TUTORIAL // Warmups & exercises for improving your skills
Added 2021-02-19 10:00:19 +0000 UTCAllright, here’s the tutorial that got the most votes in the poll: Warmups & exercises to improve your skills! It was such a totally different topic from the previous ones which made it really fun to do, even if I created some really bad art for it. Hope y’all can forgive me for the weird donkey sketch. If you want captions, be sure to click “CC” in the play bar!
I go through the sketching process quite quickly for this tutorial. If it went too fast for you, here are some more tutorials that explain the basic steps of my digital sketching process in more detail:
- This step-by-step resource that explains how I use the lasso tool to quickly add shapes and color: https://www.patreon.com/posts/step-by-step-36570445
- The color choices tutorial which explains in more detail how I go from a sketch to color, especially using the color modification tools and lasso tool: https://www.patreon.com/posts/tutorial-colors-39277902
- The environment speedpainting tutorial which explains how I use a reference image to draw a quick, loose study: https://www.patreon.com/posts/tutorial-44069788
- For those of you who are working in procreate, here’s my sketching in procreate tutorial which shows which tools I use in procreate for the same basic sketching process: https://www.patreon.com/posts/tutorial-video-42911573
Here are the reference images I used, in case you want to use them to do the exercises:
Some more resources:
- The model reference all comes from SenshiStock, who recently changed the name to Adorkastock. You can find more stock photos here: https://www.adorkastock.com/
- Here’s the sketchbook tour for my 2012 sketchbook, in case you want to see more of it: https://www.patreon.com/posts/sketchbook-tour-33412561
Hope you like it and if you have any questions, ask away!!
Comments
so glad you liked it tom!
Loish
2024-12-11 12:49:34 +0000 UTCabsolutely awesome, love this tutorial, thank you
tom
2024-12-11 06:18:01 +0000 UTCi just saw your comment over on the pinned post and there's definitely a lot to discuss there! i will add it to this month's Q&A session and discuss it there, and think about making a dedicated video on the topic as well.
Loish
2024-08-23 12:39:13 +0000 UTCSo far, this is the best tutorial I watched on the subject because it really shows not only the technical aspect of improving but also the focus we can bring on an image, artwise what is it we like in an image. I want to ask you something: what makes a good reference image? I have loads on my computer but very few bring that spark of creativity, any tips?
Willmann Fabrice
2024-08-22 16:08:56 +0000 UTCWonderful tutorial! One of the most helpful I've watched so far. Thank you.
Aline Cordeiro
2023-06-22 08:44:50 +0000 UTCthanks so much andy! I'm just wrapping up this month's tutorial and it will cover similar topics!
Loish
2022-09-17 10:10:01 +0000 UTCThis is SO HELPFUL. Especially the idea of setting yourself a goal. When I'm doing studies sometimes I get overwhelmed, I start studying posture and then move onto face and expression, then hands and feet, and I get burnt out verrrry quickly. So I think the goal thing will help loads! Thank you!
andy_illustrates
2022-09-16 15:05:40 +0000 UTChappy to hear that raquel :)
Loish
2022-06-24 07:37:38 +0000 UTCwonderful tutorial, Loish, and very motivating!
Raquel
2022-06-21 20:29:04 +0000 UTCglad you liked it francesca!
Loish
2022-06-04 08:03:37 +0000 UTCit's so hard to not push yourself down when the drawing isn't coming out as you want. and just being critical without all the messy emotional rollercoaster. thank for the video very instructive both about the technics and the mindset
Francesca
2022-06-02 14:36:28 +0000 UTCthanks for pointing that out! I updated the post with the images embedded in, let me know if that works!
Loish
2022-05-10 09:59:42 +0000 UTCLove this video. the first link in more resources, when opened, will say "requested URL not found on this server." It might need an update
ning echo
2022-05-08 10:55:45 +0000 UTCglad you enjoyed it!
Loish
2022-02-21 10:01:53 +0000 UTCsuch a good tutorial! i think one of your best , though all of them are amazing. thank you for it
melvekka
2022-02-20 14:50:19 +0000 UTChappy to hear that you find them helpful! thanks so much for the support :)
Loish
2022-02-07 08:09:18 +0000 UTCHi Loish, I'm your new Patreon, I really admire your artworks and I'm learning so much from your tutorials. Thank you so muck for sharing your knowledge.
Thanh Phan
2022-02-07 06:58:32 +0000 UTCThis was fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.
Reelynn
2022-01-07 17:58:28 +0000 UTCi hope it helps your workflow! :)
Loish
2021-11-25 10:47:33 +0000 UTChappy it helped!!
Loish
2021-11-25 10:45:30 +0000 UTCI got really emotional during the artist block exercise. I love your advice! Why didnt I think of my mindset?!!! thank you! I really needed this today.
Poondawei
2021-11-22 06:40:58 +0000 UTCThank you for this tutorial, I loved it ! It's so full of interesting exercices I can't wait to try :D I never managed to have a clear focus because I used to have a focus on the first stage of the drawing, and then focusing on something else, and so on. So I'm going to try your idea of having a single focus, but make different studies from the same reference. Thanks again for all the tips.
Alice
2021-11-20 23:17:42 +0000 UTChey daniel! i'm so glad you liked this video! as for your question, i select and then use a shortcut (in this case, 'g') to activate the flood fill tool, and that's how i fill it up :)
Loish
2021-10-28 10:09:00 +0000 UTCThanks a lot for this! I've always done as you said and put unnecessary pressure on myself that everything needs to be perfect and "social media worthy" which just flattens my motivation if something comes out worse than intended, so I'll definitely be trying to nip that in the bud. Might be a daft, simple question but how do you quickly select the lines and fill with the base colour? I thought you might have just rapidly lasso around it but it sounded like you hit a couple of keys and that did it?
Daniel Capp
2021-10-26 19:20:55 +0000 UTChappy it helped!
Loish
2021-10-18 09:38:36 +0000 UTCI’ve been such a scatterbrain when it comes to what I want to improve on and this helps a lot
Serene C
2021-10-16 14:24:07 +0000 UTCi'm so glad you found it useful :) and yes, it definitely helps to keep the study session more interesting!
Loish
2021-09-22 12:40:38 +0000 UTCHi Lois, I watched this video a few weeks back. Just wanted to come back and say Thank you for sharing your process for improving art skills. It's been a huge help, I am finding it easier to be consistent with practicing when I only focus on one skill at a time. Also limiting the practice sessions was so useful - It made the practice sessions seem less tedious... haha.
Martha Balaile
2021-09-22 08:12:33 +0000 UTCthank you so much for joining the patreon! I really appreciate it :) and I'm glad you liked the video! don't forget to check out the pinned post with a list of previous tutorials as well!
Loish
2021-07-18 09:32:34 +0000 UTCThis video was awesome! It showed me a lot of new ways to look at reference photo, and new ways to think and approach my art. This is the first video I’ve watched so far, since I just subscribed, and I can already tell I made a great choice by becoming your Patreon fan! Thank you so much Loish! I’m so excited to grow with you :)
Julz
2021-07-18 07:06:10 +0000 UTCthanks for your comment, i'm so glad you found that helpful! viewing non-drawing time as 'wasted' time will gradually increase the pressure on your drawing practice and then you risk feeling burned out or stressed whenever you draw! rest & collecting inspiration is an important part of keeping the process enjoyable :)
Loish
2021-05-31 08:43:16 +0000 UTCThis was really useful to help me approach practicing in a more focused manner, I loved the side by side comparisons of studies from the same reference! Practicing gesture and movement in objects and environments was my favorite new idea :) Also, you hit the nail on the head about regarding collecting inspiration a part of artistic practice. I tend to view every minute not spent actually drawing as wasted, and consequently dry out quickly. And while having been aware of that before, something in the way you said it makes me now feel entirely different about integrating this into my day without feeling unproductive. Thanks!
Kolja Kähler
2021-05-28 10:37:15 +0000 UTCglad you like it! I'm also not great with just random warmups like circles haha. it feels like i'm wasting my time honestly. i prefer to focus intensely on an end goal! thanks for your kind words!
Loish
2021-05-10 07:34:09 +0000 UTCI was a bit reluctant about watching this because I hate warmups. But I'm so glad I did watch it! The things you do to practice and improve sound so much more fun and useful than the stuff I've been told to do and just can't make myself do (loads of lines, circles, thousands of heads etc.). I very much get inspired by reference pictures, and it was so helpful to see your approach of just taking one aspect of a reference to represent in each study rather than trying to recreate it all. Really helpful :)
Richenda Herzig
2021-05-08 23:36:49 +0000 UTChey monique! if you feel like it's getting too time consuming, you can definitely just do it faster. the first couple of exercises are warm-ups, but what comes later is more like intensive sketch sessions that can help you improve.. so it's ok if those take more time :) they're intended to!
Loish
2021-05-03 07:53:48 +0000 UTCThank you so much for this advice! I tried this out and I feel like I've improved in observation but this does take more time than a standard warm-up. How long should I be spending time on these? I was thinking maybe I was too slow about this.
Monique Aguilar
2021-04-30 23:11:29 +0000 UTCThank You! Those are very helpful <3
Marcelina
2021-04-07 10:13:21 +0000 UTCso glad you like it! and i agree, it's important to keep moving forward.
Loish
2021-03-22 08:30:36 +0000 UTCLoved this and will definitely be revisiting it many times in the future 😊 The tips about heading into a session with a specific goal / focus and also just .... letting go. Moving on to the next thing rather than obsess over the current sketch not working out . Thank you so much for this Tutorial Loish ! 🙏
Rohan
2021-03-20 02:49:05 +0000 UTCSuper helpful!! Love the part of drawing from reference then using imagination! :D
Kathleen Andrews
2021-03-18 21:39:03 +0000 UTCLoved the mindset tips so much! Thank youuu
Jehan Khonat
2021-03-17 11:16:29 +0000 UTCWho needs a therapist when u have loish ✊
ron
2021-03-16 12:45:17 +0000 UTCthank you roberto!
Loish
2021-03-15 10:29:15 +0000 UTCI'm so glad you like it! thanks so much for the support, it means a lot :) be sure to check out the pinned post in the feed for all of the other tutorial videos too!
Loish
2021-03-15 10:29:07 +0000 UTCFollowed your work for a long time, but inly recently became a patron, i’ve never really used patreon before but i’m a big fan of these kinda of tutorial videos, after reading the FAQ on your website i knew this video would be in depth and explained clearly, i wasn’t disappointed! I hope you do more videos like this, thank you so much for the advice <3
jawshum
2021-03-13 02:32:06 +0000 UTCthank you very much for this video! so much information to process.
Roberto Quintero
2021-03-12 23:48:21 +0000 UTCThank you so much for the tutorial! I really love to see how you use the reference photos!
Yan Long
2021-03-12 06:32:34 +0000 UTCThank you so much!!
Annadreams_Art
2021-03-03 02:57:53 +0000 UTChey diana! thank you for the kind words! If you want to make an adjustment without a new adjustment layer, just go straight to image>adjustments in photoshop. you'll get the same options, but it won't be a new layer!
Loish
2021-03-01 09:59:28 +0000 UTCI just find out how it's done, I just have to deactivate the option "create clipping mask" on the adjustment layers layer menu. It so awesome, thank you so much Loish if it wasn't for your tutorial I would not even know that I could change those settings!
Diana
2021-02-28 16:27:04 +0000 UTCHello Loish, it has been a very useful tutorial in fact I just find down that the way you are using the adjustment layer is very fast as photoshop is no creating an adjustment layer every time you apply the effect it just directly editing the layer. how do you setup PSD to this? as mine creates a adjustment layer every time a need to use one effect and it slow down my work flow a lot. Thank you very much
Diana
2021-02-27 01:53:13 +0000 UTCAnybody else sketch along side this tutorial and interested in swapping results for feedback and fun?
AC Moony
2021-02-23 19:08:08 +0000 UTCThank you so much for this, I really needed it!!!
Devotionart
2021-02-23 16:52:12 +0000 UTCThank you so much! The tutorial was so helpful!
Hannah Euler
2021-02-23 13:49:45 +0000 UTCso glad you like it! thanks so much :)
Loish
2021-02-23 09:43:40 +0000 UTCthank you!! I try to remind myself that it's literally not possible for artists to learn EVERYTHING there is to learn, art-wise. it's better to focus on the things that spark our passion or curiosity!
Loish
2021-02-23 09:43:13 +0000 UTCthanks so much for the kind words and for supporting me in creating these :)
Loish
2021-02-23 09:42:27 +0000 UTCdefinitely! if you only try to make polished stuff you'll be putting so much pressure on yourself. it's important to play and experiment too!
Loish
2021-02-23 09:42:00 +0000 UTCthank you! i hope you find it useful in your art practice :)
Loish
2021-02-23 09:41:14 +0000 UTCthanks so much :)
Loish
2021-02-23 09:41:00 +0000 UTCthanks holly, I'm glad you like it! that's what helps me the most about picking a focus.. being able to let go of all the other stuff and just hone in on one thing. and also be able to measure my improvement better!
Loish
2021-02-23 09:40:05 +0000 UTCit takes practice but the more you do it the better you'll get at it!
Loish
2021-02-23 09:35:52 +0000 UTCThis is so helpful! Thank you!
Mina Lazovic
2021-02-21 21:57:31 +0000 UTCThank you for another wonderful tutorial. One of my favorite things you demonstrated was creating confident, expressive and descriptives line as opposed to lots of little searching ones. It's not easy but I'm working on it.
Lauri Panopoulos Lauridesign.com
2021-02-21 19:57:36 +0000 UTCThis is very, very helpful. I appreciate the ideas for how to focus drawing practice, because I DO tend to get bogged down in how it's all not as good as I want it to be yet. But if my goals are more focused, it will let me disconnect some of that perfectionism and enjoy building a new skill more. Thank you!
Holly Westlund
2021-02-21 04:25:31 +0000 UTCI love when you post tutorials, they are super helpful and makes my day :)
Raquel Ardon
2021-02-20 20:50:45 +0000 UTCThank you so much for sharing this! I learned a lot & got a lot of ideas. Can't wait to start trying some new stuff!
Halaylah
2021-02-20 16:52:25 +0000 UTCThis is one of the most important and best tutorials I have ever seen in all these years! Thank you Loish! With this you have brought me incredibly further in my view on drawing! 💯♥️
Su Ehlers
2021-02-20 15:17:16 +0000 UTCThis is fantastic, thanks so much :) it's so encouraging and inspiring to get insight into mental aspects of "improving" and creative growth as well as the awesome technical stuff! We hold ourselves back a lot, right? Excited to move forward using your tips :) <3
Adelle Gough
2021-02-20 11:42:52 +0000 UTCThank you! So useful.
Nush Rass
2021-02-20 10:15:32 +0000 UTCThank you so much for this tutorial!!! I would give a 1000 hearts if Patreon would allow it :D
Piotr Kostecki
2021-02-20 09:36:56 +0000 UTCSuper helpful and motivating :D thank you!
Simone Mändl
2021-02-20 09:00:04 +0000 UTCthank u so much for this loishhh!! i needed this❤️
Naris Queth
2021-02-20 08:51:20 +0000 UTCThank you for this! Can't tell you how helpful it is. Usually when I sit to draw I get so intimidated by choosing what I should draw and how I'm going to make it look beautiful... but this helps to focus on the idea of picking a goal and focusing on it and not getting stuck on making something polished and presentable. That's a huge help!
SAFIYYAH ALLI
2021-02-20 08:36:08 +0000 UTCThank you soo much. This tutorial was awesome. I love it. It helps me a lot. This idea about focus on one specific point like dynamic poses or color ... it awesome. Thank you for this sharing with us :D
Klara Art
2021-02-19 23:30:35 +0000 UTCI entirely agree with Radka (above) Great teaching.
Greg Schultz
2021-02-19 17:45:37 +0000 UTCThis is SO good, you're such a great teacher, Lois! Every time after watching your tutorial, I feel so grateful you're doing this for us and also feel so inspired! Really great and unique tips, thank you!!!
Radka Kopecka (radu.k.art)
2021-02-19 17:01:58 +0000 UTCEverything mentioned in this, is very important stuff ! I think a lot of us needed to hear this ! THANKS !!! ❤️
Jean-Philippe Morasse
2021-02-19 16:26:35 +0000 UTCAdore this tutorial thanks so much for this. I always overthink anything including how to study art and this is a lovely reminder to just let loose and experiment a bit, and to focus on one aspect to not get overwhelmed with how much there is to learn. Love it
Elliot
2021-02-19 16:02:11 +0000 UTCabsolutley loving this tutorial!! helping get out the rut of beating myself up over my current skill set and going with the flow... and understanding how to improve with intent over specific topics one by one rather than all of it at once! xD T.T the artist struggle is real but it's a journey
Lloyd Fernandes
2021-02-19 15:08:48 +0000 UTCThanks Loish!
Lloyd Fernandes
2021-02-19 14:17:59 +0000 UTCThanks Lois!! What a great tutorial and lesson learned: put your (digital) pen on paper and enjoy, what ever the outcome. I like your way of the use of the lasso tool and tweaking colors. Thanks for being so, SO, SOOOOO inspiring!!! Enjoy your weekend!
Engel Bakker
2021-02-19 14:12:49 +0000 UTCThank you for this, Lois! This is really helpful for my thought process and approach.
Dan Genovesi
2021-02-19 13:26:11 +0000 UTCSeconding what Adri said, this tutorial is exactly what I needed. I find when I sit down to do studies I get bogged down with all the different elements of a drawing. The way you pin the focus to one thing like movement or colour is really helpful!
Kataraqui
2021-02-19 11:55:19 +0000 UTCsketches are the funnest part of drawing IMO! glad you liked it :)
Loish
2021-02-19 11:51:51 +0000 UTCyay, I'm so glad you like it!
Loish
2021-02-19 11:51:35 +0000 UTCGreat tutorial ! I love drawing studies and sketches cuz you learn so much from them! Your video inspired me and reminded me to sketch more regularly, thanks!
Vincent
2021-02-19 11:18:23 +0000 UTCthis tutorial is exactly what I needed to see! thank you so much for covering this topic. A lot of the stuff I learned here will definitely be applied to my future studies/drawings!
Adri
2021-02-19 10:55:29 +0000 UTC
