Silymarien’s Stuff

Aww, first of all, thank you SO much for your sweet message. I am so touched to inspire TwT 

I’m always very happy to help, and I want to do my best when I am given the chance. I’m often asked for tips on “how to draw” in general, but then I’m not sure where to start. If you ask me how to draw a certain thing I can tell you how I do, but… tips in general? *scratches head*

I never took art lessons of any kind, which means I don’t know the “bases”. I started to draw because I wanted to give life to characters and stories in my mind (the first one being a Lion King story about a lion cub named Fedora and I was like… a baby or something lol. I insisted on sending my story and drawings to Disney and my mom did it, they answered me and encouraged me to keep creating… that was 100% unrelated but now you’ve got a story about my childhood x’D) and what made me progress is: time, practice, passion, observation. (And when I say practice, I insist on the fact that I draw pretty much every single day since 18 years… which doesn’t mean it will take you that long, we all learn at our own pace)

Friends and older people would tell me “your character’s waist is not supposed to be the size of her wrist” and I was like “I DONT CARE I like it that way” < that is not a good attitude guys, don’t be a Drew. Good tip.

So… tipstips… to avoid “flat” faces, to make more expressive faces I guess?Keep in mind the depth and the dimensions. Think of the bumps. Visualize what you’re drawing, how it works, touch your own face, look at pictures. See in 3D! (Not only for faces tho)

When you draw the eyes, remember how it goes deeper below the eyebrows, how round the eye is, how it curves down the cheek. Play with that, turn around it. 

Not drawing details doesn’t mean you should ignore that they exist. If you don’t want to line the lips, don’t, but don’t forget that it’s there and is part of the shape of the mouth. Same for the nostrils and the nose, etc. (Google it, you’ll see there a LOT of different noses, mouths, lips, teeth, eyes, shapes, etc. Check them out, that’s a good way to avoid the “same face syndrome”)

A face isn’t flat and round, it’s full of bumps and curves and it’s beautiful.

Practice all the angles too! 

Look around you, look at references, gosh yes, don’t be afraid to use a model. Don’t artists in school use models to learn? I’ve never been there but very educative tv shows such as Malcolm in the Middle told me so. It’s okay to use a reference, to learn how things work together, the arms, the legs, the face, the muscles, etc. Don’t just redraw, think about what you’re doing.

Annnnd look at tutorials xD It’s a lazy tip but there’s a LOT of good art tutorials on tumblr, check them out, you’ll learn a LOT! 

Use geometric forms. Get rid of clothes and hair! 

Draw what is unseen. That arm that is hidden, draw it, see where it starts, where it goes. It works especially for group pictures. If your characters are hugging, draw each one separately at least quickly like I did up there, just to be sure everything works. Or you could end up with super long or short arms, necks that make no sense, etc.

Like I often said, don’t give up. It takes time, it’s normal! Don’t compare yourself to others, be yourself. Draw with passion, with heart, with love. And love what you draw. Each piece is a step, each step makes you a better artist. 

I’m far from the artist I would like to be, I admire a lot of people and I am aware my art is full of mistakes, so I can only tell you about how I got here, but I know I have a lot to learn as well! As I see it, an artist’s journey never ends, you can always learn more. But it’s what makes it so fantastic. Because what matters is the journey and not the destination, right?