 hands, or five human heads. The weekends will have 2-3 hours to catch up on missed topics assigned during the week, and spend at least 1 hour reading a drawing topic from a specific book. Whatever time is left is spent implementing the topic I read.
At the end of the month, I will complete one picture. Either a new subject will get a complete line drawing, inking and coloring, or an existing drawing will get a full ink-job, or coloring. For now, those original drawings will be fan-art or long-overdue dedications to their fursonas.
I really like drawing in the anime/furi style - kinda like the JenKiwi drawing (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/853886/), so that is the style I'd like to focus on. :)
Why am I posting a journal entry about it? This approach encourages me not to quit again, given I'm expected to draw nearly every day and show the results. I also expect to fail many, many times. Someone is bound to throw a bone and tell me how I could improve it.
Day 1 is Wednesday. Most times I'll draw human features, and then some furry stuff for shits n' giggles. :)
Thankfully, Alex also taught me to avoid trying to be popular in this fandom. I love it for the type of artwork depicted here, and already know there's no popularity outside of it. But it's where most of my drawing buddies are, and for once, I'd like to eventually contribute to an art jam with the confidence, fun, and creativity that they have.
Someone out there, please wish me luck.
Good luck!
I do like the way you draw, and your (old ?) coloring style was awesome !!! Don't push yourself too much, you've already got a great art. As Alex told you, it just comes by practice, so happy to hear you're gonna do that... Hey, that's not as if you were beginning from the very first steps, I tell you !!!
Yo Jman, Good luck and remember to keep practicing what spastic boy taught you. I think you will do just fine.
Signed, Spastic's sidekick. =P