By and large I like what I see here on this forum, but I do notice that a lot of the art posted here is amateur at best. Down right clunky at worst. I get the impression that most of the people displaying their work are self taught, and concentrate on fantasy subjects. If that's your bag, I wish you luck. But expanding your (artistic) horizons can be a big help.
1. Art lessons. Lessons on composition, drawing, oils and acrylics. A good teacher can help a lot with animation and expression, bringing your art to life. Try other media as the mood takes you. Many community colleges offer art courses. Or see if you can find an artists' club or association.
2. Life studies. Studies of human and animal anatomy. Art using live models, clothed and nude. Knowing how real life people and animals are put together is a great help with fantasy races and beasts.
3. Visits to your local museum of natural history. loads of things to draw there, and not just the animal displays. A good natural history museum will have displays for local minerals, fossils, geological formations, and so on and so forth.
4. To get good at showing animals in motion, get yourself a yearly membership at the local zoo. There is a big difference between a live tiger in mid-leap, and a mounted tiger posed in mid-leap. Learning how to show a live tiger in mid-leap goes a long way in learning how to show a dragon in mid-leap.
5. Bring your art to life. Learn how to show expression. Learn how to "animate" your work, make it seem as if it could literally step off the canvas and walk about.
6. Get in the habit of doodling. Doodle when you're waiting for someone. Doodle during a business meeting. Doodle for family and friends. Doodle for strangers you meet. Carry a sketch pad along with pencils and pens so you can doodle, draw, or sketch whenever you feel the urge.
7. Whenever you feel tempted to draw something, give in. The opportunity may not pass your way again.
8. Get in the habit of redoing work that doesn't quite suit what you want. But, always keep your eye open for anything that might be better than what you'd originally envisioned. In other words, keep your eye on the goal, while keeping your eye out for unforseen possibilities.
9. Grow a thick skin. You're always going to run into people like me. People who will tell you your wondrous work is not as good as your friends say it is. People who will get on your case about improving your art, your technique. (I was going to say "encourage" or "urge", but they weren't strong enough to get my message across.
) We're not being mean, we really do want to see you do better.
10. Make art your life. You want to be a professional artist, you have to keep practicing, keep training, keep improving. In addition, get in touch, and stay in touch, with your local artistic community. Not just your local Internet or common interest community, but your local geographical community. You will meet more than your share of flakes, but you'll also meet folks who can and will help immensely.
11. Never reject advice out of hand. Even my advice.
You'll find that most people showing an interest in your work want to help you become a better artist. Some of them will even know what they're talking about.
To be mean, cruel, nasty, unkind, rotten, and even (heaven forbid) helpful, I have to say, most people posting art on this forum couldn't get a job as the graffiti artist for a pre-teen gang. But, at the same time, most of the people posting art on this forum show promise. It is that promise I'm hoping to encourage. Becoming a good artist aint easy, it takes a lot of hard work and perseverance. But it has rewards unlike any other human endeavour. Keep drawing, keep painting, keep improving and your work will pay off. Often in ways you never expected.
My best to you all.
1. Art lessons. Lessons on composition, drawing, oils and acrylics. A good teacher can help a lot with animation and expression, bringing your art to life. Try other media as the mood takes you. Many community colleges offer art courses. Or see if you can find an artists' club or association.
2. Life studies. Studies of human and animal anatomy. Art using live models, clothed and nude. Knowing how real life people and animals are put together is a great help with fantasy races and beasts.
3. Visits to your local museum of natural history. loads of things to draw there, and not just the animal displays. A good natural history museum will have displays for local minerals, fossils, geological formations, and so on and so forth.
4. To get good at showing animals in motion, get yourself a yearly membership at the local zoo. There is a big difference between a live tiger in mid-leap, and a mounted tiger posed in mid-leap. Learning how to show a live tiger in mid-leap goes a long way in learning how to show a dragon in mid-leap.
5. Bring your art to life. Learn how to show expression. Learn how to "animate" your work, make it seem as if it could literally step off the canvas and walk about.
6. Get in the habit of doodling. Doodle when you're waiting for someone. Doodle during a business meeting. Doodle for family and friends. Doodle for strangers you meet. Carry a sketch pad along with pencils and pens so you can doodle, draw, or sketch whenever you feel the urge.
7. Whenever you feel tempted to draw something, give in. The opportunity may not pass your way again.
8. Get in the habit of redoing work that doesn't quite suit what you want. But, always keep your eye open for anything that might be better than what you'd originally envisioned. In other words, keep your eye on the goal, while keeping your eye out for unforseen possibilities.
9. Grow a thick skin. You're always going to run into people like me. People who will tell you your wondrous work is not as good as your friends say it is. People who will get on your case about improving your art, your technique. (I was going to say "encourage" or "urge", but they weren't strong enough to get my message across.
) We're not being mean, we really do want to see you do better.10. Make art your life. You want to be a professional artist, you have to keep practicing, keep training, keep improving. In addition, get in touch, and stay in touch, with your local artistic community. Not just your local Internet or common interest community, but your local geographical community. You will meet more than your share of flakes, but you'll also meet folks who can and will help immensely.
11. Never reject advice out of hand. Even my advice.
You'll find that most people showing an interest in your work want to help you become a better artist. Some of them will even know what they're talking about.To be mean, cruel, nasty, unkind, rotten, and even (heaven forbid) helpful, I have to say, most people posting art on this forum couldn't get a job as the graffiti artist for a pre-teen gang. But, at the same time, most of the people posting art on this forum show promise. It is that promise I'm hoping to encourage. Becoming a good artist aint easy, it takes a lot of hard work and perseverance. But it has rewards unlike any other human endeavour. Keep drawing, keep painting, keep improving and your work will pay off. Often in ways you never expected.
My best to you all.
