#art advice

[grimvestige]

If you've ever wondered how my REALLY detailed reference sheets work...this is how I do it!

[gcatinthehouse]

How did you get so good in writing and art at the same time? I used to think I had to decide between one or the other.

Well first of all thank you for the compliment 😼

I have been doing art for a looong time, but I actually started writing 2-3 years ago (which is such a long time considering it feels like yesterday 😭) so I didn't really do both at the same time until a while ago. I honestly didn't ever think I'd get into writing since I was more of a reader and writing wasn't my strongsuit, but well, the rhmis fanfic situation back then was horrid and I just needed fanfics😭 So I just started to write and now 3 years later here I am. (And as you know, the more you do something, the better you get at it and so on)

Also I do not believe that you have to choose between art and writing at all. Both of these things are activities you should do for fun🙂‍↕️ you don't have to choose which one you want to be good at, you just have to do what makes you happy✨️

✨️So go write those fics and go draw those ideas. The only choice you have to make is to pick up the pen and go✨️ (or, you know, the keyboard)

[kikimonpetit]

What color do yall think fits the piece best?

[starrjoy]

might be a bit of a lame question but is there any website / book / general advice/recommendations you could give for improving gesture drawing? i truly admire so much how fluid and natural your anatomy is ! if it's not too much to ask, i'd love to know what resources / tips you could share or what studying path you followed to get to where you're at currently! thank you for your time, again, super big fan of your work, you've become a huge inspo for me!! <3

Omg not a lame question at all!! Thanks so much for reaching out <3

I’m not naturally great at drawing—I’m more of a painter/colorist at heart <3 but I’ve been able to improve with consistent life drawing and anatomy studies. It just takes time and repetition!

Gesture drawing is all about action, flow, and movement, so fast/loose sketches are the best way to go. This website is a wonderful artist resource, it has free reference images and a timed drawing section! It’s usually better to work off nude models to learn anatomy, but they have a clothed option as well <3 it’s also great to draw from life or video—dancers, athletes, or gymnasts are great for this. Being able to capture movement requires you to think through what exactly the body is doing (i.e. how it’s twisting, what muscles are pushing/pulling, where the weight is distributed, etc.) so try to do that even if you’re working from a photo <3

For general anatomy knowledge, this book is INCREDIBLE (lmk if that link doesn’t work. It’s the pdf to Anatomy for Artists by tomfoxdraws). Great breakdowns of the forms of the body—I’ve started a 2nd work-through cuz its just so well-detailed! If you’re anything like me, all of that information can be suuuuper overwhelming and easy to lose track of; but having something to reference when you get stuck on an area can be super useful!

I was recommended Glenn Vilppu (former Disney artist) by a friend, he has some figure drawing sessions on YouTube that are really great to draw along with ! He has a great breakdown on body proportions that I frequently reference. If you can afford it, he also does master classes (I’m lowkey thinking about saving up for one <3) Definitely worth looking up, I’ve learned an insane amount from him!

Beyond that, the best advice I can give is just to keep at it. My first sketches were messy, stiff, and usually completely unreadable—but I keep them saved so I can look back at how much I’ve grown. Take note of the areas that you struggle with, but don’t let them discourage you! You often have to fail in order to learn how to succeed <3

I hope this helps ! GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY DRAWING !!!!

[m1ce-sp1ce]

Art advice I picked up from Twitter: Human heads are bigger than you think they are :]

[ilikecrowsnow252]

Shading Practice

Which looks better?

No.1 (How I Normally Shade)

No.2 (Hair rendering inspired by @binny.bun on TikTok)

No.3 (Shading inspired by LavenderTowne on YouTube)

Remaining time: 6 days 3 hours

[mozie-2-0]

Got this advice from a wincest fanart just now, but listen: if you're drawing two characters in the same kind of style but wanna make them ✨different✨ don't draw them both on the same day.