FA+
Shop
TIPS ON HOW TO STUDY ART
4 years ago
General
In 2016, when I first started to grow as an artist the community, I strived to see others grow. I'm still like that today, 5 years later! I read back through this excerpt and really admire how ambitious I was to help other artists. Please take a read through this, because even today as an adult, I stand by everything I have said in here, proudly!
TIPS ON HOW TO STUDY ART:
1. When you are wanting to study anatomy, take into consideration how other people found their style when it comes to realism. If you are looking for semi-realistic, study several artists who do semi-realistic artwork of the species you are wanting to study. This applies to all styles!
When you look for specific details on your artwork for anatomy study, find your weakest points later, not immediately. This will help with your confidence when you put down the concept of your idea and then head on to "perfections". By doing this, you will feel that you are challenging yourself, rather than disproving your skills.
2. Find your genre! It's key to follow artists that have tastes you want to get in to. For example, if you want to become a cell-shaded illustrator, follow cell-shading illustrators - full scale fantasy painters, likewise! Find the differences that their art has compared to other artists.
When you find that amazing artist you look up to, ask them as many questions as you possibly can! But don't hook yourself to one person, not many artists have the time or the courtesy to answer already answered questions. Patience is key to developing. Always know that!
WHAT QUESTIONS DO I ASK, EXACTLY? (you can apply the questions to other forms of art as well):
Very good question! ;D Here are a few that I use to ask very well known artists who take their time to answer.
1. A greeting: Hello! (you don't need to introduce your name since you already have an account on that website), I would love to ask you a few questions for the benefit of studying your artwork. I hope you do not mind these questions, thank you for your time!
2. What program do you use and what devices (such as tablet and other tools; adjust question to whatever art form you're asking about)?
3. I really love how you did [said thing you like] of this piece [link piece here]. Do you mind possibly telling me what you do to get [said effect]? (Try to be as specific as possible. It's hard to answer a question that could mean you pointing your finger at the entire drawing.)
4. Do you have any tutorials or speedpaints I can use for study? (If they don't have any, try asking other artists and use this artist’s artwork as a way to test yourself on your knowledge.)
Painless and easy!
3. Speedpaints and tutorials should only be used for specific things! You don’t want to overwhelm yourself on some tutorials and speedpaints when you study. When I look at speedpaints, I have a set target that I focus on when I watch them.
I say, speedpaints are the most helpful over any tutorial.
Finding good speedpaints is the trick on YouTube. "What’s a good speedpaint video" you may ask? Well, a good speedpaint video will show you the sketch in the beginning, finished piece at the end, and (rarely, but hopefully) a full view of the program they use.
For example, if you are using SAI, you want to see ALL of SAI so you know exactly what they are clicking on, which layers are modified, and so on.
For tutorials, use them very loosely. You can only get so much information out of a tutorial. Sometimes they can be a little confusing. If you are wanting a tutorial to help you with something, find one that has as much information on it as possible and is easy for you to understand. You don’t want to look at a tutorial that tells you how to do backlighting when you are wanting to study regular basic shading. Understand? ^-^
4. EXPERIMENTING!! This is possibly the most challenging and exciting part of studying. You see it all around from various artists. It’s the best way to develop!
Get out of your box and try something new.
This will open you up to new insights on how things work. Not only does this apply to your artwork but your program as well. Experiment with effects, tools, and brushes to find that look that is different from other people and see what your feedback is. If you like it, run with it!
For your artwork, experimenting can be style, color pallets, mini-challenges for lively artwork, poses, you name it! Nothing can go wrong with experimenting.
As Thomas Edison said it,
“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
Keep that in mind when you do artwork. It’s a journey! You aren’t doing anything for yourself if you give up!
5. This is the most important tip for studying artwork: STAY. CONFIDENT. I know so many artists who attack themselves over something they didn’t get right. You can’t make art if you are in ruins, can you? No! This rule should be the first tip in your cranium.
This isn’t something you should take lightly, either. When you find a mistake in your artwork, say you can do better. Studying boosts your confidence, communicating with other artists does as well. If you do your artwork without an effort to change, what are you really doing for your artwork?
Van Gogh did not stop his efforts to perfect his work. “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”, remember this.
If you go on a personal level with an artist you love, your eyes will be enlightened by the many failures, destroyed egos, and words of quitting come from them. Although they seem like gods of art to you, they weren’t born with such immense talent. They started somewhere, and it’s most likely where you’re at.
6. Don’t look at age, where they have gone to college, or what benefits in their life they have obtained as a way to discourage yourself. I know several of artists who are doing impressive paintings and they are shy of turning 12. This is a huge discouragement, and don’t get me wrong, I get discouraged as well. It’s kind-of-like a slap in the face saying, “Why couldn’t you start earlier??”.
But know this: Age, college, and/or benefits are just trophies they were rewarded with when it comes to their own walks in life. You don’t need to be 12 to be known as an amazing artist. Yes, they may be treated differently, but if you had the same skill level as that 12 year-old artist when you are 30 now, this can push you to be better than that 12 year-old artist, y’see?
I hope this helped you guys and I look forward to seeing some of my friends try to get out of their comfy box. I love to see people trying to improve and do new things, it’s exciting! I love you all and I hope this helps you on how to study artists. <3 "
Published: Apr 10, 2016
TIPS ON HOW TO STUDY ART:
1. When you are wanting to study anatomy, take into consideration how other people found their style when it comes to realism. If you are looking for semi-realistic, study several artists who do semi-realistic artwork of the species you are wanting to study. This applies to all styles!
When you look for specific details on your artwork for anatomy study, find your weakest points later, not immediately. This will help with your confidence when you put down the concept of your idea and then head on to "perfections". By doing this, you will feel that you are challenging yourself, rather than disproving your skills.
2. Find your genre! It's key to follow artists that have tastes you want to get in to. For example, if you want to become a cell-shaded illustrator, follow cell-shading illustrators - full scale fantasy painters, likewise! Find the differences that their art has compared to other artists.
When you find that amazing artist you look up to, ask them as many questions as you possibly can! But don't hook yourself to one person, not many artists have the time or the courtesy to answer already answered questions. Patience is key to developing. Always know that!
WHAT QUESTIONS DO I ASK, EXACTLY? (you can apply the questions to other forms of art as well):
Very good question! ;D Here are a few that I use to ask very well known artists who take their time to answer.
1. A greeting: Hello! (you don't need to introduce your name since you already have an account on that website), I would love to ask you a few questions for the benefit of studying your artwork. I hope you do not mind these questions, thank you for your time!
2. What program do you use and what devices (such as tablet and other tools; adjust question to whatever art form you're asking about)?
3. I really love how you did [said thing you like] of this piece [link piece here]. Do you mind possibly telling me what you do to get [said effect]? (Try to be as specific as possible. It's hard to answer a question that could mean you pointing your finger at the entire drawing.)
4. Do you have any tutorials or speedpaints I can use for study? (If they don't have any, try asking other artists and use this artist’s artwork as a way to test yourself on your knowledge.)
Painless and easy!
3. Speedpaints and tutorials should only be used for specific things! You don’t want to overwhelm yourself on some tutorials and speedpaints when you study. When I look at speedpaints, I have a set target that I focus on when I watch them.
I say, speedpaints are the most helpful over any tutorial.
Finding good speedpaints is the trick on YouTube. "What’s a good speedpaint video" you may ask? Well, a good speedpaint video will show you the sketch in the beginning, finished piece at the end, and (rarely, but hopefully) a full view of the program they use.
For example, if you are using SAI, you want to see ALL of SAI so you know exactly what they are clicking on, which layers are modified, and so on.
For tutorials, use them very loosely. You can only get so much information out of a tutorial. Sometimes they can be a little confusing. If you are wanting a tutorial to help you with something, find one that has as much information on it as possible and is easy for you to understand. You don’t want to look at a tutorial that tells you how to do backlighting when you are wanting to study regular basic shading. Understand? ^-^
4. EXPERIMENTING!! This is possibly the most challenging and exciting part of studying. You see it all around from various artists. It’s the best way to develop!
Get out of your box and try something new.
This will open you up to new insights on how things work. Not only does this apply to your artwork but your program as well. Experiment with effects, tools, and brushes to find that look that is different from other people and see what your feedback is. If you like it, run with it!
For your artwork, experimenting can be style, color pallets, mini-challenges for lively artwork, poses, you name it! Nothing can go wrong with experimenting.
As Thomas Edison said it,
“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
Keep that in mind when you do artwork. It’s a journey! You aren’t doing anything for yourself if you give up!
5. This is the most important tip for studying artwork: STAY. CONFIDENT. I know so many artists who attack themselves over something they didn’t get right. You can’t make art if you are in ruins, can you? No! This rule should be the first tip in your cranium.
This isn’t something you should take lightly, either. When you find a mistake in your artwork, say you can do better. Studying boosts your confidence, communicating with other artists does as well. If you do your artwork without an effort to change, what are you really doing for your artwork?
Van Gogh did not stop his efforts to perfect his work. “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”, remember this.
If you go on a personal level with an artist you love, your eyes will be enlightened by the many failures, destroyed egos, and words of quitting come from them. Although they seem like gods of art to you, they weren’t born with such immense talent. They started somewhere, and it’s most likely where you’re at.
6. Don’t look at age, where they have gone to college, or what benefits in their life they have obtained as a way to discourage yourself. I know several of artists who are doing impressive paintings and they are shy of turning 12. This is a huge discouragement, and don’t get me wrong, I get discouraged as well. It’s kind-of-like a slap in the face saying, “Why couldn’t you start earlier??”.
But know this: Age, college, and/or benefits are just trophies they were rewarded with when it comes to their own walks in life. You don’t need to be 12 to be known as an amazing artist. Yes, they may be treated differently, but if you had the same skill level as that 12 year-old artist when you are 30 now, this can push you to be better than that 12 year-old artist, y’see?
I hope this helped you guys and I look forward to seeing some of my friends try to get out of their comfy box. I love to see people trying to improve and do new things, it’s exciting! I love you all and I hope this helps you on how to study artists. <3 "
Published: Apr 10, 2016
Very well said, patience is the key !
...Why doesn't this site have a feature like that?