Absolute Beginners

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WashedUpJunk
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Absolute Beginners

Post by WashedUpJunk »

Excuse the David Bowie reference in the title, but I was hoping for suggestions to someone who is an absolute beginner to drawing - fantasy or anything.

Are there any recommendations you can make for books, YouTube channels, and materials?

I have had the usual public school art classes and drew once in a while as a child, but that was a couple of decades ago. I was hoping to pick this up as a hobby to enjoy my role playing when I’m not playing, and it might be fun to put a monster or drawing in a field guide or adventure module.
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teaman
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Re: Absolute Beginners

Post by teaman »

I still think "HOW TO DRAW COMICS THE MARVEL WAY" is a great introduction to a lot of basic drawing skills, even beyond comics.

ALPHONSO DUNN is a great artist to take a look at on youtube. You can't go wrong with any of his stuff. Here's the link.

https://www.youtube.com/c/ALPHONSODUNN/videos
Teaman is the sole proprietor of Sharp Mountain Games at roll20 and DTRPG

https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/p ... tain-games
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Dimirag
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Re: Absolute Beginners

Post by Dimirag »

(Loomis is ultra helpfull)
Start with the bases, shapes, circles, cubes, etc...
Faces and Anatomy is next, copy from books, pictures, comics, whatever you fancy
Next go with shadings and volumization
Expressions, hands, feet...
If there is an artist or style you like star copying them, and then try to emulate it, if you want your own style, do a little of everything, true style is the last step and one of the final acquisition, from there you will circle your learning but this time with the bases learned and building upon them.
Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
Drawing portfolio: https://www.instagram.com/m.serena_dimirag/
WashedUpJunk
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Re: Absolute Beginners

Post by WashedUpJunk »

Teaman,

I’ll check out that YT channel, thanks. That’s funny you mention that book. I recently picked it up at a thrift store for $2 for my kids!

Good suggestions, Dimirag.

Other than charcoal pencils, an eraser, sketch paper, and assortment if ink pens, is there any other tools I should consider?

As for artists, I was always partial to the B/W illustrations from AD&D, Shadowrun 2nd ed, original Earthdawn, and Rifts (Kevin Long! Don’t judge me).
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Dimirag
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Re: Absolute Beginners

Post by Dimirag »

WashedUpJunk wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2020 8:18 pm Other than charcoal pencils, an eraser, sketch paper, and assortment if ink pens, is there any other tools I should consider?
I'm basic on the use of tools, pencils (HB, 3B for sketch, 9B for use instead of inks) whenever I use ink its a 0.5 needle point pen, and some other black (and sometimes grey) markers.
For paper I started with standard paper, mostly ream of paper for printer, then I moved to higher gram paper (150gr is my current paper).

A ruler, carpenter's square and a french curved ruler are always good helpers
Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
Drawing portfolio: https://www.instagram.com/m.serena_dimirag/
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Francisco-art
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Re: Absolute Beginners

Post by Francisco-art »

I think getting the basics down is a must. Drawing anatomy and understanding perspective help. There are several books out there but the key is to practice, practice and practice. To practice you just need a pencil and sketch paper. Sketch drawings are not final pieces but you learning the craft, so it's ok to make mistakes and keep trying. Draw a hundred faces till you get the hang of it, draw 100 bodies made of cylinders, circles and other geometric shapes until you understand anatomy/proportions and perspective. (i'm still trying to master all this myself by the way)
Use department store catalogs and learn how clothes drape on the human body and draw it yourself. You can also put a sheet of tracing paper over a photo of a human model (from the same catalog) and try to draw the skeleton or the geometric body underneath so you get a better understanding on how the human body works and connects.
Perspective is vital, even if you just draw a dragon and a warrior with no background... those two figures are still in perspective.
Finally, the art materials are the fun stuff. This is where you get to explore mediums and combine them and experiment! Strathmore 300 bristol board is fine for pen and ink drawings and some light washes. You can combine brushes and inks with Micron pens or technical pens. Grab a piece of tissue or paper towel and dip it in ink and dab it/slide it across the paper and you will see various textures and effects you can achieve. You can color ink drawings with watercolors or colored inks. You can use gouache, acrylics, india ink, colored pencils, ball point pens--whatever!
But most of all practice and have fun!
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burgerbabylon
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Re: Absolute Beginners

Post by burgerbabylon »

WashedUpJunk wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2020 8:18 pm Other than charcoal pencils, an eraser, sketch paper, and assortment if ink pens, is there any other tools I should consider?
Start out with pencil and paper first. See how you like your charcoal pencils over plain old graphite pencils. If you find you enjoy inking you might want to pick up a bottle of ink and a brush. First thing first though is just drawing and drawing and drawing. You never know, you may find you like smoother grain paper, maybe rougher, you might like to work large, small, somewhere down the line you may even decide "screw this I'm a macaroni sculpter" so it's best to keep it cheap and dirty until you get a bug to do something specific. Straight edges of some sort are handy of course but even if you don't have one there's objects with straight edges on them everywhere.

Might want to check out some Jim Lee streams. He shows his whole process start to finish and gives solid advice. Whenever I get too tight and meticulous I cure yourself by watching him scribble and splatter things into being.
https://www.youtube.com/user/jimlee00

Priority should be make it fun. If it's fun you keep doing it and if you keep doing it you improve.
WashedUpJunk
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Re: Absolute Beginners

Post by WashedUpJunk »

I have been drawing every day since I last posted. Thanks for the suggestions.

I have been working through Mark Kistler’s You Can Draw in 30 Days for the past week. It’s been great; it’s nice to have good directions, fun, and success to keep going. So far, I have been using a sketch book, a Ticonderoga pencil, and a white Staedler eraser. I have some ink pens and charcoals to try next, but I am keeping it simple for now.

Right now it’s just sphere and cube variations with 3D tricks for perspective.
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