What's a good way to learn to do concept art. I know it's an esential skill and i aint the best drawer in the world either, i just want to learn how to do drawing that you can transfer into models.
This is an issue I'm concerned with. I've been "doodling" for years, and I've come up with a few decent concepts from time to time, but over all I think my traditional art skills are very limited and I really want to concentrate on them in the next few years.
My approach is to take as many traditional art courses/classes as possible, wether it is drawing with pastels or charcoal, or painting with oils or water colours, or even just theory, I think it will all help enormously (plus its fun!). On top of that I?ve been going through some learn to draw type books, studying anatomy and that kind of self-study thing.
There are plenty of part time traditional art courses around, I?m looking at doing one at the local TAFE a couple of nights a week next semester. This has the added advantage of getting a certificate at the end. But even just the local art stores can usually point you in the direction of casual art lessons. It all helps the digital artist (and certainly the concept artist).
Yup. Life drawing is great... Just don't go if you think you are the kind of person that will point and giggle at the wobbly bits.
Look at the local university for illustration short courses, too. Make sure you research the teacher though, I've kinda been stung in the ass a little.. Your teacher will spend generally more than the usual amount of time on his or her own medium.
The teacher I have works predominantly in collage, because of this, we spent a quarter of the semesters (2 classes.. Sounds better when you say a quarter)classes cutting shit up and glueing it down. It really sucked balls. To help give it a little perspective, we spent a grand total of one lesson on faces.
Truth be told, while I have been enjoying the classes, I haven't gotten as much out of it as life drawing. I think that if the teacher I had was focused more on say, comic art, I would be learning bucketloads, as it is, we focus way too much on the art that looks like it was done by a 5 year old... I can respect and appreciate that kind of art, but it's not really that useful from my point of view.
So yeah.. The point of that ramble is to make sure you have an idea of what you are getting yourself into.. Life drawing is fairly self explanatory.. - but be prepared to draw big fat naked grannies.. If that strikes you as disgustingly horrible.. I might suggest that it wouldn't be for you.. A certain level of maturity is required to get past the fact you are drawing naked people.
quote:Originally posted by Sorceror Bob
but be prepared to draw big fat naked grannies..
That's so funny cause it's true. Seriously I didn't think about that till you put it that way, ewwwww.
Yeah drawing, y'know, I've run into so many drawers over the years, and the most common piece of advice is just be observant of the things around you. How does a shape A look with material B within an environment with light C. Then it's up to you to apply the knowledge of these observations through the medium in your hand. Of course this takes ages to learn, but then again, the people who can do it generally have been doing it for ages anyway. So it's never too late. Or at least that's what I'm hoping!
www.conceptart.org, has some really fantastic artists and some hardcore tutorials that can help you out. It's also quite inspirational too just to go through peoples daily doodles.
being able to paint and create things realistically - is only the first step to being a concept artist tho - although its a major, it is a skill that will aid concept art.
Having a creative mind to come up with ideas that fit into a world created by a lead artist is a completely different kettle of fish, its more than just creating something that looks COOL.
But thats the next level i guess ;) learn to draw first [:D]
hey I'm in the same boat as you bullet, I really need to learn how to draw etc. I'm taking an elective next trimester 'fundamentals of drawing' so that should be fun and hopefully helpful. You can get some Loomis PDF's here [url]http://www.saveloomis.org/[/url]. There a really big help. [:D]
I think maturity was the wrong word to use, attitude would have been a better choice.
Cutty - Sort of.. Yeah, for most people it's a non issue once you get going, but I have found that some people just censor the nudity.. Fully half the people in my class tend to forget to place the 'nads in the picture. *shrugs* I guess some people deal with it in different ways.
Palantir - *holds wrath*
Bullet - You should sign up for a class, Life drawing teaches skills any artist will find useful. Plus, it'll sort that motivational problem real quick, you're there to draw and nothing else :), no TV, or computer games to distract you.
i know what you mean bullet, though i love art dearly, sometimes i cbf to do a sketch and colour it instead of having another roud of UT2004. Bobs right about life drawing being perfect for your inspiration, your only purpose there is to draw.
bob: yeah i sorta take out the nade from my pics, not because of any nervous issues but because i dont think ill be spending that much time drawing nads when im not actually life drawing and would like to concentrate my efforts elsewhere instead of concentrating on the texture of the guys shlong.
yeah draw lots- and don't just doodle, really pay attention to the task. Anlayse what you are doing and how your next attempt can be better. With the marker art that I have recentily posted I did a few (7 in one case) practice drawings before the final one, and even then I redid sections.
I wouldn't recommend life drawing until you have a fair grasp of some basics. I've seen lots of people give up life drawing because they don't make quick head way with skills. Draw from life though- set up a still life, it doesn't have to be the traditional bowl of fruit. Pick something that is simple in shape initially, this will let you concerntrate on various aspects of the drawing process- line, form, light/shade, negative space, composition...
Some lessons are worth while too, especially to get you motivation started.
are you imaginative ? - do you have weird ideas stashed in your head ? if so - your about 1% the way there [:D]
life drawing classes i would suggest first - to teach form / lighting. and then do some colour theory - and start putting those skills your learn into expressing some o those crazy ideas inside your head.
of if you have some little figurines or anything like that put them on your desk shine a light on it - and copy it, so you can see how shadows are created and all that. just start drawing, but becoming a good concept artist takes years of practise.... so be prepared [:)]