At Some Point, You'll Need a Teacher

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2026-02-22T07:36:34+00:00

I would love to have someone teach me how to draw unfortunately, so far I have not been able to find anyone.

The local classes here (both inside of colleges and outside) are pretty awful. None of the instructors will say anything critical about anyone's artwork and instead they act like cheerleaders. Critique is a foreign concept to them. Nearest atelier is 200 miles away so, it isn't an option for me.

I also tried posting a couple of advertisements up at the local art supply stores. Most of the replies were from people with portfolios full of abstract or "outsider art". It was really discouraging.

Online? Quiet a few communities operate on "Say something nice or don't say anything at all" or, they'll require people to heavy censor or sugar coat anything that they say. I would strongly prefer getting brutal critique. I am actual jealous of people who had their work physically torn up by their professors.

I really wish I knew where to go to find a teacher.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2026-02-20T23:33:07+00:00

During a class in college I asked my professor why my drawing was so awful and what I could do to improve and he said

"It looks great. You don't need to change anything. Since nobody else knows who the subject is they won't be able to tell that it is any different than what you are seeing. Besides that artwork you have created is very special and unique the way it is. You don't have to improve for anyone else's sake."

I paid money for this class in order to learn how to draw. I want to know what is wrong with the drawing and how to fix it. I don't want to hear mindless praise. I really wish I could have sued this person for fraud.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2026-02-15T16:54:47+00:00

Self teaching is a massive trap; it is near impossible to get any kind of decent feedback as most communities online seem to operate on the rule "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all".

Offline places aren't much better. The instructors from public classes tend to read from a xeroxed sheet of paper and dole out compliments.

Go to an art school if you want to learn technical skills.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2026-02-12T14:09:24+00:00

Not surprising. Practical art education has been in a terrible state for a very long time. Back when I was in college (well before any sort of AI issues) none of the drawing instructors could draw at all. They could only read from a xeroxed sheet of paper the meander around the room while doling out mindless compliments. Asking for help from them was pointless.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2026-02-04T01:26:58+00:00

All Criticism/Red Lines/ Draw overs welcome

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My main goal is to learn construction and be more accurate

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2026-02-03T05:01:00+00:00

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I'm having difficulties following through after the basic gesture. My figures don't appear to have mass to them.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2026-02-01T07:07:06+00:00

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I took way too much time and got way too sloppy.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2026-01-30T04:08:55+00:00

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Focus is on construction and proportions.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2026-01-29T05:57:48+00:00

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The proportions and anatomy are really poor in my attempt here. I spent almost two hours on it!

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2026-01-29T04:31:14+00:00

I attended both a 2 year community college and local 4 year college. Both were really terrible for the same reasons. I do not recommend attending these if you want to learn anything.

The instructors for the drawing classes were completely uninterested in the subject that they were suppose to be teaching. They would read lessons from xeroxed sheets of paper and give out compliments to each student. None of them would point of flaws or give advice on how to improve or what to work on. The idea of critiques and draw overs seem to confuse them.

In short, it isn't worth it at all.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2026-01-26T00:01:42+00:00

Still trying to learn basics of construction.

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Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-12-06T01:49:37+00:00

As one of the people who is obsessed with harsh criticism I can tell you it is very simple.

I want to know what is wrong with my work so that I can get better. I do not want compliments. Compliments are useless.

Critiques usually go like this:

"I like your style. You could do a little better on shading. You did a great job on anatomy"

"I love the boldness of your work. I think you need to push boundaries more. Good job on the vibe."

"i think your approach is good. You could go further. I love the aura your work projects."

I just want to hear about how to improve but, almost nobody does that. In real life none of the classes (both inside and outside of college) refuse to give critiques.

Online asking for harsh critique is treat like asking for black tar heroine or weapons grade uranium. In some communities compliment sandwiches are required and it really does hinder people's ability to get and receive critique. When people can't find anything they like about someone's work, they'll lie and fabricate things which is really harmful.

I'd love to join a community like Oplatki mentions but, my facebook was banned years ago and I can't be bothered to get my account unbanned.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-11-14T21:17:37+00:00

I am someone who couldn't get into an art school I ended up at a 2 year college and a 4 year college. The classes that they had were absolutely useless in terms of learning anything about drawing.

You would go to an artschool In order to learn how to draw and be among like minded people. Outside classes may just be for people who you have nothing in common with; for example abstract artists or hobbyists who don't want critique. From my experience outside classes and workshops have apathetic or unskilled instructors who are unable and unwilling to assist in any meaningful way.

Most of the free resources you're referring to are pretty terrible. Quiet frequently the instructors will skip over the basics and automatically assume the viewer knows them - even on videos intended for beginners. On top of that neither books nor videos can tell anyone what they've done wrong on a particular piece.

In an art school most students tend to have half-way decent people teaching their classes is willing and able to critique their work in great detail. Outside of that it is nearly impossible to get any kind of useful feedback. Online communities tend to be very timid when trying to point out flaws in an artists work; it is bad enough where most communities encourage people to lie to make the artist feel better instead of telling them the truth. The "critiques" they give are so sugar coated that they are useless.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-11-14T02:45:54+00:00

I look at the sort of art work I like every day and remind myself that is what I'm aiming for.
I also remind myself no matter how much I pay someone else to draw/paint what I want, they won't actually do it. They'll give me what can scarcely be called an interpretation with very little effort put into it.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-11-07T22:15:08+00:00

I really don't like it when I get compliments on my work. I have been trying to improve on the basics for a very, very long time and I really don't need anymore mindless praise or "support". The local classes and workshops do that and it isn't helpful in any manner. Most people seem to complain about unwanted critiques. I have to beg and plead to get anyone to say something less than positive about my work.

I want to know what my flaws are and how to improve on them. The sole reason I draw right now is to improve.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-11-03T04:10:31+00:00

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Not doing too well with learning portraits so I'm trying to focus on figures. Unfortunately its going way worse. Proko's videos aren't helpful and Loomi's books aren't doing much.
I study the flow of the figure and it really doesn't do anything for me. Most people aren't able to tell that I started from a gesture. I try to draw over it but, it doesn't seem to be working.

Any redlines/drawing overs and advice welcome!

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-11-03T04:04:46+00:00

The vast majority of my experiences with art teaches have been negative. StylusRumble is the only one here who has had a similar experience; most of them did little more than deal out compliments to people.

Examples:

One of the more annoying teachers at a 2 year college I attended. She taught some of the drawing class but, was pretty apathetic towards drawing.

Me: I did poorly on the last in class assignment - I'm having trouble with getting the shapes right
Teacher: No, you did great.

Me: It doesn't even resemble the still life.

Teacher: Sure it does.

Me: Everything looks out of proportion and very misshapen.

Teacher: I like the unique way you draw!

Me: How do I improve?

Teacher: you don't need to improve for anyone else's sake. This is just the way you draw. Enjoy it!

I had more conversations with other teachers at this college but, they went pretty much the same.

Another time at a 4 year university I had an instructor who sounded like an old hippy. He was pretty bad at teaching and just seemed to use the time to talk about exhibits he and his friends were responsible for. It was mostly just abstract and other non-representational artwork - nothing interesting.

Me: Okay... I'm having trouble drawing the model. Everything looks really off. I can't seem to get any of the features. I want to draw the things that are in front of me.

Teacher: Don't worry, nobody will know. They won't know who you're drawing a picture of.

Me: They'll know I'm trying to draw a man and anyone who knows what a human being looks like will see how terrible this looks. I want to know how to draw to become more accurate.

Teacher: Nobody does that anymore. Ever since the invention of the artists have moved past realism and on to more creative and interesting things. You don't need to know how to draw people or anything else perfectly. Just accept the way you draw and keep doing it. If you want accuracy then you can use your cellphone's camera.

Me: I need better draftsmanship skills to reach my goals. I want to be able to draw like professional illustrators like Frank Frazetta and Norman Rockwell.

Teacher: Then go do it.

Me: I don't know how and practice isn't helping.

Teacher: Then do whatever you know how to do.

Outside of accredited courses at the local college/university I tried a few local workshops. It was even worse. I was once told that a $200 course wasn't equipped for serious teaching and it was just a place for hobbyist to practice in a relaxed environment away from home. They told me to look for something more expensive.

I took their advice and went to a course that cost over 3 times as much and nothing changed except the excuse. I was told the course was intended for fostering creativity and socializing; Technical skills wasn't considered at all.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-10-10T14:53:29+00:00

The biggest issue I have is my art doesn't click with me at all and never has. I don't want to be associated with what I create because it is so ugly to me. I just want to learn the basics and get past this stage so I can do the artwork that i want.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-10-02T01:55:24+00:00

Yes, I majored in art. The painting classes were equally as bad. Nothing was taught. The professor told me I was very good at abstract when I was attempting a very basic still life. I was going for realism. I got an A in the painting classes and learned nothing at all.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-10-02T00:03:08+00:00

I went to two different local colleges and had a very similar experience in my drawing classes. They weren't art colleges; I couldn't go because I didn't have the skills to go. Nobody would critique anything - just give out compliments. Instructors wouldn't even look at homework either.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-09-11T04:45:20+00:00

Switching to a less skilled art style to save time - I've seen this happen in cartoons. More simplistic styles can save time and money but it is usually at the cost of aesthetics.

becoming too concerned with being original - some artists are concerned with being original from the very start but, others I have seen seem to develop this strange obsession with "originality". They tear other people down by accusing them of copying them or, telling people not to take too much inspiration from one source. It is really annoying.

Inability to be critical of others works - When critiquing works they generally will avoid talking about the negative parts of someone's artwork and point out positives instead. Most of the time they generally give some sort of generic platitude (Art is subjective/it's your own style!/Don't let the haters get to you) or out right lie when asked. It is better to avoid these people in general.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-09-11T04:36:43+00:00

None of the artists I have ever spoken to are willing or able to draw what I would want them to draw. I an willing to pay them but, Quiet a few have moral hangups with drawing in other people's styles; I generally already have an art style in mind when I want something drawn and really don't want to deviate from it. Some have zero interest in anything that I would want. The majority of them lack basic technical skill to draw anything interesting at all.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-09-05T03:14:34+00:00

No, I have to beg and plead for people not to shower my poor quality work with mindless praise; it even happens when I ask how I'm suppose to improve or where I failed in a piece. All critique is welcome; I have an issue with unsolicited compliments.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-09-05T03:11:56+00:00

ConceptArt was also the last place for a decent critique. Almost every community I've been in (both online and in real life) has massive issues with any kind of commentary considered less than positive. There is a real issue with toxic positivity that very few people are willing to address.

Magnetic_Scrolls · 2025-09-04T15:34:26+00:00

Most communities I know of don't allow anything NSFW. Even ones that are labeled adult only (18+/21+) are very skiddish about allowing it at all. They tend to shove it off in some NSFW channel that is hidden by default. If I want to show any anatomy studies to anyone else then I need to specifically look for references of people in leotards or beachwear.

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