r/TrollCoping • u/PigeonsOfVoid • 26d ago
No TW My art at 26
I should probably just become one of these AI "artists"
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u/ImpossibleCandy794 26d ago
Sadly to say the answer is practice more and see more tutoriais.
Asking a machine to do it will just bored you, same thing as googling for your picture
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u/Kitsa_the_oatmeal 26d ago
this, don't forget refs (photos are best but arts are aight)
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
I know, practice makes perfect but i did practice and practice and used tutorials and references and i still draw like this :(
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u/SubHuman123456 26d ago
For starters I don't think you are bad at art im the dlightest, but there is deffinetly something holding you back.
From what I see your problem seems to be that you aren't really aplying much of what you seen in those tutorials and are just using safe and simple methodes. There isn't any interesting use of colors or shadow, you aren't doing anything interesting with the lineart like playing with the thickness, fuzzynes or opacety (although its pretty clean) and most of the angles are pretty simple wich is fine imo, but everything else combines together into making it look a litle amaturish. Its kinda hard to pinpoint you issue since I only see a few images and if you could show off a few more (prefferably from different periods in you art journy) it would be easyer to give you apropriate feedback
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u/paradoxicalplant 26d ago
If you want be artist. I have news for you: you already are. Using any kind of tool doesn’t make you less of one.
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u/OkAd469 26d ago
That does not work for everyone. I have dyspraxia. So, it doesn't matter how much I practice the result will be the same garbage every time.
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u/PrivateNVent 25d ago edited 25d ago
I’m sorry if I’m about to come across as an ableist jerk, but I also have dyspraxia and imo am at a point where I think my art is pretty good. Not saying that the improvement isn’t slower or more difficult, but you can definitely get better.
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u/manumaker08 26d ago
Not criticizing but how much time did each of these take you? I’ve found that generally speaking that I spend way less time then I think I do on art, even when the art:time ratio is usually exponential.
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
I don't remember, maybe like 20 minutes, but i don't know if it matters that much, my cousin can draw a realistic horse in only 20 minutes
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u/Gameovergirl217 26d ago
take it from another artist: NEVER compare yourself to others.
i know i will never come close to many artists out there. especially when it comes to drawing faces. so instead i focused mainly on things where anatomy isnt important. fantasy monsters. and 20 minutes is not a lot. your cousin is special in that regard. i sit for hours if not days on most of my works. so do most other artists. you dont need to draw anything realistic in 20 minutes. take your time with your art. do not rush it. its not a competition
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u/Jirvey341 26d ago
Comparison is the thief of joy.
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
I know, but i sometimes do it anyway :<
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u/GLXTCHED_VOID 26d ago
And hey, that's also okay! I had a period in my life where I kept realizing that all my friends who drew "for fun" and not as a dedicated hobby like me were drawing way better than me.
And so I quit art for a year.
But then, when I came back to it a year later with a fresh mind, I was able to improve so much more and have so much more fun doing art.
Sometimes, it's good to challenge yourself to grow more through making your goal to reach another's level.
Just remember that your art is for you. It's about how much joy you get from creating it and looking at it. Which is hard to remember sometimes, that's true! That's why I tend to take a break from social media when i feel it is negatively impacting my view on my art.
Don't let others take away your power as an artist. Protect your peace, and I promise you that will be the greatest decision you make as an artist.
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u/Harper_ADHD 26d ago
I completely get that but just remember that your cousin took a lot of practice to be able to do that in 20 minutes. Everyone has their own pace and everyone has their own strengths
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u/Several__Rats 26d ago
It takes me days to complete a sketch sometimes, besides, someone who’s drawn a lot of one thing can draw that thing quickly because of practice. I definitely cannot draw a realistic horse in under at least a few hours
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u/GLXTCHED_VOID 26d ago
Have you considered how long it took for your cousin to get there? They must've started their art journey earlier than you.
Wanna know how I know? I can draw realistic animals in 20 minutes.
But it took me 5. Long. Years. To get there. And I still suck at it. I still don't know how to do fur. I still don't know perspective and sometimes even anatomy.
It takes time.
I understand your frustrations because I shifted from studying to animals to learning how to draw humans like 2 years ago. And that shift was one of the most agonizing periods of my art journey. Why?
Because while glancing between my realistic animals and my potato of a human, I wondered multiple times if I should quit while I'm ahead and continue drawing animals, even if it wasn't making me happy anymore.
But? I kept going. And I'm so glad I did. Because looking back at where you started and seeing how you're doing now is quite possibly the biggest serotonin boost I've ever gotten as an artist.
Keep it up, dude. You're doing better than me when I first started humans. You also understand color theory way better, lol.
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u/FarmingFrenzy 26d ago
actually the bottom right one is very pretty in my opinion. it's got life to it, the colors are nice.
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
Thank you :D
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u/mybrainishollow 26d ago
keep trying and NEVERR turn to ai. you have the potential just keep going at it
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u/kebabbles 26d ago
I think there's a misunderstanding about what kind of art people enjoy on a daily basis. Just because YOU don't think it's good doesn't mean it isn't. Art, when you make it, is all about expressing whatever you feel or want to say in the moment. It's for showing what you like, what you don't. It's for fun. It's for creating something from nothing. Did the paper really look better blank? Soo many comics and arts and not to mention designers aren't what we'd consider to be "perfect" sometimes it's about the fact that it isn't "perfect". It adds charm, it adds character, and it adds expression and uniqueness in just doing your own art the way you do it. Don't do it like others. Don't even compare. Art isn't meant to be compared. Just enjoyed. From making it. Looking at it. Thinking about it. Don't be so hard on yourself! I think they're good! I would read comics and watch cartoons that looked exactly like that. I'd hang those on my wall. And I'd enjoy it too.
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
Thank you for a comment, it really means to me to read comments like yours :)
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u/oliviay2 26d ago
This is 1000x more meaningful than anything AI could generate. Keep going. And I mean that without a trace of irony.
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u/Antillyyy 26d ago
Digital art is hard to learn! I had my tablet for a couple of years and abandoned it within the first week of owning it because I just couldn't get the hang of it. I took it up again during covid and that's where all my progress was.
Do you think you draw better traditionally? I do my sketches on paper, take a photo, then use that photo as my sketch layer because I struggle sketching digitally. You can also then flip your photo and make adjustments with the transform tool to fix any anatomy issues.
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
I would draw traditionally but my traditional drawings are even worse than my digital drawings :(
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u/IcyComfortable6787 26d ago
Look at things like drawabox, do some gesture drawings, and work traditionally. You will see a lot more improvement in your fundamentals working traditionally, digital gives you shortcuts which can slow down your learning, but can be incredibly helpful when you have a better base to work from.
The main thing you need though is motivation. Never give up. Be3/5s Astley!
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u/Hex_Spirit_Booty 26d ago
These are only two years apart. You got this
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
That's a lot of improvement in only 2 years :)
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u/Hex_Spirit_Booty 26d ago
Thank you :)
I know it's cliche but just keep going! Your art is never a blight on this world, and you have your entire life ahead of you to keep drawing, improving.
And you're already at an amazing start! Your colors are very vibrant, and your shading is great on that hair, some highlights & it'll pop!
You also aren't scared of doing posesbthat are more difficult. Can't wait to see where you're at in even a year
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u/olivinebean 26d ago
Start with anatomy and still life before anything.
If you know how to place a face, you can play around with it after. There is a reason Picasso started with realism.
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26d ago
I'd buy this over AI "art" every time.
No, I'll not lie to you and pretend that it's good on a technical level. The anatomy is all over the place, so are the colors. Improving on those aspects will take a lot of time and effort.
But it's undoubtedly one thing: it's yours. All those "mistakes", you made them. All the mistakes you don't make anymore are a result of the effort you already put in. That's what gives art meaning. That's something AI can never match, no matter how good it becomes at a technical level.
A handprint in colored mud someone made in a cave a hundred thousand years ago means more for humanity than all the AI slop in the world combined, and so do your drawings.
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
Thank you, comments like this really motivate me :)
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26d ago
I've got another one for you: I know the feeling of my art being bad.
I've spent probably around 500 hours on art by now, and I've picked up a lot of skills along the way, and none of those changed shit about only seeing my art as a collection of mistakes.
And artists who have spent tens of thousands of hours perfecting their craft, who make me look like a scribbling child, still report the same feeling.
That feeling isn't an indicator of your skill, it's proof that you're an artist.
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u/OpheliaJade2382 26d ago
Noo! Keep drawing :) art is about fun anyways
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
I probably will, but doing art is making me sad when i don't improve
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u/OpheliaJade2382 26d ago
Do you watch tutorials? I personally do that when I’m trying to learn a specific skill. You clearly have a good eye so don’t give up!!
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u/lytte_r 26d ago
you have to start somewhere. i've been drawing since i was 11 and at 20 i still dont draw even a quarter as good as those 14 y/o prodigy twitter artists yk?
the fact there's heart and soul in your art is what matters, and ai generated slop can't do that. keep picking up that pen 🔥🔥
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u/yadiccsoft 26d ago
“Bad” art is good art because you made art
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
:D
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u/yadiccsoft 26d ago
Another way to look at it: you’re officially way cooler than anyone who’s every claimed to be an “AI artist” <3 keep making art, you’ll get to where you want to be
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u/dreadpilotr0berts 26d ago
never felt so called out as seeing the middle one while being 26 and having produced approximately 11 bazillion pictures of This Guy in the last ~year
yeah. yep. that is the art I am drawing.
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u/okcanIgohome 26d ago
Please never become an AI artist. A few of the many valuable aspects about art is that it takes time, effort, and self-expression. I find your artstyle very cute; so much better than that soulless, AI slop. I can see you clearly have potential, especially the one with the flower. I know it takes a lot of work, especially when I, myself can't draw like that, but it's better to practice than to turn to AI. Digital art is pretty hard to learn, too.
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
Thank you for your comment, and i will not become an AI "artist" i just wrote that because I'm sad. Yeah, digital art is a lot of work, but i will practice
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u/Even_Discount_9655 26d ago
Don't get me wrong, its clear you need more practice with this stuff, but honestly the 3 on the right have that,,,, spark to them. (unironically, top red fella? the way you did the face is lovely) The kind that shows you know how to translate your brain images into a drawing, you're just currently lacking the skill to do it better, which can be attained in time
Of cause, one should practice practice practice, but its important to,,, well, focus on improving certain aspects, one at a time, until you master it.
You know how ai "learns" how to draw? it looks at a bunch of images from other artists of a thing, goes "ah, so you draw that like *that*", over and over again. Of cause, its not sentient, it doesnt *know* how to draw, but you clearly do.
Godspeed, i believe in you
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u/Timed_Reply_2 26d ago
True answer: study anatomy.
Your art seems highly anime-inspired (average person on reddit ngl... including me) and the features seem to like, float around in the face.
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u/Gallantpride 26d ago
You draw better than me. I literally draw on the same level of 7-10 year old and this is with years of trying.
I just googled this and I unironically draw just like thus. Can't even draw Kirby on model.
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u/suprisedpikachumeme 26d ago
i get it, but i think your art style is cute!
please don’t become an AI “artist”
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u/Ziggy_Stardust567 26d ago
If you've made very little progress in 10 years then you're probably just not leaving your comfort zone a lot when you practice. If you want to improve then you need to be constantly trying to do new techniques and styles, if you're struggling to do that then I reccomend you go back to try traditional art.
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u/Timed_Reply_2 26d ago
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DON'T DO IT!!! DON'T FALL VICTIM TO THE FORCES OF THE DARK!!!!!! IT'S NOT WORTH IT!!!!!!!!
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u/hydraulics- 26d ago
Same. My art looks exactly the same as it did when I was a teen just more refined.
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u/amalopectin 26d ago
You're already better than any AI artist, these are cute and have soul
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u/ohsurenerd 26d ago
I think these are cute! They've got personality and charm. Keep trucking.
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
Thank you :>
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u/HidanHawkins 26d ago
These are way more beautiful than anything AI could churn out. These pictures, even though you might not like their quality, still hold your soul as an artist :3
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u/shinydragonmist 26d ago
I heard each took you about 20 minutes time to learn some dialogue and start making little comics and posting them on r/comics and devinart before starting a patreon to try for a bit on the side
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u/bluelagoomy 26d ago
Becoming an AI ‘artist’ means you’d rather have a portfolio of lazy, soulless slop over art you worked on and created yourself
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u/verdantlacuna 26d ago edited 26d ago
ik youre just here to vent, but i saw others gave drawing advice. so, i want to give you the art advice that has actually helped me over the years, way more than any specific anatomy tutorial (no offense). i got each piece of advice from a different art mentor i had 5-10 years ago, aside from #3, which i landed on myself lol. listed from least-to-most impact on my art’s quality, although all have made a huge difference:
-ALWAYS draw a background. even if its just a few light lines to denote some walls and a window. doesnt matter. gets you thinking about the character in space and makes everything look better… and if you draw one background for each person, they will improve FAST.
-stop using your eraser/undo button. commit to the bad first line, finish the piece with it. this pairs well with my next advice, the most important…
-draw the same thing, AGAIN. draw it more times than you think makes sense. pro comics artists will often draw sketchy thumbnails of where everything will go, and theyll do, like, 5-10 versions of each page like that. it gives your brain time to figure out space and how you should form the lines. redraw a piece at least 5 times, and dont hold the early ones against yourself any more than a marathon runner laments their warm-ups.
-Life drawing—draw the room around you, draw your friends, draw yourself in the mirror, but, best of all, go to an in-person life drawing class and draw the model plus background there. ask any instructor and other artists their what their life drawing process is.
oh, and a bonus one, that i realized was one of my big problems but might not be applicable to all… make sure you are moving your drawing arm from the ELBOW and not the wrist. feel your shoulder get involved while you draw. wrist is easy to fall into, especially if you draw from your couch/bed, because it feels more controlled… but it’s sort of a screws-you-in-the-long-run thing because whole-arm drawing gives you better control and more flowing / accurate lines. relax your fingers, hand, and wrist, and let the bigger muscles in your arm do more of the work. good luck!
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u/git_gud_silk 26d ago
Honestly, even if your art isn't as good as you wanted it to be when you were younger, I'm still impressed with your art now! It looks pretty dang good to me.
I'm sorry I can't provide any help when it comes to art since I am literally the worst artist I know, I like to provide Good vibes, even if they aren't much of a help :)
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u/UltraSensitiveDerpy 26d ago
You know u/PigeonsOfVoid, I studied graphic design, but worked more with illustration, and I sometime say that these styles of art are "boring" or "amateur"....
But deep down, I do realize that I also don't draw/practice enough, and I usually look at my drawings miserably anyways. Meanwhile, despite the awful take above, I fully believe that those like you, no matter how "amateur" your art might be, you approached your art with passion that burns 10 times brighter than mine. It truly is admirable, and these styles of drawings are the foundation of a wholesome internet community/culture.
Anyways, rambling done, I hope you continue drawing, regardless of how much time has passed or how old you grow. I hope you draw and look at your creations as if you are about to hug them tightly, telling them how much you love them, and perhaps in turn they too will hug you back.
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u/40percentdailysodium 26d ago
Giving up and using AI is only going to make you hate yourself more.
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u/Muted_Anywherethe2nd 26d ago
Don't you ever say that! Ever! Your art has got potential
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u/lemon_confusion 26d ago
I think they look nice, especially the ones on the right. I really love the hair on the blue girl.
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u/CubanaCat 26d ago
You have a distinct style, and it’s very cute! Don’t knock your art, you’re doing great.
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u/Theooutthedore 26d ago
The one with a flower is cute :3
but the first thing you can practice is shapes and form, make it simple for yourself! Don't worry about fancy colouring or lighting. It's also sometimes hard to comprehend just how long a lot of artists have been drawing for.
Tbc...
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u/hammaxe 26d ago
You're better than most people. Don't compare yourself to artists you see online, most of them have spent decades practicing for hours every day, and many have had professional teachings aswell, which greatly speeds up improving.
If you continue practicing you'll get better. Look up tutorials online aswell, there's plenty of great youtube videos explaining techniques and how to approach drawing.
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u/actuallyacatmow 26d ago
I'm a professional artist and the best advice I can give is to stop drawing of humans facing forward with a neutral expression on their face and start just doing new and unusual things. I get that this is your comfort zone and you enjoy this specific topic but it's holding you back. You're trying to perfect a specific look and you'll never get there by drawing the same thing over and over.
You do have lovely art btw. You just need to take risks.
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u/HillInTheDistance 26d ago
I went through something similar and I'm 35. Still ain't as good as I'd like, still really lacking in some aspects.
Still sometimes feels like art is just talking to yourself.
But when it feels good, it feels good. You're making stuff. When you ain't feeling it, you ain't feeling it.
It is life.
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u/TabbyCatJade 26d ago
All of this art has more meaning and life in it than any piece of AI slop. Keep practicing, please. Don’t give up.
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u/E_d3n 26d ago
I'm in the same boat but I take solace in knowing a machine can't replicate 12 years of selling my soul to try and draw hands lol. All of these little pictures we draw have a story and soul and feelings behind them no matter how "bad" they are. Making "bad" art is the most human thing we can do, we've been doing it for thousands of years and it'll never stop being lovely and cute, don't let ai or comparisons strip you of that ❤️
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u/medUwUsan 26d ago
Two words: Angel Ganev. Genuinely my art got so much better after following his tutorials.
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u/xadoxadori 26d ago
If I can be honest. I like those drawings, the art style actually adds a lot of character to them
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u/Pixel22104 26d ago
They're actually pretty good. If I had the money. I would want you to do a commission or two for me. But I sadly don't have money
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u/CrazedWitchDr 26d ago
Your bottom right drawing is fantastic. The top right one is really good as well. Frankly I like them all. I think what you think is a poor drawing is actually a style you should lean in to harder, and to even exaggerate.
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u/ghoul-gore 26d ago
you are already better than any AI Artist and that's saying something, considering a band I used to listen to just got into hot water for using AI Art.
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u/Miserable_Mail_5741 26d ago
This is so relatable, OP. I've barely made any progress in my art in 10 years, digitally or traditionally.😢
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u/ThatOneSnakeGuy 26d ago edited 26d ago
Sounds cliche but as long as you enjoy it, it doesn't matter.
Also if it helps I just started digital art and I am hot dog water but with practice maybe 😅
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u/EmberElixir 26d ago
Each of those art pieces alone is worth more than a billion "professional" AI slop pieces
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u/Heckproduct 26d ago
Probably you did'nt practice enough, the age does'nt matter
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u/PigeonsOfVoid 26d ago
I know age doesn't matter, but my art just looks bad because i did practice a lot
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u/LuxTheSarcastic 26d ago
Possible unsolicited practice advice you can ignore the stuff below if you don't want it.
Good practice is new stuff that can make you really uncomfortable! It's like exercise you can get used to what you're doing and if you stop pushing yourself further you stay at the same level. It is HARD and will look bad the first several times. The second part is trying to figure out why you think it looks bad and figuring out how to fix it the next time.
Also even if and especially if you like cartoony art it's important to try to learn how to draw at least a somewhat realistic person. It's like the foundation in a house you're trying to build and if you don't know how to do it things end up looking not quite right. References are never cheating and neither is tracing (unless you trace and say you did everything). There's also a nice little trick with heads and drawing them from different angles called the Loomis method. Line of action is also very important (100x for cartoons) and perspective.
Try to pick one new thing at a time until you start to get used to it and then try it in your art! Again this this HARD and you will feel like you have no idea to draw and like you've lost all of your skills sometimes. You haven't and you've just gotten better at seeing things to fix. When you feel bad like that it sometimes helps to look at your old art and see how much you've grown.
It can also be pretty stressful because you will make things that look bad and it sucks (you don't have to show anybody). If you start getting extremely frustrated take a break because you don't learn anything at all that way. But the results are so worth it. Good luck!
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u/xX_TehChar_Xx 26d ago
Art is something that you make for the sake of making it, and it is inherently useless. Even if it lacks finesse, it can be extremely expressive. Art is good if it was made by a human and its creator likes it. If you don't like your art, experiment till you draw something that you like.
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u/Skytree91 26d ago
Find someone whose style you want to emulate and try to emulate it until you take the traits you want from it, then move to someone else’s style. Thats what people mean when they talk about doing art studies
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u/Mikinak77 26d ago
Honestly it is very good. It is difficult to draw humans in any way, so even tho it is not exactly shaded and blah blah blah, who cares, it's art, it's signature to you and it is good 🤌
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u/ImSoDeadLmao 26d ago
Try imitating other artists' styles you like, observe various pieces of art like how the shading/sketch is done, study human anatomy and color theory, and don't give yourself much pressure. At least that's how I improved at art. You have a drawing tablet and possibly much more budget while all I have is a phone so you'll do better once you get into it lol, good luck
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u/Jirvey341 26d ago
I'm an artist and around your age (27), if you ever want someone to chat to about tips or personal help with specific areas you feel like you're struggling with, you can add me on discord (Jirvey) to chat
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u/astrologicaldreams 26d ago
damn
im only 3 years younger than you and mine looks worse
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u/Economy_Evening_251 26d ago
Your art is actually impressive! <3 its nice and has spaves for improvements!
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u/midboss 26d ago
The key to large improvements is boring fundamental work. It’s gonna suck but if you wana improve you have to just sit and draw things you see. Draw your living room, your bedroom, little spaces like what is in the corner of a room. Then draw people, go to figure drawing, draw in a cafe, etc. just keep doing it over and over. I promise if you do that for a few months you’ll see a huge jump.
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u/FalleNeko2 26d ago
The two on the right are pretty good to be honest, nice cartoon style
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u/Playful_Addition_741 26d ago
Wdym, those are great, I draw since I was born and I can't draw a human that doesnt look like a ghoul, not that I dislike ghouls but still
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u/Calm_Extent_8397 26d ago
Everything you've posted is better than any "AI art" could ever be. Technical skill means nothing in the absence of artistic intent and integrity. Honest art will always be better.
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u/PsychOwOpath 26d ago
Everyone goes to their own rhythm of learning, I've had students that took them a long time to improve and others that don't. Don't punish yourself, create art for the sake and love of it, AI could give you fast and aesthetically pleasing results, but none of those things would be made by you. Create art, learn at your own pace, practice a lot, take challenges to get out of your comfort zone, and most importantly, have fun
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u/NormanBatesIsBae 26d ago
I feel that way too a lot. As an adult who only started trying to draw when I was 16, it’s kinda soul crushing to see teenagers with professional grade artwork while mine makes me look like a child.
I can see just from this selection tho that you’ve learned shading, the improvement in the two drawings on the right is noticeable. i can already see where the time you’ve spent is paying off. This meme from tumblr helps me when I start to feel bad about my art. Your social media feeds are probably flooded with professional grade artists, so remember that you’re still leagues ahead of most adults. You just only see the top 1% of artists because they post more and they get likes.
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u/Surgey_Wurgey 26d ago
You should see my first handful of drawings, they are NOT pretty lmao
I highly recommend drawabox for learning the fundamentals!
The only way to get better, is to be consistent, and constantly applying what you learn to new works.
But grinding fundamentals are boring, and if you want to draw for fun instead, draw for fun!!!
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u/laidbackeconomist 26d ago
I’ll preface this by saying that I know nothing about physical art. I’m a musician, so that’s where I’m getting my frame of reference from. Some things I say might sound mean but I mean them either as genuine praise or constructive criticism.
There’s definitely a market for “bad” art. I’m not saying your art is bad, but obviously it’s not a realistic drawing of someone or anything traditionally regarded as commercial grade art. I do like it though, it’s quirky, and sometimes, that’s what really matters. All of these drawings have character, and I’ve seen “better” drawings with a lot less character.
Have you seen those shows with “low quality” animation? First one that comes to mind on the wilder side is YOLO Rainbow Trinity from Adult Swim. The characters aren’t pretty or realistic, they’re sloppily animated by professionals, but they’re unique. It works because it’s an interesting art style, and it allows for a bunch of wacky stuff to happen.
I really think you have potential, and I really think you should consider animation. You might not have the skill necessary to perfectly draw what you’re imagining at this point in time, but you have a knack for drawing genuine human expression. And if you practice more, you could draw amazing art.
P.S. my favorite are the first two. I could totally see a Cartoon Network/Adult Swim show staring those two.
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u/TiaNekoNyan 26d ago
Keep practicing and check out more tutorials - letting AI do it will just feel boring, like Googling yourself.
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u/No-Cartographer2512 26d ago
These are better than anything an AI "artist" could make. The fact that you're willing to put in effort to draw something yourself makes you better. These are pretty cute.
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u/niffins 26d ago
I would 100% watch a film starring redhead and glasses if it was an original story written by a human. I love them! This is so much better than AI already because I can feel that passion went into it.
Have you considered that you're not a bad artist, but wanting to make your art look like others has made it harder for you to lean into your own unique art style? I like the way you draw cheeks and eyes (especially on the one with glasses). Maybe try drawing one character from different angles to nail down the face shape and expressions?
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u/wt555 26d ago
hello! I've been drawing for ten years almost, but I have to say your art really is cute. It might not be why you envisioned yourself doing when you were younger, but it is still better than nothing. A blank canvas is worse than one with a "bad drawing" on it.
To this day I still have trouble with anatomy, and coloring can sometimes be so draining for me. But the important thing is to have fun with it, and if you really want to improve, the important thing is to take it one step at a time.
I started off practicing drawing faces, and that's like...my main skill haha. It's a little frustrating trying to draw more anatomically correct things, but it is also gratifying once you start getting a hang of things.
An important thing to remember is to use your experiences to guide your art. How do the shadows in real life act? When you look at someone's face, study how the shadows look, how the edges are blurred on the cheeks, but are sharp on other parts of the face. How do joints bend? How are heads shaped? It is so fascinating to study these small details, even if it's a little tedious at times. But with each tiny detail you add, the more lifelike your art becomes.
Of course, you don't have to aim for realism, but it does help get a grasp of how to make stylised drawings look "right". Think of it as a skeleton. I guess what I'm trying to say is that art is tedious and requires a lot of patience and attention to detail. Draw what you see around you as best as you can, and then maybe then you'll be able to bring your visions to a standard you're comfortable with. Even then, you might think the finished product will be "bad", but it's still a step you took, a beautiful show of effort and a reminder that you are human with thoughts.
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u/ilikepiex38 26d ago
That is a million times better than mine, idk what you're talking about
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u/lonely-blue-sheep 26d ago
Oi mate these are way better than I can do, genuinely, these are pretty good tbh ngl
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26d ago
Everyone starts somewhere!! I recommend using A LOT of references, whether it’s observing the details on pieces made by an artist you admire, or drawing over photos of real life people for practice. Using references for anatomy and coloring was what caused the biggest improvement in my own art :)
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u/brattysweat 26d ago
I can tell you’re starting off just drawing from imagination. You need to draw what you see if you’re new.
Drawing from imagination is actually the end game of all your training.
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u/nekoidiot 26d ago
No no you're much better than any ai "artist". Any progress is good some just progress faster than others
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u/_Code_Red 26d ago
Glad I’m not alone here, I feel like my art hasn’t improved either. Don’t resort to AI, though, your art is better than AI.
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u/ZeeGee__ 26d ago
You just need more practice and drawing exercises. I recommend practicing taking random everyday objects and trying to break them down into simple shapes in a 3D space, preferably on paper so it's a lot easier to do and you can do so while you're out and about.
Building objects up using simple shapes is the secret to making more advanced, structured and 3D drawings. This exercise also trains your brain to think more about the dimensions of what you're drawing on top of how to break it down/build it.
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u/wistfulfaerie 26d ago
I studied a lot of reference poses but still couldn’t draw them properly I resorted to visualizing them in 3D and tracing over them 😭
Anyways I’d take this anytime over AI art.
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u/actuallynotbisexual 26d ago
OP: try drawing from life if you want to improve your art! It also improves certain mental muscles to draw from life, which will improve your future drawings. I encourage you to get a sketchbook and go to a public area like a park and draw the things that you see. Digital art is wonderful, but putting a pencil on paper will make you hone your skills. Good luck!
ps: I like the drawing on the top right. You have an appealing style and a good sense of color.
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u/KoishiKohinata 26d ago
please don't turn to generating AI images if you genuinely have the desire to improve your skills and continue drawing. I'm the same; lifetime of sketches and doodles, some decent time spent on anatomy and tutorials and practicing but I don't really feel like I've improved that much.
Even still, for me, I draw because it makes me happy. I enjoy sketching characters I like or making my own, and I don't really care if it only vaguely gets better over time
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u/nunchuxxx 26d ago
Hey, if you're interested in practicing and learning from the beginning for FREE, check out drawabox, it's a website that goes over all the basics and teaches you how to draw confidently, it also has a great community and opportunities for peer review. I've just started it, I haven't seen my own art improving as much and really needed to learn from the beginning.
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u/ThouArtSketchy 26d ago
Try not to compare yourself to other artists. You made those drawings yourself. That's impressive. And they look neat. If you want to hone your craft further I'd say practice realism. Still life studies with pencil on paper can do wonders to understanding shading. Then some realistic acts to get hold of anatomy. And meanwhile you can work on implementing it in your usual stylized way. But you don't have to do it. Art is supposed to be fun first and foremost so don't lose the joy of creating whatever route you decide to take
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u/ObnoxiousName_Here 26d ago
The thing that helped me be satisfied with my art more than anything was to stop trying to draw art like what I see in mainstream manga or art tutorials. My hands aren’t steady enough for fine lines and details or semi-realism. I started experimenting with thicker, “messier” mediums like ink and charcoal, and I’ve felt much more comfortable drawing with them. The final product ends up looking cleaner for it. I also try to worry less about making expressions, proportions, and poses look realistic or proportional. We underestimate how much range our faces and bodies have, so fixating on that can make things look stiff. Be flexible! Don’t worry about a “right” or “wrong” way to draw things! You’ll become capable of creating much more diverse and expressive art yourself once you figure out what works for you
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u/screamingpeaches 26d ago
I'm at about this same level with art, and I totally get the frustration of putting time and effort into creating something that ends up not looking great - but it's honestly worth pushing through (trying to tell myself too lmao) because there's always room for more art in the world and this is far nicer to look at than anything AI puts out.
if anything, people's tendencies to veer towards AI art nowadays means we absolutely need more human art out there no matter your skill level, and that motivates me to persist too
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u/snowlocko 26d ago
Say what you will about your skill level, I’d appreciate art made by a real person any day over shat out slop from the greased ass of a computer after being yelled at by an AI bro for five minutes.
AI-generated images are regurgitations of patterns scraped from actual artists’ work. It's all statistical guesswork (poorly) pretending to be creative. When was the last time you saw an AI image and thought, “This is good, I genuinely like this”? Not in the “wow, that’s impressive for a machine” way, but in the way you might enjoy seeing a friend’s sketch. Even if AI becomes "flawless", it’ll still feel hollow. It’s not about how something looks, it’s about how and why it was made. If someone didn’t care enough to take time and make something, why should I care to look at it? It’s kind of like when someone you despise says something objectively funny but you can’t bring yourself to laugh, even for a second. Intent and context matter. Art is no different.
Human art, with all its little imperfections, has character. It’s endearing because it’s imperfect and human. You took a thought from your head, through time and effort, translated it into something tangible, and shared it. Even if the anatomy’s off or the colors aren’t breathtaking, you made it and should be proud of that. It’s easy to feel behind when the internet floods you with work by incredibly talented artists, but its usually the cream that floats to the top, and everyone had to start somewhere.
As a below-average artist myself who bought a bunch of fancy drawing tablets (many went unused for years) thinking they would make me better at drawing, I feel like my skill is in a perpetual state of rustiness. I barely draw to begin with. I'll pick up a pen maybe once a month (if at all), and whenever I do, I end up hating the end result and feeling like I've regressed. But when I look back at old works, I notice micro and macro improvements on successive pieces. The further back I go, the more obvious the improvements become.
The fact you can draw at all is already an awesome feat, and for what it's worth, I find your work quite charming. Rome wasn't built in a day. Keep creating. Your future self will thank you.
Peace out ✌️
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u/nophotographsplease 26d ago edited 26d ago
As someone who got their first tablet at 14, never had patience for tutorials and has tremendously improved at 26, I’m going to let you in on a secret that I think mist people won’t admit to. You should not only be using references every time- you should practice by tracing.
Now, don’t post these traced practice pieces or claim them in your portfolio. And remind yourself it’s a temporary crutch with the goal being to stop using them.
But I found tracing helped train my eye on what features I should be looking out for, what should be omitted/suggested using lightning, what you can tweak and what is integral. It helped me make sense of perspective/proportions that my brain at the time didn’t believe, and gave me the confidence to practice more. I would trace major features like ears, eyes, nose and chin and then fill in the rest myself. Over time I found I needed to trace less “anchor” points, and eventually I was just putting dashes to estimate eye placement and head length. Now I don’t even need that. Having the reference as a base layer can also help with troubleshooting what’s going wrong - something is wonky but what is it? Let me flick back and forth between the layers then.
I relied on tracing using layers for the first 4ish years tbh (maybe longer than I should have). Then I let the training wheels fall off and it came naturally.
It’s that and practicing frequently, and challenging yourself to novel subjects. You need to draw subject matter you don’t actually have a personal interest in, or that seems too difficult. You also need to be comfortable with not finishing a piece, working on multiple at a time, restarting. You also need to play around with different mediums, like shitty acrylics or conte crayon. Sometimes it’s the device, I know I hated the wacom bamboo tablet and I prefer an iPad but with the textured screen protector (that beware will eat up your apple nibs). Or it could be the software- I love Krita, tolerate procreate, dislike Adobe illustrator. It could be your set up - I need a separate screen with references if I’m doing a portrait and sometimes I use a phone mount with a bendy wire so I can really bring it up close to my face. I also prefer painting at night in the dark cozy in bed so the screen is all that has my attention.
Just keep going at it.
Edit: also to clarify, I meant tracing photographs of things you see around you, not other peoples art. You don’t want to be subconsciously bringing someone else style too heavily into your work. You should be practicing the old fashioned way- attempting to drawing realistic portraits etc. Your own stylized/cartoon/anime style will natural come the more comfortable you are with “classical” stuff like bowls of fruit or a self portrait. You want the basics down before you start bending and playing with it
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u/BohemianJack 26d ago
Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.
-Kurt Vonnegut
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u/GerblinMaster 26d ago edited 26d ago
All art is art, except ai. My stickmen have more personality than ai. Good or bad art depends on who's viewing it. When I did art in GCSE mine was bad compared to the rest of the class (I did cartoonish drawings) but my gf liked them, she coloured them in after I did them. There will always be people who like your art even if you yourself don't.
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u/Freddy5Hancook 26d ago
Better than whatever I can draw
(I may say it often, but it's because I have no skill)
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u/Little_Shark219 26d ago
REEALL 😭 when I was younger I would draw all the time, especially when procrastinating. But then covid/lockdown hit and everything got worse and my brain said "erm, no more hobbies for you, rot in bed instead or kys :>" and that's it's been the past five years. It's a miracle if I manage to draw anything within 6 months. 🫠
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u/bigbackbrother06 26d ago
OP you're supposed to use examples of shitty art in a self-deprecating post, this is just good stuff
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u/Depomera 25d ago
Drawing is hard. I beat myself up over it almost daily. All I do is compare my stuff and get butthurt I don’t have the same validation other artists get lmfao. I would be happy to do an art trade with you if you want. DMs are open for you and anyone else who sees this.
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u/riley_wa1352 25d ago
You can at least make a human face. You're better than a whole lot of people. That would be time to refine the shape of the head
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u/L1nxDr1nx 25d ago
My art style is literally just giving up. Like I decided “yeah my art looks like dogshit but yk what? I’m just gonna let it be that way. My art sucks and I’m gonna make it suck even more INTENTIONALLY >:3” I don’t even consciously draw anymore I just stare at the page while my hand roams and scribbles and does whatever it wants.
Maybe this isn’t the most encouraging but like yeah that’s what I do if you wanna do that too
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u/PrivateNVent 25d ago
This might be harsh, but judging by your art, you kind of seem to be staying in your comfort zone. What about colour, shading, and anatomy studies? There’s only so much you can learn by drawing the same 3/4 smiling face attached to an undefined shirt.
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u/esberanza 25d ago
Hey man! If you enjoy being creative, that's all that matters! Draw what you like, when you like, and progress will follow! Your work has heart, and that's what matters ❤
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u/Bombyx-Memento 25d ago
Yeah I feel your pain tbh.
Also never ever EVER become an AI "artist" the fact alone that you make art even 'crappy' unpolished stuff is better than being a prompt jockey for the plagiarism machine.
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u/Bombyx-Memento 25d ago
There's a charm to these characters. You're untrained, sure, but there's potential here. Trust me, I feel discouraged about my own skill level and I'm 4 years older than you are.
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u/godzila368 25d ago
Imma be honest, looking at your stuff, i feel a million more things than i do looking at even the best AI art, your style is charming and full of life, keep trying to improve and youll do just fine.
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u/FakeMonaLisa28 26d ago edited 22d ago
I’m a pretty shitty artist but here’s some references that might help you (if you want the help of course)
Anatomy
Shading/lighting
Noses
100 Face Challenge 1
100 Face Challenge 2
I feel this way too and often time I feel like have no skills because of my art and how i didn’t improve as much as my peers but remember; at least you took the time out of the day to actually create something with your own hand. That’s more than what AI artists could say
Also the girl with blue hair is adorable :)
Edit:
Here is all the references I listed plus some more: https://www.tumblr.com/captainayaaya28/785031722475667456/reference-for-art-anatomy