Hi - new to this site

[sbotu]

Hi there. My name is Karen and I have just registered. Lots to see and do.
I started off as an artist, did a fine art degree and all that but then stupidly gave it up for 20 years due to a lack of self esteem. I have now decided to take up art again - I have my own little studio at home which makes all the difference.
I have finished four recent paintings so far but need a decent camera before I can post any of them. Been practicing with drawings - perhaps I could post some of those.
I have been
owsing some of the drawings on this site - wow - some of them are amazing. It looks like some of you spend hours on a drawing - I wish I could but if I spend to long on one it loses it freshness and starts looking tired and overworked.

[Erika Takacs]

Welcome. Judging by the sketches, I think we'll see amazing drawings from you too, if you really get into it. Kesia is very nice, I think you captured her personality very well, and the pencil work is fresh.

[sbotu]

I like it too though it is not as good as I would like it to be. I am more of a painter than a drawer but I think it is good to keep practicing my drawing skills.

Any tips on how to get uploaded drawings to look decent? - I am scanning them in but the scanned image does not look as good as the original.

[Singular]

Hi Karen,

Welcome aboard. The quality of your scanned images really depends on the scanner. Make sure you set it to a good resolution and truw color. You can always reduce the file size using an image editor. But they never look as good as the original.

all the best,
Joe

[sbotu]

ok thanks - I will try a higher resolution and then reduce afterwards.

[Maidith]

Hi Karen, welcome to A Singular Creation!
Kristina

[sbotu]

Thanks Kristina

Just had a look at your art - I am impressed!

[Menolly]

I like your drawings as well. They have a very clean look that I can never get with drawings.

[sbotu]

Thanks - I do struggle with getting a full range of values, but if I spend too long on a drawing it starts looking overworked - so they are never really as good as I like. My rough sketches seem to turn out better than ones I try to make into finished drawings.Perhaps it is just getting more practice.
Oh well, maybe one day.

[Menolly]

Yeah, that value range is tricky... and I've had this block since middle school with getting the strong darks built in. I overcame that somewhat by switching from pencil to charcoal, because you get dark black so easily with charcoal... of course then I was always getting charcoal all over me!
I'm guessing you use pencil, though, since you're scanning images, right?

[sbotu]

I used to work in charcoal, I have one drawing left from about 20 years ago which has to be my best to date. I wonder if I will ever get my standard back to that again - I m so out of practice.
I will have to hunt around for it and upload it.
But yes - charcoal is so lovely and black and I love the smudgyness of it.
I did a couple of quick charcoal sketches but haven't uploaded them yet.
Think I should go larger and do more - I am mostly sticking to A4 sizes for now.

As for watercolour - just find it so difficult - always impressed by anyone who can work in it - leaves no room for mistakes and no chance to paint over.