What you do on UA-cam is massively different to what's on TikTok. Your tutorials are structured and educational. I've learned a lot. TikTok "tutorials" are usually just looking for a wow factor and more views. No content.
Spot on. One of the most common things I have to get my students to do in the beginning is stop worrying about all the nuances of lighting - if they can't separate lit and shadowed planes in appealing shape designs, then nothing is going to work. It is an absolutely essential pillar that everything else then relies upon to enhance the quality of the work.
Thanks for not discouraging photo-bashing as a technique but instead putting its use into context. Photo-bashing is great if you understand the theory behind it - which is really just the fundamentals of drawing and painting. It's like having a wide variety of effects pedals and amps for your guitar. You can get some crazy cool sounds with them, but they'll never be useful if you don't actually know how to play guitar!
Totally agree. If people think photobashing makes things super easy, they probs haven’t tried using it! It’s the same with most things criticised as “cheating” in art
Actually, you are the only one who gives the big picture and the steps to achieve it! Online stuff is full of "beginner to advanced" cr*p or tiny pieces that really don't take you anywhere! Thanks man!
Yeah, I remember how mind-opening your video called "The Ultimate Guide to Shading Figures" was for me. It was the best video on the internet about shading. And this video is an excellent addition to it!
Thank you for uploading. Been watching your videos for about 4yrs now but only recently started to take them more seriously, as I'm now a tattoo artist's mentee working my way to be a tattoo artist apprentice. For years I've neglected drawing due to suicide attempts, depression and homelessness, however the ability to draw even when emotionally unstable has brought encouragement- I was never happy with the results. Realizing how in love with drawing was the night I got really drunk at the bar and couldn't remember where I placed my sketch book, I was crying walking along the highway since I worked/finished a few drawings. Again the drawings weren't at the skill desired but I realised I was happy with the progress and some peices. Now I've a jobs as a cook, pays rent, who can buy pens and pads of paper without thinking about stealing to pursue my career as an inspiring artist. In all the years of neglecting to draw and watching your vids, I might now be able to draw well thought from the vids I ended up knowing what to pay attention to and apply it into practice. Hope you never stop drawing or creating thank you for your dedication.
After so many years of kind of struggling through with light and shadow, I've only recently realised that it is so much just about the shadow shapes of light vs dark, as opposed to the right at 3:45. Makes me wonder why it's always taught to practice a wide value range when you first start drawing. I feel like adding more values will come naturally, whereas starting with so many is just overly complicated and doesn't stress what's most important.
I've been lurking for a good while, but I must say, I'm consistently impressed with how well put and accurate your information is. I teach drawing and I can pretty much randomly select one of your videos and just start nodding in agreement. Thanks for all the work of putting this information out there!
Great video, Kenzo! This week after doing the practices for the Study Group I noticed I started seeing the shadow shapes on people when watching TV! I thought this was kind of funny... As soon as you do something more intensely it seems your perception of things start to change....
All great notes! It's great that you give such an impartial opinion on the subject. The tiktok algorithm only rewards short, fast, simple, and "catchy" instruction. Alot of those accounts are basically focused on clicks. Not necessarily quality. As always, great stuff. And thanks for keeping a positive discourse!
Thank you for yet another inspiring and motivating video, Kenzo. I have been trying to overcome this "brain problem" for awhile now, and it's encouraging to hear that after enough practice it will start to click. 😊
Great video. In fact today I was working on a character portrait and had to draw, move things around digitally, trace it again and adjust, and NOW I'm doing a final ink render. If I didn't make sure the eyes were right, etc.... the render would still look wonky.
Thanks for the video :) I was wondering if you did/ will do a video about the books you used to get better and which one you would recommend. Or if you have a site on which you talk about that.
Thanks for the idea! i should do that. youtube channels and other resources too. but for now the ones that i refer back to most often on a regular basis: hampton book, valerie winslow book, steve huston book, james gurney's book. but i have a lot that i found really useful.
This and time lapses are the worst things you can use as a learning resource since it's favor stylization over technique. They're fine for inspiration, as far as I can tell but not for a coherent learning process until you have a better grasp of fundamentals. Always take anything with a pinch of salt
I'm about to go to a figure drawing class this weekend, my second time. There isn't a spot light or anything of the sort so finding the shadows through squinting is a bit difficult. What do you suggest I should do to help find the shadow shapes if squinting doesn't help?
What you do on UA-cam is massively different to what's on TikTok. Your tutorials are structured and educational. I've learned a lot. TikTok "tutorials" are usually just looking for a wow factor and more views. No content.
Thanks Keegan!
Spot on. One of the most common things I have to get my students to do in the beginning is stop worrying about all the nuances of lighting - if they can't separate lit and shadowed planes in appealing shape designs, then nothing is going to work. It is an absolutely essential pillar that everything else then relies upon to enhance the quality of the work.
sounds like you run a good class
Thanks for not discouraging photo-bashing as a technique but instead putting its use into context. Photo-bashing is great if you understand the theory behind it - which is really just the fundamentals of drawing and painting.
It's like having a wide variety of effects pedals and amps for your guitar. You can get some crazy cool sounds with them, but they'll never be useful if you don't actually know how to play guitar!
Totally agree. If people think photobashing makes things super easy, they probs haven’t tried using it! It’s the same with most things criticised as “cheating” in art
Actually, you are the only one who gives the big picture and the steps to achieve it! Online stuff is full of "beginner to advanced" cr*p or tiny pieces that really don't take you anywhere!
Thanks man!
The "dopamine vortex"! 🤣
Yeah, I remember how mind-opening your video called "The Ultimate Guide to Shading Figures" was for me. It was the best video on the internet about shading. And this video is an excellent addition to it!
Wow thanks Karina!
Thank you for uploading. Been watching your videos for about 4yrs now but only recently started to take them more seriously, as I'm now a tattoo artist's mentee working my way to be a tattoo artist apprentice.
For years I've neglected drawing due to suicide attempts, depression and homelessness, however the ability to draw even when emotionally unstable has brought encouragement- I was never happy with the results. Realizing how in love with drawing was the night I got really drunk at the bar and couldn't remember where I placed my sketch book, I was crying walking along the highway since I worked/finished a few drawings. Again the drawings weren't at the skill desired but I realised I was happy with the progress and some peices.
Now I've a jobs as a cook, pays rent, who can buy pens and pads of paper without thinking about stealing to pursue my career as an inspiring artist. In all the years of neglecting to draw and watching your vids, I might now be able to draw well thought from the vids I ended up knowing what to pay attention to and apply it into practice. Hope you never stop drawing or creating thank you for your dedication.
I have been struggling on this EXACT thing! Thank you!!!
Greate art video my friend, the information is really useful for artist like us. Thanks for sharing 🤩👍
This rendering style is so easy and useful. Thank you Kenzo sir. ❤
After so many years of kind of struggling through with light and shadow, I've only recently realised that it is so much just about the shadow shapes of light vs dark, as opposed to the right at 3:45. Makes me wonder why it's always taught to practice a wide value range when you first start drawing. I feel like adding more values will come naturally, whereas starting with so many is just overly complicated and doesn't stress what's most important.
I've been lurking for a good while, but I must say, I'm consistently impressed with how well put and accurate your information is. I teach drawing and I can pretty much randomly select one of your videos and just start nodding in agreement. Thanks for all the work of putting this information out there!
Thank you Caleb that is great to hear
I appreciate the simple breakdown of shading here. I've always personally found it to be very daunting and difficult to learn.
wow this was super helpful-- thank you!
Great video, Kenzo! This week after doing the practices for the Study Group I noticed I started seeing the shadow shapes on people when watching TV! I thought this was kind of funny... As soon as you do something more intensely it seems your perception of things start to change....
A good exercise to simplify shadow, is making stencil art.. as it forces you to connect as much as possible in the light and in the shadow
All great notes! It's great that you give such an impartial opinion on the subject. The tiktok algorithm only rewards short, fast, simple, and "catchy" instruction. Alot of those accounts are basically focused on clicks. Not necessarily quality. As always, great stuff. And thanks for keeping a positive discourse!
Thanks Dez! Yeah I saw a few good ones mixed in. The tricky thing for a student is knowing which is good and which isnt
@@lovelifedrawing So true!
Thank you, as always I've learned so much and I really appreciate how you not just explain things so good but also how and why to prioritize them.
Thank you for yet another inspiring and motivating video, Kenzo. I have been trying to overcome this "brain problem" for awhile now, and it's encouraging to hear that after enough practice it will start to click. 😊
The more I do the more I realise the importance of this, need to put it into practice more. Thanks Kenzo.
Great video. In fact today I was working on a character portrait and had to draw, move things around digitally, trace it again and adjust, and NOW I'm doing a final ink render. If I didn't make sure the eyes were right, etc.... the render would still look wonky.
So timely!! Thank you so much!!
As always, you're dropping truth bombs! Great video Kenzo!
Thanks Ramya!
Thanks for the video :) I was wondering if you did/ will do a video about the books you used to get better and which one you would recommend. Or if you have a site on which you talk about that.
Thanks for the idea! i should do that. youtube channels and other resources too. but for now the ones that i refer back to most often on a regular basis: hampton book, valerie winslow book, steve huston book, james gurney's book. but i have a lot that i found really useful.
Simplifies shading so I shouldn't make these mistakes again. The lightest dark area should be darker than the darkest light area.
This and time lapses are the worst things you can use as a learning resource since it's favor stylization over technique. They're fine for inspiration, as far as I can tell but not for a coherent learning process until you have a better grasp of fundamentals. Always take anything with a pinch of salt
I'm about to go to a figure drawing class this weekend, my second time. There isn't a spot light or anything of the sort so finding the shadows through squinting is a bit difficult. What do you suggest I should do to help find the shadow shapes if squinting doesn't help?
Could you explain a way to come up with these shadow shapes from imagination without reference?
Well said.
So would you say the first step to shading values is to posterize the subject?
Is it a lot harder drawing with kids?