How do you get better?

[Anita Fixx]

Hi this is to all the artists here. How do you get better at painting in this style? Please give me some advice to improve. I know my work isn't as good as other stuff out there. So please give me some tips and your honest opinion. I really want to work as a professional artist and SELL my work someday (soon I hope). Please give me any advice you can. Thanks!
To see my artwork go to myspace

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&...

[Anita Fixx]

We pretty much have the exact same opinion on modern "art". Please do not get me started on the "indie hipster" subculture that is so HUGE in Toronto right now. >: ( Does NOT want! lol

Poppy Fields said:

Holy shitsicles! That takes photorealistic to a whole other place!
Of course he gets rejected. Not enough irony to be cool. Maybe he should paint some poop; bet they'd be all over that :\ (No love for modern art here.)

Vivien V said:

http://www.restevensart.com/ - This is my cousin rods site - He gets rejected from art shows - keep that in mind!! :)

[Vivien V]

trailor

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecqRddroL8U

It's just 20 -

[Wink Holliday]

There's an old joke that goes, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" "Practice!" har-har.
Everyone's advice here has been good... Practice, work from models (live if possible, it makes a surprisingly big difference), study other people's art. Taking a class is also a great way to learn. True, the "style" may not be where you want to wind up, but learning fundamentals will only help your work become more solid. The book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards is a terrific text full of exercises to train youself to SEE better so that your drawings will pop more. For more low-brow inspiration, read the very first comic at questionablecontent.net, and follow the artist's progression through the years of drawing every day. Also, it's an entertaining comic. :)

[Poppy Fields]

Great references mentioned here - the "pose" website's a totally new one for me! My grandmother (a professional artist, for what it's worth) really enjoyed working with the "Right Side" book. I guess that's another good tip: _never_ be above/against/too good for trying new techniques; there is always more to learn!

The Andrew Loomis books are always cited as a good place to work from as well. You can download them free and legally.

[Michael's art]

well, I guess I will throw in my $.02 !
Practice is, of course, the key to doing anything well...and for art, being able to recognize what you are seeing, learn to look for the shapes and colors that make up what is there..also known as "draw what you see, not what you know is there" and the human figure is used so much for this practice, because mistakes are easy to identify, even by someone not trained.
In addition to these references, you might try "virtual pose" google it, and you will see what its all about. You may find the excercises and the subject matter of the fine artists boring, but You if you want the skills to bring to your own choice of subject matter, you gotta do what you gotta do. I hate landscapes...but I have done them. I really need to do more still lifes myself, because again not my favorite subject, but for" use of color" practice, there is not much to beat it!

[Poppy Fields]

I just saw "Virtual Pose 3" today! It's on my amazon wishlist now :)

Michael's art said:

well, I guess I will throw in my $.02 !
Practice is, of course, the key to doing anything well...and for art, being able to recognize what you are seeing, learn to look for the shapes and colors that make up what is there..also known as "draw what you see, not what you know is there" and the human figure is used so much for this practice, because mistakes are easy to identify, even by someone not trained.
In addition to these references, you might try "virtual pose" google it, and you will see what its all about. You may find the excercises and the subject matter of the fine artists boring, but You if you want the skills to bring to your own choice of subject matter, you gotta do what you gotta do. I hate landscapes...but I have done them. I really need to do more still lifes myself, because again not my favorite subject, but for" use of color" practice, there is not much to beat it!

[Mummy's Little Monster]

Don't even worry about that "tattoo shop" I've had stuff sitting in the same shop for months and no one has bought a thing. Its too close to trendy Eaton Center. I don't know how often you ever go by the shop, but trust me is a strange crowd. I always see like 18, 19 year old kids just hanging around. None of them would really be they type to buy any art trust me. I also have some stuff in Darkside further down on Queen and I have sold quite a few pieces. there! I think location has a lot to do with it in this instance.

Anita Fixx said:

And about art shows..I wouldn't want to do it in this city. I've already had a few flame wars with art gallery owners on the world wide web. Yeah...I don't like fighting online but they're just too pretentious and full of s***. I just need to tell it like it is. This one tattoo shop in Toronto has put up some of my paintings but I haven't sold ONE. Tough market maybe?

[Anita Fixx]

Thanks for letting me know. I don't hang out around Queen (for obvious reasons) so I really had no idea. Now I don't feel so bad about my artwork not selling. : ( I think I'll try Darkside..maybe..

Mummy's Little Monster said:

Don't even worry about that "tattoo shop" I've had stuff sitting in the same shop for months and no one has bought a thing. Its too close to trendy Eaton Center. I don't know how often you ever go by the shop, but trust me is a strange crowd. I always see like 18, 19 year old kids just hanging around. None of them would really be they type to buy any art trust me. I also have some stuff in Darkside further down on Queen and I have sold quite a few pieces. there! I think location has a lot to do with it in this instance.

Anita Fixx said:

And about art shows..I wouldn't want to do it in this city. I've already had a few flame wars with art gallery owners on the world wide web. Yeah...I don't like fighting online but they're just too pretentious and full of s***. I just need to tell it like it is. This one tattoo shop in Toronto has put up some of my paintings but I haven't sold ONE. Tough market maybe?

[C/S]

Just my 2 bits worth:
Practice, Practice
keep a sketch book with you , to draw anything you see or feel
Look at other people work and try to mimic the color variations and style
Draw what makes you feel good , check out some books on basic pen and ink,pencil or charcoal
When you get comfortable start to tackle the color stuff.
Shading and perspective it tough at first , but again practice , practice
Work on small projects like jewelery boxes, stuff from second hand stores , "A professional to me is only title" in some way shape or form we all arrive there after we sell our first piece of art .....c

[Randy Sizemore]

the key to doing anything well is repetition. When I entered art school i was horrible! I had great ideas and passion but my work was way overworked. My major was Furniture design and i'd done lots of technical drawings but really hadn't sketched in years. It was an eye opening experience. I had lots of motivation (each person has their own model for success) and by the time i graduated with a graphic design degree instead of furniture design i could illustrate almost anything

NOW whoever tells you it is just like riding a bike is a big fat liar. I've been knee deep in the graphic design field now for 20 years and i work on the computer 8-12 hours every day creating marketing materials (mostly for Coca-Cola) but I harldy ever get out my pencil and draw... so I'm starting over again, this time for the absolute pleasure of creating... something I don't get to do in the day in day out job.

hope this helps
rando

[Anita Fixx]

Yeah it helps..and it's what I've been doing lately. Just practicing even at work..even if it gets me fired...oops! Ok I geuss that wasn'nt good. Haha! Anyway thanks for your tips. And if you want go to my page and check out the new artwork.

Randy Sizemore said:

the key to doing anything well is repetition. When I entered art school i was horrible! I had great ideas and passion but my work was way overworked. My major was Furniture design and i'd done lots of technical drawings but really hadn't sketched in years. It was an eye opening experience. I had lots of motivation (each person has their own model for success) and by the time i graduated with a graphic design degree instead of furniture design i could illustrate almost anything

NOW whoever tells you it is just like riding a bike is a big fat liar. I've been knee deep in the graphic design field now for 20 years and i work on the computer 8-12 hours every day creating marketing materials (mostly for Coca-Cola) but I harldy ever get out my pencil and draw... so I'm starting over again, this time for the absolute pleasure of creating... something I don't get to do in the day in day out job.

hope this helps
rando

[Paul Butvila]

What works for me is to use photo reference.Try using photos with more shadows it will make your painting appear more "real". I work in oils so I can't give you too much advise iunless you are using this medium.
The best way to get better...Paint lots !