Art skills reboot.

Bursaroo

Hi! im new to the forums here and have been slowly taking steps to get back to the art world. I attended an art school in canada several years ago and then got a job in the industry where most of the skill set i learned was un-needed as computers do most of the work or you use work other people designed.

so, my skills degraded. i left the industry for a completely unrelated one and they degraded more. now, i find myself blessed with more free time that i know what to do with, and wish to use it constructively.

i guess im seeking advice on how to get my skills back in some sort of serviceable shape to pursue freelance art work and personal projects.

im finding the road harder than expected.

thanks all for reading and thanks yet more for input from others in this same situation,

The best advice I can think of is to return to the fundamentals and just work on getting mileage. It's probably not that you can't do it anymore but rather that the sensitivity of your eye has diminished. It'll likely be easier to reacquire the skills than it was to develop them originally. You may feel rusty now, but I suspect as your mind and hand remembers, the rest will fall into place more quickly than you think. And even if that doesn't happen or happens slowly, you'll have a second chance to reevaluate areas that may have been weaknesses in the past and make them more solid this time around.

MissMarck

Hello, and welcome to the forums!

I agree with @Jazeps-Tenis and suggest starting with the fundamentals. Jake Parker's class "How to Draw Everything" is particular phenomenal! I review it regularly whenever my art feels like it lacks spark.
Also doing life studies! Drawing people and things from observation really helps train your eye, brain, and hand to work together. Best of luck!

Bursaroo

Hey you two!

thanks for the replies. I will do that, I have just finished watching how to draw everything in fact!

I suppose I'm just frustrated knowing that I could do something with this skillset in the past and now I feel like I never had the skills at all! but ill hit the artgym and get strong again.

Andyg

@jazeps-tenis I can second that. It’s taken me about 6 months graft to get back to where I was 7 years back, and I’ve been drawing and painting all that time, just without the focus of specific illustration. Just about getting now where what I can imagine is what’s hitting the paper

Bursaroo

yeah luckily i have a full time job that gives me plenty of spare time to practice. now if only i can get away from destiny 2 during that spare time lol