Ugggh I want to be good

[TheGrayK]

Hah thats a confusing subject.
this might belong in Illustration but I dont know
Anyway
I really really desperately want to draw something and be proud of it
but i feel like i just suck so bad  so as i start to draw something i get frustrated and quit.
Ok so now to why this is a post that has a point and not just me crying. 
So i get on the forums and see all of this amazing art you guys put out and i'm inspired and amazed
and i just love it, and i get on you tube and watch all of the amazing animations
(One of my favorites http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsjGlKMcEQk&feature=channel_page )
people put together and my soul has a party, and then i sit down
and start to try some stuff and i get discouraged and don't finish.
so does anyone else have this problem and are able to over come it?
because i think it would help me so much to know that.

[boundless]

In those situations, you should try life drawing. It calms me down when I can't draw what I want. And it's good practice.

And recently I got over artists block. I was trying too hard to think of an idea for a short story. I started to get ideas once I just picked a simple theme. I suggest picking something that has some meaning to you. Something you have a connection with so you don't start picking at it's flaws and deciding it's stupid.

[TheGrayK]

Pfft i would except i dont know hardly anything about anatomy 
and its not really artists block its more of a
i think i suck but i really want to do it kinda thing
but thank you for the advice
it is very much appreciated!

[adzy-2k6]

What he means is actually sit down near a person or object and try to draw it as you see it there and then. Even if you know little about anatomy, you will learn some from this, and it can be applied to whatever style you try to draw in after. I know how you feel, I suck at drawing, luckily im better at science and math's subjects

[Pieter]

Some tips:
Get a sketchbook and something that makes strong lines, draw in it everyday.
It's important that you draw everyday, even if it's just for a little while.
Draw what you see, not what you think you see.
Draw from life, analyze what you see, try to remember the shapes. Then try drawing it from imagination.
Compare the sizes of things to eachother, measure them. Keep in mind the proportions of things.
Read up on drawing theory. Learn to draw constructively.
Only use as much lines as you really need, avoid drawing fuzzy lines.
Learn the basic rules of perspective.
Have patience, allot of patience...
Accept your limitations, and know that the only way to overcome them is to keep on drawing.
Do your best, but don't let the bad drawings keep you down.
NEVER rip pages out of your sketchbook, do not be afraid to show the bad stuff.
Most of all: have fun!
Repeat until death. 

Make a thread in the sketchbooks section or post in this thread.
I'll try to give you advice the best I can.

[boundless]

Pfft i would except i dont know hardly anything about anatomy 

Like adzy said, you don't need to know anything about anatomy to draw from life. What you should do is look at something (bowl of fruit, a cat, plant, stuff on your desk, etc) and draw it.

First you make the basic outline. Break the image down to simple shapes. Try using charcoal or a light pencil so you can erase and erase until you get it right. You should make sure everything is in proportion just like you see with your eyes. It might help to make a small frame out of paper/cardboard to look through.



That way, you can use your pencil to help you translate 3D angles to 2D. Then start making the inner lines, remembering to use thin lines for light areas, thicker for dark, and everything in between. Line variation is a huge part of a good drawing. And don't be afraid to erase over and over again. It helps to use charcoal because it comes off easier. Just go to a local art supply store and ask for help. Tell them you need charcoal for drawing a still life and they'll set you up with what you need.

[TheGrayK]

Thanks everybody for helping
here is a page from my sketch book
i draw like once a week but i will start once a day
Shh im kinda embarrassed

[boundless]

Not bad. Drawing from life actually helps you get better at anatomy and imaging your drawings in 3 dimensions. After a while, you'll be "sculpting" characters on paper.

[Pieter]

Hehe, I'm still embarrased whenever I post my stuff. It's normal I guess.

Okay, part one, lines...
1. Circles: take a empty page and draw it full of circles, here's the trick: draw them with only one line! You'll need to practice the arm movement (not wrist movement, use your entire arm, it's important to stay loose). Try to keep them enclosed and as round as possible, It's impossible to get a 100% round one, but you should try to.
2. Elipses: contracted circles basically.
3. Straight lines: draw lines as straight as possible, as long as possible. This will be usefull when freehanding perspective.
4. Curves: draw shapes made out of curves, ribbons, tribals, bulby shapes, etc.

Do these everyday before you start to loosen up.

[TheGrayK]

alright i will do that
and thanks for moving this to illustration
now as i do more stuff i will try to post it
here is something i did in illustrator
Not proud of it but not as embarrassed by it as the last

[Darkswift2204]

Hey thats pretty damn good... when i read this topic i was like omfg wtf my mind is posting stuff on its own. I feel this same way each time i draw i hate my drawings so what sometimes i do is take some parts from different animations i like and put them together and add some of my own stuff. I dont draw actual people i suck at that i always draw little cartoony people like little doodles something like grey gerlings animations (sperm rider supervillain series etc.)...

[CLiNK]

+1 to life drawing

I used to feel the same about art and I still do sometimes, I think part of it is that unlike our parents or grandparents, we have the internet which provides us the ability to soak in so much of other peoples work and while that has its obvious advantages (being able to learn from others, gain wider influences, online teachers and tutorials etc) it can also have the opposite effect making us feel inferior and overwhelmed at the sheer volume of great artists out there.
For me while I don't draw as much any more I feel more at peace after actually trying to disconnect from this - I will occasionally watch a tutorial or look at my very favourite artists work but I try not to actively seek others work which is why I no longer post my art here or even look in the sketchbook threads (although I cave in sometimes ). I just feel it has a negative effect on me sometimes.

Anyway enough of blabbering here's some other things that might help:

• Realise that when you're getting frustrated you're likely to be close to learning something. Whenever you find yourself drawing and getting grumpy or frustrated try and stop yourself for a moment and tell yourself to do just a little more. I think the key part of this is acknowledging the frustration for a moment, being rational about it and then, usually, you should feel calm enough to continue working or to start again.
  
• Life drawing is your friend. Like Boundless and others have noted it doesn't really take any previous knowledge but it does better you. If you're feeling really self conscious about your skills you can start off doing several easier exercises such as contour drawing and gesture drawing. These drawings are usually very quick and work partially on your subconscious and help you to build an understanding of weight, proportion and movement. There are also activities like rubber illustrated - for more of these activities you might be interested in the Vilppu Drawing Manual. They may seem simple but they work.
• Don't force yourself to draw. Some might disagree but I sometimes think that different people have different artistic juices flowing through them. Some people are able to push out a painting or quality drawing every day; others like myself feel more comfortable doing minimal work for long periods and then one day I will just get in mood and draw for hours on end.
• Don't sell others short; remember that although it may seem like some people have art coming easy to them it's very likely that they have been through what you're going through. They have persevered and put in a lot of hard work and a lot of time. You wouldn't compare a 9 year old who just started at little athletics to an elite Olympic athlete who has trained for years. It's mostly the same in the art world.

Hope that is some helpful stuff to think about.

[Alcaknight]

+1 to life drawing

I used to feel the same about art and I still do sometimes, I think part of it is that unlike our parents or grandparents, we have the internet which provides us the ability to soak in so much of other peoples work and while that has its obvious advantages (being able to learn from others, gain wider influences, online teachers and tutorials etc) it can also have the opposite effect making us feel inferior and overwhelmed at the sheer volume of great artists out there.
For me while I don't draw as much any more I feel more at peace after actually trying to disconnect from this - I will occasionally watch a tutorial or look at my very favourite artists work but I try not to actively seek others work which is why I no longer post my art here or even look in the sketchbook threads (although I cave in sometimes ). I just feel it has a negative effect on me sometimes.

Anyway enough of blabbering here's some other things that might help:

• Realise that when you're getting frustrated you're likely to be close to learning something. Whenever you find yourself drawing and getting grumpy or frustrated try and stop yourself for a moment and tell yourself to do just a little more. I think the key part of this is acknowledging the frustration for a moment, being rational about it and then, usually, you should feel calm enough to continue working or to start again.
  
• Life drawing is your friend. Like Boundless and others have noted it doesn't really take any previous knowledge but it does better you. If you're feeling really self conscious about your skills you can start off doing several easier exercises such as contour drawing and gesture drawing. These drawings are usually very quick and work partially on your subconscious and help you to build an understanding of weight, proportion and movement. There are also activities like rubber illustrated - for more of these activities you might be interested in the Vilppu Drawing Manual. They may seem simple but they work.
• Don't force yourself to draw. Some might disagree but I sometimes think that different people have different artistic juices flowing through them. Some people are able to push out a painting or quality drawing every day; others like myself feel more comfortable doing minimal work for long periods and then one day I will just get in mood and draw for hours on end.
• Don't sell others short; remember that although it may seem like some people have art coming easy to them it's very likely that they have been through what you're going through. They have persevered and put in a lot of hard work and a lot of time. You wouldn't compare a 9 year old who just started at little athletics to an elite Olympic athlete who has trained for years. It's mostly the same in the art world.

Hope that is some helpful stuff to think about.

That helped me also. Thanks.

I am also like you, in the way that you don't draw everyday. I don't animate loads everday, but I animate quite a bit. But some of those days, I just get something and animate really well, and for a long time. Thanks again.

[Cel]

I'm not a fan of life drawing, myself. I simply find it boring.. Drawing from my imagination appeals a lot more to me.
Let me tell you this, though: untill about a month ago I wasn't very good. Sometimes I would get lucky and make something believable, but most of the time I'd get frustrated just like you. Last month I got THIS, and I'm almost done with it by now. This DVD made all the difference for me.

Some of the first lessons are free on YouTube, so you can check it out.

[boundless]

I used to feel the same about art and I still do sometimes, I think part of it is that unlike our parents or grandparents, we have the internet which provides us the ability to soak in so much of other peoples work and while that has its obvious advantages (being able to learn from others, gain wider influences, online teachers and tutorials etc) it can also have the opposite effect making us feel inferior and overwhelmed at the sheer volume of great artists out there.

I went to art school for a little while and it was very humbling. I was one of the better artists at my high school and that made me feel good, but then I saw people sooo much more talented than me and I felt like a kid again. I knew this one girl in particular who was very very good. I felt like I'd never be as good as her since it must have come naturally, but then I found out she took private art lessons for years before. So remember - there will always be better artists than you, but they all took the time to get to where they are. It should be encouraging.