How I Learned to Draw Animals & Have MORE Fun With Art

[@smol-one]

'Jobs aren't supposed to be fun.' I don't know were you first heard it, but I've been hearing that nonsense since I was a kid. But what they don't tell you, is you shouldn't be miserable, either. Everything has its own challenges. What you need to do, I think, is to match with jobs/tasks where the tedium and challenges don't make you miserable. And, ideally, the fun things involved in the job/tasks spark joy for you.

[@JelArts]

It's true!! There's this toxic mentality that jobs shouldn't be fun or can't ever be fun but it's just not true! Very well said 👏

[@houndgirl7365]

Honestly whoever coined 'jobs shouldn't be fun' are the same types of people that say "working from home is less productive". Studies have shown that those who work from home are not only happier, but also they get more stuff done than those at work. Not only are stress levels lower leading to a healthier worker, but also the type of interactions are better leading to an overall better ecosystem in the work place. I think it's absolute bs that people think you can't love what ya do and those kinds of people are likely miserable at their own job. It's sad but people try to rationalize the abuse because that's what happened to them so it has to happen to others. This is why people think art isn't a real job because those same people want everyone to feel as bad as they do (yes its sad I know). The great thing is people are working to change that mindset and with luck we might even get the introduction of the 4 day work week (as it should be) and an actual liveable minimum wage with PTO. I know this isn't about corporate, but these blue collar mentalities stem from blue collar culture that has in fact swept through the entire job market complex. Funny thing is it wasn't always like this and people weren't meant to just work their life away.

[@Literally_a_bee]

Yes

[@computerbomb]

Ofcourse jobs arents supposed to be miserable either. But no job is 100% fun and realizing that is very important to be happy with what you do anyway. The generations being thought that they should just 'do what they love' is a big part of their existential issues and unhappiness. As soon as they struggle or don't love everything about their job, they worry about having made the wrong choice because they were literally told the most important thing about it is enjoying it. Literally everything can and will be difficult at times, no matter how passionate you are about it. I think its a very healthy mentality to believe 'you work for money, not for fun. All the enjoyment is a lucky benefit'. All that mentality can bring is gratitude and satisfaction, while the reversed mentality can only bring worry and dissapointment.

[@pat4005]

@@computerbombI think you put it the best! This is very true. I do (my own art) for a living, and no, it is not always easy, and sometimes you just need a break to disengage and get some fresh air and a new perspective. Every day is different, and some days can be more of a challenge than others. I absolutely love what I do, but the flip side of the coin is where the reality hits the road. I make my own hours, but I also need to function during the hours that I need to do things that involve other businesses I interact with, and to do the non-art things small business owners are stuck doing. So even though I've always been more creative in the evening, and I think in the past at least, I found it easier and more natural to do my actual artwork then, many times I have to make calls, send emails, wade through long spreadsheets, place orders, print labels and mail packages all during the daytime. Ugh. (Not to mention take care of my own home life responsibilities.) So it's both wonderful, fulfilling and fun, while it (usually the non-art business parts) can be stressful, time-consuming and difficult, even if you thoroughly research "everything", unexpected things can happen! Things like products that you have ordered with your artwork on them can be seriously delayed by the manufacturer due to a much bigger customer being given your production time-slot, and the transportation of your products (over land and sea), to you can be delayed by unforeseen events that you have no control over. Not good if your loyal customers have paid and are waiting for months. But I have been lucky to have patient and wonderful customers so far. Usually you have to be juggling multiple projects at once in various stages of development in order to keep a somewhat smooth workflow. Different products you may have made with your artwork on them may all have different completion and delivery times by the various manufacturers, and if you have a sales or marketing event, you want to be able to deliver all those things to your customers at the same time. Other products you create may be personalized or custom, so you do the art just once for a customer, and that's where you want to really watch your time that you spend on a piece of art, because you will not be reproducing it hundreds (or even thousands), of times, so you have to make the price worth your time. It's a real learning curve for everything non-art, and that's to be expected. I love planning and doing my art and larger projects with lots of art. But yeah, the non-art work is not what I look forward to, still takes plenty of time, but like taxes, still has to be done.

[@Elsk_Arisen]

Growing up I had the exact opposite problem, animals were always quite easy for me to draw while humans felt like this impossible hurdle that I could never get over. Maybe it’s because I grew up obsessed with animals and I spent a lot more time looking at animals in picture books and cartoons, but the shapes of different animals just always felt way easier to pick up for me

[@houndgirl7365]

Fellow artist here that now works professionally. If you want to work up to people draw monkeys and gorillas to start. I personally haven't done this, but with the knowledge in my brain this is an excellent stepping latter towards human anatomy (we both are primates after all) once comfy with that try to venture drawing people get some references and just work on some gesture draws to get those shapes down. I too started off drawing animals as a young artist I mainly drew wolves followed by large cats. Eventually I was pushed to draw fictional weaponry to humanoids to people. It's not always easy stepping out of comfort zones, but that's the only way to improve. If you need to step back try doing dynamic poses with your favorite critters before hopping back in baby attention to the way the ribcage, pelvis, and limbs move. By doing these simple observations it can help you to apply those techniques towards humans. There is adjustment as going from one anatomy set to another takes a moment, but you will find after a solid warmup or two it'll be fine. Lastly remember art is a journey people develope at different rates and some are further ahead in their journey than others that is fine just continue to learn and grow at your own pace.

[@Elsk_Arisen]

@@houndgirl7365 Thanks for the advice! I think that might help me a lot!

[@littlefox_100]

Same

[@Choco_paz]

Bro are you literally me? This is exactly my same situation!

[@tamaramisue9219]

Same I still can’t draw people very well

[@Cinnaschticks]

The shock on my face seeing exactly the tutorial I was looking for show up in my notifications... I love drawing animals but struggling enjoying drawing... Much appreciated. 🥺

[@KitysCafe]

Same!

[@Dubstequtie]

This isn't a tutorial though?, it's more of a motivational and set in mind kind of video. No tutorial ever happens. Only some little advice.

[@Cinnaschticks]

@@Dubstequtie Yeah I'd made the comment before watching the video. :]

[@bee4697]

You were the artist that made me realise that you could draw animals. And I know that sounds dumb but up until I saw your videos I mainly consumed Content of artists who were super into making people or humanoid characters. Of course there's nothing wrong with that but once I started drawing animals I found that I enjoyed it so much!

[@devALLjapan]

My sister has always been keen on being a KZbinr. For gaming and such. A few in the family said that it was silly or not a real job etc, I told them they can become anything they want. But I had to stipulate that even though she can be whatever she puts her mind to in the future. All jobs are work. They all have sections that are a bit of a grind. There are hard days even for things that you love. And most people who say making videos or art is easy, are usually the people with no skills in the profession. Which always makes it a worthwhile endeavour because you are doing something only YOU can do. Great video, love the foxes especially.

[@SillyLittleVixen]

Oh how I love foxes I just could watch u draw them forever they’re such beautiful creatures

[@aviellerenee9472]

I always turn to your channel when I’m feeling down or stuck in my art. I used to love drawing and would fill my sketch books up in 3-4 months but I stopped being able to do that when I started thinking of art as a career I wanted to pursue, it took all the fun out of it for me. I’m slowly starting to reclaim the fun I once had with my art and watching your videos helps me do that. Thank you! Also, I love the way you draw foxes! They’re so cute and fluffy!

[@natalienewton3711]

Stubbornly scribbling dozens and dozens of drawings in a messy sketchbook is 100% the recipe for success (in my experience). Make sure you’re still making full pieces of things you enjoy, but especially while you’re starting out you will improve so fast if you do that.

[@JasmineZellmer]

I'm focusing almost exclusively on what brings me joy! Painting, sketching, fantasy. And in the long run, the illustrations that I'm making are the things that I want to be doing as work and the things I want to get commissioned for. I love all your foxes! I'm always so excited to watch your videos!

[@ah-bayandmay-doo]

I've been drawing animals for years and struggling with drawing objects, architecture and humans. Suddenly a few days ago i started flawlessly drawing all of those in class, i have no idea why. They always turned horrible and I didn't like them, but that day it simply just changed and i could draw them. Now i draw portraits of my teachers and classmates to practice and i feel myself quickly improving to perfection. Maybe waiting really is the key, don't worry about it.

[@mrrock0ut821]

Not gonna lie, this is super spot on on what I live. I'm a professional animator and I've rotated towards more technical stuff because I've been looking for harder things instead of what brings me joy. Don't get me wrong, I still love what I do, but your words are an eye opener to me. I strongly relate with them and totally understand the struggles. Thank you and keep rocking these cuties!

[@justinhatcher1256]

Not only is your art absolutely breathtaking, but I SERIOUSLY relate to what you discussed!!!! You’ve given me inspiration and motivation to continue my adventure of art discovery!!!!!!!!!

[@soanalaichnam344]

I actually started to draw animals because of your videos and now they are starting to become my new comfort thing... along with horror art for some reason

[@artpaws4966]

yea, this talk really helped me. My personal favorite thing to draw is animals! and i really want to get better at drawing them. I think i should just get a cheap sketchbook and just practice, but when I draw something I don't like, i get frustrated with myself and tell myself im not good at drawing. I struggle with comparing myself to other artists, which i have been a little better with. But your videos really help with these things!! thanks so much for posting them!!!🤗

[@Cinnaschticks]

Definitely somewhat agree with your view on drawing "harder or more fun things," though unfortunately I ended up doubling down so much and being so hard on myself that I ended up having to stop drawing for a couple of years, (the break was nice though, it definitely helped) and often I still find myself flinching away from new things, things I like but don't know how to draw yet, and fundamentals. It's oddly comforting knowing others struggle with the same things, even if it's in different ways and with different solutions. :]

[@kirtanas8302]

this video was such a nice coincidence . I am trying to get back into drawing and decide to get a cheap sketch ,didn't know what to draw so I drew animals (which is my comfort zone) with you and it was a lot of fun😊.

[@JuliaPaul-x5r]

I really, really like your cats and foxes, and the other animals too. I'm aiming for this loose, yet accurate style, but have a long way to go. And I don't feel it's the easy option ;) Did you have reference photos for the foxes' poses or does your study of anatomy enable you to "invent" accurate poses?

[@YordleQueen]

I also would love to know this!

[@audreymation]

Girl, your art is literally gorgeous. I so need to buckle down and figure out animals. Those are absolutely adorable

[@ClaireoftheBear]

I don't think I ever realized that I have had sort of the same mentality as you, like I always have tried to push myself to just keep drawing people over and over, hoping I'll get better and be actually seen as an artist, when what I really enjoy making are like organic things like landscape (I haven't really tried animals yet, but that might be something to look into!). Your channel really kind of opened my eyes to drawing what actually makes me happy, and has really gotten me into drawing and filling up my sketch books again. (Don't get me wrong, I like drawing people...ish, but I think I like having a nice final result as opposed to the actual process of drawing them). So honestly thank you so much for your videos, they're so chill and they really give me the inspo to keep arting :)

[@PaintingPuff]

Your art is so inspirational. This is just the video I’ve been waiting years for 💖

[@artpaws4966]

Ikr

[@MarleLen]

I'm so glad i found your channel honestly. You cover some topics that the current me needs and brings some peace and stability for my chaotic thoughts to calm the f' down and do art little by little and not be scared. 10:08 - 10:17 I think that's really important to remember. I burned out quite a bit from forcing myself to learn fundamentals. I dont regret it as such I learned a bunch and learned to view my subject(s) different and more simplified, it really pays off to learn the basics (who would have guessed). But I regret not seeing when i should take a break and draw for myself and have fun. So much i dread going back to learning the fundamentals, even though i love learning new things. Short vers. thank you for this video, made my day

[@Rosee-c2h]

Sorry that that happend hope your doing better ❤

[@MarleLen]

@@Rosee-c2h Aw thank you! That's sweet of you to say

[@Rosee-c2h]

❤️❤️❤️

[@raddleyy]

I have always had a passion for art, but I’ve had trouble drawing front profiles of animals. Not only did you give me the courage to keep going, you gave me the courage to do water color art even though I always thought I was bad at it. You’re awesome, never stop drawing! ❤

[@aquakarp3485]

I just have to say that your fox drawings were so darn cute!! ❤

[@roseways]

omg i definitely have this mindset too but i don’t think i realised until i heard you put it into words! if something sounds too fun to draw or an idea comes to me too naturally it’s like i don’t quite trust it? and i don’t let myself do it? ive just done a whole inktober of trying to make myself draw these lil illustrated scenes i haven’t enjoyed at all because i felt like that’s what i should be doing, and i felt like i should be doing it *because* it doesn’t come naturally to me, not despite that fact. when really what i wanna draw are just animals and people and maybe some plants - this video really made me wanna draw foxes hehe 🦊❤️

[@myladylydia]

I never thought that if you try new things, you may expand your comfort zone. Good video! I'm glad I stumbled upon your channel

[@cydile]

Thank you for making this video, it was exactly what I needed today. Perfect timing with the end of Inktober, which does not always spark joy and leaves many artists feeling a bit drained. I had very loose rules for myself this year, with no prompt list, no pressure to do anything more than a sketch, but I still kept to a "spooky" theme. That was enough to make me realise I have more fun drawing shapes and patterns, because I often found myself doodling those while trying to motivate myself to draw my "actual" inktober piece. Sometimes I gave up doing both because I felt like I wasn't doing what I was "supposed to". No, from now on I'll focus on drawing the things that spark me joy and try not to judge myself for doing what is easy or comes naturally to me. *That* is what I'm supposed to do. I still enjoy the occasional animal or nature drawing, but not every day. Thank you, again, for making me feel less defeated for not enjoying Inktober as much as I wanted (once again).

[@chedoodles]

so refreshing to watch you paint! watercolor painting just soothes my soul so much😌💗 so inspiring

[@PentragonCosplay]

I loved hearing your story. It’s exactly like mine. I loved drawing humans because of anime/ manga but wanted to draw animals more. So I did it a lot to get better and also found my love for watercolour thanks to drawing animals. I really like your style!

[@JelArts]

That's so similar to me! I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@laurenkris9384]

It was great hearing your thoughts on the process. It felt so authentic and I could relate to what you were saying

[@Erizabesis]

I love this video and watch it whenever I am frustrated or have art block. Because you are an amazing artist and have an amazing art style while knowing the strugle. So thank you!! your art is trully amazing!!! You inspire me so much ❤

[@JelArts]

That's such a nice comment thank you so much! I'm glad my videos can help you in some way :)

[@piiec7642]

Yes, I am one of these people. Come to think of it, I've become so entangled in making it HARD and PROFESH that I've forgotten how to have fun. Almost forgotten how to have fun. Just watching somebody doodle for the heck of it and enjoy it and be loose and let it flow has really helped me remember what that was like. When I did that I was so much happier. I think a lot of it for me, though, is the desire to have something perfect that can be thrown out there. Because there's so much competition and I want to use my creativity for something, to be able to work in a creative field because that's what I _love._ To let go and have it not be perfect, to just let it flow and let it be what it is terrifies a part of me, but I want that. And this video was a real blessing. It doesn't have to be perfect; it doesn't have to be easy, but it's always satisfying when you love it and you do it the way _you_ do it, even if it's maybe not the way you think it should be done and your current skill-level frustrates you. Also I love the little foxes.

[@hannahnova749]

You are so awesome! My kids and I love watching you create art💚

[@JelArts]

Thank you so much!!

[@alik2897]

the foxes are so beautiful! 🥰 thank you for sharing, I struggle with this feeling too, I want to draw people but not in a realistic way a I feel the pressure that if it's not realistic, everyone will think that I can't draw properly, and I know it's stupid, so I trying to dont care about other people and just draw what I love. it helps hearing other artist struggle with it too. and I consider you a really great artist ❤️

[@sketchbookscheming]

Beautiful spread, and I loved hearing your thoughts about fun vs. tackling more difficult paintings.

[@audreymeyer5616]

Thank-you for this video. I am in the same boat. I am good at drawing people and I want to draw animals and it is actually kind of hard because there are different types of animals. This motivates me.

[@P0SSUMrug]

You’ve really inspired me to start drawing again, I had a break for a while because of art block, but I’m gonna get back into it!

[@Levongrova]

Question. Whenever you draw, do you look at references and copy them with your own spin to it, or do you draw from your memory and head? I can not draw from imagination/memory. I can look at a bunch of imagery. Say I want to draw a cat in a forest that's sitting on a log? I look up an image of a cat that is sitting. Then I find a picture of a log, then I place the cat on the log so it looks good. Then I find an image of a forest enviroment that I like and if I want details such as a pumpkin or a flower, I find photos of those things and slowly add all those things through drawing from these photos but creating my own thing. Is that wrong? Am I even creating art or am I a fraud doing it like this? :/ I defintively struggle with forms in 3D, not to mention perspective and I suck at anything I cannot see in front of me to draw, so I don't know..would appreciate another artist's thoughts on this 😅 Anyway. Love your artwork, love your sketchbook and your style. Animals are my favorite subject to draw so watching someone else who also enjoys drawing them makes me happy ❣

[@cydile]

I think most artists do this in some form. At least until they've drawn the cat, the forest, log, what-have-you enough times to come more effortlessly. You're not a fraud, not even if you copy a picture exactly without mixing and matching between references. What you put on the paper comes from you and your effort, and don't let anyone tell you differently!

[@kamiholmes7332]

I've recently came across some videos about concept art and how these type of artists approach the creative process. Most of the time, if they don't know how to draw a particular subject, what they do is to look up for references, they study them by doing quick sketches and then is when they go about designing their own thing from imagination. What you are doing is great, I've done this in the past. But with time you realize that it is time consuming to look up for references and sometimes its even difficult to find exactly what you are looking for. Learning to draw from imagination comes in handy when you want to save time in the creative process. You can train this skill by using the concept artists approach and with time it comes easier and easier. Just don't give up and start training to draw from imagination when you really feel the need to. If right now you feel comfortable and it feels easy to look up for reference photos, please keep doing that. Also, if you'd like to know how this process works, I'd recommend Lily's Illustration video here on Youtuve called: Designing a Fountain | My concept art process. Again, what you are doing is absolutly wonderful, please don't feel bad about it. At the end, as artists, we will always need to use reference photos one way or the other to create our art. Hope it helps!

[@samarajohnson]

I really appreciate your view on this. It's very helpful to someone just starting out 🙈 Your art is sooo amazing 😍 hopefully I'll be able to draw like you someday 😊 thanks for the inspiration!

[@firytwig]

I like how I’m literally the exact opposite. I am a huge nerd and I know a ridiculous amount of dinosaur anatomy and know the absolute bare bones (hehe) of human anatomy to be able to barely pass an art course. The only reason I know half of what I do know of humans is because I got decent at comparative anatomy and was able to translate some of my dinosaur knowledge to humans

[@Om3n_8]

ur advice is great!! I've been struggling with my art recently and this has helped alot. Also, I LOOVEE ur art style! its so cute :3

[@talimediaart]

You’re right when it comes to having a balance between drawing for fun and not making it too fun when you’re not challenging yourself. Would it help to have projects that help you improve your skills to bigger projects or artwork that you want to do?

[@caninesketches]

Honestly these videos really help me to see that its okay to suck at art sometimes :D im the kind of person whos scared of failure and these help me to be more comfy to let myself sketch and practice :))))

[@corruptedteka]

Popping a comment just to say you inspired me to draw some cute lil beetle-y bugs yesterday, even though a lot of bugs scare me ! And I'm very pleased with the result ^^

[@JelArts]

Haha I'm glad I inspired you! Drawing cute bugs is fun

[@ExplodinEmeralds]

It's been too long since I saw one of your videos! The last video of yours that I remember seeing is "Using ALL my Yellow Art Supplies" so that was July 1st 2018 that it was released. so about 5 years and 4 months since I last saw one of your videos... it seriously doesn't feel like its been that long. I'm glad to see that you are still active here on KZbin. 😁👍

[@wildflower1397]

Your animals have such joy to them! Gorgeous!

[@gayle8010]

I love your style of you animals. You inspire me. Thank you.

[@Mosstherat]

i know this hasnt got much to do with you talking about drawing animals but i just got started into doing a watercolor kinda art style i guess and ive been also meaning to learn how to draw animals and i know this isnt a tutorial but the way i see you being messy with it and not trying to make it perfect has helped me get out of this weird comfort zone of trying to make it perfect insted of just being more organic has helped me alot.😊

[@Dinodragon123]

The fox drawing was my favorite You really inspired me to draw things I don’t always draw

[@shesFallenAngel]

thank you so much for your video, it made me feel better about my art and when i see your video i just want to draw with you it's so good 😭🫂💕

[@lyss.the.panini]

wow i havent seen one of your videos in years, glad to see you improved so much!

[@laceyosborn3223]

I was so excited to see your video! Love your content and the sweet nature of your art and videos! Thanks so much for the bright influence! 💗

[@JelArts]

Aw thank you so much I really appreciate it :)

[@MusicalRaichu]

funny, i don't particularly like animals, but since i've drawn so many pokemon i haven't found animals too difficult. but i bought a cheap sketchbook like you describe to practise drawing people.

[@Zh15]

شكراً على النصيحة. 💖🍀

[@Oosivs]

I had a similar problem, but it wasn’t about drawing humans or animals, it was about drawing traditionally. I find it hard to make traditional art because there aren’t layers you can use to make the shading ect. You just reminded me that I should practice traditional art more. I think traditional art dose mean more to me. Because you can feel it. Touch it, but digital art isn’t made that way. I don’t know how to rap this up, but thank you for reading this whole thing.

[@Laura-bs2hw]

what i like to do is find an old photo or character and analyze it for things i dont like before redrawing it and maybe add some new details or take away some details. this really helps me get the mindset that not everything has to stay the same or you have to follow this pattern of design. i also try some new things aswell like what if i drew glass or wood, or changed styles, maybe try a new medium which led to new hobbies. just draw whatever you want, it doesnt have to please anyone other than youself, just draw for fun or try sculpting or felting even.

[@CerealSundaeCantDraw]

Thanks so much! I've been working on studying animal anatomy and adding personal touches to them! Something I've also been studying is how to draw pokemon! Not necessarily animals, but similar!

[@DewWithFloof]

The second i saw you i knew i was gonna subscribe. The art style is AMAZING! Just... WOW! Im amazed by how great it looks!

[@JelArts]

Thank you so much, that's so sweet!

[@DewWithFloof]

@@JelArts no problem! :)

[@colbywheeler6958]

thank you so much for this vid, the topic of feeling pressured to stick to 1 way of creating is not addressed enough at all.

[@DougHain]

Your style is so beautiful! I love it so much! ❤❤❤

[@Stratelier]

I took an art class in literally every year of school but as much practice as that gave me with various media & techniques, I didn't find an inspiration (or "calling") until later, in college, when I had a few story ideas and just NEEDED to draw some of them (and so what if it was in the middle of a class lecture?) . And I definitely get the stress of wanting/needing to "be original" -- but ultimately, you just need to be _authentic,_ be "yourself". No matter how your inspiration or skill changes over time, in the end it's still you. Me, I focus mostly on animal and creature designs (mostly in a fantasy context) and so while I have a ton of experience planning out animal anatomy and compositions, I still trip over the nuances the same way you would when drawing a human subject, and animals have a LOT more fundamental variety to pick from.

[@Dreamwhale-zx6yf]

Your video inspired me to open mine sketchbook and start practising, thank you!

[@raccoonpatch]

I adore your art so much! Your video inspired me to pick up my pencil today and try drawing foxes, so thank you for making videos ❤

[@Swag_corvid]

Omg I saw u on Instagram and HAD to learn how to draw like you and this popped up!!! ❤❤❤❤ ur so talenteddd!!

[@aeryncross4798]

i LOVE your watercolor style, its so pretty

[@JelArts]

Thank you so much:))

[@BenjamintheTortoise]

I don't know how you came across my youtube feed, but I'm so glad you did!! 😊 First video I've seen of yours. I seriously can't draw a thing except stick figures... But I'm skilled in mosaics and that's about the only artistry I've got. 😅 Anyway I just had to drop a note to tell you that... I appreciate you and your continued journey of learning and perseverance. You've already gained so much in wisdom and self-discovery along the way... and I love that you're sharing it all with us! You are certainly a beautiful soul, and I can't wait to check out all of your other videos!! Cheers 💞😊

[@BenjamintheTortoise]

Also.... Any interest in drawing a tortoise??! 😁🐢❤️. You are so talented... I'd love to see that!!!

[@MortalsAreLame]

i agree and have the same feelings as you speak about in this video

[@eleanoropalriver]

I love your art style so much! I've been trying to learn how to draw animals properly again because I have been spending way too much time on one piece of art to the point where it was boring and very frustrating, and so I have stopped drawing as much recently. I've also started tracing things hoping that my art would improve and that it would start looking really realistic, but it made my art horrible when I did it by hand. Also dealing with my extreme perfectionism in art has slowed me down too. This is the first of your videos I have seen and now I'm probably going to binge watch all of your videos. ❤

[@oaksapling__]

my experience with this is that i've always been in love with drawing birds. over time i kept drawing bird wings more and more, making it so much easier to just sketch them. Heck, i've even somewhat stylized them! I have pet birds now, and observing them actually helps me with my art surprisingly. They helped by allowing me to witness the animal im trying to draw move and live. now drawing a bird is second nature and doodling them is super fun!

[@DeathMoon_WCUE]

I am a young artist and every time I draw a animal I always think “this isn’t good it doesn’t look like the picture” but I should make it to were I can make it like my own little doodle and my unique art *cough cough* cats… also great job it looked great

[@liesbethartlife]

Your animal sketches are so inspiring ❤

[@hannahnova749]

Do you recommend any art reference books to help? Do have a preference for references or just the random ones from pinterest? Thank you for all your advice💚

[@jessicagamble991]

Your art work is stunning I loved every single art piece. 😊 Good work!!

[@venti2569]

Lmao im the exact opposite from you i was obsessed with animals so i learned how to draw those but now i dont know how to draw pretty much anything else but i dont feel like leqrning anything else until i can understand animal anatomy better Also those fox drawings look amazingg i love them sm

[@courtneyriffey9818]

I used to not like watercolor, but I haven't tried it in a while and I probably should. I see a bunch of videos where people use watercolor, and I'm like, "Ok that actually looks really cool!" Then again, I did get my watercolor paints from Dollar General... :) (I should probably get better ones so I can try it again) Your art style is so pretty! I'm sensing a random wave of motivation! :0 Thank you for posting this, it helps a lot! :)

[@BlinkTvvice]

I have kind of the opposite problem, I grew up drawing animals in almost all my free time, so when I wanted to learn how to draw humans, they would always look to animalistic, namely cat-like. I would have a hard time drawing fingers and hands because I was so used to drawing paws, and I couldn't draw human facial features because they were too different from cat features. If you have this problem and want to draw humans, or know how to draw humans but want to draw animals but can't, I'd recommend drawing slugcats from the game Rain World. They're a calm in between human and animal, without being too distinct one way or another. Their main bodies aren't too detailed, and their arms end in hands while their legs end in paws. They're not very hard to draw, and you can use them as a way to slowly transition into drawing animals or humanoids

[@ΚάποιοςΑγνωστος-χ1ξ]

Beautiful work! ❤ If you stop the video at any point your drawings look finished. That is a rare talent/skill to have, most artists struggle with that. Also be patient when you are glazing in watercolor and wait for it to dry first, I know it’s hard to pace yourself when you are in the flow hehe. 😄

[@j.watson9060]

Have you been using Blue biro to draw? These look great

[@katewagstaff4396]

I've always done dragons and dresses before I did those i did faces and stuff but now I find it verry hard to do animals and people but now I've started to move away from doing faces of dragons im slowly making my way to doing the wings and body so watching these videos really inspires me to try and do animals again

[@riricaroo]

I love the way you draw foxes 😭

[@JelArts]

Thank you so much!

[@okinorika]

I lovee your videos so much! Your art is a big inspiration for me 💗

[@milky8471]

The first thing I ever drw was an animal. I loved drawing animals then I started to draw and forgot about them... Now I wanna go back into it again thanks for your video❤

[@Psalms20A21]

🧠Beautiful shapes & coloring!

[@kannonfps]

i recently came back to drawing, wanted to create my own characters, then got overwhelmed by how hard anatomy still is for me lol so i started taking notes of everything i would like to draw, animals, landscapes, portraits, fight scenes, and so much more. Because of my maladaptive perfectionism i was struggling hard but then i started to give myself a "routine" which look like this: Every day i have to complete one of those things or more: - 1 part of the human body 10x - 5 gesture drawing - 1 animal - 1 Portrait - 1 landscape the list goes on... there was no rules, time limit or how many i should do apart from the minimum of "1 drawing or more per day", tried to find ways to make me want to draw rather than "i have to draw" kind of mentality which i had when i was solely focused on humans i also found that if i trace an image and then do a normal study i feel more energized and motivated since i started drawing already (btw the way i trace is by deconstructing the shapes of the things i'm drawing, not tracing every little details and shit) i find that having a really basic routine that include drawing even if it's just for 5minutes always make me want to draw more and more once i get started. So far instead of 1 drawing per day i ended up make dozens almost every single time. also if you struggle with procrastination just try to avoid youtube, tiktok and shit like this before you complete your tasks for the day, if you need to put music on go on platform made for that as you won't get distracted by potential video that would pull your focus away and make you feel like "well i was supposed to draw 2hours ago now i don't feel like it anymore" or smth ya know procrastination is the outcome, not the problem :D Btw watching tutorial's count as procrastination especially if you don't draw along or take notes while watching the video, that's called fake productivity, you basically tricking your brain into thinking you are doing something productive while you should actually be drawing or doing something else (again mainly applies to people who mindlessly watch a guide without actually acting upon said guide, i know lots of people who are guilty of that and i'm no different lol) i swear i tried to make this comment as short as possible

[@ericspaintingplaster575]

I was a really bad artist when I was younger now I'm 11 but I dream to be an artist and it took me awhile to.. realize that, art takes TIME so your tips are helping too thank you so much just.. thanks!

[@sainalarson]

Thank you this helped a lot! How do you paint with watercolor like that? Teach me your ways! Would you please make a video on that (If you haven't already, I'm gonna go check)? Also, I am like that! I love drawing people and want to draw animals more! So thankful for this video.

[@Luciaqueart]

You are helping me so much. Thank you for this

[@_calean_3958]

❤ thanks for the tutorial

[@melaniehofer5467]

Where do you by your watercolors and HOW ARE THEY SO VIBRANT?!!!😝

[@carafurry7862]

I've always loved drawing animals 😍

[@UnformidableSideQuests]

I honestly kinda have the same mindset of "I shouldn't just take the easiest route", because I thought I was "Cheating" some how, currently trying to unlearn that mindset.

[@JelArts]

Yeah it's so hard to unlearn!

[@Monocle_cat]

I love your art style!!

[@JelArts]

Thanks so much!

[@Helena-ty4fy]

Hey. Would you mind telling me some tips for coloring like you do in this video? I'm kind of new to this art thing (believe it or not, I'm a math person) and I may or may not have fallen in love with these drawings

[@NightWolf-du1un]

I LOVE OTTERS YOUR OTTERS ARE SO CUTE YOUR ARTSTYLE IS SO HUGGABLE I JUST WANNA HUG THOSE FOXES AND OTTERS FOREVER AND EVER! YOUR POINTS ARE GREAT (even if I don't directly relate) AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR VOICE AND HOW YOU EXPLAIN STUFF!!! ACCEPT MY COMPLIMENTS... or else😊👊💥❤️❤️❤️

[@Tryin5845]

Dude the foxes are so freaking cute

[@Retrofire-47]

i have a quick tip for novices. Give yourself EXTRA POINTS in your sketchpad for taking risks, and making mistakes. This encourages a growth mindset vs. a perfectionist one

[@byJessicaElena]

I related to this so much!!!! Thank youu for a brilliant video!!

[@JelArts]

So glad you enjoyed it Jessica!!

[@marteme2273]

Loved this video❤

[@natalie_kendel]

I ADORE you style!

[@crunchymusic8963]

Super inspiring❤ And love your arts so much❤️❤️

[@JelArts]

Thank you so much!

[@betcrab4171]

Ive been drawing foxes recently too, so cute.