AnimeSuki Forums

Tallica · 2004-06-06, 23:00

I was just wandering what method of these two that people on the board seem to think is the best way, or at least what your opinions are regarding them. I have 3 friends who I beleive to be pretty good artists. 2 of them learned to draw by finding pictures of their favorite chars and copying them (thats copy...NOT trace). This is the method that I am currently pursuing. My other friend always makes a fuss when I show him one of my new drawings, because it is copied (althought I can't really tell if he is joking to be honest). Even though he seems to have some sort of negative view towards copying he never really told me how he learned. So I just wandering what you think about this. I suppose method one would be copying pictures until you eventually get the feel of it and eventually you are able to creat your own original art. Method 2 would be a more academic aspect..the type of thing you would see in a drawing book..working with making your own chars right away through different steps.

I personally am having far more success with the copying pictures. When I first began I could not even copy a picture..It looked horrible. But now I am able to copy pictures quite proficiently and they really look great (well in the opinion of me and my friends that is). I still haven't gotten to the point where I can creat original pieces that satisfy me quality wise but copying pictures has still helped. Again, when I first started my original drawing were so bad it was blasphemous to call them "art". But after copying stuff I noticed huge improvements in my attempts at original art. Particularly in the areas of proportions, faces and hair. So in conclusion I beleive both methods are good (though to be honest I have never met anyone who "studied" how to draw). But it would seem that me and my friends have found success in copying pics and "feeling" our way around until eventually you just get the flow of things.

Sorry for the long post! So now I am curious what your opinions are..The "academic" method vs. a "copy", "feel" your way around method.

Asura · 2004-06-07, 00:36

it doesn't matter. if i was given the money to go to art school, I'd spend it on art books and materials instead, and learn on my own. Not forgetting the bowls of ramen I can get with whatever left. what i call art is a subjective matter. the only purpose I have of art school would be models, nude ones. but hmm, I could just rent a maid for that and have fun at the same time.

but really, it doesn't matter, whichever works best for you, works best for you.

aliensquare · 2004-06-07, 00:44

i have a friend who is really good at drawing, i believe im good too (-_-;

but he is far better than me.
but everytime he sees someone draw a character he recognizes or copied, he talks about that instead of the actual work on the drawing.
he says everone should have thier own style, but i think gaining skills come before your own style.
what good is a style that looks like crap? oh yea, its still a style eh?

copying is a big help. for instance, try to look at a drawing of a robot and copy it. although it might be difficult at first, you merely just have gone a step closer to your own style. now when you need to draw a robot without a demo, you can go back and think about what you drew before, and add in some more stuff since you cant exactly copy every single things that was on the robot.

the outcome is, your style of robot.

anyways, keep on practicing with drawings that you like.
the center foundations to good drawing skills, really isn't what you were born with, but rather practiced and being satisfied with your own work.

GOOD LUCK

anime_luver · 2004-06-07, 00:55

i learned through the copy style. and im still learning, i only started seriously drawing around october of last year. learning through observation is what i like to call it. but learning academically would probably apply more to realistic drawing rather than anime (if you're learning anime, i assume so because this is an anime board).
and academically learning will take much longer to develop your own style. i know because my brother learned this way and he really rocks at drawing (imo of course, just too bad he can't draw anime too well

), but took a looooong time to develop a style that he could really call his own. anyways, personally i think that the learning through observation style is much easier to learn with for beginners, but as you progress, im sure you will find different ways to draw the things you see. and ta-da your own style would be born. there's also no real way to "study" drawing other than looking at models and real life proportions.
so all in all, copy for starters, observe real life when you think you're ready, draw it, or just create something from your mind. o and processes may work for art, but experiment sometimes, that may also help you develop a style and be great at drawing. another thing, draw whenever and where ever, it always works for the great artists, so it should work for us sucky ones!

aliensquare · 2004-06-07, 00:58

the person above means that you should draw anywhere and anytime, except on your homework during class ^^

i probably have more than 70% of my school related papers with at least one doodling on it....

...which is bad

anime_luver · 2004-06-07, 01:18

lol, thanks for shortening my post ( i don't mean that sarcastically). and yes, try not to draw on homework. teachers don't particularly enjoy doodles covering your answers. i always carry a sketchbook/clipboard with paper for spontaneous doodlage/drawing.

.gaara · 2004-06-07, 01:23

practice practice. it make things perfect

Dark Sakura · 2004-06-07, 07:42

Yeah... i agree with gaara, practice and practice is the only one method that will keep your skill getting better and better. However i think, the first and most importaint thing is that you have to LOVE drawing, you have to feel the kind of happiness when u draw something or just finish a work

. It doesn't metter if your drawing is bad or good, it doesn't metter if you have talent or not, you just have to try to put your soul in your drawings and you surelly will master your skill in someday

PS : Wish u good luck

Secca · 2004-06-07, 08:21

I think there is nothing wrong learning from copying. I mean, in academic life drawing classes, what they were doing is pretty much teaching you how to copy a real life object into your drawings. I'm more called it capturing the essence. Once you get the feeling and understand how things works, then you can make your own stuffs. I think copying is just part of the learning process.

I stil find myself from time to time, go back to the mirror and try to pose my characters. ^^

PS: And Dark Sakura has a good advice, you have to enjoy it first. And things will work out it doesn't matter what method you learning from.

get_a_life · 2004-06-07, 14:05

how badly do oyu want to draw? how badly do you want to improve? how bad do you want it?

i always dooled anime faces all through highschool. all of them sucked. in art class my friend would always walk by to see what i was drawing. i knew my stuff looked "ehhh" but he was a nice guy and encouraged me w/o the neg feedback. so anyway i knew i sucked so i spent the summer vacation after grad-ing highschool drawing my ass off. drawing day and night. actually i drew from night to day. draw wherever and whenever you can. always build up that mileage.

now to answer your question,

academic classes:
when i was a kid, my parents sent me off to art classes. there wasnt a single creative original project. everything was either copying or... yeah copying. still lifes. comics. picture books. anything. what copying does is build up technical skill. i thank the endless hours of copying i used to do back in the days. i hated that shit but it payed off.

copying:
i dont know why your friend flames copying. i guess he's one of those people that never use reference when he draws. what a bummer, he's just limiting himself of one of the most essential tools of art. there's nothing like copying directly. you can instantly learn and break down techniques rather than reading a freakin manual like a n00b would. ugh. freakin n00bs. "oh i'll buy a book on how to draw." thats like getting a book on how to freakin eat. just dig in already.

so do it this way, the copying will never end, why? bc ultimately, as an artist, you will never be satisfied with your own work and will strive to learn more(thru copying) and get better. once you feel confident about your skill, then pick up a book bc you'll know what its talking about so you wont feel like a super n00b.

2004-06-06, 23:00	Link #1
Tallica Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Age: 36	how to learn I was just wandering what method of these two that people on the board seem to think is the best way, or at least what your opinions are regarding them. I have 3 friends who I beleive to be pretty good artists. 2 of them learned to draw by finding pictures of their favorite chars and copying them (thats copy...NOT trace). This is the method that I am currently pursuing. My other friend always makes a fuss when I show him one of my new drawings, because it is copied (althought I can't really tell if he is joking to be honest). Even though he seems to have some sort of negative view towards copying he never really told me how he learned. So I just wandering what you think about this. I suppose method one would be copying pictures until you eventually get the feel of it and eventually you are able to creat your own original art. Method 2 would be a more academic aspect..the type of thing you would see in a drawing book..working with making your own chars right away through different steps. I personally am having far more success with the copying pictures. When I first began I could not even copy a picture..It looked horrible. But now I am able to copy pictures quite proficiently and they really look great (well in the opinion of me and my friends that is). I still haven't gotten to the point where I can creat original pieces that satisfy me quality wise but copying pictures has still helped. Again, when I first started my original drawing were so bad it was blasphemous to call them "art". But after copying stuff I noticed huge improvements in my attempts at original art. Particularly in the areas of proportions, faces and hair. So in conclusion I beleive both methods are good (though to be honest I have never met anyone who "studied" how to draw). But it would seem that me and my friends have found success in copying pics and "feeling" our way around until eventually you just get the flow of things. Sorry for the long post! So now I am curious what your opinions are..The "academic" method vs. a "copy", "feel" your way around method.

2004-06-07, 00:36	Link #2
Asura should i stay longer? Join Date: May 2003 Location: Hong Kong until May 6 2006.... it's paradise ;)	it doesn't matter. if i was given the money to go to art school, I'd spend it on art books and materials instead, and learn on my own. Not forgetting the bowls of ramen I can get with whatever left. what i call art is a subjective matter. the only purpose I have of art school would be models, nude ones. but hmm, I could just rent a maid for that and have fun at the same time. but really, it doesn't matter, whichever works best for you, works best for you.

2004-06-07, 00:44	Link #3
aliensquare Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Incheon Age: 37	i have a friend who is really good at drawing, i believe im good too (-_-; but he is far better than me. but everytime he sees someone draw a character he recognizes or copied, he talks about that instead of the actual work on the drawing. he says everone should have thier own style, but i think gaining skills come before your own style. what good is a style that looks like crap? oh yea, its still a style eh? copying is a big help. for instance, try to look at a drawing of a robot and copy it. although it might be difficult at first, you merely just have gone a step closer to your own style. now when you need to draw a robot without a demo, you can go back and think about what you drew before, and add in some more stuff since you cant exactly copy every single things that was on the robot. the outcome is, your style of robot. anyways, keep on practicing with drawings that you like. the center foundations to good drawing skills, really isn't what you were born with, but rather practiced and being satisfied with your own work. GOOD LUCK

2004-06-07, 00:55	Link #4
anime_luver Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canada Age: 33	i learned through the copy style. and im still learning, i only started seriously drawing around october of last year. learning through observation is what i like to call it. but learning academically would probably apply more to realistic drawing rather than anime (if you're learning anime, i assume so because this is an anime board). and academically learning will take much longer to develop your own style. i know because my brother learned this way and he really rocks at drawing (imo of course, just too bad he can't draw anime too well ), but took a looooong time to develop a style that he could really call his own. anyways, personally i think that the learning through observation style is much easier to learn with for beginners, but as you progress, im sure you will find different ways to draw the things you see. and ta-da your own style would be born. there's also no real way to "study" drawing other than looking at models and real life proportions. so all in all, copy for starters, observe real life when you think you're ready, draw it, or just create something from your mind. o and processes may work for art, but experiment sometimes, that may also help you develop a style and be great at drawing. another thing, draw whenever and where ever, it always works for the great artists, so it should work for us sucky ones!

2004-06-07, 00:58	Link #5
aliensquare Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Incheon Age: 37	the person above means that you should draw anywhere and anytime, except on your homework during class ^^ i probably have more than 70% of my school related papers with at least one doodling on it.... ...which is bad

2004-06-07, 01:18	Link #6
anime_luver Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canada Age: 33	lol, thanks for shortening my post ( i don't mean that sarcastically). and yes, try not to draw on homework. teachers don't particularly enjoy doodles covering your answers. i always carry a sketchbook/clipboard with paper for spontaneous doodlage/drawing.

2004-06-07, 01:23	Link #7
.gaara i'm in love --- :O Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: L o n d o n Age: 39	practice practice. it make things perfect

2004-06-07, 07:42	Link #8
Dark Sakura Starveling Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Age: 39	Yeah... i agree with gaara, practice and practice is the only one method that will keep your skill getting better and better. However i think, the first and most importaint thing is that you have to LOVE drawing, you have to feel the kind of happiness when u draw something or just finish a work . It doesn't metter if your drawing is bad or good, it doesn't metter if you have talent or not, you just have to try to put your soul in your drawings and you surelly will master your skill in someday PS : Wish u good luck

2004-06-07, 08:21	Link #9
Secca nya` Artist Join Date: Feb 2004	I think there is nothing wrong learning from copying. I mean, in academic life drawing classes, what they were doing is pretty much teaching you how to copy a real life object into your drawings. I'm more called it capturing the essence. Once you get the feeling and understand how things works, then you can make your own stuffs. I think copying is just part of the learning process. I stil find myself from time to time, go back to the mirror and try to pose my characters. ^^ PS: And Dark Sakura has a good advice, you have to enjoy it first. And things will work out it doesn't matter what method you learning from.

2004-06-07, 14:05	Link #10
get_a_life hentai! banzai! Join Date: May 2003 Location: pasadena, ca Age: 39	how badly do oyu want to draw? how badly do you want to improve? how bad do you want it? i always dooled anime faces all through highschool. all of them sucked. in art class my friend would always walk by to see what i was drawing. i knew my stuff looked "ehhh" but he was a nice guy and encouraged me w/o the neg feedback. so anyway i knew i sucked so i spent the summer vacation after grad-ing highschool drawing my ass off. drawing day and night. actually i drew from night to day. draw wherever and whenever you can. always build up that mileage. now to answer your question, academic classes: when i was a kid, my parents sent me off to art classes. there wasnt a single creative original project. everything was either copying or... yeah copying. still lifes. comics. picture books. anything. what copying does is build up technical skill. i thank the endless hours of copying i used to do back in the days. i hated that shit but it payed off. copying: i dont know why your friend flames copying. i guess he's one of those people that never use reference when he draws. what a bummer, he's just limiting himself of one of the most essential tools of art. there's nothing like copying directly. you can instantly learn and break down techniques rather than reading a freakin manual like a n00b would. ugh. freakin n00bs. "oh i'll buy a book on how to draw." thats like getting a book on how to freakin eat. just dig in already. so do it this way, the copying will never end, why? bc ultimately, as an artist, you will never be satisfied with your own work and will strive to learn more(thru copying) and get better. once you feel confident about your skill, then pick up a book bc you'll know what its talking about so you wont feel like a super n00b.