Discipline

I am constantly hearing people say, "I wish I could draw, I can barely draw a stick figure" Almost word for word sometimes. I then reply, well how many hours have you spent drawing? The response is usually all the same, not sure, don't know, not many. 

No one ever says a 100+ and I still suck. Because repeated practice almost always yields improvement. 

I sometimes reply back with, if you drew an apple 100 times. Don't you think the 100th apple is going to be significantly better than the first apple? Hell yea it is, the human body adapts quickly, we become lazy in regards applying effort. by the 50th apple you'll be throwing down lines and value so quick, it'll be scary. Your body and mind react to situations (the drawing of the apple) and problem solves through it. The brain is smart, the brain recognizes patterns and responds. It becomes automatic. 

Repetition in the end is the greatest way to improve. As in art, practice should be scheduled for optimal performance increase. Think of yourself as a professional athlete. 

Recommended Literature

I own these books and there usefulness is never ending. I still find myself using these for quick reference.

Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter - Think of science to light and color and how it can be manipulated once you have an understanding of it.

Figure Drawing: Design and Invention - Great simplification of the human anatomy. Great use for reference and construction

Spectrum 24: The Best In Contemporary Fantastic Art (any edition they are so good!) A mix of fine art and contemporary art yielding amazing results.

Figure Drawing for All It's Worth - Andrew Loomis book, its thick, redraw all the pages watch your line confidence climb.

Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist - Great for rich detailed references.

Self Portraits of the World's Greatest Painters - Awesome collection of different styles of popular artists throughout history.

Observing Films with Rich Cinematography.

Top the my head a few movies in the past few years which really stick out. To list a few:

Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
La La Land
End of the *ucking World (Netflix)
Riverdale (Netflix)
Quentin Tarantino films

These are big budget projects that require lots of coordination. So, the eye of the conceptual designers/directors are the foundation of the film, and the core of why some films are so visually beautiful.

Exposing yourself to more films with rich cinematography will improve your eye, and aid in the production of your own art.

https://www.saetastudio.com/february-30-in-30-blog

https://www.saetastudio.com/february-30-in-30-blog

This is a great idea! The goal is 30 paintings in 30 days. I've missed 2 already but I've done more digital painting this month than the last 6 months!

anyways! heres my instagram https://www.instagram.com/stinklez/

I've started setting a timer for an hour. I then try to grind through the hour.

How to Build Strong Drawing Habits

Drawing takes time, but its also a progressive path.

You can't draw for 5 years then all of a sudden start being terrible.

There's constant improvements in your muscles (muscle memory) and improvement in you eye (seeing more).

The simple task of adding a drawing session to your day will help immensely.

No matter the duration, set aside 5-15 minutes to doodle.

Now sure what to draw, pick an unfamiliar animal weird object or make some busy lines.

Google Images and Pinterest are great resources to be inspired and locate references.

Try no getting caught up in what to draw or how it looks, but instead appreciate the process.

This is a barrier many cannot get by, forgive yourself if you're just beginning.

Best Ways to Improve Photography Skills

Take more photos!

Sometimes I pull over to the side of the road and take a dozen photos and they all suck. -But sometimes you get an awesome one in the mix.

Draw more! How are the two related? The eye is always learning and seeing more. When the eye is observant for recreation reasons it is force to analyze.

When you see another photo that pulls or moves you stop and analyze the picture. (why do I like this?)

Take pictures of things you don't normally take pictures of. (food, cats, babies,old men)

Apply different rules of composition. -- > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_(visual_arts)

Remember quantity helps improve the eye!

Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Eye

Watch movies - Analyze scenes

Attend Figure drawing/portrait classes

Follow light - where is the light coming from?

Do a still-life drawing

See a friend's new article of clothing, what color is it? ask.

Take pictures

Look at popular pictures. Why do they grab the eye?

Why do you like a picture?

Where is your eye being lead? What is naturally moving your eye?

Do certain colors effect my mood?

Top 5 Ways to Start Drawing

Set a 5 minute timer - try to draw the whole length

Remove distractions - try to plan it ahead of time

Start with warmups - fill a page loose linework to exercise the muscle

Enjoy the moment - implore mindfulness in the process

Carry a pen/paper everwhere you go

The hardest part of drawing is beginning. Once you can master the start you will build your endurance and turn brief sprints into lengthy marathons.

Becoming A Better Artist

This blog is meant as a tool for improving one's eye as well as building a confidence to create.

My names Chris Murray. I am an art enthusiast and I love sharing knowledge that I've acquired throughout the years.