I don’t know how the algorithm causes certain choices to come up in one’s feed but today I feel like I struck gold! Thank you, for so many things: the beautiful and assuring tone of your voice caught me first (I’m a jazz musician and vocal coach), then the way you communicated in a clear, simple manner a few of my anxieties around learning to draw (for years, a dream of mine) and then, of course your skill and talent (I’m an avid fan of B&W ink work). All this to say thank you for all you do. I have subscribed and am now binge watching your channel. I am inspired, I am anxious to continue my drawing practice and I am delighted to have met you.
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement! I'm working on the next videos right now. I have seen the frustrations of many beginning artists and I know if they could learn just a few skills it could transform their journey as an artist. Your reply means a lot to me.
You help me to simplify things. The black and white did it for me it slows things down. I was a pianist and what you said clicked. What matters is focus and relaxe into the feeling of whatever is observed. Thanks.
Contrast ! ...catches the eye. One of the best 'rules' of art. As you said, there are many types of contrast...not just light and dark. In your first landscape of the meadow, another example of contrast is organic shapes vs. geometric shapes... This is what makes the structure and telephone pole stand out. And in the illustration by Gruger , the human figure tends to be an object of focus for viewers.. Note: Just because an object appears in your reference photo doesn't mean you have to include it in your drawing if it doesn't add to the effect you want.
My art teachers both encouraged me to look at contrast recently, and this gave great examples with nice clear explanations of how and why. Thanks Lauren.
Great video Lauren. Manipulating contrast in imagemaking is probably the most important skill to have. You can have any style, reallistic or stylised and the ways of contrast will influence the same. Its something that goes beyond style because it relates to how the brain interprets the world through the eyes. Not only value contrast but also shape contrast, where a differing shape takes attention onto itself. Let me make one note on one of your drawings, hope you dont mind. In the "walk in the woods" the main contrast of the image seems to be in that tree in the left. The black of the shadow next to the white of the trunk is the most extreme so it leads the eye in there.
Thanks for the feedback Dario, great points. I know what you mean about the white/black contrast around the tree trunk. I'm sure it's subjective, my eye does go there but is drawn away to the higher amount of detail in the figure
Hello, I'm really enjoying your videos, keep it up! I'm a beginner, and I would love to draw a landscape similar as the one you did "Coarsegold meadow", what kind of pen do I need? For now, I only have a Sakura Micron 003, is that enough? Any advice :) Thank you
Thanks so much for your comment! Yes, the Micron 003 is a good pen. Actually I used a Micron 005 for that illustration. The 003 is thinner so it will take more strokes to build up tone, but that's ok. If you sketch lightly in pencil first it will help, you can erase the pencil when you’re finished. I’d love to see what you create.
Hi, I’m trying to get back into drawing and I struggle in still life drawings since I’m a perfectionist and I want the drawings to look exactly like the real thing or else I think that I’m bad at it, although I know from art class that we can still have our own styles in still life…how would you advise me in this case?
Congrats on getting back into drawing! The struggle comes from that part of our brain that thinks it knows how things are (like objects sitting on a flat surface should be flat on the bottom, right?), fighting with the part of our brain that’s processing what our eyes are actually seeing-oblique angles in perspective that are not “flat on the bottom”. You’re right in wanting to make it look exactly like the real thing. That should be every artist’s goal. When you can accurately draw whatever you see, then you can work on developing your individual artistic style with more confidence. Style comes after our ability to get the proportions right. That way it’s a conscious choice and not a reflection on our lack of skill. The best book to help with this is “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards. When I worked through all the exercises in the book 30+ years ago my drawing ability and confidence improved tenfold. I’d love to hear about your progress, keep me posted!
Very informative. Thank you for not being another "talking head" youtuber. I prefer the Example and VO format.
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement!
I don’t know how the algorithm causes certain choices to come up in one’s feed but today I feel like I struck gold! Thank you, for so many things: the beautiful and assuring tone of your voice caught me first (I’m a jazz musician and vocal coach), then the way you communicated in a clear, simple manner a few of my anxieties around learning to draw (for years, a dream of mine) and then, of course your skill and talent (I’m an avid fan of B&W ink work). All this to say thank you for all you do. I have subscribed and am now binge watching your channel. I am inspired, I am anxious to continue my drawing practice and I am delighted to have met you.
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement! I'm working on the next videos right now. I have seen the frustrations of many beginning artists and I know if they could learn just a few skills it could transform their journey as an artist. Your reply means a lot to me.
Me too!
Same! Thank you so much!
@@lpadgett23 You're welcome!
You help me to simplify things. The black and white did it for me it slows things down. I was a pianist and what you said clicked. What matters is focus and relaxe into the feeling of whatever is observed. Thanks.
Thanks for the feedback and insight! I like how you said it, "it slows things down." What a perfect way to say it!
Great content. Thank you.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Contrast ! ...catches the eye.
One of the best 'rules' of art.
As you said, there are many types of contrast...not just light and dark.
In your first landscape of the meadow, another example of contrast is organic shapes vs. geometric shapes... This is what makes the structure and telephone pole stand out.
And in the illustration by Gruger , the human figure tends to be an object of focus for viewers..
Note: Just because an object appears in your reference photo doesn't mean you have to include it in your drawing if it doesn't add to the effect you want.
Renzo, great points. Thanks for sharing!
Very useful.
Thanks!
My art teachers both encouraged me to look at contrast recently, and this gave great examples with nice clear explanations of how and why. Thanks Lauren.
Yay! I hope it helps, thanks for your comment
Thank you so much. I'm beginning to understand what others have tried to tell me. I'm starting to get it .
Thanks, that means a lot to me!
תודה רבה על השיעור.
לומדת לבד. בהחלט נקודה חשובה
לראות ולחשוב עליה בהמשך הציורים שלי.
Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful!
I'm glad I found you. Thank you.
Thanks Joe, that means a lot!
Glorious!!! Thank you!!!!
Thank you!
Great reminder. Thank you
You're welcome! 😊
OMG, I've been painting for months and not liking anything I paint but now I see why. None of my paintings have a vocal point. Duh. Thanks for this!
You're welcome! I hope it helps
Great tips! Thanks!
You're very welcome!
I just found you…this was so interesting. You have a wonderful calm voice. I would love you to demonstrate step by step your techniques 🥰
Thank you for your kind words! I'm working on follow up videos right now
I hope you make some more videos soon. I have been doing some sketches recently and look forward to trying Picard again. :)
Thanks for your encouragement! Working the next one between other deadline projects
I have stumbled on your site and I'm finding your tips very helpful. Thank you.
Thank you Christine, that means a lot!
Great video, and you have a great voice, you should be paid to record audiobooks
Wow, thanks for the kind words!
Thankyou.
You're welcome!
Great video Lauren. Manipulating contrast in imagemaking is probably the most important skill to have. You can have any style, reallistic or stylised and the ways of contrast will influence the same. Its something that goes beyond style because it relates to how the brain interprets the world through the eyes. Not only value contrast but also shape contrast, where a differing shape takes attention onto itself.
Let me make one note on one of your drawings, hope you dont mind. In the "walk in the woods" the main contrast of the image seems to be in that tree in the left. The black of the shadow next to the white of the trunk is the most extreme so it leads the eye in there.
Thanks for the feedback Dario, great points. I know what you mean about the white/black contrast around the tree trunk. I'm sure it's subjective, my eye does go there but is drawn away to the higher amount of detail in the figure
Hello, I'm really enjoying your videos, keep it up! I'm a beginner, and I would love to draw a landscape similar as the one you did "Coarsegold meadow", what kind of pen do I need? For now, I only have a Sakura Micron 003, is that enough? Any advice :) Thank you
Thanks so much for your comment! Yes, the Micron 003 is a good pen. Actually I used a Micron 005 for that illustration. The 003 is thinner so it will take more strokes to build up tone, but that's ok. If you sketch lightly in pencil first it will help, you can erase the pencil when you’re finished. I’d love to see what you create.
@@laurenball_illustrator thanks for the answer! Yes thats excatly what I feel, I’ll get a 005 thank you!
Hi, I’m trying to get back into drawing and I struggle in still life drawings since I’m a perfectionist and I want the drawings to look exactly like the real thing or else I think that I’m bad at it, although I know from art class that we can still have our own styles in still life…how would you advise me in this case?
Congrats on getting back into drawing! The struggle comes from that part of our brain that thinks it knows how things are (like objects sitting on a flat surface should be flat on the bottom, right?), fighting with the part of our brain that’s processing what our eyes are actually seeing-oblique angles in perspective that are not “flat on the bottom”.
You’re right in wanting to make it look exactly like the real thing. That should be every artist’s goal. When you can accurately draw whatever you see, then you can work on developing your individual artistic style with more confidence. Style comes after our ability to get the proportions right. That way it’s a conscious choice and not a reflection on our lack of skill.
The best book to help with this is “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards. When I worked through all the exercises in the book 30+ years ago my drawing ability and confidence improved tenfold. I’d love to hear about your progress, keep me posted!
@@laurenball_illustrator Thank you sooo much! It all makes sense now and I will try to get my hands on the book as soon as possible 😊
I tried to take a picture of a girl walking in a park to draw too. She called the cops and had me arrested.😏
Yikes! Gotta be careful 😐