How Can I Improve My Art?

[MoonSquid]

I've been struggling for a while with art improvement. Like all of us artists, I am my own worst critic, and have made a lot of jumps and strides just from self torture alone. But I'm reaching a point where I KNOW I have so many things to improve, but i can't quite tell... I don't know the words I'm looking for to put into a search bar. Technical art terms and other specific techniques, I suppose.

Things like... color usage and landscape / building? Distances and light? More detailed and dynamic anatomy?

If anyone can help point out things I need to work on so I can have a clearer search of books and learning resources, that would help so much.

My comic is here (though keep in mind the first 10 pages are quite old and the last handful are more indicative of my current ability) https://www.tapas.io/series/tempest-red

And here are some standalone pieces

[Down_the_Rabbithole]

I am stumped here. Your watercolor work is outstanding and I can't find a flaw anywhere!

Only thing I can suggest to do is experiment with new things and see what you can learn from that. I know, I'm very unhelpful.

[MoonSquid]

No no thank you, I do need to experiment more! I clearly have a comfort zone that I didn't notice until I saw them all lined up like this XD thank you again! <3

[IdiotWithPencil]

try drawing something realistic (a model or a face) this tells you just what you need to work on, from shadow to anatomy, you can tell from a realistic drawing, for composition search dynamic composition( the best book I have found for this is the art of composition by michele jacobs) and a book about architecture helps with building a scene and designing intiriors and exteriors, and finnally draw manny diffrent animals people and locations, this help in making your personal library bigger, this library is what we all use to create anything from our imagination (from monsters to people).

these are the tips I have heard for advance artist hope it helps

[NanettesClouds]

Experimenting is still really important even if you've found your comfort zone, ESPECIALLY if you've found your comfort zone. Different styles can help you learn new things that your current style doesn't focus on as much, and can help indirectly improve and evolve your main style.

I'm sure you've heard the ol "Study real life" a thousand times by now, but defintely don't underestimate what that can do for you. Also, study other artists! See something you like in someone else's work? Learn how to replicate it. Try new mediums, try new color pallets. ALWAYS challenge yourself.

Learning art is a cycle of Study, Experimentation, and Implementation. If you do not study, you will not realize what you haven't learned. If you do not Experiment, you will not discover new techniques. If you do not implement what you have learned, you will stay stagnant.

EDIT: Also, some styles are better than others for getting across different tones. So having a couple of different styles can be useful to have in your back pocket for when you start different projects.

[MoonSquid]

Thank you so much for the book recommendation! I'm going to check it out, and I'm going to try to fill my sketchbook with more realistic things. <3 thank you!

[MoonSquid]

I hadn't even realised I fell into a zone! I only work on comic pages with the occasional little piece, so the freedom to experiment was kind of hidden from me! It's so embarrassing hahha! XD I think that will help me out a ton though, thank you so much <3

[NanettesClouds]

I feel you, since I started working on my comic it's been harder to find the motivation/time to do studies and develop other techniques. It's VERY easy to get into a rut I've found.I've tried to combat this issue by devoting some days to the whole Study/Experimentation/Implementation cycle, and for the most part that's helped.

As a side note, i've found doing this indirect learning thing to improve your main style is really useful for avoiding style-jumps in my comic. So far over the last year of seriously working on my comic, my style for it has only changed slightly, and I think that's in part to doing most of my studies/push pieces in a different style.

[XzynderVexymous]

Very well done, fellow creator. Here are some tips from Mark Crilley himself.

Draw using a reference

Study/Careful copies

Use shapes

Pay attention to contrast

Experiment with art supplies

Learn from 1st, 2nd, 3rd point perspective.

Challenge yourself to try other styles

Progress takes a long time

Don't compare

[hamstertoybox]

Your art is lovely! You clearly know your basics.

It might be worth getting some face to face tuition with a more experienced artist, even a couple of hours a month could really help. They'd be able to spot your weaknesses and point you towards resources that would help. Books and websites have their limitations!

[ZatchZ]

Go imitate the masters. Once you feel that you've hit your peak in a style, start over and find something else to copy. Do it over again.
Diversify.

Of the art style of the Megaman Megamix series

Hirohiki Araki's Jojo Part 4

My Hero Academia art style

Inspired by the Phoenix Wright Vs Professor Layton artist renderings.

As artists, we can either choose to improve our abilities over time, or stick to what we know.

Here are my comics, as you can see, I've diversified my abilities.

All Hail the King | Tapas

Who the Heck Made You Cpt.?! (REDUX) | Tapas

The REAL Life Adventures of Vin +Wolfie | Tapas

[punkarsenic]

lemme start by saying: you are AWESOME

your shading, penstrokes, and watercolour technique are sooooooooooo good. im in love with a lot of your colour palettes. that cityscape has me particularly smitten.

im seconding everyone that says you should experiment, its probably a large part of why you feel youre stagnating. did you ever do that thing at school where you had to look at artists, copy their art, and then do a response? do that. do it with art thats tooootally different to what youre going for, too, as well as different illustrators.

aside from that, i think it could really benefit you to see how far you can go with exaggeration; of expressions, of poses, of angles. i think you have to break out and get weird so as to come back to your regular stuff revitalised.

as for books / other learning resources... what have you already looked at? i dont wanna recommend like, a very popular youtuber or book if youve already done them to death.

[sandpaperdaisy]

Very lovely stuff. I think you have a very strong grasp of color and your lines are quality. Composition seems on point.

I'd just work on proportion a bit more (which you can do using life studies and reference images as others have suggested). I know that some proportion decisions are intentional, mind you, having larger heads and etc, but some of your proportions feel a bit more unintentional and somewhat inconsistent. So I'd home in on that the most.

Honestly though, I enjoy your art style very much.

[MoonSquid]

ALL OF YOU: thank you so so so much for the responses.

@Xzynder : I think that "progress takes a long time" thing still sneaks up on me without my realizing it x__x Thanks again, im going to take your points to heart!

@hamstertoybox : <3 Thank you for saying that! Oh that sounds PERFECT. I'm really feeling the stale burden of book limitations lately, and the idea of having a skilled tutor sounds just like that I'm looking for!

@ZatchZ : I can't believe I've never thought of it that way before! For years I've tried to find "my style", but once I felt like I found it, I guess a lot of that drive kind of melted onto a couch? XD I never considered trying to grow in different directions. That's kind of embarrassing to be honest! XD Good gracious, you cover a really great range of artistic facets! Thank you for sharing!

@punkarsenic : ;____; omg thank you so much! <3 Mm yes! Exaggeration sounds like a really good direction to start going in. And for books, I've that got "how to make comics" book [with the red cover and the doodle guy on the front], but most of my other studies are just misc pinterest searches and random paintings I have saved to an "inspiration" folder XD Any recommendations would be incredible!

@sandpaperdaisy : oh definitely. I think I forget a lot about making sure proportions are correct, and just kind of get into "get this art out of the door" mode. I could definitely stand to focus more attention on proportion and anatomical study. Thank you so so much <3

[punkarsenic]

im not sure what book youre referring to, but you should read understanding comics by scott mccloud. its really interesting and makes you think differently abt a lot of things in comics. theres two sequels as well, but im not sure where to find them.

besides books, i think proko is a really good art youtuber! he has tonnes and tonnes of videos on drawing people

[Demy]

I actually read understanding comics thanks to you and I found it to be an interesting read. I only read like one chapter though.

[punkarsenic]

my influence..... never shutting up about one book and one youtuber.... the only ones i actually know.........

you should read the rest!! taking it in lil chapter bites it goes down really easily, and after the first chapter he turns away from like the history of comics and moves into reaaaaaally interesting ground on like, timing, cartooning, panel structure. its great.

[ZatchZ]

Remember this.
http://zenpencils.com/comic/kirby/

Let it remind you that you're the only person who can do your work well. But it's also up to you to allow the works of others to inspire you, strive to become better. Let them be your teacher, forever you're the student. No matter how well I get, I will never stop learning, and look forward to keep getting better.