Questions for /ic/

[Anonymous No.2036835]

So fellow d/ic/ks, as somebody looking to vastly improve in the course of 2-3 months and I'm curious as to a few things:
1) I am a huge gamer, to the point where I at least spend 1-3 hours a day on games (it adds up quickly too and sometimes I'll do a huge burst of gaming for 4+ hours), should I just completely drop games or should I be very conservative with my time (e.g. half-hour to an hour only per day)?
2) How do you improve at imaginative drawing? A large part of my workload is doing studies (I don't try to directly copy, rather I try to examine the subject 3-dimensionally) and gestures but it doesn't seem to help too much when it comes to drawing from imagination.
3) How useful are schedules? Is it better to just kinda go with the flow and just ensure you get in 5-6 hours a day (assuming you actually diversify what you do w/o a schedule)?

[Anonymous No.2036839]

>>2036835
I'll answer the only one I really can, the first

In my case, games are largely what inspire me to draw in the first place, and are one of the biggest things to get my creative juices flowing. Some people get it from movies, or books, or whatever, mine's games. It could be this way for you, too, so think hard before you throw it out.

[Anonymous No.2036843]

>>2036839
Reading and films seem to help a lot but honestly I believe the amount of gaming is very in excess. If I didn't keep it in check, I could easily do nothing but play games the whole god damn day.There's other issues too, like Skype, Tumblr, Netflix etc. but gaming can be a huge, huge issue.

I really do wanna draw more but I have a shit attention span (having ADHD really does not help) so I'm trying to figure out what might be best. I may go the drug route and take something for my adhd or hell, since weed's legal maybe I should try that again... or meditation.

[Anonymous No.2036844]

I'd say keep gaming, otherwise if all you do is draw where do the stuff you'll draw come from?

[Anonymous No.2036846]

>>2036844
I can get inspiration/ideas from pictures I like. Admittedly I have a shit imagination and all I know is is that a lot of pro artists will recommend to put everything else to the side when you want to really boost your skill level (which is what I want to do).

[Anonymous No.2036851]

>>2036835
>should I just completely drop games or should I be very conservative with my time
Your choice - whichever works best for you, though time spent gaming is time that could be spent drawing if your goal is to become as good as possible in as short a time span as possible.

>How do you improve at imaginative drawing?
By drawing from imagination. Assess where you are weakest, and focus your studies on strengthening those weaknesses. You might find you don't know the forearm very well, or you don't know how paint a certain light setup convincingly. Drawing from imagination is your chance to identify those weaknesses, and you can later find refs to correct your work. Re-test yourself painting something similar from imagination and see if you retained that new knowledge.

All of that said, it's essential that you learn the basics of perspective, and constructing complex forms from basic forms, and how to light basic forms. Everything more specific builds off of those skills.

>How useful are schedules?
Varies. Some work more when they have a schedule, and others prefer the flexibility of some sort of drawing quota (X number of hours or Y number of drawings in a day/week). Try both and see what works best for you. You can combine this with the first question and use video game time as your reward for meeting your drawing quota/schedule. Don't do the required drawings for the day? Then no video games that day. Meet the minimum drawing quota? Then video games with whatever free time you have left that day.

[Anonymous No.2036855]

>>2036846
Yeah, I guess try different stuff maybe? Like try to put a at least 1 hours of drawing a day and slowly increase?

I don't know man, I don't know how that shit works. It seems different for everybody or nobody knows what they're talking about.

I tried to draw obsessively for a while and all that did is make me miserable and I learned a bunch of stuff I'm not sure I really care about. Just my personal opinion.

[Anonymous No.2036865]

>>2036835
whos the artist in ops pic? please

[Anonymous No.2036866]

>>2036865
You're mom

[Anonymous No.2036891]

I have the exact same problem. I switched to part time at my job so I can devote more time to drawing, but I'm so addicted to video games. I'm literally about to unplug my console so it's not a distraction anymore.
As for a schedule, I use pick related. If you have the time of day this is the best schedule (IMO) for "getting gud REALLY fast".

[Anonymous No.2036892]

>>2036865
Looks like whit brachna

[Anonymous No.2036901]

>>2036866
>>2036866
my mom is awesome :D

thanks
>whit brachna

[Anonymous No.2036920]

If you want to Vastly improve you need to cut games completely.
Cut Non Factual Movies and tv shows.
Documentaries and historical pieces all the way.
Work on drawing for 8 hours per day, Read history, Science Fiction or Fantasy when you are done.

Imagination is a collage of all the real things you have seen in your life.
I would advice against working in color and from imagination during this period because you would be best served with building up visual library through reading and documentaries while learning to express form through a medium where you arent confused by colors.

But you could just watch some proko, do a couple of games of league of legends and 30 min of gesture drawing and call it a night.
Cutting away games and social ties should be easy if you really want to improve.
You can game and hang out with friends when you are as good as you want to be.

I meet a good group of friends two times per month to play dungeons and dragons and they know I'm busy with my life and studying art the rest of the time.
It's a choice I made and I don't regret it.

[Anonymous No.2036928]

>>2036891
That pic is a great way to burn yourself out.

[Anonymous No.2036934]

>>2036920
So if you will cut all of this at once time probably you'll feel a lot of pain. I'm still trying fight the good fight but (from my expierence) rush the things isn't good idea. Slow down mate. Improvement takes time.

[Anonymous No.2036943]

>>2036920
Of course you're not posting your own work. So fucking weak, your little rant loses all merit.

[Anonymous No.2036945]

>>2036943

[Anonymous No.2036953]

>>2036866
Cool maymay

[Anonymous No.2036961]

>>2036943
So salty

[Anonymous No.2036963]

>>2036945
I am upset.

[Anonymous No.2036976]

>>2036963

[Anonymous No.2036980]

>>2036851
Yeah, giving myself treats for hard work is actually a really good idea and might help culture success. I have a mentor for perspective and he's been helping me immensely, so I'll stick with him.
>>2036855
Sometimes you have to learn a lot of stuff you don't care about since it may be useful in certain respects. Starting slowly with drawing would be a great idea.
>>2036891
Like the other anon said that schedule will probably burn you out but I'll try and work up to it.
>>2036920
Unfortunately for this anon I'm not sure I entirely
>>2036976
agree because it doesn't seem like a healthy way to tackle this. Introducing new knowledge into my diet via documentaries and books seem great. I'm not sure if not drawing from imagination is a good idea since all I've done are studies and it doesn't help much. Cutting games is a possibility but totally destroying social interaction seems quite extreme (I only hang with my friends on weekends as is). I appreciate the extremity, I just doubt if it's healthy or maintainable.
>>2036976
Could we not deter this thread into a shitposting thread please?

[Anonymous No.2037061]

>>2036945
>>2036866
That guy is a big joke; suitable for a meme

[Anonymous No.2037063]

>>2036835
1) and 2) are really up to you, people work in different ways

>2) How do you improve at imaginative drawing? A large part of my workload is doing studies (I don't try to directly copy, rather I try to examine the subject 3-dimensionally) and gestures but it doesn't seem to help too much when it comes to drawing from imagination.

You're on the right track. Study things. You want to be able to draw dope mech pieces like Kim Jung Gi? Study machines, break down mechanical objects into the basic shapes(Cube Sphere Cone Pyramid Cylinder). Everything can be broken down into the essential shapes, proportions, surface texture/pattern. The cherry on the top that separates you from the rest is understanding how things work so they look plausible and functionable. Realize that nothing is actually created out of thin air, just out of what you've seen in real life.

What /ic/ deems as studies (copies of paintings/painting from a photograph/etc) are really not that helpful in terms of inventing objects in your head. Those are really good for improving your vision, ability to perceive colors, pay attention to details, and get tilts/angles right.

Three dimensionally observing objects well help you be able to draw things in a different angle. This is why going outside will really help you as you move around as you study whatever you want to observe. Multiple simple layouts will benefit you much more than a 6 hour fully rendered subject.

As for surface texture I'm still learning myself so I can't say too much on that but your best bet would be to understand repeating patterns and how the texture works (e.g. drawing rust on a wall vertically because it's created by the rain falling down,)

[Anonymous No.2037080]

>>2036920
Nice recipe to disaster.
Unless you have autistic powers this will burn any "normal" person.

[Anonymous No.2037082]

>>2036835
> I am a huge gamer
> 1-3 hours a day
> huge burst of gaming for 4+ hours

that is totally normal-tier. nothing huge about that.

[Anonymous No.2037083]

>>2037082
Honestly, I'm being pretty conservative, that's me when I'm really trying to ensure I don't go overboard. I can easily play 8-9 hours a day if I really wanted to.

[Anonymous No.2037088]

>>2037082

agreed. i used to play 6-8 hours of dota every day, studying art the rest of the day. unexpectdly still made significant improvement.

[Anonymous No.2037093]

>>2036835
>huge burst
>4 hours
Filthy casual.

[Anonymous No.2037095]

>>2037093
Just for clarification-
>>2037083
^ that's me, I'm the OP

[Anonymous No.2037097]

>>2037095
Well hey good luck. I used to be addicted to wow (8 months sober) thankfully the games balance is so atrocious right now that I think it's going to help me break the spell permanently. Although I'm at a point where if I don't play an hour here or there of sm4sh or something I can't even think.

I want to improve but it's the littlest things that push me away. Im currently frustrated with my digital vs traditional work, I cannot get a similar look on my digital stuff that I have with traditional. everything comes out much more bubbly and I can't get my brushes to look like pen... that god damn curser acquires a crosshair when you make it small.. I hate that.

These things quickly destroy my built up motivation and inspiration.

[Anonymous No.2037109]

>>2037097

you are still at that phase of learning digital where you spend a lot of time and energy just fighting with the software. know that it'll get better, but only after a very specific amount of struggle-hours. so you just gotta plow through them head first anon.

[Anonymous No.2037131]

>>2037097
OP here, it sounds like we're dealing with an addiction to gaming man. I know it sounds silly but you can't even think if you don't play some vidya? I mean, it's possible to get mentally addicted- ease of access, easy to get into (especially with me having ADHD), easy to socialize if multiplayer, the shittons of dopamine that get released, fuck man. I love gaming but this could be bad, especially for productivity.

[Anonymous No.2037336]

>>2036866
We cannot keep using the same reaction image.

[Anonymous No.2037490]

>>2036835

>1) I am a huge gamer, to the point where I at least spend 1-3 hours a day on games (it adds up quickly too and sometimes I'll do a huge burst of gaming for 4+ hours), should I just completely drop games or should I be very conservative with my time (e.g. half-hour to an hour only per day)?

If you end up liking to draw, you will naturally stop playing games.

>2) How do you improve at imaginative drawing? A large part of my workload is doing studies (I don't try to directly copy, rather I try to examine the subject 3-dimensionally) and gestures but it doesn't seem to help too much when it comes to drawing from imagination.

Learn about drawing from imagination. It's a separate topic. Also, learn about composition. ("Composition: Line, Notan and Color" by Arthur Wesley Dow.)

3) How useful are schedules? Is it better to just kinda go with the flow and just ensure you get in 5-6 hours a day (assuming you actually diversify what you do w/o a schedule)?

Go with the flow. Drawing is a dynamic exercise where you refine and change things all the time (after each sketch). Schedules can't help even if they are all encompassing, because they will never fit your current needs.

Schedules will only hinder you with decision noise and guilt trips.

[Anonymous No.2037491]

>>2036835

>1) I am a huge gamer, to the point where I at least spend 1-3 hours a day on games (it adds up quickly too and sometimes I'll do a huge burst of gaming for 4+ hours), should I just completely drop games or should I be very conservative with my time (e.g. half-hour to an hour only per day)?

If you end up liking to draw, you will naturally stop playing games.

>2) How do you improve at imaginative drawing? A large part of my workload is doing studies (I don't try to directly copy, rather I try to examine the subject 3-dimensionally) and gestures but it doesn't seem to help too much when it comes to drawing from imagination.

Learn about drawing from imagination. It's a separate topic. Also, learn about composition. ("Composition: Line, Notan and Color" by Arthur Wesley Dow.)

>3) How useful are schedules? Is it better to just kinda go with the flow and just ensure you get in 5-6 hours a day (assuming you actually diversify what you do w/o a schedule)?

Go with the flow. Drawing is a dynamic exercise where you refine and change things all the time (after each sketch). Schedules can't help even if they are all encompassing, because they will never fit your current needs.

Schedules will only hinder you with decision noise and guilt trips.

[Anonymous No.2037741]

I got really bored of videogames.
I only play them 3 times a week for like, an hour.

Ill be at a position soon where Ill enjoy life again

[Anonymous No.2037804]

>>2036920
Thanks for the replies guys but I've been doing fine with this for several years.
I'm not posting my work here because I'm confident enough in it to not want to have it associated with this place.

I have nothing to prove to you.

[Anonymous No.2038038]

>>2037804
Algenfleger and Tehmeh have posted their work here; this board is just a medium in which to discuss and show our art so I don't see how you'd be afraid to associate it with this place. I'm fairly certain you're gauging your skill level to be much higher than it actually is, learn some humility.

[Anonymous No.2038082]

>huge gamer
>1-3 hours
This is a troll, guys. Move along.

[Anonymous No.2039264]

>>2038082
I've already mentioned that that was a gross understatement.

[Anonymous No.2041142]

I have sort of grown out of video games as I've got more into drawing, I just don't really enjoy mindlessly shooting dudes like I used to. I wouldn't worry too much about your schedule man, if drawing really is for you you'll slowly start to spend more and more time on it because you'll want to, not because you have to. Don't try to hop directly into 6 hours a day, but make sure you draw everyday. Force yourself to draw too much and you'll burn out early and get frustrated.

[Anonymous No.2041146]

>>2041142
basically make sure you do at least a minimum of however much per day and do more if you feel like. If it ever feels like a chore, go jack off and go for a walk and come back later or just don't. You'll just spend more time on it if you like it, and the more you do it the more you'll like it. Like meth.

[Anonymous No.2041188]

Games are a waste of time. Drop them now and get over it.

[Anonymous No.2041204]

>>2036835
>vastly improve over the course of 2-3 months
>5-6 hours a day

This bitch is going to burn out in a week. The only way you'd be ready for this kind of study is if you had a real tangible incentive, or you were already working close to that amount.

[Anonymous No.2041250]

>>2041204
this, you have to build up to doing something 6 hours a day, you can't just do it

[Anonymous No.2041257]

OP, you can do whatever works for you. If you don't know what works for you yet, then try stuff out. I'd strongly advise against ditching your friends and gaming to just grind at art, doesn't work out long term.

A few months ago Dan and Dave apologised to the daggers crowd for if they'd fucked anyone's lives up by encouraging them to leave gaming/friends/life and just sit and draw all day. Sure some of them got a lot better, but at the cost of their health; both mental and physical, and you shouldn't underestimate the benefits of taking a break now and then to chill with people you know and like.

I was ripped apart on one of their streams years ago now because I said I didn't want to give up my friends and gaming with them just so I could get good as fast as possible. Was told I would never make it, dismissed as hopeless, etc. But a couple years later and they admit that viewpoint was wrong. Don't fuck up the rest of your life to try git gud quicker.

>>2041204
That's the spirit champ. The will is everything.
>As you think, so shall you become.

[Anonymous No.2041263]

>>2041257
how is crimson daggers?
I'm too lazy to go evaluate it myself

the shitty web design is kinda spooking me off

[Anonymous No.2041273]

I would like to stress a point that most of people wanting to change miss.
You want to draw more. You go ahead and discuss the ways in which to do it, the program, the schedule and so on.
What most people are missing, is the realization that its fine to know the theories of how to git gud at drawing. Do you know what makes a difference between someone who is good at drawing and someone who is shit, lazy, cant make himself do anything? Its not that the first person has a better schedule. Thats just surface level shit. In essence, what the first person has, that the second doesnt have is a right MINDSET.
You can wishfully think about learning to draw all you want, but if you are not in control of your emotions, of your thoughts of your desires and so on, you wont be able to go through the plans that you made.
Everyone forgets that. They live a life of mediocrity, masturbation, lazyness and boredom, and they think they can just jump in to a 8 hour per day work routine, just like that. The truth is, you CANT. Because you are WEAK. You have not trained your will power. Your values are all over the place. We are all more or less this way. We dream big, and boy, we love to plan like the big boys, but we forget what it actually takes.
Listen, if you want to really get good at drawing and you cant do it by simply wishing yourself in to an 8 hour routine, you have a different path ahead of you. You have to rewire yourself to enjoy work. You have to learn to not give in to the first desire to quit. You have to learn to motivate yourself. You have to find what makes you tick, you have to find your weaknesses.
What most people are missing is the sharpening of the most important tool you have-yourself.
Learn to meditate, start working out(for the simple reason that it changes your brain chemistry in a positive way), learn about habits and their creation. A month of 1 hour a day drawing is better than two days of 8 hours, 3 days of 2 hours and quiting drawing for months.

[Anonymous No.2041283]

>>2036835
i personally deleted steam and also set my xbox out on the curb because even losing 30 mins to that shit instead of creating art is a waste of time.

I'm not digital concept art fag, so maybe that changes things for me. I'm a traditional illustrator - I use digital as another tool sometimes, but I'm not the type of aspiring concept artist that litters this board. Maybe keeping vidya around matters if you're into that shit, but for me, it had no benefit.

My gf definitely liked not seeing me play games anymore. Shit is the biggest turnoff.

[Anonymous No.2041361]

>>2041283
So instead of playing video games, you waste your time on 4chan, well done. Also, traditional illustration is dead. It simply doesn't exist anymore as a valid career choice, as 99% of clients require digital work. Enjoy being homeless.

[Anonymous No.2041391]

>>2041273
This.
It's all about your mindset. I've been doing basics (cubes, pyramids and shit) for a month now with a significant technical improvement, to the point that I actually want to draw more and more (even if it's all boring still life compositions) simply because I regard it as a problem-solving process.
I have a day job and draw around 2-4 hours a day (simple sketches during lunch break included).

[Anonymous No.2041454]

>>2036843
>muh ADHD
Everybody and their mum has "ADHD" these days fucking ridiculous

[Anonymous No.2041456]

>>2041361
Not that Anon, but why do people assume you're spending a lot of time on 4chan?

Believe it or not, but not every minute has to be spent on work. You do need to take a 15-20 minute break after a while.

[Anonymous No.2041513]

>>2041454
Michael Phelps has adhd and look how he turned out.

[Anonymous No.2042353]

>>2041361
Firstly, I spend about ten minutes on 4chan a day when I'm taking a break (i.e. eating a meal or taking a shit).

Secondly, you're a fucking retard if you think traditional illustration is dead. No, no one wants Norman Rockwell bullshit anymore, but contemporary illustration is actually much sought after. Clientele is fucking everywhere. Print media, film/tv (motion design), galleries (referred to as low brow art), surface design (patterning, etc.), advertisements (fuckloads of it), editorial, personal work (selling paintings, prints, zines, etc.), murals (growing demand all around the world), etc. etc. etc. There is no shortage of work, but you have to be willing to be a freelancer really, but it gets much easier when you find an agent to represent you.

Okay, back to painting now (seriously).

P.S. You think you're gonna get some comfy studio 9-5 but that shit is fucking dead. I have old artschool friends at Disney, Dreamworks, Pixar, Nickelodeon, among others and people are let go all the time. Dreamworks just shut down one of their studios to hire a bunch of Koreans. Most "wrists" are being laid off and only head animators and art directors are remaining in the US. - the hours are miserable and the pay is shit too.

[Anonymous No.2042355]

>>2042353
there are people that don't know animation is literally hell? illustration is the only art job you can get where you won't want to kill yourself

[Anonymous No.2042373]

>>2036835

OP, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that your biggest problem right now is that you're full of shit. A big part of getting gud at art is honesty, especially self honesty, about your work habits, how advanced you are, what you need to work on, etc. And you're lying to yourself if you think you're going to improve a lot in 3 months (especially at only 5-6 hours/day). You're also lying to yourself if you think you only play video games for 1-3 hours a day; you're not fooling anyone, though; everyone knows that "huge gamers" play more than that, and you no doubt do as well.

If you go into art lying to yourself, as most people do, you'll just set unrealistic expectations and fail to meet your goals, as most people do. Rigorous self honesty is as important to practice as anything else.

[Anonymous No.2042443]

>>2036835
I strongly recommend dropping games entirely. one might watch a let's play episode or two on youtube for entertainment and inspiration, but games seriously are a waste of time.

Of course I am biased, for I have wasted a good chunk of my life on them and nevertheless never found them to be actually fulfilling.

I tried to quit games many times with more or less good results. Last time I abstained for 5 months, returned after Christmas, now trying to stay away again. It'll be easier this time.

I have to say that some games can be quite inspirational, like Deus Ex HR (dat interior architecture! Dat athmosphere!).

I dream of being an artist for a game developer (currently work as product designer), but I want to minimize my time wasted on actual gaming as much as possible.

Used to read some very good blog posts on how to quit effectively, would appreciate some links you guys know. The void will be filled with more practice, ofc.

[Anonymous No.2042452]

>>2042353
I sometimes feel there are many people who only visit 4chan while taking a shit :)

[Anonymous No.2042460]

>>2036891
Are there proven and good sample plans for less anthropocentric approaches to art?

I'm more into "things" and architecture, interior design. Products, cars, helmets, glasses, chairs, environment, landscapes. Stuff like this. While I want to practice drawing humans as well, it isn't really what interests me.

How to approach "drawing things"? I guess a lot of perspective. But what else?

[Anonymous No.2042516]

>>2036835
1) Be aware of how much time you spend on any activity so you can make reasonable estimates on how much time you need to get things done or decide how much you would like to set aside for something.
Leisure and even doing alternative things are massively important, you don't want to spend every waking moment just doing studies or work cause you'll burn out and become depressed.
Have to balance it by chilling out once in a while, play your vidya, read, watch things, but go out too, shoot the shit with people, do stuff, learn some history and how to cook
cause inspiration, ideas, that shit comes from all the other stuff you do in life.

2) A foundation in perspective and drawing the basic shapes (cube, sphere, cone, cylinder), being able to visualize them from all angles, manipulating, combining them is the start which in itself takes a while.
From there you can start conceiving objects in terms of those shapes, at first just straight up sphere for a head, box for torso, cylinders for appendages but then you basically sculpt them into recognizable forms.
There were some great videos that explained this stuff really well but I don't have links.
I think Sycra was one, then this other guy that does Gnomon lectures or something and gave a great rundown of the whole progression.

3) I like to think of a schedule as something that I mind.
Appointments, times to be at work or school, etc are scheduled because I have an obligation to adhere to them and usually can't be interrupted during those times.
Everything else is routines with blocks of time or a set number of things to be done.
This way if I'm interrupted I know I still want to put in this much time or do that many sketches
and when I'm done with what popped up, I'll get right back to it.
It eliminates the frustration of trying to maintain a schedule for yourself cause your 2:30 got interrupted and now you'll have to push your 3:15 to later or whatever.

[Anonymous No.2046036]

I was looking at the FZD gallery. I want to master perspective.

I read a book on it, and while I feel that I understand the theory, there's a gap with my actual ability. How do I grind perspective?

[Anonymous No.2046290]

I wouldn't give up anything that entertains you completely. If you don't have deadlines to dealwith,let the inspiration come as it will. I game as well,and a little gaming before I start my art-day helps get the coffee moving in my brain,and allows me to approach the work with a fully awake mind. And you'll find days when you don't feel like doing anything creative,so gaming will dispel burnout.

[Anonymous No.2046298]

>>2042452
>people who only visit 4chan while taking a shit
Hahaha I am doing that right now

[Anonymous No.2046303]

>>2046036
Start with 1 point perspective. Draw cubes, repeat them in perspective, divide them in 1/2, 1/4, etc and measure them. Move on to cylinders/cones/pyramids. Practice until you get it. Move on to 2 point, repeat, add slopes and tilted cubes. etc.

There are books and videos for learning perspective, man. Nothing to it but to do it.

[Anonymous No.2046306]

>>2046298
so am i...