If I started DRAWING in 2025, I'd do THIS

[@mcrumph]

Those who are recently coming to the craft of mark making, I would recommend two books: Andrew Loomis' Figure Drawing for All It's Worth. This not only provides excellent information on, well, figure drawing, but also how to present them in perspective. A masterpiece of information. Burne Hogarth's Dynamic Figure Drawing (& Dynamic Anatomy). This covers the figure in motion & the wide range of motions the body is capable of. A masterwork of movement. Nice video, keep up the good work.

[@carlhwilsonart]

Great video Thomas - new to your channel. I'm focusing on figure drawing and anatomy this year as well as more drawing from imagination rather than reference. Got online courses I'm working through as well as Loomis books. Looking forward to more encouraging videos from you.

[@popesuavecitoxii2379]

Great tips! I definitely need to get better at figure drawing this year. The Nexus book looks really useful.

[@thomaspitilli]

It's a great book! I think Steve sold out of the print version, but the PDF is still available.

[@sharky9493]

Great tips. Repetition the same thing is a good idea, and this maybe with different tools.

[@thomaspitilli]

Totally. Different approaches each time can be fun and useful 👍

[@JulioVegaArt]

Ohhh man!!! ... I can't believe I never knew they made smaller softcover versions of those artist editions?! They always seemed cool but way too big for me to store in my bookcase so I never bothered. About to purchase the David Mazzucchelli’s Daredevil and the Mike Mignola one. Thanks for another awesome vid!

[@thomaspitilli]

Yeah, those are awesome, I have a few myself! A fraction of the cost too 👍 Enjoy those two, the Mazzucchelli Daredevil one is awesome!

[@chiptenor]

Happy New Year, Thomas. Great disclaimer at the beginning reference really serious artists vs. drawing-mostly-for-fun (and nothing wrong with that). But for us committed artists, let the 'tips' begin! Really good commentary to start off the year with our art studies. Thanks. PS- suggestion: a video on your thoughts about anatomy studies/drawings for comics and illustration- a very important topic.

[@thomaspitilli]

Happy New Year to you as well, Chip! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching! And great suggestion, I'll definitely make note of that. I have some ideas for an anatomy-ish sort of video in the near future, so stay tuned!

[@chiptenor]

@@thomaspitilli Thanks, Thomas. Yes, a video on your approach to anatomy, even including foreshortening perhaps, would be welcome (your influences, books, practices etc.), when of course you can eventually get around to it. Again, Thanks. Chip LIndsey (Atl.)

[@bgaston14]

I do want to improve my art skills! Maybe I'll finish drawing through Bridgman this year. In the meantime I'll be watching all the Steve Rude and Tom Pitilli videos I can. Great advice in this video tom!

[@thomaspitilli]

Thanks Ben! Bridgman's anatomy book is one that I had when I was younger, but haven't looked through it in a long time. Maybe that will be one I dive back into this year as well. Any additional education is helpful, for all of us. Thanks as always for watching!

[@bgaston14]

I want to actually finish an art project, either my children's book or a small comicbook. Or actually make my comic strip Induatrial Complex into something coherent

[@Xenotango364]

Cool! I wish you the best

[@thomaspitilli]

I can't wait to see whatever it is you choose to delve into this year. The comic strip sounds like it might be a fun one!

[@vikasalfeo3410]

I agree, erasing is very much part of it particularly when one is an advanced artist because one knows better that how a certain drawing or a pose can be worked out even better with some alterations...I see jim lee do that all the time .. He says his process involves 30 percent erasing and 70 percent drawing ..softening a drawing with a kneaded eraser helps with the second step of refining the drawing ... David finch does it twice in his process.

[@thomaspitilli]

Yes, Jim Lee is a great example of a great artists who utilizes the eraser as a productive part of his process. The 70/30 estimation is a good rule of thumb. Not being scared to erase and knowing how to use it to your benefit is a big part of growing as an artist, and hopefully one we can all take into 2025 👍

[@chrisstaggs8997]

Great advice, Thomas. Kind of off topic, but I like the way you "Cartoon" your faces, it has a classic feel. Have you ever made a video talking about some of your artistic influences?

[@thomaspitilli]

Thanks so much, Chris! Faces are my favorite part of drawing people :) I make a lot of videos about specific influences throughout my channel. Hopefully you're able to enjoy them!

[@johnnylamonte3451]

I'm currently been going through an art instructional (Hampton figure drawing) book and copying everything with a gel pen (no pencil). I feel like I'm learning, but after watching this I may try out some of these tips of yours.

[@thomaspitilli]

Very cool! And I love the commitment of the gel pen, instead of the pencil. Great way to raise the stakes 👍 Glad you like some of these tips. Let me know if any of them work out for you!

[@johnnylamonte3451]

I do like the idea of repetition, especially after I have collected many art reference books such as anatomy books. Repetition over those kinds of books with pen will surely add some visual memory for me.

[@Omarcomics911]

thx for ur video still struggling cuz my illness u remember cuz my right side I was drawing with it so I train my left hand to draw Im drawing as soon as I could

[@thomaspitilli]

Keep pushing through 💪 You'll be a stronger person and a better artist because of it!

[@Omarcomics911]

@thomaspitilli i will be a handicap it's hard to depend on one hand

[@thesolarchive]

2025 is the year of the pencil. Time to crush it this year 👏 thanks for the great advice as always

[@thomaspitilli]

Year of the pencil, I love it! Have fun with it and thanks for watching ✏️👍