Hey peeps I need a little help and advice here.
So, after starting to upload my artwork for a couple of months of so, I have come to the realization that most of my artwork are kinda rushed and just 'drawn for the sake of drawing for the sake of killing time'. I end up not feeling confident about my work and so for now, I intend to start all over to learn how to draw anime fanart - the proper way.
So this is my plan for now: I will spend a few hours each weekend doing 2 things. First, I will print out and trace over official artwork from my favourite series, and learn how to shade them using either pencils or color pencils. Second, I will learn how to draw the anime face properly and practice by drawing portraits/mugshots. Once I am confident with my shading, I will then shade my drawings and then move on to anatomy.
I was also wondering if anyone could recommend me any useful and simple tutorials on how to do the above. (Yeah, I know there are resources that I can easily find here and there, but I hope I can get some recommendations.) And is my approach to improving correct? I want to know because I really want to improve with the limited time I have now.
Thanks for your valuable advice.
I, on the other hand, think that's a terrible idea. It's great to have inspiration; but tracing is only going to do you any good if you deconstruct the drawing while you trace it. That means.. doing draw-throughs and drawing the structure lines.
You need to learn anatomy first before going onto shading. Shading is sculpting, and if you don't know the form, you wont know what way the light will hit the object.
I would actually, instead, find pictures of people in a magazine, and try to pull off the same style/expression in your chosen anime style. That way you will learn anatomy, structure, and an approach to a style all at once. Print out your references from other manga, and have that beside you as you try your own approach at drawing in a similar style, using that real pose as a base.
After all, anime is a caricatured version of real life; and if your anime drawing is lacking, it's because your life-drawing is lacking.
I also recommend posemaniacs.com for studying the human body. If you don't study you wont grow. That's the proper way to do it.
If you're even more serious about it, I'd set aside at least 30 minutes every day or an hour or so every other day to do this. If you only draw once a week you won't improve as fast as you seem to be expecting results. But if you're busy I guess it can't be helped.
I think the best tutorial is just to draw anything and everything around you. Even that glass of water beside your desk next to that crumpled tissue. When you improve your visual memory and your sense of perspective and being able to put what you see on paper.. then drawing from your imagination will also improve because you will have a better sense of visual space.
Good luck! VM me if you want/ need more info.