F.A.Q.
How old are you?
20, at the present moment. c:
Where did you learn to draw?
i’ve drawn for as long as i can remember, so most of my techniques are self-taught. In the beginning, all this was just for fun. however, i started taking my art seriously at the start of high school, i started signing up for classes whenever i could manage to. i’ve taken life/figure drawing, acrylic painting, among others. i now attend university of dallas in irving as an undergraduate, majoring in art. just taking the basic, foundation-building classes now…
How did you develop your style?
to be perfectly honest, i wasn’t aware i had a specific style for a very long time. i realize my work is a cross between the cartoony and realistic, and what got me to this point was PRACTICE. i draw constantly; whenever and wherever i can. every artist has their blocks though, and i’ve had my fair share of mine. but you can always get out of a slump, it passes. also in developing my own style, i’ve used tutorials on deviantArt and peeked at other artists’ work. looking at all the diverse styles there really helped me figure out what worked for me.
How can I improve at drawing anatomy?
well. let’s see… taking figure drawing classes is a fantastic way to get a good grasp on anatomy. if you don’t have the time or the money for that, i suggest you draw as much from real life as you can. draw your own hands or doodle classmates during school (the latter may get you into trouble, but it never stopped me. ;) ) you can even buy one of those dolls… like this one-
for drawing poses and learning what poses are natural for the human body.
How long do you take on a picture?
that all depends on the type of picture. when i’m messing around and just sketching out an idea, the initial sketch could take from 10 to 30 minutes. if i decide i like what i’ve done with the sketch, i’ll polish it up with ink and get rid of pencil lines. that takes fairly longer, around a half an hour to an hour. coloring, i’ve noticed, takes the longest for me since i use pencils. this last part takes me… oh, an hour or two? sometimes more. i very rarely ever do all this in one sitting, but it’s happened when i’m very inspired.
How you go about making clean line-art from your sketches?
basically, i take the messy sketch as it is and go over the lines i’ve mapped out precisely and slowly with a ballpoint pen. once i’ve finished and i’ve let it sit for a little bit (sometimes the ink can smudge right after inking) i use an eraser to get rid of any excess lines. occasionally, i’ll leave a little bit of the pencil behind on the drawing to add dimension or if i decided not to color it.
Do you use references?
hardly ever, seeing as almost all of my work is born from my imagination. but i have used them for a complicated pose or expression i’ve had in mind. it never hurts to check and see if whatever you’re working on is even anatomically correct.
What pencils/pens do you use?
i use trusty mechanical pencils for sketching. for coloring, i use prismacolor pencils and sometimes cretacolor pastels. normally i use whatever pen is available to me at the time, but i know i need to break that habit. i really like ballpoint pens, but the sharpie felt tip pen is incredible. i snatch those up like a maniac.
Do you use any professional drawing pencils? Like 2Bs or 6Bs?
occasionally, of course. i have a lot that my dad gave me, and i use them for school. plenty of my assignments and in-class work required me to use a harder or softer pencil.
Can I color/reference one of your drawings?
i’m perfectly fine with you coloring any line art of mine, but i must demand that you link me if you post my work on the internet or give me credit for the original work wherever you use it. i’m also alright with you using work of mine as a reference for a drawing you’re doing, but again, you must give me credit. don’t steal my work and claim it as your own.
Do you take commissions?
not right now, but i do occasionally. my details are here [link]
Do you take requests?
not anymore; i gave it up a long time ago. if you ask for one, more often than not, i WILL ignore you.
Are you willing to do an interview/blog feature?
absolutely! i’m always willing to that for any publication, project, or online blog.
What books do you recommend?
apparently i have good taste in books to be read just for fun. so i’ve made these lists by popular demand! [link]
Who are Blaire and Prosper?
they’re characters my younger sister and i came up with. Prosper belongs to Clare and Blaire to me, and Clare writes about them here. their couple name is Blosper. <3
I want to put together an art portfolio, what should i do?
my portfolio consisted of mostly pencil, charcoal and ink. i balanced it between concept drawings, still life and figure drawings. it’s very important to have a good variety of works, so the person who reviews your portfolio can see what you can do with different subjects or mediums. most schools will be very specific with their requirements in a portfolio, so you shouldn’t be too lost when putting one together. but if they don’t specify, around 10-14 pieces should complete your portfolio.
Where do you find your GIFs?
usually from here, but i follow a lot of different blogs that use GIFs pretty often, so they’re literally all over tumblr.
thanks for coming to my F.A.Q.!
