#so i did this as a warmup in digital art

[teenytinycoffeebean]

The Flame Alchemist

[oatpaws-silly-kittys]

48 with Brightheart?? <3

I got to stop and say

Oh, maybe I am right where I'm supposed to be

Right where I'm supposed to be

This is my life

[somethingsomethingcomic]

gay and stupid

[ethemreal]

little nightmare

[oak-n]

Hello.

What are your most used references and choices (in medium etc) for studying? Also do you study regularly or is it in a "this time i want to focus on X" fashion?

I'm confident in my skills but it has been long since i actually grinded for them. I'm both in need of a guide and curious about what you do.

Thanks in advance.

Hi! Thank you for this inquiry cause hooo am I eager to yap about practice.

So, as for references and info, my most used resources are:

- Sketchfab, has anything from meticulous anatomical models to most random 3d scans.

- Line of Action, timed sketching as a warmup. - Google maps! Environment warmup.

- Pinterest is heaven, but you have to curate the quality yourself. It can be turned into the most valuable visual library or a landfill of AI slop and disposable tutorials.

As for the medium, I try to balance traditional/digital sessions. Most knowledge transfers between them well, but certain skills need extra time (colors work differently, pen sketching requires more focus and planning, etc). Even though digital art is my domain, I need to have a good chunk of traditional practice. It’s less forgiving, sure, but much more engaging. The feel, the smell, the sound. Besides, I rarely share traditional stuff, so there’s less pressure to make it “good”.

I used to study consistently years ago, but mental health + skill plateau took their toll. The further you go, the more subjects add up, the less obvious your progress is. As a beginner, I had a simple routine - a bunch of gesture studies, then color palettes, then some environments, rinse and repeat. Did challenges like 365 sketching days, Figuary, Huevember etc. But as I learned to see more, it became overwhelming. Like, okay, today’s an anatomy session. Do I focus on quick gestures? Or maybe delve into 1 h. lecture about back muscles? Different body types maybe?..

Combined with the amount of stuff I need to draw beside that, I can’t keep up with a consistent routine. This is where the “focus on X" approach saves me. I take notice of the subject that causes the most trouble at a given moment and pick up an exercise for it. BUT remember I’m too burned out to come up with a practice plan every time. To navigate art theory better, I boiled it down to an octagon of fundamentals, with more subjects branching off them (pic attached). Feeling stiff about composition? Go to a respective section, do a couple exercises, feel better.

A grindy version of it would be to go through the whole octagon lol. Wish I had a whole year dedicated to studies only, I’d test and perfect this system.

[shrimpsketchy]

Hello Lambert!

(Lambert sounds nicer than Lamb for this Au)

I couldn’t find the old sketch I first did months ago when I first created this idea. It was when I was feeling off and watched hello dolly to feel better!

So here is a sketch and some quick digital sketches I have been wanting to do for a while! I might doodle more of this au for my art warmups

[accio-bagel]

Hellooo dear Bagel~ just popping in to see what *your* answers are to these fun questions! 🫶🏻 (and to make your boredom go away hehe)

🖍️ When did you start drawing? Do you remember?  

☕ Do you do warmup sketches before drawing? (Bonus: do you have any to share?)

📚 How many layers do you typically use?

🙊 Share your latest silly doodle with no context

thank you for the asks Lucy! 💗

🖍️ I've been drawing since before I can remember (don't all little kids draw?) but I started to seriously learn and improve when I was in high school, loading up my last two years with as many art classes as possible 👩🏻‍🎨

☕ ...I don't warm up (yeah I know I should) so I don't have any to share. Don't be like me 😅

📚 it depends; my sketches and simpler drawings will have maybe 2-5 layers but my fully rendered and colored pieces sometimes have dozens. I'm still learning how to simplify and speed up my digital art process ✌️

🙊 lol I sincerely hope you can tell what this doodle is supposed to be 😆

[r-a-nima]

At last! I finally make the first of what will hopefully be many weekly posts!

I decided to start off with something familiar to me as a warmup. In time, I hope that eventually my art will improve more as I am rather rusty in some areas but I’m always willing to learn more.

A simple Sonic Sketch. One day I’ll make my own interpretation of him, but for now he shall be simple.

I also took the same picture using the CamScanner app if anyone wanted to see the colors brightened a bit.

When I eventually get myself a better digital art pad so I can move onto digital, I will, but for now, it’s all pencil and paper and the help of CamScanner to get it looking decent.

Don’t expect me to use colors very often, as I have a habit of losing track of my pencils. This round was one where I remembered where they were this time.

All in all, I’m satisfied with this sketch. It’s not perfect, but no artist starts off perfect.

I hope to make another sketch like him next Saturday. Can’t guarantee it’ll be at around the same time of posting as this one, but I’ll try to get something up. If not, I will let y’all know if it’ll be late.

Okay that’s it then! Hope you all enjoy this sketch, I did have fun making it!

Take care!

[threshasketch]

Artist Questions Ask numbers randomly chosen: 7, 13, 19, 22.

Thanks for the ask!

7. Show us at least one picture you drew or sketched recently that you did not put on a public site.

Sure, I'll grab one of the many doodles I put in my "sketchdump" files that were warmups, random, or just not that interesting:

13. Are you looking to pursue a career in art?

Not professionally, nope. I use my art to aid my author job, though, by illustrating all of my own book covers. I've done art commissions twice in my life and overextended myself and couldn't keep up with them in both instances, so I no longer offer them now. (If you ever ordered one from me and it took ages to refund you, I sincerely apologize.) Art is great as a hobby and a way to visualize characters I write about.

19. What medium/program do you use the most in your art?

It has changed over the years; I started primarily with paper and pencil and gel pen. Once I learned to do digital art, I used primarily one art software at a time. Over the years I've used MS Paint, Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop, and Krita, and now I'm using Clip Studio Paint and also drawing with pencil and pen and marker on paper on the regular as well. ♥

22. List at least one of your “artspirations.”

My art style has been influenced by anime and manga a great deal over the years. A few artist I've been inspired by, and studied the art styles of are Takeshi Obata (the artist for Death Note) and Yuu Watase (the artist for Fushigi Yuugi.)

[candymoth-art]

For the art ask thing! :3 ☕✏️🌊🎁 🐻✨ (sorry of it's a lot lmao)

☕ Do you do warmup sketches before drawing? (Bonus: do you have any to share?)

I don't usually but sometimes I'll do thumbnail sketches for bigger illustrations. I did these for the cover of tpodg I did

 ✏️ Do you prefer traditional art or digital to relax?  

It depends on a few factors mainly where I am, if im at home and have a lot of time I adore painting but if I'm on the go I love doing digital art.

 🌊 What’s the hardest thing for you to draw?

Architecture/buildings, I can do a pretty good landscape but ask me to draw a building and I'll die.

 🎁 Do you prefer drawing fandom stuff or your own characters?

I have a bunch or scraggly OCs I adore but if I get hyperfixated on something I will draw them nonstop.

🐻 Your go-to things to draw when you need comfort?

I love drawing lil headshots and faces I love them it's so easy

✨ How often do you draw?

If I'm not burnt out I draw nonstop the drawful artist frfr

[yayforocs]

🖍️ When did you start drawing? Do you remember?

✏️ Do you prefer traditional art or digital to relax?

📏 What’s your go-to canvas size?

☕ Do you do warmup sketches before drawing? (Bonus: do you have any to share?)

🖍️ When did you start drawing? Do you remember?

Ah geez. i honestly am not sure on like. exact timeframe for the very beginning, but i know it was somewhere in middle school i started trying out like chibi styles and simple cartoony things. sophmore year high school was when i really started like. Trying To Actually Draw Well though :V i was surrounded by artist friends and i decided i was jealous enough of their skills to try to join their ranks dklsgkl

✏️ Do you prefer traditional art or digital to relax?

prolly traditional bc my sketchbook is the easiest thing to pull out tbhtbh (i don't have a like. fancy screen tablet to draw on, so digital requires pulling out m laptop n hooking up the usb tablet n such so it's more effort)

📏 What’s your go-to canvas size?

1200x1600 :V i think it was the default maybe at the time i got firealpaca? and i've found it's big enough that i can just sketch whatever on it and size it down however much i need to so i've got plenty of wiggle room from the get-go!

☕ Do you do warmup sketches before drawing? (Bonus: do you have any to share?)

i unfortunately do not 😔 i've seen that post going around tho abt like how to properly Warm Up Sketch n i might honestly try doing that. try to preserve the wrist / hand n all

[mistyycowoa]

 🖍️ When did you start drawing? Do you remember?  

 ✏️ Do you prefer traditional art or digital to relax?   

📏 What’s your go-to canvas size?

☕ Do you do warmup sketches before drawing? (Bonus: do you have any to share?)

🙃 Which is easier: faces facing left, right, or front view?

📚 How many layers do you typically use?

🐻 Your go-to things to draw when you need comfort?

🎁 Do you prefer drawing fandom stuff or your own characters?

🌈 Do you use more warm or cold colors?

🎼 Your favorite music to draw to right now?

🙌 Draw a doodle with your non-dominant hand

📐 Whats your favorite kinds of lines to draw?

💐 Do your drawing suit your aesthetics?

🦋 Do your drawings resemble you?

✨ How often do you draw?

🌗 Is night or day better for drawing?

🍭 What’s your main art blog / what do you tag your art with?

🍀 You wish your art was more..(fill in the blank)

🌊 What’s the hardest thing for you to draw? 

🙊 Share your latest silly doodle with no context

Oh fuck the whole thing? Ok

I don't remember when I started drawing, but I was drawing from basically when I could pick up a pen and I started taking drawing a bit more seriously beyond doodles at around 6 years old (maybe a bit older)

Digital

1920x3008 or 300x300

No I don't :(

Facing left. Idk I just got used to it

1-2 layers for silly drawings, 30-50 for serious ones

Scenery, mainly imaginary/slightly inspired by real life

My own characters, character design is kinda fun (even if I do it shittily)

It really depends on what I'm trying to draw and the mood I'm in when drawing, but looking thru my drawings I think I use cold colours more

Music? That changes for what I'm drawing. The music I listen to when drawing has to match the topic I'm drawing and that changes so idk

Have this by my left hand

Wdym favourite kind of lines??? Curves, I guess??

I don't have an aesthetic I try to go for so I guess yes??

I like to think my drawings resemble who I am as a person and my personality

I don't draw too often, maybe twice a month lmao

Night. I get my inspo usually at night

My art blog is @mistycookie

I wish my art had more perspective stuff because it looks so good but it's hard.. also cats

I struggle big time with legs and perspectives

My latest silly doodle is a short video:

[mixedmiraculous]

I know this is about visual art but this can be applied to creative writing as well!! Do some warm ups to get things flowing. Here's two writing warm ups i learned from one of my profs.

Set a timer and just write non stop for 5 minutes about anything, no editing. If you like writing by hand don't let the pencil/pen stop moving. If you type then don't use the backspace. This is good for getting thoughts flowing. (you can probably apply a version of this to visual art)

Pick a phone number at random and for each digit write a line with that many words. You can apply this in various ways to practice or warm up a particular style. For example: warmup dialogue where each line switches who is speaking. Or a warmup short story with a start middle and end. Or a warmup poem. Anything you want! :) The word limit is your guide line. It's also a good idea to give yourself a time list so you don't over think things (we normally did this in 15min), it doesnt need to be good, its a warmup, its just to get words on the page.

Ex. (123) 555-5555. *0 is a wild card and has no word limit 1- "Stop!" 2- "I can't." 3- "Quit messing around." 5- "I'm not. The break broke!" Etc...

And also do wrist stretches!! That goes for both writers and visuals artists!

being a self-taught artist with no formal training is having done art seriously since you were a young teenager and only finding out that you’re supposed to do warm up sketches every time you’re about to work on serious art when you’re fuckin twenty-five

[glitchyvoice]

☕ Do you do warmup sketches before drawing? (Bonus: do you have any to share?)

i have a bad habit of. not doing them and then hating the art that comes out after lmaoo im trying to learn to do them but its hard to remember sometimes.

since ive been struggling with shading though, i did some (attempted. theyre kind of bad) shading warmups yesterday at work. id share them but i used someone else's lamb and i intend to digitalize and post them eventually and i dont want to ping them on a sketch. so. yeah pfft

so yeah working on teaching myself to do so

[luckydrunk]

Miku,,, my beloved

[ghosthoard]

spooks end of year wrapup! pt 7

my fic is a devious, dastardly mixture of inspiration from brothers' blood, follow the lights, and stay for the tinniest teal speck. i wanted a combination of all of them, and by jove I guess that means I have to write it. only i have the power.

follow the lights made them suffer one at a time with and about wild thoroughly, I love how long wild was dead in teal specks, and I love putting wild through yiga torture like in brothers' blood. each of the fics delved into character and suffering that was chef's kiss. so BOOM put it all in a vat and out pops something made just for me because I'm literally writing it.

teal speck is SO GOOD. I already gushed about it above so (shakes you, incoherent spluttering) you gotta read it and tell the author they're spectacular.

the art itself was the first one where I wasn't as satisfied. my lack of skill in color was really hitting me personally because the piece looks too bright for the mood and I didn't know how to fix that. Also my art process is usually: warmup, rough draft on pencil and paper, before moving to digital for the final. I definitely preferred twi's and wars's expression better on my rough draft that I just couldn't seem to capture through digital. I was also wondering how i could show wild's face but decided against it as covering his whole face has it's own feel to it y'know. also i was worried wild would look too much like wind because of their general color scheme.

you guys know that like line graph of learning art or I guess learning in general where your perception of your skill and your actual skill and i think something else only ever line up once in awhile. I think i was definitely in that stage where i could perceive my actual skill and the high i was experiencing previously was coming down. didn't mean I wasn't still having fun, and i wasn't too critical about it just aware that I had things i wanted to work on.

but for positives! i liked the way i did the blood. it was basically all just a specific brush and it was fun to think about why the blood would be in a specific place. of course, wild is the source of the blood where he was wounded in the torso, while both twi and wars have blood on their hands from trying to staunch the blood, wars had tried to use his scarf to help. and both of them have blood down their fronts because of the whole ordeal and because they had held wild in their arms at one point, really tight. I really like the general anatomy and how i arranged them interacting, it feels like they could start moving to me.

still really love this piece for what it is!

read the fic!

Devastating fanfic. Ripped my heart into two and I loved every second of it!

I loved twilight’s denial, I love warriors brushing wild’s hair back, I love warriors trying to break down out of earshot, I love the three of them hugging! Ugh so good! Thank you for sharing it @bleusarcelle !

Everybody needs to check this fic out and give it lots of love.