Drawing Resource Masterlist
hello artists ♡ I spent a long while putting this google doc masterlist together, and I hope it can be useful to others. If you know of any good resources to add, feel free to send me an ask!
these are resources that have helped me along the way 🌱
⭐My giant Drawing Resource Masterlist⭐ ₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚ ⭐Art Books⭐
⭐My giant bulk art book collection⭐
The books I’d recommend the most in this collection ⭐Morpho Series ⭐Stonehouse’s Anatomy ⭐Color & Light ⭐The Art of Over the Garden Wall ⭐Kim Jung Gi Sketch Collection ⭐Art & Fear ⭐Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain ⭐Force ⭐Henry Hensche Color Study ⭐Anatomy for the Artist ⭐Anatomy for Sculptors
⭐Manga Materials⭐
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚ Bonus! My art notes when I draw Be free in your mild, no walls define you ~
🌱Sketch🌱 Ugly sketches are normal. The sketch is just thinking on paper. - use a small marker/watercolor brush to build up form - construction over clean line-work - don't be afraid to do multiple sketches, variety helps get your hand loosen up and you'll be surprised what you come up with as you go along.
🖊️Linework🖊️ Confident lines come from confident strokes, not perfect accuracy. One line ≠ one stroke. It’s fine to try a line 5+ times. - turn your canvas as you draw - use more curve than you think, exaggeration looks livelier than accuracy - line-weight = thicker where shadows hit, thinner on lights - when lining, think of sculpting out the form - zoom in to do line-work - use reference on Procreate to have a zoomed out version - border the outside
🌓Values🌓 - dark and lightest value on the main focal point
🎨Coloring🎨 - color like you're coloring a coloring book - intuitive drawing - values first, darkest and lightest values on the focal point - use moodboards for reference - detailing- check details and add watermark
🌈💡✨☀️Feeling stuck? ☀️✨💡🌈 You’re not blocked, you’re tired. - go for a walk, drink some tea or caffeine - look at pinterest moodboards - look at adopts on deviantArt and pinterest - find prompts and moodboards on pinterest - listen to my playlists - read/watch tutorials online - automatic drawing - reference studies (reference other artists and life drawing) - look through favorites on deviantArt, or in my inspiration folders - draw with a candle or dim light for cozy vibes - set a 5-minute timer to break perfection paralysis
💛 MINDSET SHIFTS EVERY ARTIST NEEDS 💛 “I don’t have to be original. I just have to be expressive.” “My style shows up naturally when I stop forcing it.” “Bad drawings are compost—everything grows from them.” “My art isn’t behind. It’s on its timeline.” “Every artist I admire has hated their art at some point.”
✏️ Anatomy & Posing Tips - gesture first, anatomy second - keep the spine fluid, not straight - think in bean shapes, not outlines - overlap lines = depth - push the pose 10% more than you think - mini mantra: “If the gesture is alive, the drawing is alive.”
🌾 Emotional & Creative Regulation make art you want to look at, not art you think you “should” make boredom = your brain asking for inspiration frustration = your brain trying to level up mood affects drawing it’s okay to draw comfort characters 100 times