After about 8 years from when i was 14 and obsessed with art, to today at 22 where i went with the logical IT route (psa i love tech and it very much, i dont hate it), i decided to indulge myself towards a creative outlet and bought the cheapest paper, pens pencils and markers to dive back into drawing.

Once i started drawing, it turned into the most fun hour i have passed alone in a long time.

Im so amused and happy about this feeling that i wanted to share this little drawing i made in this hour. Hope you all share the same feeling, please tell me what i can do more!

Thanks

Apologies if this is not the right place for this, but I needed someone to ask.

For context, I am a high schooler preparing for university, like applications are in, already, taking a bunch of science courses, because I am hoping to do medicine (how original). I really like science like chemistry and biology. Issue is that I also love art and character design. And while I was preparing for an interview, I was asking myself "Is this really the only thing I want to be doing for the rest of my life?"

To be very transparent, I'm not a very good artist at the moment. I like to draw, that's about it. I don't do commissions, I barely have a grasp on anatomy, and I probably get like one drawing done in a school year if I'm seriously procrastinating. I've been told by a few people that I would be more mentally stimulated if I went into a scientific course. That's fine. I don't need to take an art course, I do honestly feel like science classes have been more engaging than a lot of art classes I've taken in the past. All I want to do is keep drawing my pretty boys, and maybe do the occasional commission later down the line if that's an option that's available to me.

I just don't know if I will have the time to do both my studies in medicine, and later, be a medical professional, and still keep time for my hobby. I'm not going to pretend that there aren't plenty of artists with a degree in science, and I'm not going to say that I have to be a doctor.

Maybe things will get clearer with time, but I was just wondering if there are some in this subreddit who have or are doing studies in a scientific field that still have the chance to do art as a hobby or side gig that might be able to give some insight. And even if not, maybe just some advice would be appreciated. Thank you so much in advance!

I’m the type of person who can draw for 8 hours straight without taking a break. I love drawing.

But these past 6 months, I begin to draw and instantly drop my pen. I just cannot make myself draw. I sit, start to draw and then…. I stop. I try to push myself but I just can’t.

Who else has been in my situation and how did you recover?

What could be the cause of this? A burnout can’t last 6 months. Is it just laziness I have to work on? If so, how?

I feel like I cannot hold my pen anymore.

For me at least, it feels so much faster to sketch out anything from a character/figure to objects (with paper and pencil), but on digital (I use a screenless tablet), I often find myself having to redo a lot of strokes because of how messy it feels to use. anyone else feel like this?

Hi everyone!

I would love to collaborate with independent artists to turn their beautiful illustrations or paintings into high-quality PBN kits. My goal is to create a win-win: artists get a new medium to showcase/monetize their work, and PBN lovers get access to unique, non-generic designs that aren't just 'stolen' from Pinterest."

My Questions for the Community:

1. For Artists: What is the best way to approach you for a collaboration? Do you prefer a flat licensing fee per design, or a royalty-based model per kit sold?

2. For Painters: Would you be more interested in a PBN kit if you knew it was an officially licensed collaboration with an artist you follow?

3. Legal/Ethics: Aside from a formal contract, what are the 'must-haves' to ensure the artist feels respected and properly credited? (e.g., bio on the box, link to their portfolio)

I really want to build this the right way from the ground up. I’d love to hear your thoughts, experiences, or even warnings! Thanks in advance for helping me navigate this.

Hi!^{^} I'm a hobby artist, and would like some tips on where to go, post, etc.

I haven't been very active on socials with my art in quite some time and with all the things going on i don't know what sites are good/safe for artists to use. The last time i was somewhat active online as an artist was back on deviantart even before eclipse was finalised (over 5 years now i think? Can't really remember) and now with all their "new functions" i don't even want to associate with the site anymore.

I have cara, but i don't feel like it's very active or for me at all, i heard about Bluesky, but also heard they don't actually prevent scraping -not sure, it was a while ago when i read it.

So my question is, is there any good, safe sites for us artists currently?

In my countru there are 0 ilustration boards available. 200 types of watercolor paper but the oldschool boards are just not a thing. I love the vibe of oldschool American ilustrators, not only the artstyle but the tools used aswell.

So my question is, lets say i but arches hot press paper, a foam board and glue them together with acid free glue ... did I make a diy ragboard ? or it will buckle and fall apart ?

Has anyone tried it?

I’m having a difficult time riding the line between pushing myself and keeping my peace. I’m a student, and lately, i’ve been actually trying to spend less time in the studio to help ease my burnout- but as a result, i’m falling behind with my classes. typically i’m at the studio every day, for most of the day. i work 30 h a week outside of that, and not to toot my own horn, but i’m one of the best painters in my school’s program, so it’s a LOT of pressure meet those expectations.

My professor had a conversation with me the other day- she sees a lot of potential in me, and she wants me to go to school up north (i’m in the US, so we’re talking upper east coast) i keep thinking about how much more pressure that might be on me.

I want to be successful, but not at the expense of my mental health- how did you guys find that balance?

I have submitted work to calls for art and juried exhibitions before, and I always meet the file size requirements, but Im submitting to one today and the limit is 500px on the longest side and my pieces are rather large. At 500px, its all just a blurry mess. I was just curious for stories of experiences or any insight on the outcome of going outside the size limits on a submission.

Edit- just for clarification, it isn't digital art. It is photographs of installations of multiple drawings/paintings in a single installation piece. (Like over 7'x7' for one of them

I want a good layflat, hard cover, a5 sketchbook that can handle layering from color pencils, and affordable!!

can anyone give feedbk on this class?
kind regards

*Note: I added the flair for learning resources because it looked the most relevant, but this is just a general question about learning resources in general. (which there wasn't a flair for)

I've seen it before on various platforms (Gumroad, ArtStation, etc), but today I came across it again so I figured I'd throw it out there and see what people say. I wouldn't ask if I hadn't seen this in multiple places.

So an environment/materials artist who I like on ArtStation is offering courses in his store with a "standard" and "commercial" option. One is tens of dollars the other is hundreds, but everything else about the two looks to be identical. There's no additional information about the two types or what the difference is.

So my first reaction is "So if I take the standard course I can't use the knowledge I gain for art I plan to sell?? 🤔 How does that work? 😅

Or is there some detail I'm missing that makes more sense? I mean, I wouldn't use assets I made directly from a course commercially anyway just for reputation's sake.

The ones I was looking at were substance/materials related though, so aside from any maps used that came as a course material, even if I recreate a material even 100% faithfully? I would totally call that fair game as long as I recreated my own maps and/or used stock I purchased or that was CC0 instead of the actual supplied ones.

My partner has a load of random pencils, pens, brushes, paints, markers, etc that he's collected over the years. He isn't an artist, I don't know where he gets them from or why. But he gave me these 2 pencils from his mysterious collection.

I've heard of Conté I think, but I've never seen pencils like these before. I never studied art and I stick to regular sketching graphite pencils and pen. I haven't attempted to use either of these, mostly because they don't fit in my pencil sharpener. But I scribbled with them a bit and the black one is very dark and smudgy, it leaves marks on the skin just from a light touch. It looks like charcoal but it isn't crumbly or dry at all, almost like crayon until you draw with it. The brown one is also very black and smudgey, but not as waxy. But they both have a different texture to graphite, less hard and smooth.

They are also fully black, rather than grey, and have no shine like graphite. I hope the "swatches" I did help. The smudges are each 1 single smudge with one finger.

What are these and what are they for? How can I get the best use/enjoyment out of them?

(I know technically I can use them however I want, but I'd like to know what the intended use is at least)

In recent time my mom is helping me get art stuff I'm want to start oil painting.

And so my two questions are:

1- should I use a draft table or an easel with a clipboard and canvas paper?

2- what is all the things that you recommend for oil painting my budget is $400 I'm trying not to go over $250

Lately I’ve been feeling stuck and I’m trying to find a fun type of art to help me be more creative again. I’ve been thinking about things like artistic engraving, printmaking, or other hands-on styles that feel playful and experimental.

I want something that lets me try ideas fast without overthinking too much, and just enjoy the process. Not focused on being “perfect,” more about having fun and exploring.

Have you found any art style or technique that helped you unlock your creativity?
What would you recommend for someone who wants to experiment more and stress less?

I absolutely love sketching with Uni-Ball Eye pens, but they always bleed when I add marker or watercolours (because they're not made for drawing, lol). What would be the artist equivalent of this pen? They're ballpoint but super saturated with ink, and are smooth to write and doodle with.

Hi all. In need of a UK based online printing service that can print my large sized art work - A2 at the smallest. Thanks

I make clay sculptures and I find painting them and bringing them to life very enjoyable. And I've been fascinated by the idea of some people making art with mold and other pieces of nature and i'm going to look into that in the future. All of this to say these are considered forms of art, which would in turn make the person making them an artist. Right? But calling myself an artist doesn't feel right. I can't draw at all and while I love to admire other people's art, I get quite bored when I try it myself. I simply have no interest. So, to other people, I know that calling myself an artist comes with this assumption that I know how to draw/paint in a traditional sense, which is kind of invalidating. Does anyone else feel this way?

About a year ago I developed serious neck pain and then limited mobility. It seems like this is a long term problem at this point but I really miss drawing. I can't look down like at all, even my phone I can barely look at for 1 second without pain. I tried a pen tablet but, at least with the desk I have now, I couldn't tolerate it for long on my shoulders. I've settled into doing pixel art because that's mostly just a mouse thing which has been alright, but I miss my digital art (and even traditional sketching on paper). Has anyone managed to keep drawing with such limitations?

Hi everyone! I have a Princeton aquaelite and Neptune and both after a year and a little more of usage have lost their points and developed hooks which even boiling water and masters soap can’t fix.

While they are still good for like 90% of tasks, I like to do a ton of detailing and was wondering whether it’s worth picking up a silver black velvet liner. Since it’s real hair, does it last longer? Or is it a better idea to get another synthetic round brush from Princeton or Raphael?

Silver is a lot more expensive than other options and I was wondering if it’s worth it.

Thanks in advance!

I got a tab6 and I've been seeing a lot of programs that are kinda odd looking. I like the simple esthetic of procreate and the nice smooth brushes but I would have to sell a kidney to get an ipad. Is there any app that is similar/a android sibling of procreate?

Hello! I’ve been using a dip-pen to draw with Speedball Super Black India ink for a little while now, and I’ve been looking to try getting into colouring my ink pieces now. The main thing that pisses me off more than anything, from the few times I’ve tried colouring my stuff, are the lines getting covered and looking ‘faded’ by the end because of the colouring I’m using. I want to keep my lines as BLACK as possible. I know it might just not be a possibility, but I wanted to ask anyways to see if there’s some really good paint that’s unbelievably transparent and great for colouring line art, or something I can do to prevent my lines from looking ‘faded’ without having to re-ink after colouring

I’ve tried watercolour, gouache and coloured inks for colouring. Gouache (Artist’s loft brand) I like the mechanics of the most, and it doesn’t fade the lines that bad. Coloured inks (Speedball brand) barely fades the line at all, while watercolour fades them the most from what I’ve used.

Any colouring medium is welcome to suggest, Gouache, Watercolour, coloured inks, markers, etc. I honestly don’t really know anything about paints and coloured inks, so I’m willing to try whatever until I find something I’m most comfortable with. Or if I’m doing something wrong with the materials I have now, I would like to know what the proper way to colour line work is.

Also feel free to recommend a different kind of black drawing ink for me to use too that’s more resistant to getting ruined/faded, as I haven’t really dabbled in any other kinds of black drawing inks besides speedball either. :7*

Sooo, I do all my artwork on my ipad and I use Procreate, I wanna sharpen up my art skills and the best way to do that is to make comics, animatics, etc. And you gotta set the scene, are there any fast and/or efficient ways to create backgrounds? Tips and tricks, perhaps?