[Question] Artistic Idiosyncrasies

[Gusto]

Hey guys.

I was wondering what we all do that is individual to our artistic "styles", and what we like to see, and perhaps most importantly, what we DON'T like to see.

In my case, I've often been criticized for leaving my sketches with blank faces. I'm not sure why I do it, it's just that I often have trouble with faces and find them to be pretty important.

Right now in particular, I'm dealing with another idiosyncrasy I see a lot, and see a lot of criticism for. The "only-upper-lip". I'm working on a sketch right now where I've drawn only the upper lip and it just looks right to me. This isn't something I've ever done before but it feels like adding the lower lip might ruin the sketch...

Anyway, discuss.

 

[fennewalde]

Hey guys.

I was wondering what we all do that is individual to our artistic "styles", and what we like to see, and perhaps most importantly, what we DON'T like to see.

In my case, I've often been criticized for leaving my sketches with blank faces. I'm not sure why I do it, it's just that I often have trouble with faces and find them to be pretty important.

Right now in particular, I'm dealing with another idiosyncrasy I see a lot, and see a lot of criticism for. The "only-upper-lip". I'm working on a sketch right now where I've drawn only the upper lip and it just looks right to me. This isn't something I've ever done before but it feels like adding the lower lip might ruin the sketch...

Anyway, discuss.

Both of these things are based on you not wanting to take a chance with 'ruining' your art. We call this, "being a wimp" syndrome. In all seriousness, you are probably overly perfectionistic (wordisms) when it comes to illustrating which is why you have a feeling of 'ruining' something. The idea of learning from your mistakes is overridden by your fear of making a mistake. I hope you overcome this disease because it's holding you back by about everything-ever.

I won't jump into style because i feel it is 90% ass (the bad kind D= ). For instance, i am also quite fond of drawing faceless people melting into one another in sexual pictures (this is not a joke). But it is not for fear of ruining an image or because i am uncomfortable or untrained in rendering faces (simply for the anonymity and overall grossness factor). Just draw what you draw. Leave 'style' up to the viewer.

My advice would be to let loose more when illustrating. You don't have to go to the lengths of the Fennyverse, where it seems i purposefully sabotage my own illustrations in the name of speed, boldness, or general laziness, but just enough so that you're not worried about making masterpieces on each sheet of paper and just trying to become the best artist you want to be.

 

[PatrThom]

So what you're saying is that no drawing is ever perfect because you always learn something new from creating each one, and that this effect is something you should EXPECT even before you first touch pen to paper, so that your creation process doesn't get thrown off by it when it happens. Is that right?

--Patrick

 

[drifter]

I like seeing stuff that's not like my stuff. Corollary to that, I don't like seeing stuff that's like my stuff. So basically... I hate my stuff

For the longest time, I used to never draw irises in people's eyes. I attribute this to my youthful devotion to superhero comics. Nowadays I'm mostly bothered with how generic my artwork is. It depresses me, and is probably why I don't really draw anymore. Been getting the urge lately though, so hopefully I'll internalize fennewalde's advice and not worry too much about it and just draw.

 

[Bowielee]

I love, love, LOVE sharp angles and corners in my drawings, but I'm more than happy to work outside of that. My biggest problem I feel (besides the occasional problems with perspective) is that I always feel like my art looks sketchy, mostly because it is.

 

[DLM X-13]

I'm sometimes bothered by how everything I draw looks rounded. As in, I have this weird habit of only using curved lines and no straight lines in my drawings, and so there's a lack of tension and dynamism and everything also ends up looking kinda...bloated.

Oh, I also hold my pencil really weird. That has nothing to do with anything. But it's certainly an idiosyncrasy of a sort.

 

[Dave]

I'm sometimes bothered by how everything I draw looks rounded. As in, I have this weird habit of only using curved lines and no straight lines in my drawings, and so there's a lack of tension and dynamism and everything also ends up looking kinda...bloated.

Oh, I also hold my pencil really weird. That has nothing to do with anything. But it's certainly an idiosyncrasy of a sort.

Lack of tension?!? Dude are you mad? You art - especially with the dark, blocky text that is the jumbled thoughts of a possibly insane individual - is incredibly tense.

 

[Wahad]

Although I don't draw, when I write, I have the tendency to elongate sentences by using dashes - like this, for example. I should do that less.