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You’ll learn the most important foundational concepts for drawing anything and soon you’ll be drawing pictures out of your imagination or from reference.
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Founder of Proko, artist and teacher of drawing, painting, and anatomy. I try to make my lessons fun and ultra packed with information.
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Drawing with Confident, Expressive Lines
This lesson teaches you how to replace "hairy lines" (multiple hesitant strokes) with confident, expressive lines that improve your drawings. You'll learn why this skill is crucial for drawing from imagination, animation, and even mechanical subjects.
The premium lesson covers:
- Drawing with your whole arm - techniques for creating larger, more dynamic strokes with less fatigue
- The ghosting method - a step-by-step approach to rehearsing lines before committing to paper
- Understanding curve varieties - how to use C-curves, S-curves, and straight lines with intention rather than creating the "snowman effect"
- Common mistakes including not simplifying enough, over-simplifying, and line quality issues
- Form and structure considerations to balance flowing curves with structural straight lines
You'll gain practical techniques to immediately improve your line confidence, a fundamental skill that affects every aspect of your drawing practice.
Get the full lesson in the premium course.
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Let's take a look at your "Simplify to CSI" submissions! I decided to combine both level 1 & 2 students for this critique since I saw very similar mistakes at both levels.
Did my level 1 drawing before watching the demo and critiques and absolutely realizing I didn’t do the assignment lol it was SO challenging to simplify and not try to draw the snail/boots “good”.
I also found myself very lost in the details of the boots! Going to try some butterflies and moths with more obvious CSI lines and then try the boots again!
I was kind of wondering what I do during this critiques other than just watching and listening to them. But I have found having these on in the background while also practicing using stock images and simplifying them has really helped
Not so much an improvement in technique as changing my mindset.
Stan recommended going back to give the boots another go if the laces were hard, and I think it is indeed a valid exercise in diligent shape-matching, thoroughly working from one side of the laces to the other, and trying to resolve each potential curve.
I don't think I can fully let go of chicken-scratching my lines from years of careless doodling, especially with the laces' rapid curvature changes and small size, but I stuck to simple, sweeping lines when I see the opportunity to process and simplify.
Doing the laces felt frustrating at first, but finding the fun in it kept me going.
Oh man. I haven't had it in me to try a second attempt at the boots (yet?). I really love how thin and flat you've drawn the bottom of the boots. Especially your 1st version, they feel really grounded and have a ton of character. I agree laces are much cleaner/better done in the second for sure. But I have to say, I think using more curved/fewer straight lines for the boot bodies in the 2nd version really loses that character and grounding of the 1st. Just an observation! I'm sure you were mostly focusing on the laces in the 2nd but it's interesting to see what Stan mentioned playing out here - that the combination of straight and curved lines in your 1st drawing works really well. Anyway, great job!
Great sketches, they look pretty good overall. I think the wolf one is the weakest one of the three, since it has a lot of lines that kind off fade off which makes some shapes like the ears feel incomplete.
But overall I think these are pretty nice, they look loose and the lines look fluid and confident which is the most important thing for CSI sketches.
I enjoyed this task. Though I did get a little bogged down with accuracy and proportions. I can see some students were able to complete the boots in a short time. This just wasn't happening for me. Though by the time I reached Skelly, I was definitely more confident with making CSI marks.
All tips and tidbits welcome!
Hey,
Being patient and dedicated seems to be key, and most importantly, I'm having a lot of fun drawing these things, but I know that a lot of practice is needed to make progress.
Second attempt after teacher's demo, Still struggling with CSI, keep working on it. I actually released that I have improved on proportion wise.
After a long break from the course (due to academic reasons, I took off from CSI lesson and this is my attempt.
I loved the rythms of the boots, but it was also very challenging for me get clear shapes and lines here. In particular the shoelaces got a bit messy. I will remind myself to think first of the line to draw, imagine it and than put it down confidently. Happy to receive any feedback!
This is what I’ve done . Im gonna try the level 2 stuff . Wow I really thought the boots were hard. I am enjoying this but I think I’m rushing a bit. Also I’m drawing so lightly that I’m going back over it and it’s making it harder to see what’s good or badly done .
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9mo
You’re doing great! Move along at whatever pace is sustainable for you. The assignments shouldn’t feel too easy or too difficult.
It looks like you’re right where you should be. The simplification of the snail and the boots looks really good.
The pear is perfect. The shading is even and the values are easy to read.
On the portrait… not so much. Things seemed to get a bit muddy there and I think I know why.
You got confused when trying to draw the features instead of focusing on the shapes.
It’s ok to get more abstract with this one.
Here’s my example:
Hope this is helpful! Excited to see more!
For the contour ones, boots and the snail, I think you perhaps went a bit too slow on the lines and they ended up wobbly, more noticeable on the boots.
Though I do think you did a good job on the boots, those laces as many have said were difficult.
Really like your pear, shape shape and good shading though think your highlight value is far too similar to the next value, doesn't make it pop.
Portrait I think you needed to work on separating the values a bit better, they seem a little inconsistent, also don't get confused by relative lightness, your highlight on the right cheek (from our perspective) isn't really there, it's just lighter than the hair which is very dark, but the shadow is still quite dark, if we had more than 5 values it might be a different value to the one next to it.
All good stuff, keep it up.
