Seeking feedback is necessary for artistic growth, but it is also possibly the hardest thing to find reliably. Good teachers and excellent peers can lead you on the path to having a thorough understanding of your craft. Being a helpful teacher yourself is another acquired skill-set. How do you know when you have helpful advice, or just a personal preference? It’s worthwhile to make the effort to be a helpful peer to your fellow artists. You’ll make good connections, broaden your appreciation for different art and ideas, and strengthen your understanding of art concepts by verbalizing them to others. === HOW DO I GIVE A GOOD CRITIQUE? === A good critique tries to consider the artist and their goals. Give context for your opinions, and try to be objective about what is technical vs. your own personal tastes and biases. Ask artists what they want to improve on, and be curious about their interests. Try to frame things positively, and push people to have hope and want to work hard. “I like this pose, but the shoulder is looking dislocated. You might need to move it forward to make it feel more natural, like in this reference.” “There’s a ton of detail going on here, but it can be better to have a few places of lower detail to balance out the composition, here’s an example.” “What sort of art do you admire? I feel like you are aiming for this style, but knowing more about your goals might help us give advice.” === WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF BAD CRITIQUES? === Bad advice does not consider the person receiving it. Critiques shouldn’t be designed to crush someone's spirit or make them feel hopeless. If something just isn’t your thing, it may be better to let people comment who are more experienced and interested in that area of art. Even if someone is picking up concepts slowly or getting frustrated, it’s not an open invitation to treat them poorly. “There is nothing I can say to you other than read lots of Loomis books.” “Stop drawing anime.” “Fan art is unoriginal.” “This style is a fad that will go away, you should just do something else.” “You just need to try harder.” “You’re too much of an amateur for me to even start critiquing” === HOW DO I GET USEFUL FEEDBACK ON MY WORK? === Help us cater to your artistic needs and goals. When posting work, consider including this information for context: - Tell us what your objectives where with the piece you want critiques. - Share anything you were struggling with while you were working on it. - Tell us what your goals are as an artist. Are you a hobbyist learning landscapes for fun? Putting together a portfolio to get into art school? A professional refining your skills in a certain area? - How long have you been practicing this form of art? - Who are some artists you admire who's style you strive to have in your own work? === HOW SHOULD I RESPOND TO CRITICISM? === There are a lot of ways you can respond. Generally, it is polite to show that you appreciate that someone took the time to give you feedback on your work. It’s important to keep in mind that critiques on your work aren’t personal attacks. Feedback is meant to help you see things from a different point of view. An artist might be trying to guide you away from mistakes they feel they made in the past. Arguing with the person critiquing you won’t be productive. It is their opinion based on their knowledge (or lack thereof). Think of them as simply opinions intended to help you out. You don’t have to accept every critique that comes your way, especially if the critique is subjective rather than objective. With time and experience you’ll have a better understanding of where you want to go with your work. Try to keep an open mind, but also have confidence to shed advice that doesn’t serve you. If someone is being hostile and rude or is actively trying to discourage you, report it. === KEEPING YOUR EGO IN BALANCE? === Egos come with being an artist. It is just a fact. If you didn't feel good about your work and didn't enjoy creating it, why would you do it? The sense of accomplishment is a great feeling, and you SHOULD feel good about the hard work you do. In communities, it’s easy for egos to get a little out of control. When a bunch of artists in a room, each with their own opinion of what is good art and what isn't is always bound to lead to a bit of head butting. This is a community that is meant to be friendly and helpful. Be proud of yourself, be proud of the work you do, but keep it in check. Be respectful to your fellow artists who are different from you. As much as possible, be open to criticism from people of various skill levels. Whether you choose to use them or not is up to you, but be open to the fact that they're going to happen. If you accept them with courtesy and grace, and maybe try to learn a bit from them and open your mind, you will help make this a strong community. If you choose to disregard everyone who gives you advice because you consider yourself better than everyone here, then this is not the community for you. Finally, people who post rude, off point or otherwise useless comments posed as criticism will be penalized by the mods. If you see posts such as this, use the "Report" feature to get the attention of the moderators. === WAIT, WHAT IF I THINK I SUCK? === Everyone has to start somewhere! Art takes hard work, and it doesn’t help to get down on yourself. Being humble is fine, but remember that having a little confidence is sometimes needed for motivation. Believe that you are worthy of kindness and that your art has value, even if it's just to you. Find enjoyment in learning and studying, it’ll guide you through the times when you are getting down on yourself. Just remember, begging (or demanding) praise, attention, or sympathy won’t generally go over well with your peers. Wanting to work hard is what gets you support. Embrace your work ethic and show effort whenever you can.

Heya, my name's Zenith, nice to meet ya! I love the way this site looks already and I'm excited for what the future holds for it. Let's drop some of our art down in the replies and a little message introducing yourself if you want. Here are some of mine:

There are several online tools that are specifically designed to help art students with practice. I'll mention a few I know of and feel free to share others you know of, as I believe this could be helpful to someone. https://line-of-action.com/ A tool that provides a timer and reference images for timed drawing practice. It's a very comprehensive tool with a lot of options; you can select weather you want nude or clothed figure, male or female models along age groups of children, teen or adult models. You can not only set the timer but it also provides a "class mode" that allows you to start a combined practice session with a single click. And besides figure drawing it also provides reference images for other subjects - portraits, hand and feet and animals. https://www.sketchdaily.net/ Another timer and reference tool for timed practice. This one is also very comprehensive with options for nudity, gender, a "class mode" and weather you want stationary or action poses. Along with human figure it also provides other subjets including hands and feet, portraits, animals and even plants. The big standout here is that this tool allows you to upload your own photos if you want. Proko timer This website's timer tool is very basic and lacks all the extra options, but Proko stills beats every other alternative when it comes to sheer quantity of quality images. Just with the free sample packs you get 2500+ very high quality reference images. And if you are not satisfied with that and you have the money, you could buy more image packs from a very big library.

Hi everyone, I’m curious how other artists manage to stay consistent with their drawing practice, especially when progress feels slow. I’ve noticed that some days my lines, proportions, and perspective feel much better, while on other days even simple exercises can feel difficult. It can sometimes be hard to tell whether I should keep practicing the same exercise or move on to something new. For those who have been learning drawing fundamentals for a while: * How do you structure your regular practice sessions? * Do you repeat the same exercises until they feel comfortable, or move on and revisit them later? * How do you know when you are ready to move from fundamentals into more complex drawings? * What has helped you stay motivated when improvement isn't immediately noticeable? I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences and what has worked best for you.

I have my own website with a web page detailing commission info, yet I don't have clients. A few times, ppl would try to hire me through private messages off Instagram or Tumblr. I display my portfolio with my horror, fantasy, superhero, or sci-fi art (which is usually closer to darker imagery) yet the projects I'm offered for me to copy an image of a family relative or pet. They don't even want me to do anything fun with subject matter as a caricature or a surreal setting- even it's a safe for work thing. I end up turning projects down because they aren't challenging enough for me. Clients get annoyed when I send them a link to my commission info on my website. It's like they don't want to read it. I want to try to have a dialog with ppl specifically for the project, but it's difficult to do when I'm online on private messages on social media. There isn't the opportunity to do a video call to communicate. The emails I get on my website are not clients but ppl wanting me to pay for SEO services. I'm trying to grow and get my art style and subject matter interests known. It's hard to brand online. I haven't had luck finding work on [For Hire] posts on Reddit. It's hard for hiring posts on Reddit too as my art never fits with art specifically what they want — I offer my services anyway even if it isn't the anime/ manga or furry I personally do. I see artists under charging on Reddit like $30. I thought artists shouldn't under sell themselves. I use Instagram,Tumblr, Newgrounds, Reddit, BlueSky,Cara, and Facebook to show off my art. My website is www.alanfunkart.com What is a good way to get commission work online that I'm not doing? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I'm working on a project that involves drawing a bunch of mechanical parts - hinges, sliding tracks, rollers, that kind of thing. Specifically, I'm trying to sketch a wardrobe sliding system and it's kicking my butt. The perspective and proportions are tricky. The tracks and rollers have to look realistic, but I keep messing up the alignment. I've been using reference photos from Anwer Hardware's product catalog - they have really detailed shots of sliding systems, which helps - but translating that into a clean sketch is harder than I thought. Anyone have tips for drawing mechanical objects? Specifically: How do you handle perspective on long, narrow objects like tracks? Any tricks for drawing consistent curves/arcs on hardware parts? What's your approach to shading metal surfaces? I'm using graphite and pen mostly. Not looking for hyper-realism, just something that reads clearly. Appreciate any advice.

So I think I’m pretty close to creating amazing art and putting it on different social media platforms. My goal with my art is to do it as traditional as possible with goal of artist made by humans for humans. my questions are how do I sell myself to do that ? how do I record my self drawing/painting? hoe do I edit the video for YouTube and other platforms?

Gear acquisition syndrome. Ugh. Haha. I'm such a good little consumer sometimes it's nauseating... So I picked up a box of Mitsubishi Hi-Uni 10b pencils. Why? Well. Why not? I wanted to try them. Plus, I love me a good dark dark pencil, and this one is supposed to be one of the darkest regular graphite pencils out there. No surprise, they've been on my list for a while. It does not disappoint! First impression: they glide. My hand skates across the paper, and the marks are just so beautiful. O. M. G. And I can get near charcoal levels of black out of these. Hello lovely! They are SUPER dark, and rich, and buttery, and awesome, and I think I'm in love. Haha. Maybe they have a little less control than the Blackwing Matte (my other bougie favorite), but they definitely go a shade or two darker, which I like a lot. Of course they shine, as all graphite does, but it's soo nice to draw with. Compared to the Blackwings, the Mitsubishis feel very similar. The graphite is so smooth in both of them it's ridiculous, like drawing with chocolate, but the Hi-Uni might have the edge between the two just because I can push the tone even more. That and the actual lead inside the cedar barrel is huge (thicc), so they go a long way. I find most of the time with these more expensive graphite pencils they just feel nicer to work with than anything else. Even more so than the Conte 1710b or the Wolff's Carbon 6b (my other favorites). I don't like how those pencils "collect" the grain of the paper on anything other than smooth newsprint (honestly still the GOAT as far as drawing surface goes when combined with those charcoal pencils), which makes it tough when I'm using anything besides the big pad. I just always wish I could get a similar value range out of a single graphite pencil like I can with a single charcoal pencil. Because I'm lazy. The Hi-Uni 10b gets so close. Closer than anything else I've tried. So I might have a new favorite, people... Watch out! Definitely a keeper. Try if you have the proper dexterity for the softness. You won't be disappointed.

I've been trying to get better at drawing environments lately, and one thing I'm struggling with is making landscapes feel less generic. I can copy a photo reasonably well, but when I try to invent a landscape myself, everything starts looking like the same hills, rocks and random shapes. I'm starting to think I need to pay more attention to how real terrain is actually formed. I've been looking at geological maps and landscape references recently, and it's pretty interesting how much information you can get from the shape of the terrain alone. It also made me think about how useful geological mapping could be for environment artists who want their scenes to feel more believable. Do any of you use geological maps, satellite images or other real world terrain references when designing environments? If so, how do you turn that information into something useful for a drawing without just copying the reference?

I've been doing more figure and character studies lately, and I've started paying way more attention to clothing than I used to. I used to treat clothes almost like something to get through after figuring out the pose and anatomy. Now I'm realizing that the shape of a dress, the way fabric folds, and where the material hangs can completely change how a figure reads. I've also been looking at real fashion references for this, especially luxury formals dresses for women. I came across some work from Sablev Vogue, and the embroidered details and layered fabrics gave me a few ideas for studying folds and silhouette. For those of you who use fashion references, do you usually study the clothing separately first, or do you try to understand the figure and fabric together? I'm curious what approach has helped you most when drawing more complicated outfits.

Many artists including myself prefer to work alone instead of being part of a team. But what about working completely isolated without any peers at all? To better explain what I mean let me talk a bit about my own situation. I am from rural India and I am completely self-taught in drawing and writing, without any instructor or peer students over the past eight years of my practice and studies. This isn't something that ever bothered me, and in my opinion being self-taught in isolation is quite normal. But now as an indie comic artist, I am not only making my comics but I also have to act as my own editor by myself. When I am planning and drafting new projects I have to judge it completely by myself with no external feedback. I hope with time and experience I'll get used to it, but at least for now lack of external feedback is wearing at me. And in case someone is thinking this, friends can't be relied on for feedback on real work. As my friends they are always going to encourage me, and I appreciate their support but any feedback from them is very biased. So that's what I mean to say, not only making your project completely by yourself, but also working in complete isolation without any peers. Are there others who have been through this or are bothered by it?

(Not sure where else to post this.) I should probably preface this by saying I'm a beginner. I tried Drawabox back in 2019/2020, but I dropped out around perspective (https://drawabox.com/lesson/1/7), when I tried and failed to apply the 50% rule for the first time. I'd consider jumping back into it from the start if not for this intense mental and physical freeze I'm experiencing. Whenever I try to put anything down on paper, even something as simple as a line, I'm just too frozen to actually follow through. Trying to push through makes it worse, obviously, but trying to wait the issue out doesn't make it better. It's like I'm just stuck with this problem. And before anyone says anything, I've tried therapy multiple times. My therapists haven't been able to help - in fact, my last one made things worse - and I can't afford to go back. What do I even do about this issue?

Hey everyone, I've been collecting reference images lately for environment sketches, and one thing I noticed is how much real world research goes into making industrial scenes look convincing. I started looking at quarries, drilling sites, and large scale mining projects just for reference, and it kinda changed the way I think about environmental storytelling. Even small details like terrain, machinery placement, and access roads make a scene feel much more believable. While digging around for references, I ended up on Weco.sa because they work with Saudi mining licensing consulting, and I found myself spending more time looking at project photos than I expected. Do you ever use references from industries that have nothing to do with art, just because they add more realism to your work? I've found it's a pretty fun way to discover ideas I would've never searched for directly.

Hello everyone today i wannna ask about that when kearning anatomy is that once we went through a course or we practiced once and got decent and we copied an artist and got decent is it that now it's done we are good we are the master of anatomy drawing now we do no need to practice more it that the end of it like i am really confused about like i went through a course and practiced got decent then it's done i never will practice again my mind is thinking like that lot like you never ever stuuggle later in time when tou went through a course and got better and made a wonderful anatomy drawing then it is ujjjjjuuuuu you did great now you will never stuggle in your anamtomy drawing practice for one year get decent then the struggle is finish then you don't have to practice ever in your life beacuse you will not struggle ever because you practiced once please help me with this thinking and mindset as this mindset causes me a lot of stress and hevainessssss and then i lose my focus and it feeels like shit it sucks.

I started with dotting because it really helps me calm down and relax. It’s so fascinating sometimes random creatures just pop up while I dot, which gives me so many new ideas. I love creating totally new creatures that don’t even exist! I have a pretty shaky hand and I never went to art school, so I’m really happy to have found this website! I’m hoping to learn a lot here.

"One of the best ways to elevate your character immediately is to find worthy role models to emulate... There is nothing false in this. We all carry the seeds of greatness within us, but need an image as a point of focus in order that they may sprout." -Epictetus Who are some of y'all's role models in art? No wrong answers, just looking for some names to broaden my horizons. Drew Struzan is my favorite atm, which is no secret haha. But John Singer Sargent might be a close second. Also... Frank Frazetta? Completely overrated. Come fight me about it, haha.

Helllo everyone today i want to just talk about perfectionism like whenever i think about perfectionism it deeels a lot of negative fulll of negative things and so much stressful to me it gives my mind hevainesss a lot of man and it sucks like why do we perceive perfectionism as a very bad thing like it is a sin to do it perfectionism in my mind i feeels like sometimes could be goood whenver we are trying to make an artwork by giving it more our mind tends to think towards making it perfect at that situation at that time if it's not for the perfectionism thinking that artworks would have the sloppiness and it would suck the quality of the artwork willl degrade if there was no perfectionism thibking around so i am confused whether perfection is goood or perfectionism is bad my mind can just not come to a decision whether it is bad or good and on the other hand i also feeel that perfectionism is bad like it waste our precious time by focusing on uncessary things which are not needed and give more than necessary effforts on things which Don't need much effort it gives our mind migraine and stresss and constant heavinesss i was stucked in this thinking for years whether pefectionism is good or bad like i used to intentionally make that artwork bad because i used to think like that if i make that artwork of good quality then it would be perfectionism and perfectionism is totallly and i wasted a lot of my precious years stucked in this thinking now i want to be out of this well and blooom which i definitely will and please help me in this it woud be of great help pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello every today i want to ask that is i always wondered about curiosity like it is a very necesaaary thing and i used to think that only we artist are curions like we are extra curious and only we artist could be curious and other people like the non-artist one like doctor and engineers they can't be curious i always used to think like this like i have an special ability know as curiosity and nobody else has it was such a big headache on my mind mind about curiosity like i am totally different from others and alll other people who are not artist like i am a totally different creature with a special ability called curiosity and i used to think that it is only limited to artist and that's it *can only artist be curious and not other not artist And it was a reallly big stresss about curiosity in my mind like i am the only creature in the universe who could be curious and not others

I'm curious what artists and designers actually want from a modern art design app. Many apps offer drawing tools, layers, and brushes, but there seems to be room for innovation. If you could build your ideal art design app, what features would you include? AI-assisted sketching Perspective and anatomy guides Brush customization Cloud syncing across devices Community feedback and critiques Time-lapse recording Collaboration tools What existing apps do you use, and what do you think they're still missing?

Hey guys, I'm just about to wrap up stuff for high school and plan on going to art school in the future. Art is something I do want to pursue in terms of getting better, and being the best artist I can be. But one thing I am unsure of is if I should/ want to do art as a living. If I were to do it as a living I would most likely go into comic books, character design, or some other form of game art. If anyone in here is in the industry can you tell me what doing art as a living is actually like?