Organizing my archive, I found a drawing of "Battlemage Shen" from 2014 and decided to draw it again, just to see what I've learned since then. Original on the left, new one on the right. 
I wanna talk a bit about growing as an artist, and start that with an anecdote about when I first got into fitness.
When I first got into fitness, I became obsessed with having an IDEAL routine and an OPTIMAL nutrition plan, like your typical dude on /fit/ & /r/fitness.
When I first got into fitness, I became obsessed with having an IDEAL routine and an OPTIMAL nutrition plan, like your typical dude on /fit/ & /r/fitness.
And then, after like 10 hours of research, when it came to actually going to the gym?
I didn't do it. I scared of doing stuff imperfectly, and that anxiety prevented me from even taking a shot at it.
So, how does that relate to practicing art?
I didn't do it. I scared of doing stuff imperfectly, and that anxiety prevented me from even taking a shot at it.
So, how does that relate to practicing art?
Well, my initial approach to practicing art was similar. I put myself in a strict regimen of studies, gesture drawing, and anatomy practice. I picked up books on perspective & drawing the human form.
I was studying CS at the time, but I really wanted to be an artist.
I was studying CS at the time, but I really wanted to be an artist.
But, in exchange, I became "afraid" of drawing for fun, and sucked all of the joy out of art for myself. Hell, I forgot why I even wanted to improve, and then it became a matter of just "going through the motions" and my progress slowed to a snail's pace.
Then I stopped.
Then I stopped.
And then I started again, but in the form of comics.
Just hundreds of quick little drawings, trying to communicate ideas. They didn't have to be detailed, or particularly "good," but they had to be complete, and they had to be effective in getting something across.
Just hundreds of quick little drawings, trying to communicate ideas. They didn't have to be detailed, or particularly "good," but they had to be complete, and they had to be effective in getting something across.
Somehow, I got better. I didn't think I "did" anything, I did do something -- I just drew a whole bunch. Pretty much every single day.
Later, I picked up gesture drawing & the books again, but this time I actually saw purpose in it, because I liked art now, and that was powerful
Later, I picked up gesture drawing & the books again, but this time I actually saw purpose in it, because I liked art now, and that was powerful
If you want to get good at something, do it a lot.
Literally nothing is as important to improvement as doing it a lot.
Just do it a lot, and don't stop. When you see an opportunity to optimize the way that you do it, by all means take it, but NEVER let it stop or discourage you.
Literally nothing is as important to improvement as doing it a lot.
Just do it a lot, and don't stop. When you see an opportunity to optimize the way that you do it, by all means take it, but NEVER let it stop or discourage you.
