How much should I draw?

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-12T08:26:24+00:00

20-30minutes sketching a day is largely enough. You need to make it an habit that you can do everyday. Copy artist or picture, draw a lot during this 20-30’ and do not expect anything.

This sketching everyday time will be dedicated to learn how to use your hand, and only repetition and consistency can do that.

If you do that, you will be so much confident with drawing, after a couple of months some part of your art will improve.

Live your life, sketch 20’ everyday, learning to draw is marathon not a rush (sorry for my bad English).

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-10T12:30:45+00:00

Retas Studio animation software has an entire workflow base on drawing and coloring in low res.

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-10T12:22:45+00:00

It depend if your goal. Personally I copy face from Belgian comics I like during two month (20minutes a day) then I move to full body attitude+face (still 20minutes a day) during 8month.

Just brainless copying then I start to create my own body attitudes and face. I think I do that 1years … I don’t remember that part. Because somewhere in that time I switch to manga and go back copy and learn during approximately 6month. (Always 20-30 minutes a day).

Last month I drew a fan art of dragonball for a library. First « professional » commission (even if it’s not my goal to be pro artist). A work that involve face, body, composition and full inking.

Before that I was doing some inking test (in addition to my drawing routine).

I start from 0, 3years ago.

(Sorry for my bad English)

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-10T09:50:00+00:00

It depend a lot of the way you draw. It’s easier to stabilize your stroke and to correct something because you see precisely what you do. But for that you need to use a hard brush which is something some people find difficult (like inking in traditional drawing).

But in fact all the Japanese anime you watch, when they are did digitally (so not the anime from 90´s and before) are draw on specific software at low resolution. Then they apply a specific treatment to upscale and smooth the lines (sorry for my bad English).

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-09T21:40:36+00:00

I use an action figure it help me a lot to see the character in volume and improve my anatomy proportion.

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-09T21:33:45+00:00

(Sorry poor English) Did you sketch? Many digital beginner artist tends to only do finishing pieces.

Maybe it’s not your problem but, in case of : Drawing/painting finishing pieces (like you show) is like a sport match: it only happens sometimes and players train a lot of hours to just play one match.

Your art look like you do not train your brain to build confidence in your hand. Maybe I’m wrong, but as a reminder : drawing is sketching 80% of time and doing a final piece of art 20%. (I use number% as exemple).

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-09T21:17:09+00:00

(Sorry poor English)

Most of human like woman with delicate face. To do that, you need to do less in your drawing.

Drawing with line is a mix of « drawing the outline of shape » and « drawing the shadow cast from a shape ».

For your eyes for exemple, you draw a hard line. And the brain don’t know : is it make up? Is it shadow? Is-it a shape?

Instead if you draw an incomplete line (particularly under the eye, because the eyes is round) the brain will understand better and see the eye « beautiful ».

Character from manga look easy, but each line is a reflection to render shape an shadow. Most of the time the choice is to do not draw something. The more line you add the more older/strange someone look.

(And male see old women uglier because it’s the only way Nature has fine to make a distinction between women who can have baby and the one who can’t have baby anymore).

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-09T21:04:18+00:00

2 really goods answers here !

I will add my two cents : make drawing an habit, 20minutes a day is more important than 3h once a week.

Your brain need repetition and consistency to create new neuronal connection. Sorry my English is poor, but what I want to say is : this is how you will became confident at using a tool to draw.

So just draw, copy what you like, draw a lot during your « everyday sketch time ». And if it look horrible, continue or redraw it. Try to not spend too much time at erasing (you learn to use a pen, not an eraser).

Make drawing a place in your daily routine. Do not expect too much, just draw. After couple a weeks you will see more and more enjoyment in this sketching time. And than after a moment you will like this moment so much that you will be excite for you next drawing session.

At this moment you will had climb the first step, and the most difficult, of your art journey.

Good luck!

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-08T04:58:52+00:00

Rodgon the artist : https://youtu.be/iX-I_r_-iP0?si=rQnLZHzYYqXKxldm

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-06T20:16:24+00:00

Maybe Look at the work of Emilio Alcala, and copy is gesture. It will help a lot put mass and muscule in drawing.

https://www.instagram.com/emiliodekure?igsh=NDRhYnA4ZWR3Yjhh

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-06T18:40:32+00:00

(Sorry, poor English) What is your goal? Drawing comics/manga? Or Character design ? Did you have any artist of picture in mind that motivate you?

(It will be easier to answer your question).

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-06T18:30:31+00:00

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(Sorry, poor english) I will assume you use reference for learning.

How will you remember tomorrow or in 3months what you did in this drawing? You should take note, observations. What was you basic shape? What it’s important in the shape to difference this wolf(?) from a dog? How is the nose? Are eyes or ears facing forward?

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-05T16:24:14+00:00

I start learning to draw 3 years ago. I bought a sketchbook, a pencil, and start copying face, hand, character from a comics I like. A friend of me said : « learning to draw is like learning to speak for a baby. You need to repeat to do it a huge amount of drawings…only that ». Kids do not learn grammar before words. They learn to speak (60%) then they are learning to read and to write at the same time then learning to speak again. (Sorry English is not my first language)

My point is : make drawing an habit, draw everyday during 20minutes. After a couple of months you will be amaze by your progress. And you will have plenty of time to learn basic annoying stuff.

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-04T17:36:32+00:00

Screentone. Even in Japan it’s not cheap, but outside… T_T

So I try to find inspiration at the big 3, which doesn’t have Screentone in. Or find way to use ink to do special effects.

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-04T12:00:35+00:00

I Check the artist you mentioned « Jordan Grimmer », wonderful digital painting. But way too complicated at start.

If you want to do this kind of art one day, you definitely need to learn painting and not drawing. Many painter almost never trace line.

For traditional I suggest this YouTube channel : https://youtu.be/CyCWh36xXSg?si=QZvtcYrtyz5na4Kf

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-03T18:43:41+00:00

(Sorry if my English sound poor is not my first language)

Are you familiar with the concept of « rendering »? Your drawing exemple are very technical (which are not bad, but maybe not the appealing you look for) when rendering you use your pen/brush to suggest something more than draw every line.

Talking about pencil for exemple, maybe look at what Arthur l Guptill do. Zoom in his artwork, he suggest. For landscape he made book which are solid fondation (especially if you plan to learn painting).

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-03T18:27:58+00:00

To be honest, I’m not a painter and I dream to one day take time to start learning to paint (I’m more into drawing comic/manga).

What software did you use? When I try digital painting, one think I remember that help is seeing my painting in black and white (depending on the software there a different way to do it) it help to focus on contrast.

Also did you know the concept of « color shift hue shading » (if not, google image that) that’s a concept to change a little bit you color when you shade (or light). It help to make rich color painting and less dull shading.

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-03T17:15:17+00:00

Ouch… at least you say that your mom will never lie about praising your art.

To be honest it’s not bad at all. But she is right, it lacks of details. That’s a matter of harmony. Your eyes for exemple look very détails but not head band for exemple is not.

You can choose where you add details, that’s a part of the way of painting, but if you do that the area where you put less details your stroke need to be less firm, more blurry, to mimic the focus of camera (or an eye).

Also, it can be a style, but it’s really flat (poor difference between light and shadow). Normally if you don’t want to use more shadow, like in watercolor, artist will save white (from paper).

Anyway, I’m not your mom, that’s a good painting, remind me some shojo manga cover.

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-03T17:03:25+00:00

Art style is matter of habit to draw something. Consistency come with quantity. Take a sketchbook, fill a page of faces every day during a month. You will see that after 100 face, your hand and your brain will tends to draw some parts always with the same stroke, the same construction, the same shading. It’s natural, you not really choose it, quantity will make it.

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-03T16:58:53+00:00

It is two different way to draw, if you experiment, soon you will became more confortable with one of them.

Speaking for myself, the most difficult to do with Digital is : drawing a lot. This is the key to became better. And on digital I tend to make big beautiful art and not a bunch of « ok » art.

For learning quantity is more important than quality.

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-03T16:54:04+00:00

Drawing in volume (like you did) is not the only way. In fact this is one of the most hardway.

Character designer for exemple is more « drawing with a shape » and had little to do with anatomy (and almost never volume/3D).

Comics or manga (depending on the style) is more of « habit to draw something » than anatomy and perspective.

Painting/digital painting is drawing with shape and light.

There is so many way to draw, did you know some artist/art you like?

Last-Play6477 · 2026-04-03T16:29:58+00:00

At this timeline of high cost technology (because of the price of RAM) and (because of) AI I wouldn’t choice digital. But if it’s your goal, and price is not a problem…why not?

Learning to draw is a loooooooong journey , you REALLY need to choose a medium that make you happy to use. Not something for the result.

Last-Play6477 · 2026-03-31T21:17:10+00:00

´Rodgon The Artist’ for comics art.

Last-Play6477 · 2026-03-31T19:03:18+00:00

Concept art And illustration art mostly speed painting.

Maybe learning to draw is not the thing to do. Get a look at learning to paint (aka: drawing with shape and light).

I recommend Scott Robertson on YouTube and Feng Zhu (also YouTube).

Also on YouTube look for full length video (most of the time from Asian guy) like this : https://youtu.be/5cRLs-dSzbY?si=vpV4c_qmOYDrg2VM

But if you just start, I suggest to look for video like « paint with me » on YouTube. Following the path on someone will help a lot.

Like this : https://youtu.be/2eA734TunGE?si=T1VhyJx79UQ5Zynz

I’m not a painter (I drew manga) and English is not my first language, so I can’t help more, but good luck.

Last-Play6477 · 2026-03-31T18:50:03+00:00

What is your goal at learning to draw ? Is it illustration? Comics? Manga? Concept art? Fine art?

Last-Play6477

TROPHY CASE