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I need opinions and help to improve I see allot of good artists on gaia and I want to know what I should do to improve. I have gotten better over the past year but I'm still pretty bad.

Here's an over view I don't own a tablet that is compatible with paint tool said so I use a computer mouse I am wondering would a tablet be better to use and if this will add any problems to the method you use :c

Here's my deviant art there are some random arts on there but there is also a file with gaia requests (that you'll be happy to know are given away for free) http://victorycabbage.deviantart.com/gallery/

I need some pointers for: poses, how do I work out poses for characters, I understand my shading is very bad and lacks texture I want to know what brushes and tools should I use to make it more material-like. I have work to do on hair and clothing detail. Also how do I do good outlines right now I use a curve tool and I want to know should I use a pen tool and to what wait does it need to be. The list goes on...and on...

Quickly then can anyone point me in the direction of a good anime drawing video and paint tool said helper or maybe an anime drawing book of sorts. I don't mind if my whole method if flipped upside down to be honest being a self taught artist means my way might be quite different to other people's but I'm ready to be taught to be better via book video or just advice from gains.

Feel free to express you opinion on here please try to add criticism and improvements if you comment I really want to get this right. And it doesn't matter to me if your an artist or not just pointing out little bits for improvement will help allot. Thanks ~

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You're too focused on tools right now, I think. Set down the computer stuff and pick up a pencil and paper. Start watching people. Really watching. If you can get away with it, do some quick gesture sketches to get down their body language. Pay attention to how a shy person moves as opposed to an extroverted person. Watch how people move in movies and theatre(theatre tends to exaggerate more because the people in the back need to see too). These should help you in how to pose your characters, because it would be more natural to their character rather than 'what would a cool pose be?' line of thought.

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Seijaku_Ishida
You're too focused on tools right now, I think. Set down the computer stuff and pick up a pencil and paper. Start watching people. Really watching. If you can get away with it, do some quick gesture sketches to get down their body language. Pay attention to how a shy person moves as opposed to an extroverted person. Watch how people move in movies and theatre(theatre tends to exaggerate more because the people in the back need to see too). These should help you in how to pose your characters, because it would be more natural to their character rather than 'what would a cool pose be?' line of thought.


Ah sound advice, thank you for your time sorry for the delay in response...Im always this slow XD

Sorry to bother you again but I struggle with judging character on gaia with avi's and what their wearing. Hence I make minimal effort when posing them. Do you think that studying Characters portrayed via TV (I'm too cheap for cinema) will help to judge the person right by what their wearing or should I ask about their character? Again thank you for you time smile

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victorycabbage
Seijaku_Ishida
You're too focused on tools right now, I think. Set down the computer stuff and pick up a pencil and paper. Start watching people. Really watching. If you can get away with it, do some quick gesture sketches to get down their body language. Pay attention to how a shy person moves as opposed to an extroverted person. Watch how people move in movies and theatre(theatre tends to exaggerate more because the people in the back need to see too). These should help you in how to pose your characters, because it would be more natural to their character rather than 'what would a cool pose be?' line of thought.


Ah sound advice, thank you for your time sorry for the delay in response...Im always this slow XD

Sorry to bother you again but I struggle with judging character on gaia with avi's and what their wearing. Hence I make minimal effort when posing them. Do you think that studying Characters portrayed via TV (I'm too cheap for cinema) will help to judge the person right by what their wearing or should I ask about their character? Again thank you for you time smile
TV works too, though the quality of actors does matter. However, if you're drawing avi's, asking the person should always help. I don't really do Gaia avatars anymore, but I did used to ask what kind of mood they wanted for their character.
Like he said, life drawing is going to be your best tool. Draw people, animals, objects, anything you can see.

Another wonderful website for poses/reference for people is this:
http://www.posemaniacs.com/

This youtube channel has been postin really helpful drawing techniques:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ProkoTV?feature=watch

But honestly, the best way for you to figure out how to draw is to draw from from life. That's how you find how you would simplify certain features and create "your style".

Ladykiller

This is completely unrelated but I wanted to say that I enjoyed looking at your realistic hands a lot more than any of your characters. I think that's where you should work on, they're quite good and can get a lot better with practice.

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Seijaku_Ishida
victorycabbage
Seijaku_Ishida
You're too focused on tools right now, I think. Set down the computer stuff and pick up a pencil and paper. Start watching people. Really watching. If you can get away with it, do some quick gesture sketches to get down their body language. Pay attention to how a shy person moves as opposed to an extroverted person. Watch how people move in movies and theatre(theatre tends to exaggerate more because the people in the back need to see too). These should help you in how to pose your characters, because it would be more natural to their character rather than 'what would a cool pose be?' line of thought.


Ah sound advice, thank you for your time sorry for the delay in response...Im always this slow XD

Sorry to bother you again but I struggle with judging character on gaia with avi's and what their wearing. Hence I make minimal effort when posing them. Do you think that studying Characters portrayed via TV (I'm too cheap for cinema) will help to judge the person right by what their wearing or should I ask about their character? Again thank you for you time smile
TV works too, though the quality of actors does matter. However, if you're drawing avi's, asking the person should always help. I don't really do Gaia avatars anymore, but I did used to ask what kind of mood they wanted for their character.


Yeah I don't really watch very good t.v but I have lots of movie I can watch smile thank you again you've been so very kind n.n

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way2strange
Like he said, life drawing is going to be your best tool. Draw people, animals, objects, anything you can see.

Another wonderful website for poses/reference for people is this:
http://www.posemaniacs.com/

This youtube channel has been postin really helpful drawing techniques:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ProkoTV?feature=watch

But honestly, the best way for you to figure out how to draw is to draw from from life. That's how you find how you would simplify certain features and create "your style".


Wow that pose website you sent is awesome. I really think that if I draw some of these and try converting them into anime style I'll be able to create stock poses and later on add to them. Great job this is gonna help a ton. Also thank you for taking the time to help me n.n

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Vinnie_Valentine
This is completely unrelated but I wanted to say that I enjoyed looking at your realistic hands a lot more than any of your characters. I think that's where you should work on, they're quite good and can get a lot better with practice.

Thank you that mean allot to me. biggrin I don't think the idea is completely unrelated I remember shortly after drawing them my understanding of the shading of the hand improved, In many ways it could help me to become better in both realistic and animaic drawings of hands. So thank you for the advice smile
I love playfulness, That can become something really good. Just sketch and add. (: Try listening to some music too.
I agree with the first comment that you are too concerned with the tools right now. You are headed in the right direction with everything you are doing, you shouldn't get so frustrated because everything you are doing right now is just a stepping stone in the right direction.

If you can, you should ask for a cheap tablet for Xmas or your birthday to get you started on that. There are some programs that you can find that give some free trails and Deviant Art has its own paint program built in now too so that is something you can try also. But really I think what you should do right now is just carry around a big binder full of paper and draw like crazy as often as possible until you can get around to finding those tools.

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Doverkiin
I love playfulness, That can become something really good. Just sketch and add. (: Try listening to some music too.


I love listening to music while I draw but I always listen to power metal while trying to draw cute-er poses XD

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Jelopi
I agree with the first comment that you are too concerned with the tools right now. You are headed in the right direction with everything you are doing, you shouldn't get so frustrated because everything you are doing right now is just a stepping stone in the right direction.

If you can, you should ask for a cheap tablet for Xmas or your birthday to get you started on that. There are some programs that you can find that give some free trails and Deviant Art has its own paint program built in now too so that is something you can try also. But really I think what you should do right now is just carry around a big binder full of paper and draw like crazy as often as possible until you can get around to finding those tools.


I think paint tool sai is better than the deviant art one I have seen it I haven't got a premium account and I don't think I'll every get one do you think this will be a problem with the tools?
I actually find that my digital art is better than my traditional art I imply both though by scanning however if I just draw a model by hand and edit it by the computer those are the ones that come out the best.

In a way I need to just grasp a way to draw effective posing that is easily transmittable to the computer that is also not too strong otherwise I'll find my self just copying the whole picture. Simple! whee

Thank you for your time and thanks for your reassurance too really helpful :3

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I sometimes forget to mention but this is more of a hobby thing sweatdrop I actually don't get allot of time to draw anymore I don't take art as a course in fact I take further Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Maths(pure) neutral but there will always be some time to draw I'll just be progressing more slowly than I thought. sweatdrop
victorycabbage
Doverkiin
I love playfulness, That can become something really good. Just sketch and add. (: Try listening to some music too.


I love listening to music while I draw but I always listen to power metal while trying to draw cute-er poses XD
i can hook you up with some music lol

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