Hi there! I think this looks pretty nice. And I think it’s pretty close in terms of proportions. However, I don’t think you need to worry too much about proportions at this stage in the course. It’s good if you have it in the back of your mind for now, but It’s way better to focus on the actual assignment of the lessons. The way I understood it is that these early lessons try to teach us specific things. If we start worrying about all that goes into a drawing at once (line, shading, proportions, etc.) as beginners, we would most likely get overwhelmed. Now, in terms of the assignment for this lesson – simplifying in CSI – I think you did quite well. The lines seem a bit “timid” though. It looks like to tried to get the right line in a single stroke. I think it’s ok to lightly go over a line o couple of times if that helps you with speed and confidence. Like it says in the assignment notes: “Your pace should be quick, but not rushed.” You can also split a complex line into multiple segments to help you with stroke confidence. You should definitely give the boots a try before watching the demos. They might seem intimidating but you’ll learn a lot from the challenge. After that, go watch the demos and I’m sure the video will clarify a lot of questions you might have at that point. Then, if you have time, go over the assignment again. See what you would do differently now that you have additional information from the demo. I personally like to do an assignment 3 times: 1 – before watching the demos; 1 – after watching the demos; 1 – after watching the critique video; This will obviously not make you a master at it, but it ensures you get a good amount of practice before moving on to the next subject. Still, this all depends on your schedule and what fits for you. I hope this helps!

I think these look great! It's also nice to see the entire process, from sketch to finished painting. Great job!

Hi there! These look really nice. I think your self-analysis is also accurate. I have trouble with proportions and staying loose myself. The only thing I can recommend is to try out a colored pencil when going for loose sketching. I started using a colored pencil myself only recently since I didn’t think it would make that big of a difference. But for me at least it really helped with staying loose. You can be a bit more heavy-handed with it before the lines start to show and it glides a bit smoother on the paper than an HB pencil. I hope this helps.  Keep up the good work!

Hi there! I think that in this case "hierarchy of importance" and "conveying depth" are two distinct methods. Hierarchy of importance is where you use heavier lines to bring attention to what elements you think are most important in your drawing. It could be the horns, the head, one distinct foot, or the entire rhino. It depends on what you want to communicate to the viewer.   When you make the closest lines darker and the farthest lighter - you are trying to convey depth and perspective by varying the heaviness of the line (making it lighter the more the object recedes from the viewer). At least that's my understanding of it.  I hope this helps!