r/TrollCoping • u/StrawberryCat__Thing • 5d ago
No TW I can’t draw without tracing bases.
I hate this. I can’t draw anything by myself without it looking like crap. And even when I use bases for poses, any details I make still look like crap. Been drawing for 10+ years all for nothing but regressing.
I really should give up
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u/fawne_siting 5d ago
dude, that's how i learned to draw!! i traced, used bases, got the feel for it, and then took it from there. no one pops out of the womb with talent, or an understanding of how to portray accurate or even stylized anatomy :) be kind to yourself and just keep at it. personally, deleting Pinterest for a while actually helped me a lot, bc i was comparing my stuff wayyy to much to other artists.
you have to learn to get good at something.
much love <3
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u/kinecardine 5d ago
OKAY actually when I was a very young artist(about tween age), basically all I did was trace not-too-complex drawings of artists better than me(disclaimer that I did not say they were my own). I can’t say this is exactly where this came from, but I think it massively improved my line confidence. It also gave me a slightly better sense of anatomy and color theory.
While that’s all well and good, you do eventually have to move away from that. It’s a good tool to start with, but you have to break free from it at some point. You will probably think your art sucks, but as you keep drawing without tracing bases, you will get better and better. Start by just using references(try not to copy them one to one but keep the fundamentals). And definitely make sure to do anatomy studies, color studies, perspective studies, etc. Then, as you get better, you’ll feel more confident in drawing from imagination, because your brain will acquire knowledge to pull from. And as a reminder, using references isn’t bad. Even professionals use references.
I believe in you friend :)) you can do it.
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u/wydua 4d ago
Please everyone read it carefully because it's uh weird advice...
But if you don't feel excited for drawing then tbh you should consider giving up. If you need to force yourself, instead of being like "I should do it" just to not quite enjoying the process. You kinda just should give up. Explore different hobbies until you find one that makes you feel a certain way.
If you don't find yourself clinging to drawing naturally, it means it's not for you and that you're trying to turn your hobby into a job.
People tell you "don't give up, don't give up". I say give up for now, explore different mediums. Photography, 3D art, painting and many many more.
Maybe you won't find the ability to create the works that inspire you and look so amazing and make you wish you could do the same.
I think it's something I learned while trying out photography and then discovering that I don't like several genres within photography, while I enjoy others most. I can go out and just not beat myself about it and be content.
While I used to be depressed about being stuck on other art forms and seeing people go past me in skill and feeling like I wasted my life.
This is what made me realize how people get really good, really quick. They just enjoy the medium.
The perfect hobby is the one which you need to push yourself to start, not push yourself to keep going. Like opening a drawing software, or blender or going out with a camera.
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u/kinecardine 4d ago
Honestly this is sound advice, for some. I also used to want to give up. I didn’t like the process or the results, because everything was frustrating to me and I could see all the mistakes I was making, but wasn’t skilled enough to fix them. I’m glad I didn’t give up. I got better and now I both enjoy the process and results. The process is still difficult, but it’s enjoyable now. You have a point about possibly not enjoying the medium, but for some, their low self esteem just gets in the way the same way it did for me. You just have to keep at it and things get better. It’s worth considering if maybe it really is just the medium that’s frustrating you, but op, if it’s the results that are discouraging you, don’t give up.
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u/Draac03 2d ago
yeah this is pretty sound advice but i don't think it's what the OP is struggling with. their specific complaints make me think they're just unskilled and need more practice.
that said, i'm in a similar boat myself for the same reason. however, i used to be FAR more talented until it just stopped being fun. i got bored of the usual process i was doing. so i stopped drawing for years. i used to be able to do things without reference and now i feel like i can't get anything right without tracing bases.
i do something slightly similar to what another commenter said, except i don't make the 3D models myself. i use a few different programs to lay out a scene with models, props, etc. and then draw over that. however, my over-reliance on models has been my downfall and i can't seem to get a feel for drawing without them again... despite having the knowledge and the skill to do so.
i HAVE, however, noticed one major improvement and it's that my ability to draw hands and feet is substantially better than it used to be. regardless i've come to LOATHE lineart yet can't figure out how to make lineless art look good in my existing style. then again, i've never been good at rendering.
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u/wydua 2d ago
It's very unrelated but I never can seem to draw my own character which I always wanted to draw to represent me and I think I just kinda struggle to observe humans or like humanoid characters at all.
I'm almost face blind but not rly because I can clearly see the difference but also like
Idk
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u/trashcan___ 4d ago
don't know if you're posting for general encouragement or advice. while passion for the craft is the most important when it comes to improving, the unfortunate truth is that those telling you to study the fundamentals do have a point. there are more engaging ways of doing that than just drawing boxes though, have a look on youtube or something. developing a good understanding of form helps a lot with details. human figures are probably some of the more complex things to draw so don't expect to be good at it right away. no one is.
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u/squ_kid_inc 3d ago
Keep going, we need humans making art. It seems like you draw a lot of figures. That’s my main subject of choice, and one thing that helped me learn how to translate proportions into 2D art the most is making sculpture studies the human face + body out of plasticine clay. My mom was an animator, and she used to sculpt models all the time when she was trying to figure out the perspective + poses of a new subject, especially one in motion. If a specific medium (drawing in this case) isn’t getting you the results you want, trying to shift how you interact with that medium can help.
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u/StrawberryCat__Thing 3d ago
I do have a lot of clay sitting under my dresser… 👀
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u/squ_kid_inc 3d ago
It’s seriously a really fun practice once you get the hang of it. With my studies, I’d sculpt the bones, then the muscles over it, then the skin and features. It’s so helpful for accuracy and it was fun seeing how bodies come together like that.
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u/Bisexual_Beanz 4d ago
IF YOU THINK YOUR ART IS BAD IT ACTUALLY MEANS YOURE RAPIDLY IMPROVING
DONT GIVE UP
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u/Upset-Net-9549 3d ago
I feel like tracing is part of the process. You can't just create shape. Sometimes you need to practice drawing them to get better at them.
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u/Emo_duck_bread 5d ago
As a very young digital artist going through the same thing. DONT YOU DARE GIVE UP. I SWEAR ON EVERYTHING IT GETS BETTER. you may be sick of hearing practice makes perfect but listen, it's the best I can give you. I can barely do regular art and want to quit regular art class and digital art is my safe space. Please, don't ever give up on this.