February 2012
80 posts
A Bunch of Tutorials
artkink: FIGURE DRAWING Kids Babies Human Figures & Their Proportions Arms & Hands Backs & Shoulders Clothing Chests / Upper Body / Torso Drapery & Folds Legs & Feet Necks Figures in Action & Motion Figures in Groups or Crowds Figures in Landscape Drawings HOW TO DRAW THE FACE Capture People’s Likeness Draw Portraits Eyes Eyebrows Eyelashes Caricatures ...
Feb 20th
21,225 notes
2 tags
Anonymous asked: I am sorry if you already mentioned this before but what are the art blogs you're following and what art blogs do you recommend?
Feb 19th
7 notes
4 tags
Anonymous asked: Hello. I'm having trouble with the lighting for background images. I can't decide where to put the shadings with the characters to fit the background. Sorry if you already answered this before.
Feb 18th
14 notes
4 tags
Anonymous asked: I want to draw decent looking hands. But I'm having trouble on how to draw them. Is there any decent tutorials out there that can help? Maybe even some good references?
Feb 18th
16 notes
3 tags
bravewingstudios asked: Hello there! I've only recently discovered your blog, and I'm glad I did! I look forward to more submissions! As for my problems, I'm struggling with body language, specifically the differences between males and females. I have a really shy male character, and it's tricky for me to pose him and not have him looking like a silly little girl. Does anyone have any tips and/or...
Feb 18th
9 notes
1 tag
Link Page is Live
We now have a Links Page that will house all the tutorials that we’ve linked in the past, reference links, and more. Everything is broken down into categories to make it easier to find what you are looking for. It should be fully done by the end of next but there are a good number of things up there now. And if you submit a link in the future, it will be added to this page. Once it’s...
Feb 18th
9 notes
3 tags
Feb 18th
4,918 notes
1 tag
Submit Box now Open!
Our Submit box has reappeared! What does this mean? You can now submit your own advice and neat links/tutorials you find! Please remember to read through the rule before you submit! Also, we are working on compiling one large page full of links and resources for easy access, so stay tuned for that! <3 -PencilCat
Feb 17th
3 tags
Feb 17th
1,615 notes
3 tags
marchingstitch asked: Do you have any tips for someone trying to draft an Artist Statement?
Feb 17th
1 note
3 tags
Anonymous asked: I dont really know who else to ask about this so I thought id give here a try. Whenever I ink a drawing and then go to erase the under structure, the ink (speedball indian ink or Faber Castel Pitt Pens) comes off a lot as I erase. Is there some way to keep the ink on while erasing?
Feb 17th
13 notes
2 tags
heads-up-hearts-down asked: I consider myself to be a decent recreational artist, definitely not the level of some Tumblr-famous people around here ;). The problem is, I'm limited to traditional art (I can't afford a tablet) so my work doesn't nearly look as professional as I'd like. Don't take this as an excuse for my drawing ability; I'd just like to know if there are any ways to make my...
Feb 16th
1 note
2 tags
Comprehensive (and slightly NSFW) Resource List...
sixmilliondeadinternets: Update - Nov 24th 2011: Two new links. A.K.A. “Pato is autistic and shows off his massive collection of saved links” Have a seat, get a cup of coffee and sit through this. Hopefully you won’t regret it. This is mostly about illustration, by the way. FREQUENTLY ASKED BULLSHIT “WHICH TABLET SHOULD I BUY?” Get the cheapest shit available. If you’re in America/Europe...
Feb 16th
2,403 notes
Anonymous asked: I used to draw a lot in grade school (just cartoons), but I haven't so much as picked up a pencil since I graduated and I find I just can't do it anymore. I'm not serious enough to go spend money on art school or anything, but I want to be able to enjoy drawing again and create things that I'm satisfied with. If I were to pick it up again, what should I concentrate on first?...
Feb 16th
1 note
Anonymous asked: My bro and I got in a debate about art. He thinks it's better to stick to drawing subjects that you can draw technically correct. (ex. Anime, only drawing hands, being a wolf drawing guru, etc) and I think it's better to continue to draw other subjects even if you mess up a lot because you learn more. Who is right? (He continues to argue...)
Feb 14th
Feb 14th
574 notes
4 tags
Anonymous asked: Do you know the proper way or a tutorial on how to storyboard a scene?
Feb 14th
33 notes
2 tags
Anonymous asked: I can do lineart fairy well on paper, but when I do lineart digitally, it ends up being messy and/or the lines are too thick. I don't have much time use my tablet on a regular basis however, so I can't practice that much :( Any advice for smoother digital lineart?
Feb 14th
5 notes
losingourshadows asked: I don't know where to go from copying reference pictures (people/cartoons) to wanting to become an artist for maybe the Walt Disney Corporation. Where would I want to go to college/what would Disney want my portfolio to look like? Or if you have any tips? (btw I'm a junior in high school)
Feb 13th
6 notes
gif-ographic-memory asked: Hi! First of all, thank you for keeping such a great blog. :) I'm a high school senior. I'm really passionate about animation and I plan on majoring in it (at either RIT or SVA), but I'm worried about a finding a career in animation. I mean, I know there are other employers besides Disney, Pixar, etc, but no one's ever actually told me who those employers are, haha. What...
Feb 13th
4 notes
Anonymous asked: Is it BAD to promote your own art? I recently made a new tumblr, and I have main blog that is for inspirational art with many followers, but whenever I self promote myself, some people have a hissy-fit about it, and start bashing me (yet I don't reply). I just want a-little attention on my art, is that so bad?
Feb 13th
2 notes
3 tags
unprodigii asked: What's your view on commissioning fanart? Are there copyright issues involved, and is there a difference between commissioning canon characters versus fan characters?
Feb 13th
11 notes
2 tags
o8o796 asked: Hey guys, I've had my wacom pen tablet for .. a year? now and I still can't seem to get good at it..? I can't seem to get straight lines horizontally or diagonally because traditionally, I simply turn my sketchbook (can't really explain it) . I can't do that with my tablet (or can I?) and how would you set it so that opacity is done manually? ie holding F for 50%...
Feb 13th
5 notes
3 tags
Anonymous asked: I have a question about what to include in a portfolio. Many of my drawings feature my own original characters from my own original stories. I know this may seem a bit paranoid, but do I have to worry about any copyright issues? Like, I don't have to go out of my way to make sure my characters are copyrighted before I show them to anyone, right? My friend brought up this point, and I just...
Feb 13th
7 notes
3 tags
roadside-assistance asked: I need help rendering a hearth-lit room. (The picture is greyscale.) I'm not sure how the shadows would work and which walls would be lit etc. Is there any applications that can render lighting and shadow so I can get it right? I've looked for reference on Google but the rooms are too cluttered and the light is bouncing around.
Feb 11th
5 notes
2 tags
Anonymous asked: So.. I mainly just sketch on traditional. I used to be all into digital but I started practicing with traditional and completely forgot how to use my tablet correctly. (Also the fact that I can't use my tablet without lagging..) But anyways. I'm a junior in highschool and I really want to get into college for animation. Honestly, I have no idea how to animate or any of the sorts...
Feb 10th
10 notes
4 tags
miraxe asked: I'm by no means an expert on colored pencils, but I find that I can get a similar smooth, blending effect Prismacolors give just by using a colorless blender on normal colored pencils. Honestly, Prismacolors aren't going to make your artwork magically any better, because it's how you use your supplies that matters.
Feb 10th
6 notes
4 tags
doit4scotty asked: Is there any particular benefit to using fancy Prismacolor colored pencils that I'm not seeing? They seem to draw and feel the same as my set of Crayola pencils.
Feb 10th
4 notes
5 tags
Anonymous asked: Does it matter how big the pen tablet should be if you want to draw detailed images?
Feb 10th
2 notes
4 tags
Anonymous asked: Are there any tutorials for water colors? I just got a set of tubes a few months back, but i'm struggling really using them to their full extent. Tutorials on human skin coloring would be much loved.
Feb 10th
46 notes
2 tags
Anonymous asked: To that anon: DO NOT GET AN ADESSO TABLET. Mine stopped working after a year even after I took care of it. A lot of reviews online even says it's faulty. My advice is do your research first before you buy one and look for ones with the best quality. But wacom brands generally get good reviews.
Feb 10th
1 note
4 tags
everybodysangry asked: What kind of tablet would be good for beginners?
Feb 10th
9 notes
1 tag
Anonymous asked: Sorry if you already answered this before but when doing art trades, what would you do if the other person is "bad" or new at art??
Feb 10th
1 note
2 tags
Anonymous asked: I've been drawing for years but don't seem to have improved nearly as much as I've seen others do. It's partly related to the fact that I often find learning new things intimidating. Even though I want to, I often spend a lot of time stressing about possibly not being able to do well, and as a consequence I am in a nearly constant artblock, because I really only know how to...
Feb 10th
8 notes
3 tags
Anonymous asked: I've been CGing for years and imo I'm pretty good. But when I sketch traditionally, it looks horrible and the head is either too big or too small for the body and I can't resize it like on a computer. I draw bit by bit, starting from the eyes, to the face, hair, neck, shoulders, etc. I've tried sketching the entire thing first but it always looks wonky. I usually just trace off...
Feb 9th
3 notes
3 tags
Anonymous asked: Any art colleges you would recommend to go/apply for in the US?
Feb 9th
16 notes
2 tags
Anonymous asked: Hey, I know this is a really, really dumb question, but... I just started trying to move from traditional art to digital art. And I cannot for the life of me figure out what brushes/textures are and/or how to use them! (All the Google answers I've found seem directed at people who know stuff already.) So, can one of you give me brush/texture 101, or direct me to a tutorial that can? ...
Feb 9th
2 notes
4 tags
Feb 9th
95 notes
3 tags
asimsgirl asked: I want to eventually write/draw a graphic novel. Yet I have problems drawing the people within proportion in each frame. The people are always larger or the legs get shorten, etc , how can I work on the proportions?
Feb 9th
44 notes
2 tags
Feb 9th
56 notes
4 tags
Feb 8th
648 notes
2 tags
Anonymous asked: How do you show the light bouncing off an object or person if you work in graphite pencil?
Feb 8th
3 notes
5 tags
renamonn asked: With digital art, how do you make things look like they are glowing? and in different light settings (Light, dark, or just dim) For example, glowing eyes?
Feb 8th
23 notes
2 tags
Anonymous asked: Hi! I have a small problem that I'm not quite sure how to solve. I tend to use computer paper a lot, mainly for doodling and sketches, to save my thicker paper for bigger projects. The only problem is, I have really sweaty palms that cause the computer paper to fold and such. It bothers me and affects my drawings as well. Any advise on what to do?
Feb 8th
1 note
4 tags
chynese-girl asked: I'm planning on going into cartoon animation, should i still make an art portfolio that contains realism too? or should i just keep it animated? because i can do both realism, semi- realism, and animated.
Feb 8th
5 notes
3 tags
Anonymous asked: Similar question to the last one, what do you think of Pratt? (Any experiences or stories from followers would be great, too.) Thanks a lot.
Feb 8th
4 tags
Anonymous asked: Can we ask about college experiences? What's MassArt like? :)
Feb 8th
3 tags
Anonymous asked: I wan to sell doujinshi. What are the steps to actually accomplish this? And how good should your art be??
Feb 8th
3 notes
3 tags
Anonymous asked: I don't know what to do about my future portfolio, since anime has been frowned upon on many schools and companies within the US. And I just know I have to force myself to abandon entire the style sooner or later, but I really don't want to switch to an entirely different cartoon style. Just for the sake of pleasing a professor in some major art school, any artist should be free to draw...
Feb 8th
16 notes
2 tags
i-am-moriartys-smirking-revenge asked: I'm going to be applying to colleges pretty soon, and I've been seriously considering several art colleges. The trouble is, though, that I don't have a specific career that I'm looking at. I love art/design, but I feel like I might be painting myself into a corner by going to a school just for art. So, do you guys know if a) it's possible to get a non-art-related job...
Feb 7th
1 note