@ElectricMink sure!

@caitofthenorth One thing most people do when they first start drawing is they don't draw what they are actually seeing, but instead draw a *symbol* of the thing; eyes come out as football shapes with dots in 'em, for example, and clouds come out like thought-balloons from the comics rendered in the purest white. So be conscious of your predisposition to simplify a thing to a symbolic form, try to turn that part of your brain off, and really pay attention to the shape and color of what's there.

@caitofthenorth It's like learning to forget what a thing *is* and learning to see it as a collection of shapes and hues instead.

@caitofthenorth Like this flag - notice how most of the folds originate in the top left corner and ripple out over the bottom edge, that the ripple are at least a little chaotic, that the flag doesn't blow straight out from the pole but gravity drags it downward even as it's being blown outward by the wind. https://octodon.social/media/rKIvrqlEb3uRFGU8poM

@ElectricMink I hadn't thought of it that way (drawing a symbol of a thing vs drawing a thing). I'll have to try drawing more from life/photo references I think to get the hang of that once I've gained a little confidence.

Mostly for now I've been doing drawing exercises out of this book for basics

@caitofthenorth Ah! You're definitely doing a good job on the exercises! ^_^ And what they are doing there is a great way to learn shading and dimensionality, so keep at it, and keep showing us your progress!

@ElectricMink you're too kind! ^_^
I'll try to keep it up

@caitofthenorth Be glad to cheer you the entire way! ^_^

@zangari I can't unsee it now 🍞