Drawing Lessons
Okay, first of all, a couple things: I'm not actually teaching anyone to draw, so much as suggesting activities that stimulate the creative process and imaginative areas of the brain, while also imparting a better grasp of some of the more fundamental aspects of line drawing. I'm not going to do that step-by-step crap where I teach you a frame at a time how to draw aDx, or one of my other characters, cause honestly, I think that shit's retarded. If you think a character's creator honestly has to sit there and start out with a misshapen oval and a few lines to connect smaller balloons to it in order to draw a character they've been drawing for years, you're likely retarded too. I'm not going over any new finger painting techniques, little buddy, so you can put your bicycle helmet back on and shove off.
The only thing, aside from a couple pointers and ideas to get the juices flowing, that's gonna teach you how to draw is an ass-load of time and practice. I do firmly believe that anyone can learn to draw well, if not great, if they are willing to put the effort needed into it and they really want to. Personally, I think it's worth it. Of course, the only activity that I've spent more time on in the last 27 years of my life other than drawing is sleeping and pooping, and that's only if you consider the two of those things a single activity with a combined time, which it frequently is with me. Even so, I'd say drawing and coma-poops are about neck-and-neck at this point in my life.
The only thing, aside from a couple pointers and ideas to get the juices flowing, that's gonna teach you how to draw is an ass-load of time and practice. I do firmly believe that anyone can learn to draw well, if not great, if they are willing to put the effort needed into it and they really want to. Personally, I think it's worth it. Of course, the only activity that I've spent more time on in the last 27 years of my life other than drawing is sleeping and pooping, and that's only if you consider the two of those things a single activity with a combined time, which it frequently is with me. Even so, I'd say drawing and coma-poops are about neck-and-neck at this point in my life.
Beginner Exercises
Intermediate Exercises
ArchAngel's Gear and General Philosophy of Drawing
Typically, I like to use the simplest materials I can find and use them in ways most people wouldn't think of, or use things to a degree you don't normally see them used. I have a pretty minimalist philosophy when it comes to my designs. This is probably the result of the fact that as a kid and then a teenager in school, it wasn't as though I could haul an easel or a drawing table from class to class along with a toolbox full of colored pencil sets, wells of India Ink, and protractors, rulers and compasses. When I started working, the same was true, I never had access to a full studio in between dealing with irritated, morbidly obese trailer-dwellers at KFC (or any of my other, equally frustrating and stupid jobs). I learned to work with what I had on hand, and if nothing else, that meant a ballpoint pen or a pencil and scrap paper.
I got good at turning a boring class period, a sheet of notebook paper and a Bic pen into ridiculously detailed, typically strange and often absurd picture. I drew on everything. My notes for class were more comic characters and pin-up girls than school work. I got a free trip to the counselor on more than one occasion because at one point I managed to get my hands on a red pen as well, and my notebook pictures reflected my newly discovered ability to color in the bloody scenes (see below). It's amazing how much faster your teacher's think your torturing neighborhood pets when you add just one color to a drawing. My notes to girlfriends were works of art in and of themselves, fully illustrated and labored over at length while I was ignoring the trained primates in skirts and ties that thought they could teach me something.
I got good at turning a boring class period, a sheet of notebook paper and a Bic pen into ridiculously detailed, typically strange and often absurd picture. I drew on everything. My notes for class were more comic characters and pin-up girls than school work. I got a free trip to the counselor on more than one occasion because at one point I managed to get my hands on a red pen as well, and my notebook pictures reflected my newly discovered ability to color in the bloody scenes (see below). It's amazing how much faster your teacher's think your torturing neighborhood pets when you add just one color to a drawing. My notes to girlfriends were works of art in and of themselves, fully illustrated and labored over at length while I was ignoring the trained primates in skirts and ties that thought they could teach me something.
Later, at Graceton's Market/Modular Components National/Taco Bell-KFC/any one of the multitude of places I worked, I continued with this already established pattern. No paper? That's cool, I'll grab a strip of register tape. Out on the hood of my car taking a smoke break? I'm sure I have a crumpled-up receipt in my pocket. If you let me alone for more than two minutes at a stretch, I was gonna start drawing on something. I'm still like this.
So, I have my trusty ballpoint pen, that's established, easily carried with me from place to place. At that point, I'm not even necessarily dangerous. But there are a few other things that are small enough to be kept in a pocket, and of all of them, my absolute favorite (and the one that's cost me more brain cells than any amount of binge drinking could even hope to touch,) is the Sharpie Permanent Marker. I capitalize all three words, you'll notice, and that's because as far as I'm concerned, it's the only one.
So, I have my trusty ballpoint pen, that's established, easily carried with me from place to place. At that point, I'm not even necessarily dangerous. But there are a few other things that are small enough to be kept in a pocket, and of all of them, my absolute favorite (and the one that's cost me more brain cells than any amount of binge drinking could even hope to touch,) is the Sharpie Permanent Marker. I capitalize all three words, you'll notice, and that's because as far as I'm concerned, it's the only one.
At this point in my life, I should probably have stock in Sanford. I'll bet I've dumped close to a grand here and there on Sharpies and Sharpie-related stuff in the past decade. I go through'em like my dog goes through a mound of fresh, raw ground beef: very quickly and with unbridled fervor. I'm seriously considering a tattoo. Did you know you can get those bastards at Staples for nine bucks a dozen? And the Sharpie Magnum, don't even get me started. Driveway not black enough for you?
Now, the most I'm gonna do with a pen is, worst case scenario, start drawing on my hand or something. I mean, they're not that versatile as far as marking strange surfaces. But the Sharpie, well, those buggers are like the all-terrain vehicle of the drawing world. If I'm at your place, and I have a Sharpie (which I normally do,) you should consider it in your best interests to make sure I have some paper. If you think that's unreasonable, you should ask yourself these questions: Are the walls a light shade of any color? Is your coffee table made of wood or any other naturally porous material? Is the family pet any color that's not already black? Do you have small children that are easily impressionable and/or gullible? Is there beer in your fridge? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, get the damn paper. Unless you answered no to the last one, which does make it exceedingly unlikely I'm at your place. I mean, what's the point? Click here for examples.
Anyway, I got a little off track. The point is, although anyone with a hobby can be anal retentive and overly picky about their materials and supplies, I firmly believe that stuff just looks cooler when you make a lot out of a little. If you're the type of person that has a studio set up and loaded with high-quality canvases on a top of the line easel, hundreds of dollars worth of oil and acrylic paints in every shade, and a collection of brushes that cost more than a semester at college, just so you can paint a big red circle in two tones and a hand print in black and call it modern art, I'd appreciate it if you left my site right now. You're obviously a "well trained artist" with a degree in "fine arts or art history" and a refined and discerning sense of "true artistic energy and talent," and I might actually be getting a little gayer just because you're reading this. You never know how much of your art-faggy aura could be pouring through the server right now, coiling around the Ethernet cables and waiting to strike through my monitor and berate me with bad taste and haughty, mostly blind and retarded views of "real art."
Ooh, fun game. If you go back to that last paragraph and replace any word in quotes that's not a form of the word "art" with the word "bullshit," the whole thing makes more sense.
That all being said, I thought I'd share my preferred set-up and gear. As I've said, I'll use anything I can get my hands on if I need to, but if I have a choice, this is the stuff I go for:
Now, the most I'm gonna do with a pen is, worst case scenario, start drawing on my hand or something. I mean, they're not that versatile as far as marking strange surfaces. But the Sharpie, well, those buggers are like the all-terrain vehicle of the drawing world. If I'm at your place, and I have a Sharpie (which I normally do,) you should consider it in your best interests to make sure I have some paper. If you think that's unreasonable, you should ask yourself these questions: Are the walls a light shade of any color? Is your coffee table made of wood or any other naturally porous material? Is the family pet any color that's not already black? Do you have small children that are easily impressionable and/or gullible? Is there beer in your fridge? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, get the damn paper. Unless you answered no to the last one, which does make it exceedingly unlikely I'm at your place. I mean, what's the point? Click here for examples.
Anyway, I got a little off track. The point is, although anyone with a hobby can be anal retentive and overly picky about their materials and supplies, I firmly believe that stuff just looks cooler when you make a lot out of a little. If you're the type of person that has a studio set up and loaded with high-quality canvases on a top of the line easel, hundreds of dollars worth of oil and acrylic paints in every shade, and a collection of brushes that cost more than a semester at college, just so you can paint a big red circle in two tones and a hand print in black and call it modern art, I'd appreciate it if you left my site right now. You're obviously a "well trained artist" with a degree in "fine arts or art history" and a refined and discerning sense of "true artistic energy and talent," and I might actually be getting a little gayer just because you're reading this. You never know how much of your art-faggy aura could be pouring through the server right now, coiling around the Ethernet cables and waiting to strike through my monitor and berate me with bad taste and haughty, mostly blind and retarded views of "real art."
Ooh, fun game. If you go back to that last paragraph and replace any word in quotes that's not a form of the word "art" with the word "bullshit," the whole thing makes more sense.
That all being said, I thought I'd share my preferred set-up and gear. As I've said, I'll use anything I can get my hands on if I need to, but if I have a choice, this is the stuff I go for:
The Sharpie
(Imagine a heavenly choir singing.)
(Imagine a heavenly choir singing.)
The Sharpie Magnum
(This time, it's "Bad to the Bone" playing.)
(This time, it's "Bad to the Bone" playing.)
Bic Round Stic
Alvin Draf/Tec-Retrac 0.5mm
Pentel Clic Eraser
Pigma Micron
Prang Colored Pencils
Prismacolor Colored Pencils
ProArt Sketchbook
Moleskine Sketchbook
Ah, yes, my old friend and accomplice. I still haven't found a more versatile drawing tool. really, good for anything.
The Sharpie's big bad-ass brother. There is no project too big for this monster.
As far as normal writing implements go, I have yet to find anything that works better than the boring ol' Bic cheap-o pen. They're reliable and durable, and with a little practice you can almost get the same range of shading out of the ink that you would out of a pencil.
Actually, the pencil I use is an Alvin Klic Matic 0.5mm that I've had for years. I recently decided to order another one because sooner or later I'll destroy or lose mine, and was dismayed to find that they no longer offer them. I was Pissed. I got one of these instead. I haven't used it yet, but I'm sure when I have to, after I'm through pissin' and moanin' about getting used to a new scribe, it'll be great. They offer them in three sizes; I can't bring myself to use 0.7mm, I can't get the detail I want, and I'm too hard on them to make the 0.3mm worth it.
You can't beat these things. Retractable to keep crud off of them, nice soft white eraser tubes (I hate pink erasers, and I never got used to that gray, silly-putty type erasers "real" artists use,) and they fit right next to your pencils in a drawer or case. Cheap, too.
When cleaning up a pencil sketch for important or in-depth projects, Microns are perfect for anything requiring fine, even lines and detail too small for a Sharpie. They come in tip sizes ranging from the 005 (0.20mm) up to the 08 (0.5mm). Very nice, high quality technical pens. They also come in blue, red, green, brown, purple, yellow, orange, rose, sepia, royal blue, burgundy, hunter green, blue/black, and fresh green, in addition to the standard black.
These are decent colored pencils, especially for higher-tooth paper, and they won't break the bank. Light years ahead of any crap Crayola or RoseArt offers.
These are more expensive than the Prangs, but well worth it if you're serious about pencil drawing and color work. Good on just about any paper you'd care to add color too, they lay down nice, vibrant, even tones that can be as thick as you want. Very good for blending.
Overall, good choice for an artist of any skill level. They come in four sizes as you can see, and also in hardbound versions of the same sizes. Good quality paper, durable, and sturdy enough to draw in on the go, whether your in the middle or on the last page.
For more serious sketchers, Moleskine makes sketchbooks (and journals, planners and lots of other things like that,) of such exquisite quality it's nearly orgasmic to draw in them. They're more expensive and need to be ordered from the manufacturer, but easily worth it if you dream about archeologists finding your work in 1200 years. I think Da Vinci used these things. No, that's a ridiculous lie. He should've though.
All of the above can be found at the Dick Blick Online Store, along with anything else you might think you need, with the exception of the Moleskine Sketchbook. That can be found at www.SimplyMoleskine.com.