Do you train? (drawing, writing)

[migxmeg]

Without a teacher or mentor it's hard for me to get much out of doing exercises. If my brain and eyes aren't ready to see where I need the improvement and how I can do it then I won't be focusing on the right thing during practice.

So I don't follow a training plan but I try to create and consume with a critical mindset so I can identify the things that I'm unsatisfied with in my own work. Looking at a broad range of art helps me see other ways to approach things, some that I want to emulate and some that are interesting but not for me, but there's always something to be learned imo. Once I get my head really wrapped around something unsatisfying with some ideas and examples about how to do it better, then I will do some drills (sketches or even just focusing on that aspect while making panels). I keep at it until it doesn't bug me as much as something else I could work on .

Something super general like figure drawing always feels helpful though... either just from sheer volume or that it also lends itself to focus on one issue at a time while doing it.

[morganicfoods]

Before I started drawing my comic I trained myself how to draw faster. I also practiced how to draw different hair types as I could only effectively draw straight hair or super curly hair, drawing tighter waves or looser curls has always been my weak point. I still hate drawing my own hair type (3A), but I'm not as afraid of actually drawing it lol

[Lensing]

I think just creating art can lead to improving, especially when you challenge
yourself and have to do a lot of problem solving.

Some people don´t improve though or even just practice bad habits which are
hard to get rid off and it would be better if they get feedback or put some hours in theory.
I have one friend who draws 10 times more than everyone I know but he is just not improving
at all, his drawings look exactly the same like 10 years ago.

I never trained or did practice myself for a long time, I just executed (drawing, writing, music etc)
and so I did what I never really leveled up or just very slowly

[thepenmonster]

Do you train and how do you train your creative skills?
How often do you train and do you follow a training plan?
What other things do you do to get better at what you are doing?

Only when I have something I don't think I can draw well enough for people to recognize. A 1972 Ford Ranchero for example. Then I get references. If I can find a model kit or a toy to work from even better because I can see it from all angles. Then I work on that until I feel confident to put it down.

Mind you, a lot of times it ends up being drawn in a way that my effort isn't on display but it is what it is;

As for daily practicing? All of my mental and physical energy goes towards getting ideas on paper before I forget them now. If you want to consider thumbnails and scripting practice then yes. But I figure it's a problem with age and chronic pain. I just don't have the juice no more to spend my waking hours on it.

You're a musician right? Imagine you have arthritis in the shoulders. Your fingers are still nimble and you can still play but it's ten times more difficult.

[Lensing]

I think that there is a big difference between getting better at writing and getting better
at drawing, music or sport. One aspect of drawing, music and sport is repetition.
You don´t have to write the word "what" 60 times to be able to write it better
I think writing is one of the things you just get better at by reading and writing a lot.
Maybe the reading can count as training

[Lensing]

I understand that and I´m sorry to hear that about the chronic pain.
Yep, I´m a musician and I take a lot of transfer some things from making
music to sport to art and vice versa

[2DLenzy]

Please forgive my obnoxious drawing, and insanity, but I saw the title and couldn't resist!

I don't train like I should, don't have the best motivation rn given the colder seasons, but sometimes drawing/posting ridiculous stuff like this gives me just enough of a dopamine rush to keep on practicing or outright drawing, cause it's been a week since i drew and I'm starting to burn out, not creatively, just physically/emotionally. I suppose my "absurdity" muscles are trained the most, least on the forums, though I find my skills backtrack from either lack of practice or breaks. I did have success in pushing my rendering skills(on a drawing challenge/thread) and I've learned some tricks on having pressure put on me, despite the occasional burnouts. For me, at least rn, that's the best sort of training I've got.

As for just 'practice, practice, practice', I really gotta start doing something, either now or just frequently, so I won't dread drawing the next arcs of my story (I can draw chickens well, not humans, fyi)
The best practice I can think of for myself is doing "Extras", with fun scenes of my characters(human), with intent of posting them, cause that pressure, while stressful, is just enough to help me get into 'editing' mode and actually draw a bit better. Not the greatest advice, but I believe in practicing, on the job, with a goal in mind....but that may be why my skills backtrack often...

[BoomerZ]

Drawing a comic will be enough practice as long as you are at a certain level. The main thing is don't create your story with your strengths in mind. Don't like drawing forest? Next episode happens in a forest. Don't like drawing cars, next episode is a car chase. Force yourself to draw things you don't like to draw. Force your characters to emote and act. Push the poses. This will teach you expression. Fight scenes will teach you anatomy. And the great thing is comics makes you get it done now and move on. You do your best, learn what you could have done better and off to the next episode. Just the repetition will make you better.

[Lensing]

I agree on the "as long as you are at a certain level"

I have too many examples of people who didn´t get better through repetition but
maybe they were satisfied with how their comics looked like, I´m not judging
that, I just wouldn´t be happy with it.

Some things 100% get better with repetition but not all

[morganicfoods]

can we be chronic pain gang?

[DasIstWunderblyat]

Yes, choo choo.

I believe I have hit the wall because I am too stupid to learn, it is hard for me to follow tutorials. I hate challenging myself, I am probably the one who is challenged. I draw to visualise idea and relax, training is the opposite of that.
I'm just winging everything until now. My art is shit, but that's the thing I have no right to complain about.

[BoomerZ]

Some things 100% get better with repetition but not all

I will clarify. Repetition works if you are drawing with purpose. What I mean by that is not just going through the motions. Drawing with purpose is like sitting down with a life drawing model. That day you decide to draw their feet as you can't seem to get them right. That day you don't waste time drawing the body as you can do that pretty well. Then you just draw, as many and from different angles as you can. You hate it as you are not good at it but you do it anyway. Art is a game of volume. You just have to do it. I can't even begin to tell you how many pieces of paper I scratch out and start over in a life drawing class.

[thepenmonster]

This can be us but the snapping is our bones...

[ArtGremlin]

Not really. I just do it o,o

[brianhanes117]

I personally don't. I have my own life and if I trained, I'd never make the time to create what I want to. In order to finish, I simply write and draw what matters to me. I look at both my fan and professional works as serious. Sometimes that means I make mistakes, but I continuously edit my drafts until they look good. I also share my pictures and take both positive and negative feedback. I once was very defensive over my works, but now I am less defensive than I used to be.

Like anyone should be, I still filter the advice I get and ultimately go off what I value. This ultimately leads me to a lot of finished products and from there I build and continue to get better and better. Sometimes, the best teacher is experience. Get as much of it as possible if you truly want to be proficient. Realize you won't always win and use that to become a stronger writer.

Worst come to worst you get some negative reviews but all that means is you need to learn from those mistakes in the next product. Some people overthink about what they should do and never get anything done.

[Lensing]

I agree and life drawing classes are a really good part of training. I´m going to one in january.
I talked to Dean Yeagle because I really like his figure drawing, he said that part of it is that
he regularly trains and goes to life drawing classes to keep his skill level

[Lensing]

Good point with the overthinking, I think it´s a balance between learning, training and executing.
Without execution it´s pointless

[Insanebaker92]

I’ve been training a lot in digital coloring as I’m mediocre in doing lighting and shading. I look back at my old drawings and boy, I’m a bit disgust with it. On my free time, I watched youtube and learn from others on how to do the lighting and shading and have been practicing my digital coloring in a round circle with color. It’s gonna take a very long time to get use to it but, I prefer to invest my time to sharpen my skill.

Sometimes, I study hand anatomy and been practicing in medibang too. I always look at the posture of my hand before drawing it.

[Lensing]

Not everyone is interested in training. I know a lot of people who never train and are ok
or happy with their art. There is room for a lot of different kind of art and sometimes simple
is better

[TheLemmaLlama]

I don't do dedicated training; I only have so long to live, so I want my activities to serve multiple purposes whenever possible (e.g. I can't do something just to improve my skills, it has to be for improvement AND fun, or improvement AND making progress on a project I care about and think is important)

It's like how they say when writing a story, your scenes should have multiple purposes, except it's the story of my life