ART/VIDEO – Starting a Drawing: Stick Figure or Shapes?

Starting a drawing of a figure can be tricky.  Especially when you’re starting out. We often get conflicting information about what to do when we start drawing a figure or cartoon.

This week, one of my readers asked me a question concerning methods of approach drawing a figure. Here’s what he asked:

I have a question. After I started reading your lessons I have really gotten into drawing. I am really happy with the progress I have made. (though I do get impatient with myself) And I had a question.

For awhile I have been using a layer method where I start with a stick figure kind of deal then kind of draw over that adding more detail with each layer. But lately I found I am not getting great results. So I tried a more free drawing style. (Using a circle to draw a head around then working the body off of there. And I was wondering if you know if that is normal.

I mean I still layer details but I just don’t know if stick (or skeletal) base works for me. Do you think it may be easier to do it that way? (Sorry if my question is so long >.< I am just trying to work with my brain)

Alright, so answering this question is what this video is all about:

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ART/VIDEO – When Learning to Draw: Graphics Tablet or Analog Tools?

Now that technology has gotten advanced enough for artists to be able to draw directly on screens and tables, a new problem has come up for beginning artists.  The question goes something like this question I was asked by one of my readers:

I have one question, do You recommend drawing on a paper or on a graphic tablet? Which medium is better to start with? I was always astonished by the digital works, but I guess, I need to start with the most basic paper and pencil, don’t I?

In this week’s video, I tackle these questions:

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Just be aware that my Patreon patrons get their questions answered first and they get to see the videos weeks before anyone else.

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ART/VIDEO – What is Style? Analyzing Humberto Ramos’ Art

Artists with great styles you admire can sometimes be a mystery.  What are they doing that makes you love the look of their artwork so much?

K.J. Green, one of my patrons over on Patreon is struggling with this mystery. He wrote me and asked me this:

Love your tutorials!

I’d describe myself as a decent artist (I’ve been grinding for a few years and would say that I developed a strong sense of form and anatomy from Loomis, Bridgman, Hampton, and Proko). Now, I’m getting into stylization and as I’ve been practicing my ability to see how artists shift reality to create their style, my favorite comic artist still stumps me: Humberto Ramos.

He exaggerates every expression and movement so forcefully but his faces and bodies never seem distorted. They, instead, are always aesthetically pleasing. Because I have studied the fundamentals for so long, every time I “break the rules” to stylize and exaggerate, my figures and faces (especially ones with strong expressions) look very boring and/or ugly.

They come out as a series of forms that seem overly constructed and devoid of passion and freedom. Could you perhaps do a break down on Humberto Ramos’s style and his ability to keep WILD expressions pleasing through his simplification of facial features and body parts (even as he breaks every rule in the book)?

Thanks so much and have a good one!

This week’s video answers his question and I also try to show how you can solve the mystery of just about anyone’s style just by knowing what to look for:

Links Mentioned in This Video

Stick figures, with style! Basic design

Design Simple Cartoon Characters from Flat Shapes

Making Your Cartoons Look Professional – Cartooning Design

The Key to Flow, Power and Dynamism – Mastering Gesture

Use The Rhythm Luke

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If you liked this video and would like me to discuss something you think I might know about…

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Just be aware that my Patreon patrons get their questions answered first and they get to see the videos weeks before anyone else.

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ART/VIDEO – Becoming a Pro Artist Part 06: Beyond Artistic Skill

Probably the most important of these series of videos I’ve posted because it deal much more with mindset and drive.  These are the keys to success in anything, not just art.

In this video I answer these two simple questions:

• Asides from artistic skill, what do you believe is required as the most important part/s of becoming paid in the industry?
• What do you believe it takes to be a successful professional artist?

But the answers are critical and I don’t even begin to crack the surface.

Links to the resources I spoke about in the video can be found below the video.

Once again, the visuals of this video will show me digitally inking a panel of my Black Terror Kid Comic:

Resources Mentioned and NOT Mentioned in the Video

(Some of the links below are affilate links. Thanks for your support)

Jim Rohn Books and Audio: http://amzn.to/2aCInmr

Zig Zigglar Books and Audio: http://amzn.to/2aWYhJc

Seth Godin Books: http://amzn.to/2aZfAuB

Think and Grow Rich: http://amzn.to/2auAPz5

How to Make Friends and Influence People: http://amzn.to/2aWYa0n

Christ Oatley: http://chrisoatley.com/

Patt Flynn: http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/

GKIC: https://www.gkic.com/

The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure: http://amzn.to/2aWYoob

Level Up Your Life: How to Unlock Adventure and Happiness by Becoming the Hero of Your Own Story: http://amzn.to/2aBHK9k 

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles: http://amzn.to/2aBHAPu

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich: http://amzn.to/2aZgNSH

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If you liked this video and would like me to discuss something you think I might know about…

If you want to suggest a character or drawing you’d like me to draw, feel free to ask or suggest away, either here on my comments or anywhere else you’d like to contact me.

Just be aware that my Patreon patrons get their questions answered first and they get to see the videos weeks before anyone else.

https://www.patreon.com/LuisEscobar

ART/VIDEO – Becoming a Professional Artist Part 05: Artistic Income

• What were your sources of income after first breaking into professional art? (crowd funding, sponsor, customers, job etc.)
• Were you able to provide for yourself from your income initially?
• Now that you’re full time, are you making, subjectively, a comfortable living?

What kind of income can you expect once you become a professional artist in a studio.  This is the type of questions I’ll be answer this week in this video.

Meanwhile, the visuals on the screen will be of me digitally inking a panel of my Black Terror Kid comic using Manga Studio:

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If you liked this video and would like me to discuss something you think I might know about…

If you want to suggest a character or drawing you’d like me to draw, feel free to ask or suggest away, either here on my comments or anywhere else you’d like to contact me.

Just be aware that my Patreon patrons get their questions answered first and they get to see the videos weeks before anyone else.

https://www.patreon.com/LuisEscobar

ART/VIDEO – Becoming a Pro Artist Part 04: Financial Resources

• What were your living conditions like?
• How was your time spent? (job? Working on portfolio/projects?)
• How did you survive (as in paying for living expenses)? Were you supported? Did you have a job?
• How did you establish your network at this stage/make yourself known?
• Did you have the equipment you wanted/needed? Could you afford it? How did you afford it? How did you work without it?
• What did you use in terms of equipment and software?

In this week’s video, I answer the questions above.  Basically, does it take money to be able to learn to draw?  The answer, as you will see is yes and no.

Visually you will also see me finish up a logo that was designed for me by Omar Jones (aka. Distrakt). If you’d like to hire him or work with him, the links to his websites are below the video:

Distrakt (a.k.a. Omar Jones) Links:

Website – http://www.distrakt.com/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Distrakt
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/omar.jones.9619?fref=ts

Want To Get a Video From Me?

If you liked this video and would like me to discuss something you think I might know about…

If you want to suggest a character or drawing you’d like me to draw, feel free to ask or suggest away, either here on my comments or anywhere else you’d like to contact me.

Just be aware that my Patreon patrons get their questions answered first and they get to see the videos weeks before anyone else.

https://www.patreon.com/LuisEscobar

ART/VIDEOS – Becoming a Professional Artist Part 3: The importance of Networking

• How did you acquire your network of people to rely on? (School, work, other interesting circumstances?)
• What kind of people do they consist of? Are they all artists? Do you have people in other areas? Businessmen/women, people in marketing, IT for example?
• How did you make yourself known? What did it take to get your name out? (social media sites, art sights such as Deviant Art, other ways?)
• How has your network helped your artistic career? (Both people and promotional)

These are the questions I’ll be addressing this time around in this video.  The visuals you will see it of me adding in the blacks on page 8 of a Black Terror Kid comic.

If you’re new to these videos, an art student recently contacted me and asked me these questions about becoming a professional.  I recorded my answers on my iPhone and sent them to him.  Then I realized other people might benefit from listening to my responses.

I’ve decided to make videos from the recordings. I hope you find my answers helpful:

Christ Oatley Links

His Website: http://chrisoatley.com/

His Academy: http://oatleyacademy.com/

His Podcasts:

• Paper Wings – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paper-wings-podcast/id426136314?mt=2
• Art Cast – http://oatleyacademy.com/oatley-artcast/

Want To Get a Video From Me?

If you liked this video and would like me to discuss something you think I might know about…

If you want to suggest a character or drawing you’d like me to draw, feel free to ask or suggest away, either here on my comments or anywhere else you’d like to contact me.

Just be aware that my Patreon patrons get their questions answered first and they get to see the videos weeks before anyone else.

https://www.patreon.com/LuisEscobar