I find that I really love learning how to improve in art. It brings me unrivaled joy to figure out things like how a hand looks doing this, or how to draw a head doing that.
However, I’m wondering if any of you like the process of art studies? I know that I tend to put them off because I’d rather be drawing cute characters doing cute things than doing a figure study for an hour. I like art studies as much as the next person does, I just find it more fun to draw personal projects and incorporate references as a way of studying.
In my experience, it depends a lot on the course and the instructor. I’ve had art history classes that were literally just “memorize the artist, title, and year for the test”. And I’ve had drawing and painting classes with instructors that were absolutely convinced that the best way was to force not just fundamental techniques but subject and theme - like “do a version of Magritte’s Lovers”. These all sucked, and I love Magritte.
On the other hand, I’ve had courses where the instructors were focused on the bigger picture as it were - art history through the lens of local context in time and place, drawing and painting classes where it didn’t matter so much what came out, as long as the fundamentals were there. These were much more informative and useful - discussions were much more lively in the history classes, and the critique sessions in the skills courses tended to have more eager participation and more opportunities to be inspired by other students.
I go through phases. I do pixel art (occasionally, it’s been months since I did anything) and sometimes I’ll do like a few weeks of nonstop studies, and then afterwords I’ll do nothing for a year lol
I think its important, it helps build skills that you can apply to other things you want to do. They can be fun projects and not just boring exercises depending on how you’re doing it.
I’m not super big on learning art fundamentals (I’m more of a “play by ear” creator) – but I loved taking art history in school. It combines the most fascinating parts of both worlds, and in fact you do learn a lot about art terminology, but without the practice. Essentially you learn how to identify and appreciate different types of art throughout history, as well as the social/economic/political events that helped influence the styles.
It just occured to me that you’re probably talking more about the study of creating the art. But I already wrote out this post so here you go!
A couple of youtube channels I greatly enjoy in the study of art composition, background, and history are
- Great Art Explained. I first encountered this channel in an A to B to C starting from a Dunky video on the movie Playtime to my long fondness for Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks and later recalling this analysis when I played through the jazz-filled adventure puzzle game Genesis Noir.
- I’m just really into that Art Deco style, and when you think great art of course you think Magic the Gathering cards. Rhystic Studies has amazing breakdowns of both the story and art of MTG cards, like my favorite video on the art of the art deco inspired Streets of New Capenna set
I used to do drawabox stuff, but I really fell off the wagon on that.
I’m not sure if it’s quite the same thing but I’m constantly looking through sewing patterns and construction techniques from the online patterns archive. It gives my ideas and I’ve learned so much about creating the shapes and styles I want.
I’ve been practising drawing as well by looking at art that inspires me and trying to figure out how they’ve done things. I’m still learning and not very good but I’ve come a long way in 6 months
