Posted 4 years ago
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Author
01. Sketch regularly
American artist Terryl Whitlach, who’s known for her creature designs for Lucasfilm, says: “It’s important to get better as an artist, and to have a platform to experiment, mess up, try again – and again – and grow. Sometimes, things just don't turn out, but that is the process of getting out of one’s comfort zone, and getting better.”
Regular sketching can also help you come up with concepts and ideas that you may not reach through other routes.
Fantasy artist Tony Diterlizzi, says: “I often sketch random ideas conjured from a relaxed state of mind. Accessing this part of my imagination allows me to sketch out unusual ideas, which I can later incorporate into finished illustrations.”
Online sketching resources
For advice on how to settle into a productive sketching regime, check out these sketching tips for beginners and these 10 tips from leading international artists.
Also don't miss our round up of the best drawing tablets and the best tablets with a stylus for drawing.
02. Work on your figure drawing
the accurate reproduction of the human form in various shapes and postures – is a core skill for any artist, digital or otherwise, and always worth working on.
The best way to learn the basics is, of course, by attending life drawing classes. But there are ton of books out there to help you, too: here are some of our favourites.
Books on figure drawing
Figure Drawing for Artists by Steve Huston serves as a good introduction to the subject. It's an accessible book that covers all the principles and practices of figure drawing without ever feeling academic or overly complex.
Human Figure Drawing by Daniela Brambilla, meanwhile, is less concerned with theory and more about encouraging you to practise, practise, practise. It does this by setting a series of exercises and encourages you to learn by doing – all the while learning from your mistakes.
A more suitable read for experienced artists is perhaps Figure Drawing for Concept Artists by Kan Muftic, who has created concept art for movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, Jungle Book and Godzilla.
In this, the concept artist outlines systematic methods to advance your life drawing: the three-tiered approach (observe, process and apply); the Reilly Method; shadow mapping; negative space and shapes; and more.
Muftic also reveals how Henry Yan once asked him, “Are you a digital artist? Muftic replied, “Yes, why do you ask?”. Yan shot back, “Well, you just move your hand around mindlessly, hoping that something comes out of the mess.”
03. Develop your portrait skills
When it comes to developing your portraits digitally, the following tutorials demonstrate some interesting approaches.
To create portrait art in Corel Painter 2017, check out our create portrait art in Corel Painter walkthrough by illustrator and concept artist Borislav Mitkov, in which he makes use of custom brushes from other artists.
This tutorial on how to create a striking figure in watercolour shares how you can combine watercolours and Photoshop to create stunning results.
Finally, this video walkthrough by award-winning Photoshop brush maker Kyle T Webster demonstrates how to create an Edvard Munch-style portrait in Photoshop CC.
04. Evolve your character drawing skills
mproving your character drawing is largely about practice, hard work and inspiration. But there are some useful pointers to be learned from the pros as well.
Advertisement
Books on character design
One of our favourite books is The Silver Way: Techniques, Tips and Tutorials for Effective Character Design by Stephen Silver, who’s worked on animated TV shows such as Kim Possible as well as running the Silver Drawing Academy.
His fun, colourful 250-page book packs a huge amount of advice and instruction, and covers a number of unusual techniques such as ‘memory sketching’, ‘blind feeling’ and ‘throwing up on the page’ that could help you bring your character drawing to the next level.
There’s a lot of great advice online about character design too. Check out our how to improve your character drawing tutorial by legendary artist Aaron Blaise, 20 top character design tips from leading illustrator Jon Burgerman and Mina
05. Understand composition
Whatever kind of art you’re producing, composition is key. If you’re struggling with composition, it’s worth learning or refreshing the key principles behind it, such as the Golden Ratio and the Rule of Thirds.
You’ll find a quick refresher in these 12 pro tips to improve your artistic composition from artist Dan Dos Santos.
And to take your compositions a step further, discover how to create dynamic movement in a composition with Chris Rathbone's tips.
01. Sketch regularly
American artist Terryl Whitlach, who’s known for her creature designs for Lucasfilm, says: “It’s important to get better as an artist, and to have a platform to experiment, mess up, try again – and again – and grow. Sometimes, things just don't turn out, but that is the process of getting out of one’s comfort zone, and getting better.”
Regular sketching can also help you come up with concepts and ideas that you may not reach through other routes.
Fantasy artist Tony Diterlizzi, says: “I often sketch random ideas conjured from a relaxed state of mind. Accessing this part of my imagination allows me to sketch out unusual ideas, which I can later incorporate into finished illustrations.”
Online sketching resources
For advice on how to settle into a productive sketching regime, check out these sketching tips for beginners and these 10 tips from leading international artists.
Also don't miss our round up of the best drawing tablets and the best tablets with a stylus for drawing.
02. Work on your figure drawing
the accurate reproduction of the human form in various shapes and postures – is a core skill for any artist, digital or otherwise, and always worth working on.
The best way to learn the basics is, of course, by attending life drawing classes. But there are ton of books out there to help you, too: here are some of our favourites.
Books on figure drawing
Figure Drawing for Artists by Steve Huston serves as a good introduction to the subject. It's an accessible book that covers all the principles and practices of figure drawing without ever feeling academic or overly complex.
Human Figure Drawing by Daniela Brambilla, meanwhile, is less concerned with theory and more about encouraging you to practise, practise, practise. It does this by setting a series of exercises and encourages you to learn by doing – all the while learning from your mistakes.
A more suitable read for experienced artists is perhaps Figure Drawing for Concept Artists by Kan Muftic, who has created concept art for movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, Jungle Book and Godzilla.
In this, the concept artist outlines systematic methods to advance your life drawing: the three-tiered approach (observe, process and apply); the Reilly Method; shadow mapping; negative space and shapes; and more.
Muftic also reveals how Henry Yan once asked him, “Are you a digital artist? Muftic replied, “Yes, why do you ask?”. Yan shot back, “Well, you just move your hand around mindlessly, hoping that something comes out of the mess.”
03. Develop your portrait skills
When it comes to developing your portraits digitally, the following tutorials demonstrate some interesting approaches.
To create portrait art in Corel Painter 2017, check out our create portrait art in Corel Painter walkthrough by illustrator and concept artist Borislav Mitkov, in which he makes use of custom brushes from other artists.
This tutorial on how to create a striking figure in watercolour shares how you can combine watercolours and Photoshop to create stunning results.
Finally, this video walkthrough by award-winning Photoshop brush maker Kyle T Webster demonstrates how to create an Edvard Munch-style portrait in Photoshop CC.
04. Evolve your character drawing skills
mproving your character drawing is largely about practice, hard work and inspiration. But there are some useful pointers to be learned from the pros as well.
Advertisement
Books on character design
One of our favourite books is The Silver Way: Techniques, Tips and Tutorials for Effective Character Design by Stephen Silver, who’s worked on animated TV shows such as Kim Possible as well as running the Silver Drawing Academy.
His fun, colourful 250-page book packs a huge amount of advice and instruction, and covers a number of unusual techniques such as ‘memory sketching’, ‘blind feeling’ and ‘throwing up on the page’ that could help you bring your character drawing to the next level.
There’s a lot of great advice online about character design too. Check out our how to improve your character drawing tutorial by legendary artist Aaron Blaise, 20 top character design tips from leading illustrator Jon Burgerman and Mina
05. Understand composition
Whatever kind of art you’re producing, composition is key. If you’re struggling with composition, it’s worth learning or refreshing the key principles behind it, such as the Golden Ratio and the Rule of Thirds.
You’ll find a quick refresher in these 12 pro tips to improve your artistic composition from artist Dan Dos Santos.
And to take your compositions a step further, discover how to create dynamic movement in a composition with Chris Rathbone's tips.
01. Sketch regularly
American artist Terryl Whitlach, who’s known for her creature designs for Lucasfilm, says: “It’s important to get better as an artist, and to have a platform to experiment, mess up, try again – and again – and grow. Sometimes, things just don't turn out, but that is the process of getting out of one’s comfort zone, and getting better.”
Regular sketching can also help you come up with concepts and ideas that you may not reach through other routes.
Fantasy artist Tony Diterlizzi, says: “I often sketch random ideas conjured from a relaxed state of mind. Accessing this part of my imagination allows me to sketch out unusual ideas, which I can later incorporate into finished illustrations.”
Online sketching resources
For advice on how to settle into a productive sketching regime, check out these sketching tips for beginners and these 10 tips from leading international artists.
Also don't miss our round up of the best drawing tablets and the best tablets with a stylus for drawing.
02. Work on your figure drawing
the accurate reproduction of the human form in various shapes and postures – is a core skill for any artist, digital or otherwise, and always worth working on.
The best way to learn the basics is, of course, by attending life drawing classes. But there are ton of books out there to help you, too: here are some of our favourites.
Books on figure drawing
Figure Drawing for Artists by Steve Huston serves as a good introduction to the subject. It's an accessible book that covers all the principles and practices of figure drawing without ever feeling academic or overly complex.
Human Figure Drawing by Daniela Brambilla, meanwhile, is less concerned with theory and more about encouraging you to practise, practise, practise. It does this by setting a series of exercises and encourages you to learn by doing – all the while learning from your mistakes.
A more suitable read for experienced artists is perhaps Figure Drawing for Concept Artists by Kan Muftic, who has created concept art for movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, Jungle Book and Godzilla.
In this, the concept artist outlines systematic methods to advance your life drawing: the three-tiered approach (observe, process and apply); the Reilly Method; shadow mapping; negative space and shapes; and more.
Muftic also reveals how Henry Yan once asked him, “Are you a digital artist? Muftic replied, “Yes, why do you ask?”. Yan shot back, “Well, you just move your hand around mindlessly, hoping that something comes out of the mess.”
03. Develop your portrait skills
When it comes to developing your portraits digitally, the following tutorials demonstrate some interesting approaches.
To create portrait art in Corel Painter 2017, check out our create portrait art in Corel Painter walkthrough by illustrator and concept artist Borislav Mitkov, in which he makes use of custom brushes from other artists.
This tutorial on how to create a striking figure in watercolour shares how you can combine watercolours and Photoshop to create stunning results.
Finally, this video walkthrough by award-winning Photoshop brush maker Kyle T Webster demonstrates how to create an Edvard Munch-style portrait in Photoshop CC.
04. Evolve your character drawing skills
mproving your character drawing is largely about practice, hard work and inspiration. But there are some useful pointers to be learned from the pros as well.
Advertisement
Books on character design
One of our favourite books is The Silver Way: Techniques, Tips and Tutorials for Effective Character Design by Stephen Silver, who’s worked on animated TV shows such as Kim Possible as well as running the Silver Drawing Academy.
His fun, colourful 250-page book packs a huge amount of advice and instruction, and covers a number of unusual techniques such as ‘memory sketching’, ‘blind feeling’ and ‘throwing up on the page’ that could help you bring your character drawing to the next level.
There’s a lot of great advice online about character design too. Check out our how to improve your character drawing tutorial by legendary artist Aaron Blaise, 20 top character design tips from leading illustrator Jon Burgerman and Mina
05. Understand composition
Whatever kind of art you’re producing, composition is key. If you’re struggling with composition, it’s worth learning or refreshing the key principles behind it, such as the Golden Ratio and the Rule of Thirds.
You’ll find a quick refresher in these 12 pro tips to improve your artistic composition from artist Dan Dos Santos.
And to take your compositions a step further, discover how to create dynamic movement in a composition with Chris Rathbone's tips.
01. Sketch regularly
American artist Terryl Whitlach, who’s known for her creature designs for Lucasfilm, says: “It’s important to get better as an artist, and to have a platform to experiment, mess up, try again – and again – and grow. Sometimes, things just don't turn out, but that is the process of getting out of one’s comfort zone, and getting better.”
Regular sketching can also help you come up with concepts and ideas that you may not reach through other routes.
Fantasy artist Tony Diterlizzi, says: “I often sketch random ideas conjured from a relaxed state of mind. Accessing this part of my imagination allows me to sketch out unusual ideas, which I can later incorporate into finished illustrations.”
Online sketching resources
For advice on how to settle into a productive sketching regime, check out these sketching tips for beginners and these 10 tips from leading international artists.
Also don't miss our round up of the best drawing tablets and the best tablets with a stylus for drawing.
02. Work on your figure drawing
the accurate reproduction of the human form in various shapes and postures – is a core skill for any artist, digital or otherwise, and always worth working on.
The best way to learn the basics is, of course, by attending life drawing classes. But there are ton of books out there to help you, too: here are some of our favourites.
Books on figure drawing
Figure Drawing for Artists by Steve Huston serves as a good introduction to the subject. It's an accessible book that covers all the principles and practices of figure drawing without ever feeling academic or overly complex.
Human Figure Drawing by Daniela Brambilla, meanwhile, is less concerned with theory and more about encouraging you to practise, practise, practise. It does this by setting a series of exercises and encourages you to learn by doing – all the while learning from your mistakes.
A more suitable read for experienced artists is perhaps Figure Drawing for Concept Artists by Kan Muftic, who has created concept art for movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, Jungle Book and Godzilla.
In this, the concept artist outlines systematic methods to advance your life drawing: the three-tiered approach (observe, process and apply); the Reilly Method; shadow mapping; negative space and shapes; and more.
Muftic also reveals how Henry Yan once asked him, “Are you a digital artist? Muftic replied, “Yes, why do you ask?”. Yan shot back, “Well, you just move your hand around mindlessly, hoping that something comes out of the mess.”
03. Develop your portrait skills
When it comes to developing your portraits digitally, the following tutorials demonstrate some interesting approaches.
To create portrait art in Corel Painter 2017, check out our create portrait art in Corel Painter walkthrough by illustrator and concept artist Borislav Mitkov, in which he makes use of custom brushes from other artists.
This tutorial on how to create a striking figure in watercolour shares how you can combine watercolours and Photoshop to create stunning results.
Finally, this video walkthrough by award-winning Photoshop brush maker Kyle T Webster demonstrates how to create an Edvard Munch-style portrait in Photoshop CC.
04. Evolve your character drawing skills
mproving your character drawing is largely about practice, hard work and inspiration. But there are some useful pointers to be learned from the pros as well.
Advertisement
Books on character design
One of our favourite books is The Silver Way: Techniques, Tips and Tutorials for Effective Character Design by Stephen Silver, who’s worked on animated TV shows such as Kim Possible as well as running the Silver Drawing Academy.
His fun, colourful 250-page book packs a huge amount of advice and instruction, and covers a number of unusual techniques such as ‘memory sketching’, ‘blind feeling’ and ‘throwing up on the page’ that could help you bring your character drawing to the next level.
There’s a lot of great advice online about character design too. Check out our how to improve your character drawing tutorial by legendary artist Aaron Blaise, 20 top character design tips from leading illustrator Jon Burgerman and Mina
05. Understand composition
Whatever kind of art you’re producing, composition is key. If you’re struggling with composition, it’s worth learning or refreshing the key principles behind it, such as the Golden Ratio and the Rule of Thirds.
You’ll find a quick refresher in these 12 pro tips to improve your artistic composition from artist Dan Dos Santos.
And to take your compositions a step further, discover how to create dynamic movement in a composition with Chris Rathbone's tips.
American artist Terryl Whitlach, who’s known for her creature designs for Lucasfilm, says: “It’s important to get better as an artist, and to have a platform to experiment, mess up, try again – and again – and grow. Sometimes, things just don't turn out, but that is the process of getting out of one’s comfort zone, and getting better.”
Regular sketching can also help you come up with concepts and ideas that you may not reach through other routes.
Fantasy artist Tony Diterlizzi, says: “I often sketch random ideas conjured from a relaxed state of mind. Accessing this part of my imagination allows me to sketch out unusual ideas, which I can later incorporate into finished illustrations.”
Online sketching resources
For advice on how to settle into a productive sketching regime, check out these sketching tips for beginners and these 10 tips from leading international artists.
Also don't miss our round up of the best drawing tablets and the best tablets with a stylus for drawing.
02. Work on your figure drawing
the accurate reproduction of the human form in various shapes and postures – is a core skill for any artist, digital or otherwise, and always worth working on.
The best way to learn the basics is, of course, by attending life drawing classes. But there are ton of books out there to help you, too: here are some of our favourites.
Books on figure drawing
Figure Drawing for Artists by Steve Huston serves as a good introduction to the subject. It's an accessible book that covers all the principles and practices of figure drawing without ever feeling academic or overly complex.
Human Figure Drawing by Daniela Brambilla, meanwhile, is less concerned with theory and more about encouraging you to practise, practise, practise. It does this by setting a series of exercises and encourages you to learn by doing – all the while learning from your mistakes.
A more suitable read for experienced artists is perhaps Figure Drawing for Concept Artists by Kan Muftic, who has created concept art for movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, Jungle Book and Godzilla.
In this, the concept artist outlines systematic methods to advance your life drawing: the three-tiered approach (observe, process and apply); the Reilly Method; shadow mapping; negative space and shapes; and more.
Muftic also reveals how Henry Yan once asked him, “Are you a digital artist? Muftic replied, “Yes, why do you ask?”. Yan shot back, “Well, you just move your hand around mindlessly, hoping that something comes out of the mess.”
03. Develop your portrait skills
When it comes to developing your portraits digitally, the following tutorials demonstrate some interesting approaches.
To create portrait art in Corel Painter 2017, check out our create portrait art in Corel Painter walkthrough by illustrator and concept artist Borislav Mitkov, in which he makes use of custom brushes from other artists.
This tutorial on how to create a striking figure in watercolour shares how you can combine watercolours and Photoshop to create stunning results.
Finally, this video walkthrough by award-winning Photoshop brush maker Kyle T Webster demonstrates how to create an Edvard Munch-style portrait in Photoshop CC.
04. Evolve your character drawing skills
mproving your character drawing is largely about practice, hard work and inspiration. But there are some useful pointers to be learned from the pros as well.
Advertisement
Books on character design
One of our favourite books is The Silver Way: Techniques, Tips and Tutorials for Effective Character Design by Stephen Silver, who’s worked on animated TV shows such as Kim Possible as well as running the Silver Drawing Academy.
His fun, colourful 250-page book packs a huge amount of advice and instruction, and covers a number of unusual techniques such as ‘memory sketching’, ‘blind feeling’ and ‘throwing up on the page’ that could help you bring your character drawing to the next level.
There’s a lot of great advice online about character design too. Check out our how to improve your character drawing tutorial by legendary artist Aaron Blaise, 20 top character design tips from leading illustrator Jon Burgerman and Mina
05. Understand composition
Whatever kind of art you’re producing, composition is key. If you’re struggling with composition, it’s worth learning or refreshing the key principles behind it, such as the Golden Ratio and the Rule of Thirds.
You’ll find a quick refresher in these 12 pro tips to improve your artistic composition from artist Dan Dos Santos.
And to take your compositions a step further, discover how to create dynamic movement in a composition with Chris Rathbone's tips.
01. Sketch regularly
American artist Terryl Whitlach, who’s known for her creature designs for Lucasfilm, says: “It’s important to get better as an artist, and to have a platform to experiment, mess up, try again – and again – and grow. Sometimes, things just don't turn out, but that is the process of getting out of one’s comfort zone, and getting better.”
Regular sketching can also help you come up with concepts and ideas that you may not reach through other routes.
Fantasy artist Tony Diterlizzi, says: “I often sketch random ideas conjured from a relaxed state of mind. Accessing this part of my imagination allows me to sketch out unusual ideas, which I can later incorporate into finished illustrations.”
Online sketching resources
For advice on how to settle into a productive sketching regime, check out these sketching tips for beginners and these 10 tips from leading international artists.
Also don't miss our round up of the best drawing tablets and the best tablets with a stylus for drawing.
02. Work on your figure drawing
the accurate reproduction of the human form in various shapes and postures – is a core skill for any artist, digital or otherwise, and always worth working on.
The best way to learn the basics is, of course, by attending life drawing classes. But there are ton of books out there to help you, too: here are some of our favourites.
Books on figure drawing
Figure Drawing for Artists by Steve Huston serves as a good introduction to the subject. It's an accessible book that covers all the principles and practices of figure drawing without ever feeling academic or overly complex.
Human Figure Drawing by Daniela Brambilla, meanwhile, is less concerned with theory and more about encouraging you to practise, practise, practise. It does this by setting a series of exercises and encourages you to learn by doing – all the while learning from your mistakes.
A more suitable read for experienced artists is perhaps Figure Drawing for Concept Artists by Kan Muftic, who has created concept art for movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, Jungle Book and Godzilla.
In this, the concept artist outlines systematic methods to advance your life drawing: the three-tiered approach (observe, process and apply); the Reilly Method; shadow mapping; negative space and shapes; and more.
Muftic also reveals how Henry Yan once asked him, “Are you a digital artist? Muftic replied, “Yes, why do you ask?”. Yan shot back, “Well, you just move your hand around mindlessly, hoping that something comes out of the mess.”
03. Develop your portrait skills
When it comes to developing your portraits digitally, the following tutorials demonstrate some interesting approaches.
To create portrait art in Corel Painter 2017, check out our create portrait art in Corel Painter walkthrough by illustrator and concept artist Borislav Mitkov, in which he makes use of custom brushes from other artists.
This tutorial on how to create a striking figure in watercolour shares how you can combine watercolours and Photoshop to create stunning results.
Finally, this video walkthrough by award-winning Photoshop brush maker Kyle T Webster demonstrates how to create an Edvard Munch-style portrait in Photoshop CC.
04. Evolve your character drawing skills
mproving your character drawing is largely about practice, hard work and inspiration. But there are some useful pointers to be learned from the pros as well.
Advertisement
Books on character design
One of our favourite books is The Silver Way: Techniques, Tips and Tutorials for Effective Character Design by Stephen Silver, who’s worked on animated TV shows such as Kim Possible as well as running the Silver Drawing Academy.
His fun, colourful 250-page book packs a huge amount of advice and instruction, and covers a number of unusual techniques such as ‘memory sketching’, ‘blind feeling’ and ‘throwing up on the page’ that could help you bring your character drawing to the next level.
There’s a lot of great advice online about character design too. Check out our how to improve your character drawing tutorial by legendary artist Aaron Blaise, 20 top character design tips from leading illustrator Jon Burgerman and Mina
05. Understand composition
Whatever kind of art you’re producing, composition is key. If you’re struggling with composition, it’s worth learning or refreshing the key principles behind it, such as the Golden Ratio and the Rule of Thirds.
You’ll find a quick refresher in these 12 pro tips to improve your artistic composition from artist Dan Dos Santos.
And to take your compositions a step further, discover how to create dynamic movement in a composition with Chris Rathbone's tips.
01. Sketch regularly
American artist Terryl Whitlach, who’s known for her creature designs for Lucasfilm, says: “It’s important to get better as an artist, and to have a platform to experiment, mess up, try again – and again – and grow. Sometimes, things just don't turn out, but that is the process of getting out of one’s comfort zone, and getting better.”
Regular sketching can also help you come up with concepts and ideas that you may not reach through other routes.
Fantasy artist Tony Diterlizzi, says: “I often sketch random ideas conjured from a relaxed state of mind. Accessing this part of my imagination allows me to sketch out unusual ideas, which I can later incorporate into finished illustrations.”
Online sketching resources
For advice on how to settle into a productive sketching regime, check out these sketching tips for beginners and these 10 tips from leading international artists.
Also don't miss our round up of the best drawing tablets and the best tablets with a stylus for drawing.
02. Work on your figure drawing
the accurate reproduction of the human form in various shapes and postures – is a core skill for any artist, digital or otherwise, and always worth working on.
The best way to learn the basics is, of course, by attending life drawing classes. But there are ton of books out there to help you, too: here are some of our favourites.
Books on figure drawing
Figure Drawing for Artists by Steve Huston serves as a good introduction to the subject. It's an accessible book that covers all the principles and practices of figure drawing without ever feeling academic or overly complex.
Human Figure Drawing by Daniela Brambilla, meanwhile, is less concerned with theory and more about encouraging you to practise, practise, practise. It does this by setting a series of exercises and encourages you to learn by doing – all the while learning from your mistakes.
A more suitable read for experienced artists is perhaps Figure Drawing for Concept Artists by Kan Muftic, who has created concept art for movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, Jungle Book and Godzilla.
In this, the concept artist outlines systematic methods to advance your life drawing: the three-tiered approach (observe, process and apply); the Reilly Method; shadow mapping; negative space and shapes; and more.
Muftic also reveals how Henry Yan once asked him, “Are you a digital artist? Muftic replied, “Yes, why do you ask?”. Yan shot back, “Well, you just move your hand around mindlessly, hoping that something comes out of the mess.”
03. Develop your portrait skills
When it comes to developing your portraits digitally, the following tutorials demonstrate some interesting approaches.
To create portrait art in Corel Painter 2017, check out our create portrait art in Corel Painter walkthrough by illustrator and concept artist Borislav Mitkov, in which he makes use of custom brushes from other artists.
This tutorial on how to create a striking figure in watercolour shares how you can combine watercolours and Photoshop to create stunning results.
Finally, this video walkthrough by award-winning Photoshop brush maker Kyle T Webster demonstrates how to create an Edvard Munch-style portrait in Photoshop CC.
04. Evolve your character drawing skills
mproving your character drawing is largely about practice, hard work and inspiration. But there are some useful pointers to be learned from the pros as well.
Advertisement
Books on character design
One of our favourite books is The Silver Way: Techniques, Tips and Tutorials for Effective Character Design by Stephen Silver, who’s worked on animated TV shows such as Kim Possible as well as running the Silver Drawing Academy.
His fun, colourful 250-page book packs a huge amount of advice and instruction, and covers a number of unusual techniques such as ‘memory sketching’, ‘blind feeling’ and ‘throwing up on the page’ that could help you bring your character drawing to the next level.
There’s a lot of great advice online about character design too. Check out our how to improve your character drawing tutorial by legendary artist Aaron Blaise, 20 top character design tips from leading illustrator Jon Burgerman and Mina
05. Understand composition
Whatever kind of art you’re producing, composition is key. If you’re struggling with composition, it’s worth learning or refreshing the key principles behind it, such as the Golden Ratio and the Rule of Thirds.
You’ll find a quick refresher in these 12 pro tips to improve your artistic composition from artist Dan Dos Santos.
And to take your compositions a step further, discover how to create dynamic movement in a composition with Chris Rathbone's tips.
01. Sketch regularly
American artist Terryl Whitlach, who’s known for her creature designs for Lucasfilm, says: “It’s important to get better as an artist, and to have a platform to experiment, mess up, try again – and again – and grow. Sometimes, things just don't turn out, but that is the process of getting out of one’s comfort zone, and getting better.”
Regular sketching can also help you come up with concepts and ideas that you may not reach through other routes.
Fantasy artist Tony Diterlizzi, says: “I often sketch random ideas conjured from a relaxed state of mind. Accessing this part of my imagination allows me to sketch out unusual ideas, which I can later incorporate into finished illustrations.”
Online sketching resources
For advice on how to settle into a productive sketching regime, check out these sketching tips for beginners and these 10 tips from leading international artists.
Also don't miss our round up of the best drawing tablets and the best tablets with a stylus for drawing.
02. Work on your figure drawing
the accurate reproduction of the human form in various shapes and postures – is a core skill for any artist, digital or otherwise, and always worth working on.
The best way to learn the basics is, of course, by attending life drawing classes. But there are ton of books out there to help you, too: here are some of our favourites.
Books on figure drawing
Figure Drawing for Artists by Steve Huston serves as a good introduction to the subject. It's an accessible book that covers all the principles and practices of figure drawing without ever feeling academic or overly complex.
Human Figure Drawing by Daniela Brambilla, meanwhile, is less concerned with theory and more about encouraging you to practise, practise, practise. It does this by setting a series of exercises and encourages you to learn by doing – all the while learning from your mistakes.
A more suitable read for experienced artists is perhaps Figure Drawing for Concept Artists by Kan Muftic, who has created concept art for movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, Jungle Book and Godzilla.
In this, the concept artist outlines systematic methods to advance your life drawing: the three-tiered approach (observe, process and apply); the Reilly Method; shadow mapping; negative space and shapes; and more.
Muftic also reveals how Henry Yan once asked him, “Are you a digital artist? Muftic replied, “Yes, why do you ask?”. Yan shot back, “Well, you just move your hand around mindlessly, hoping that something comes out of the mess.”
03. Develop your portrait skills
When it comes to developing your portraits digitally, the following tutorials demonstrate some interesting approaches.
To create portrait art in Corel Painter 2017, check out our create portrait art in Corel Painter walkthrough by illustrator and concept artist Borislav Mitkov, in which he makes use of custom brushes from other artists.
This tutorial on how to create a striking figure in watercolour shares how you can combine watercolours and Photoshop to create stunning results.
Finally, this video walkthrough by award-winning Photoshop brush maker Kyle T Webster demonstrates how to create an Edvard Munch-style portrait in Photoshop CC.
04. Evolve your character drawing skills
mproving your character drawing is largely about practice, hard work and inspiration. But there are some useful pointers to be learned from the pros as well.
Advertisement
Books on character design
One of our favourite books is The Silver Way: Techniques, Tips and Tutorials for Effective Character Design by Stephen Silver, who’s worked on animated TV shows such as Kim Possible as well as running the Silver Drawing Academy.
His fun, colourful 250-page book packs a huge amount of advice and instruction, and covers a number of unusual techniques such as ‘memory sketching’, ‘blind feeling’ and ‘throwing up on the page’ that could help you bring your character drawing to the next level.
There’s a lot of great advice online about character design too. Check out our how to improve your character drawing tutorial by legendary artist Aaron Blaise, 20 top character design tips from leading illustrator Jon Burgerman and Mina
05. Understand composition
Whatever kind of art you’re producing, composition is key. If you’re struggling with composition, it’s worth learning or refreshing the key principles behind it, such as the Golden Ratio and the Rule of Thirds.
You’ll find a quick refresher in these 12 pro tips to improve your artistic composition from artist Dan Dos Santos.
And to take your compositions a step further, discover how to create dynamic movement in a composition with Chris Rathbone's tips.