Why you don't like your art + perspective practice

Does this sound familiar? You get inspired by some high level artist, then, you spend hours on something with high hopes, and once it’s finished, you look at it and you just go… meh. You might know what I’m talking about. You gotta ask yourself. What makes a piece of art good? It’s similar to what makes a song any good. You want to keep replaying it and listening to it. Good art keeps you looking for longer. Has you coming back to look at it. 

Sometimes you just want to draw characters without any backgrounds. Sure, go ahead. Make it interesting. But that can grow tiresome, not only for your audience, but for yourself. “Floating” characters work when you’re character designing, or you just have to post something on instagram. I feel you, I’m there. But perhaps the most valuable lesson I was taught in animation college was to draw my art within a frame. It forces you to fill up the space and think more creatively. One of the first things you need to do when you begin a drawing is to place the horizon line.

Play with shapes. Like clouds in the sky, you can start seeing things just by staring at floating shapes.

Everything is effected by where the horizon line is. Also just as important, have reference images! Stop guessing. People can see whether or not you have any clue what it is you’re drawing. 

My goal with each thumbnail is to capture a moment. I really liked the first one, but I wanted to see what else I could come up with. I changed the feeling by moving around the horizon line. Sometimes i place it low, sometimes really high. That ends up making the shot far more dramatic, if you’re going for that. Even as I use reference, I’m pushing my imagination. I mix and match existing things to create something new. In the end, I went with my first idea. Bass, in-between a set of lifting stone weights on a beach by a pirate resort. The idea is unique, and relatable, since most people know the feeling of working out. I’m aiming to make something that would grab my own attention.

You might be scrolling through the gram, nothing interesting, until suddenly, good art. It holds your attention. What is it that’s keeping your attention? Well, there’s 2 things. One, the artist can be so experienced and technical that anything they make will get you to stare. But being good at drawing doesn’t necessarily make you a good artist. Art is so much more than just technical skills. I see art by very skilled artists that just don’t pique my interest. What does grab attention even more so than a technical masterpiece is art which conveys a story.

Images like these make viewers wonder. Who are they? Why are they in detention? Are they friends? 

Combine both, and you’re on your way to success. Obviously, learning how to draw natural poses, gestures, and emotions helps. Even if you’re going for a more cartoony approach, conveying to the viewer that “this” is a real character is very important. Get the viewer trapped in that moment, not wanting to leave. Make them feel something. Have them say, “I want more!" Be true to yourself, and by that I mean draw something that speaks to you. Personally, I’m so done with winter here in Canada. I’m craving that warm ocean breeze wearing nothing but a t-shirt and shorts, surrounded by palm trees, tired and fulfilled from a good days workout. I wanted to show that in my work. I take bits and pieces from the reference images I have and mix and match them, kind of like level designing in a video game. As I was doing the line work, I realized I had an opportunity to enhance the image by pushing the narrative further. Now, not only is Bass resting in-between a set, he’s off gazing at a girl enjoying a bubble tea by the beach. The scene is becoming more lifelike. It’s one of the main reasons people admire Kim Jung Gi’s work so much. There are so many layers. You can find a story in every corner of the page. It’s something that I think is not valued enough in the art community, and that’s creativity. The ability to think of something truly unique. It’s tough! I’d say it’s way harder than mastering anatomy or being a genius at lighting and shadows. Some are born with the gift, while others have to work hard to achieve it.

One of the greatest lines I’ve heard was “as an artist, you must fall in love with everything.” I’ve taken that to heart. When I’m drawing a building, I have to think like an architect and an interior designer. Learn how structures are held up. When drawing plants, learn about them. What plants will you find in a beach setting? An artist brings to life what the general public can only imagine. When I ask aspiring comic artists about why they hardly ever include any backgrounds in their art, they respond, “I’m too lazy” or “I don’t enjoy doing it.” You don’t enjoy drawing things because you’re no good at them. How do you get better at drawing backgrounds? You force yourself to draw backgrounds, and you pour the same passion into it that you would with character designing. When you start to notice yourself levelling up, that’s when you make excuses just to draw more backgrounds. Soon enough, you’ll be looking at your own art going “damn! I made that?” Yes, because one, you used reference. You pushed your imagination. You drew a background. You created a scene, a moment, and you stayed true to yourself. You just made art that you genuinely like. I find myself enjoying art more when I draw characters that I have an understanding of. I’ve been writing Bass’s storyline for nearly a decade. If it helps you, create a world, throw characters in, make it exciting for yourself. Become a fan of your own ideas, and you’re guaranteed to have others become a fan of your work too.