Artist Wants Advice on How to Improve

Hi there, Papa bear, 

It's been a while since the last time I mailed ya, you might be quite busy with other advices so I'll make it fast

I just started to draw furries but honestly, I need lot of help; so I wanted to ask you if there are any sites you would like to recommend me, so I can practice and improve more :3

Lovely Cow

* * *

Dear Lovely,

When it comes to studying art, I do not recommend websites (I’ve looked at places like http://www.learn-to-draw.com/ and didn’t really care for them). There really aren’t any that I’ve seen that are all that great. Instead, I could recommend some books for you and, of course, if you are so inclined, you could take some art classes, either at a school or university or from a private tutor.

When it comes to books, I would recommend getting a mix of theory and practical art advice. Theory books help you develop your technique and elementary drawing skills, while practical art books teach you things like anatomy and how to portray movement.

To start, a book that was given to me by an artist on theory that is very good is Betty Edwards’ Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. As the title indicates, the lessons here get you in touch with the creative side of your brain, so that even people who think they have no artistic skill can improve greatly.

Next, you need a good book on technique. I have An Introduction to Art Techniques from DK publishing, but there are other books you can find online, I’m sure. Such books show you how to use the tools of the trade (brushes, palette knives, etc.) and introduce you to everything from pencil, ink, and spray pens to watercolors, oils, and acrylics. I also have books specifically on pencil and watercolor technique.

Next, get good books on human and animal anatomy. I have Drawing Human Anatomy  by Giovanni Civardi, and several animal books. Again, there is a wide variety of such books. Shop around in an art store. They usually carry the ones that are of better quality and can recommend something for your skill level.

Finally, if you are going in that direction, get a cartooning book. I have Cartooning for the Beginner by Christopher Hart. There are also books on digital painting techniques, a medium popular among many furry artists. You can even buy (and I think there is some freewhere) for 3D rendering software. You should really ask some furry artists about what books they would recommend for these because I have no experience in creating original digital art beyond Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.

Develop a good library of books that you can refer to when you need to. 

Of course, you will need to practice, practice, practice. A good way to do this is to find a few artists you admire and start copying their works. This is not meant to plagiarize what others have done, but rather to help you observe the skills of people you consider masters in the craft and, by emulating them, develop your own skills.

If you like—and if your ego can handle it—join a furry artist group online, share your art, and have others critique it, hopefully in a constructive way.

Above all, if you wish to improve as an artist, set aside an hour or more a day when you can be alone with your art supplies and focus on your art without interruption. Even better, get outside (a zoo or park) and find subjects to paint and draw! 

Good luck!

Papabear