I think your thoughts and frustrations are very well conveyed here. A little about myself may be in order here: I have had a passion for drawing ever since I was old enough to pick up a pencil (or Crayon). I am now sixty years old and have been a full time freelance artist/illustrator/designer since 1987. I did not go to art school (regrettably). I am entirely self taught. My art "schooling" was primarily learned in public school art classes, by poring over magazines and copying the work of artists who inspired me and later through mentoring by other successful artists I respected. In recent years I too have encountered many working "artists" who tell me they can't draw. I never jump on them for this but wonder to myself how they can conceptualize anything without the basic building block knowledge that comes through drawing. That would be like meeting an architect who doesn't understand how to build a foundation. Even though 90% of my finished work is digital these days I still like to start with just a pencil and paper. Nothing beats the feel of that graphite as it glides across a piece of paper! My area of specialty has always been automotive design/illustration. I do need to work on my figure drawing skills. That is something you've touched on here. One of my "jobs" is drawing for CARtoons magazine. I really had to work on my cartoon figure drawing skills for this.I'm not where I want to be with that yet because I don't practice at it everyday. I would say I'm passable at this to the general public but a real figure drawing artist would spot the flaws immediately. I was very fortunate to befriend the great cartoonist Fred Boatman who greatly encouraged me in that area. I hope I haven't bored you with my long comment. Keep up the great videos.
@DtroitDinosaur
3 жыл бұрын
Hey Larry great comments! You bring up a very good point. About teaching yourself. This is no mystery. These things are not just granted to people from above. Each step of our artistic journey can be learned through focused study and practice. It’s easiest if we break things down into components. For instance you needed to apply yourself to the study of cartoon work. Or figure drawing or the use of water color. Kind of like a bodybuilder working on specific muscle groups. And I think that kind of study must be propelled by a passion or need of some sort. When I was in art school I had a teacher that would always say “Your finished painting will never be any better than your original drawing.” What he was saying is the foundation on which our work is built needs to be solid. If young artist are not taught this they are in for years of frustration. Thanks for the great comments.
@TillrockART
3 жыл бұрын
Fantastic Video Jim! Right on!!! Drawing, drawing drawing! It's absolutely what you need to do as an artist! It helps you to understand shapes; sun, shade and shadows, negative space; and as you talked about the human form. When I'm sitting at an airport, instead of playing on my phone, I sketch people playing on their phones and tablets. I know an artist that was doing an addition to his home studio. I did a low aerial view sketch for him of his backyard with the new addition, he was dumbfounded! He asked how I did it! (I was stunned!) How can you be an artist and not draw? As I said, This is a great video! Thanks for doing this!!!
@DtroitDinosaur
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you Ed. I feel like students are being robbed of something that would change the shape of their working life.
@nicholasdickson3891
3 жыл бұрын
Amen dude! I’ve never taken myself seriously as an artist but all my life people have said to me “man I wish I could draw like you”. For me this is always a weird compliment because I’m my own worst critic. After 30 years of drawing cars I’ve suddenly found myself drawing fine line city scapes, old houses using dip pens and now I’ve moved to water colour. At 36 years old it all suddenly flipped. Now I get it, I homed in on my skills and now it’s translated into different mediums. It all started with drawing. Every..single..day. Even if it’s just for 2 minutes. You can’t build a house without a foundation and you’re not allowed to refer to yourself as an artist if you can’t draw. End of story.
@DtroitDinosaur
3 жыл бұрын
Hey that’s great man. I totally agree that you have to be your own worst critic. We need to keep moving the target higher for ourselves. Drawing is the basic building block to expressing ourselves as artists. Glad to hear how that basic tool in your box opened up a world of new mediums and techniques. Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m sure it will be an encouragement to others.
@elsagrace3893
12 күн бұрын
That’s good that I’m on my own to learn drawing. I’m good at on my own. I learned from library books and KZitem and practice everyday. Then I stopped for 3 years. Starting again is very hard. Talk about rusty. I pretty much have to start over. You lose it quick.
@krystallinecestmoneau1358
Жыл бұрын
Very true , I am attending art school in France , and I was shocked by the conduct of certain classes and the philosophy behind it , no real classes , the teachers only give projects and ...well that's it , no skill sharing , no technical skills..this is incomprehensible to me , why am I there then ?
@DtroitDinosaur
Жыл бұрын
I’m sorry that is happening. I would encourage you to pursue the basics of figure drawing, perspective and color theory. You can do this on your own or search out the classes at your school that focus on these areas. Once you learn the rules then you are truly free to break them in any creative way you choose. We don’t want to be limited by our lack of knowledge. All the best. Jim
@dorothyatchison1825
Жыл бұрын
Why should it surprise you Papa Owens? No drawing in art school, no cursive being taught in elementary school … I feel the powers that be are trying to dumb us down … it’s working
@vmoz9492
2 жыл бұрын
Iam 16 years old from India And I don't know the Seven Fundamentals: Forms, Prespective, Anatomy, Composition and Values, Lights and Shadows.
@DtroitDinosaur
2 жыл бұрын
HI Vmoz. I would say that the fact you know you need to learn these things means your already on the right path. There are a lot of places to learn those things on line while look for a place to study. In the meantime keep drawing everyday.
@vmoz9492
2 жыл бұрын
@@DtroitDinosaur Thank you Sir
@elsagrace3893
12 күн бұрын
There are so many good art books. I’d never go to one of theses lame art schools. 😊
@lizkolodziej9159
2 ай бұрын
Ah…” they can teach you how to - train your eye-…….” I am so so interested in how to see like an artist…..how to spot what’s wrong…..how do artists “see art” ………any ideas on how to reach me how to see like an artist please?……..I know this is a big ask…….it’s not been addressed by any one before ??? Much thanks from Scotland
@DtroitDinosaur
2 ай бұрын
Great question! First of all I would say study great design. Spend time on line looking at great masters paintings, vintage movie posters, graphic design. Fill your social media feed with artists whose work moves you. When you find a piece of art that moves you save it to a file. Then spend some time analyzing it to figure out WHY it moves you. Don't worry about rules or golden ratios or anything like that, just focus on art that moves you and try to figure out why and then try to incorporate that into your own work. Also become an avid observer of light and the way it acts. I'm sorry for the long answer. I don't feel it is even a complete answer. We could spend hours on this. But I think it's a good place to start. Hope that helps. Jim
@elsagrace3893
12 күн бұрын
There are so many good art books. I’d never go to one of theses lame art schools.
@vmoz9492
2 жыл бұрын
Is Russian Academy of Art School Good
@DtroitDinosaur
2 жыл бұрын
Hi Vmoz. I don't have any experience with RAA but I would say that if a school focuses on the fundamentals of classical training it should give you a solid foundation. The Russian painters that I am familiar with are masterful in their work.
@vmoz9492
2 жыл бұрын
I want to learn art from Drawing Art Academy
@delswanson3593
3 жыл бұрын
Analog James in a digital world? No, you sir, are correct. My daughter graduated last year from the same school I went to. luckily she's talented and driven to learn in her own right. Other than a few skills and techniques, the majority if what she learned from her instructors and fellow students was politics and how to bulls*%t your way through a half-a$$ed attempt at an assignment. You know, how to fit a story to (in some cases) literal garbage thrown onto a canvas or on a plate. "Oh, this shows my journey as an artist as I go through my existential angst and bla, bla, bla, bla......". And....theft. Copying past artists work and submitting that work as your own. What most people don't understand is before you can creative interesting art (conceptual, representative, hell, interpretive dance or synchronized swimming) you HAVE to KNOW the basics! Backwards and forwards! Before you can slay the dragon, you have to be able to put your friggen socks on by yourself...also a computer is no better than a pencil or a compass. IT IS JUST ONE MORE TOOL IN YOUR TOOLBOX. Trust me, EVERYONE can tell when you're working barefoot!
@DtroitDinosaur
3 жыл бұрын
Hey Del. You are so right about computers being a tool in our tool box. A wonderful tool to be sure, but not the end all be all. But even if an artist’s work is completely digital they still need those basic drawing skills. People think that drawing is a hand skill. I believe it is more a mental, decision, choosing, editing,design skill that also requires your hand/skill to be coordinated with the mental aspect. Thanks for those comments. Glad to hear your daughter is getting after it. It will put her way ahead of her classmates.
@delswanson3593
3 жыл бұрын
@@DtroitDinosaur You are correct in that drawing (any artistic communicating) is mostly cerebral. I have a good friend who is an excellent artist/designer that has no feeling in his extremities. He has to think his way through everything. I believe you could tape a pencil to an amputated nub and still create what ever you wanted.....if the drive was there.
@DtroitDinosaur
3 жыл бұрын
@@delswanson3593 Right on. Frank Frezetta had a stroke in his later years and taught himself to paint again using his left hand. All the art was in his head just had to work on the hand eye coordination for the less dominant hand.
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