@kieraelieson I have reblogged a load of posts that I found useful.
I think it’s your personal influences that shape the way you draw. Trying to copy styles you like is a common way self taught artists learn. Looking at realistic drawings techniques definitely helps you understand how to draw better but I don’t think it’s something that’s a hard fast rule that you must know one before the other.
I have always drawn in an cartoony style because I’m rubbish at draw realistic people. I have tons of manga books that helped me find that manga/anime style I like. (I’m kinda happy with my style, but I always feel it’s too generic, but hey working on it.)
Here’s a list of things that I picked up from years of drawing that might be helpful.
1. Look up realistic anatomy stuff. Sycra on YouTube is good and there’s a ton of others out there.
2. Look up artists with styles you like. Whatever artists make you think ‘I want my art to look like that’ it’s good for inspiration.
3. Take it slow. It takes practice, a lot of practice. Take breaks. Stretch. Hydrate. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.
4. Don’t be afraid of drawing ‘bad’ drawings, it’s going to happen. Let it, improve it.
5. Use reference. Your art will look better if you look at a reference, but it’s your choice.
6. Doodle. You are not going to be judged on everything you draw, so just draw things for you. Enjoy it. Any old bit of paper and just doodle whatever. Free up your art. Art dump.
7. Have somewhere your comfortable to draw. A good chair in your bedroom away from people.
8. Okay this is important. Fancy expensive paper, pens and pencil are not essential! If you want to and have the money, fine. If you want watercolour paper, marker pens and nice ink pens that come with different size nibs, fine.
But I sit crossed legged on my bed, leaning my printer paper on the back of a lined paper refill pad, drawing with a basic HB pencil to draw all the art I have posted. I ink with a 0.7 handwriting pen. I rarely use special paper or pens to ink. I use markers, which I recommend getting if they are on sale or special offer and only if you know you can get a lot of use out of them, because they are expensive. Before that I used pencil crayons.
Never think you need fancy stuff to make good art.
9. Draw a light sketch with a sharp pencil first. Then you can check reference if something looks off and go over it again with a darker second sketch. Get a good eraser. Pencil is not permanent, don’t like something, just get rid.
10. Inking can be tough. Be aware it can be wet. Start at the top and work your way down. Your pencil sketch can be ignored if you don’t think it look right. Take it slow. Same with markers, work with one colour at a time.
11. If it all goes wrong, it can be redrawn or maybe corrected digitally. (Yes, it sucks because of how long it can take to redo.) It’s okay for it not to be perfect. Just have fun. Art for the sake of art. You don’t have to show it to anyone.
Just make some good art that you can be proud of.
