My Single BEST Piece of Advice for Beginner Artists!

Summary

In this video, the creator shares their best advice for beginner artists: simply copy other artists' work. While mastering fundamentals like perspective and color theory is important, the focus here is on building observation skills and nurturing passion by reproducing art. The creator recounts their own experience of learning to draw by tracing frames from Dragon Ball Z, explaining how copying can help beginners discover their style and build skills. However, they note that over time, learning fundamentals becomes necessary to further improve once the passion for art is developed.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on copying other people's work as the best piece of advice for beginner artists.
• 😀 Copying helps build observation skills, which are crucial for improving as an artist.
• 😀 The idea of 'drawing from imagination' is often confused with 'drawing from memory.' Both rely on stored observations from real life.
• 😀 Tracing and copying artwork are great ways to study techniques and styles, but don’t plagiarize—always credit original work.
• 😀 Drawing for fun, without focusing on the technical aspects early on, keeps your passion alive for longer.
• 😀 Copying various artists’ work helps you develop an understanding of different styles and techniques.
• 😀 As you copy different artists, you'll naturally start to build your own unique style by combining elements you like.
• 😀 Don't obsess over creating a unique art style early on. Instead, focus on developing foundational skills.
• 😀 The process of copying is effective for beginners, but eventually, you need to learn art fundamentals like perspective, form, and color theory.
• 😀 Once you've developed a passion for art and improved basic skills, it's time to dive deeper into learning advanced art techniques.
• 😀 Finding your passion for art is more important than mastering everything from the start. Focus on keeping your passion alive while improving your skills.

Q & A

What is the single best piece of advice for beginner artists, according to the speaker?

The best advice is to simply copy other artists' work. This helps build observation skills and allows beginners to focus on improving their techniques without worrying about all the details at once.

Does the speaker recommend tracing other artists' work?

Yes, the speaker suggests that tracing can be a helpful tool for beginners as long as it’s done as a learning method and not passed off as one's own work.

What is the importance of observation in art, according to the video?

Observation is crucial because it helps artists notice the details of how things look, which is a key skill for improving their drawing accuracy and technique.

What does the speaker mean by 'mental library' in the context of art?

The 'mental library' refers to the information an artist has stored in their mind based on things they have observed in real life or from other artists' work, which they draw upon when creating their own art.

How does copying other artists' work help in developing a unique art style?

By copying different artists, beginners can identify elements they like or dislike, such as how certain features are drawn. This allows them to mix and match techniques, gradually developing a style that is unique to them.

Why does the speaker advise against focusing on mastering art fundamentals at the very start?

The speaker believes that focusing too early on fundamentals like composition, perspective, and color theory can overwhelm beginners and potentially kill their passion for art. Instead, they recommend starting with enjoyable tasks like copying to nurture that passion first.

What is the role of passion in learning how to draw?

Passion is seen as the driving force that keeps an artist motivated. By enjoying the process and having fun, an artist is more likely to continue improving, even when it gets challenging.

What should beginners do once they reach a certain skill level and copying alone is no longer enough?

Once a beginner artist has developed basic skills, they should begin focusing on learning the technical fundamentals, like perspective, form, and color theory, to further improve their abilities.

How does copying help in dealing with the stress of creating original art?

Copying other people's work relieves the pressure of having to think about every detail in an art piece, allowing the artist to focus more on the execution and learning process rather than perfection.

Why does the speaker suggest not to rush into developing a unique art style as a beginner?

The speaker advises beginners to focus on learning the basics first and let their unique style evolve naturally over time. Rushing into style creation too early might distract from the core skills that need to be developed.