The Biggest Figure Drawing Mistake at Each Level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)

[@lovelifedrawing]

What are the biggest mistakes you've made along the way so far? I bet I've made it too ;)

[@DingDong-bw7mq]

Not focusing on faces... It's horrible

[@im.marcus]

I am definitely in the third camp … not believing in that vision, and putting skills and other artists on a pedestal. It’s really damaging

[@chazsutherland]

I'm both an illustrator and a writer, and something drilled into us in writing school was, "Tools not rules!", which (in my estimation) applies to any art form since I learned it. Before embracing this philosophy, I let the rules take over and both my writing and illustrating were flat, boring, and predictable. The rules are invaluable in the classroom but should be left there once you're adept in their application.

[@ginny6365]

I want a beautifully finished piece every time I sit down to draw.

[@SodaQuasar]

Drawing the subject without consideration the space it is in

[@R0undbrush]

"you have to go through your mistakes, not around them". Could not be more true. Especially with figure.

[@AndyKing1987]

I agree wholeheartedly that quicksketch gesture drawing is not great for beginners. I used to find it so stressful trying and failing to get a decent image out of 30 sec/1 min gestures and it really put me in a negative mindset to draw. After I sacked that off and focused on taking my time with proportions/landmarks etc, returning back to gestures was actually really fun and satisfying. I still don't do 30 second gestures because I don't enjoy it and I don't find it necessary to improve. 1 minute is my sweetspot. Great video as always, thanks Kenzo.

[@lovelifedrawing]

Nice to hear from you Andy! Possibly one day you'll come to enjoy 30 seconds too

[@jokr5242]

Yes this was also my same experience. I gesture drawed for over a month (and some now on and off over the past few years) and made little to no progress and it became very discouraging and disheartening. I noticed on the contrary, if I simply just spent time drawing (no time set, just having a good old fashioned study session), I would notice improvement usually within the week. Simply by just taking my time, making the observations, thinking about how to make the stroke to transpose the information from my eye to the paper. Not only was the improvement motivating, I actually just enjoyed this slower process of giving my self more time to observe the human figure. I just really felt like things sank in more this way. If I did not give my body the time that it needed to observe and absorb the information and practice, I made very little headway if any at all. When it comes to improving at drawing for me, it's gonna take as long as it's going to take. maybe one day I'll be able to draw beautiful quicksketches but honestly I don't really think that matters to me. I remember way back when I had made the decision to learn how to draw, this normal, slow way of study was actually the plan. Then all I heard about was this gesture thing and everyone teaching drawing saying "oh yes, it's the most important thing and you have to learn it." - and for me thus began what I could only describe as months of frustration and no motivating improvement. I eventually had to call it and stop and now I am slowly weaning myself back on to my own study regimine that I personally believe will help me learn. I can completely understand why people would get upset, too, when Kenzo would contradict the whole gesture thing because for some reason the community seems to be really all in on this idea that if you just draw draw as much as you can as fast you can you'll just eventually 'get it.' - I did not passively acquire any knowledge about the mysteries of the human form through timed exercises. If I wanted my proportions to improve I had to have a study session solely devoted to just that. It didn't just happen. I feel like, while you may start a drawing with a gesture, you do not start LEARNING how to draw with gesture. Being able to draw accurately, beautiful flowy figures is your reward for hours of thoughtful practice. I have one drawing book that introduces gesture drawing as step two in the learning process. It even makes it very clear that before we get to gesture, you should be able to draw a stick figure in basic proportions. I remember when I took that book's advice to heart and I sat down, grabbed a reference and tried to draw a stick figure. I spent 45 minutes and couldnt do it. If I couldn't draw a stick figure I am confident in, what the hell was I doing trying to draw the most complex organism that walks the planet IN MOTION? The more I think about this the less sense it makes to introduce something that feels more like an animation study to a complete beginner. BUT! Guess what? I CAN draw stick figures now! Cuz I practiced them! And now guess what? I can practice wiggling those stick figures around around into gesture drawings AFTER I learned some basic proportions first. AND! I've made another discover about myself. I honestly don't really put too much value on gesture drawing at this point anymore. It's more important to me to be able to draw the things I want to draw, the way I want to draw them. And to understand those things, I'll need to spend lots of time careful deconstructing and reconstructing them. I feel like I'm waking up from some long dream and I can finally start learning to draw for real this time and stop wasting hours to this weird exercise that everyone tells you you have to do but teaches you very little. And when you ask someone to explain to you what it is, each have their own definition. You can be forgiven for failing to grasp a topic that cannot be defined. Now excuse me while I go give myself the proper time I need and actually learn how to draw. PS Thanks to Kenzo as well as a handfull of other art teachers on KZbin who have sort of acknowledged this whole thing about hitting the breaks on gesture sometimes, introducing it later into the roadmap, after you've got some legs to stand on first.

[@patriciagundert8828]

Loving your videos! Growing up in Chile we had very few books at home but one of them was an illustration book by Andrew Loomis. I jumped when I heard you mention him in another video! I bought a copy of this book as every page was seared in my and my sisters' memory!

[@ginny6365]

I feel like I should pay you for a therapy session. Honestly, when I am doubting myself the most you bring a clarity and balance that sustains my practice. Go you Kenzo - keep it coming!🌺

[@jermanr]

You're always on target and timely. Thanks for all your work.

[@lovelifedrawing]

thanks Jerman!

[@Chrisbernier_art]

Brother thank you so much for this video. I'm guessing you do have an idea of what this content means to us. It's gold. Thank you. God keep blessing you.

[@TeleviseGuy]

I think that one of my biggest problems when it comes to learning art is that I constantly tried to find the greatest new technique to improve, I never take my time to get used to any of those methods, and now my brain is overloaded with all sorts of drawing techniques that I am not good at! I think I just need to focus on one particular kind of technique that I am the best at before I learn other methods.

[@lovelifedrawing]

Sounds familiar! Don't worry though, even though this may not be the most efficient path, you'll still get there in the end if you keep at it

[@Putra.319]

this hit close... i start fully learn 2D early January.. now around the end of January, i am struggling to even draw a single character..

[@blanejnasveschuk6351]

Your encouraging of analysis to assist understanding, learning and natural progression developed with consistent attention and practice is admirable. TY

[@lockm7380]

This video could not have come at a more opportune time, definitely needed to hear this, thank you.

[@probablyanotheridiot5484]

This channel is wonderful. Thank you for the advice!

[@stoffelundsoweiter2560]

Thank you for this Video and your on going effort to teach art and spread this Knowledge in your kind and patient way. Keep up the good work.

[@DanutaONeill]

WoW! Kenzo, that's just so honest and so hits the spot for us all. Thank you.. You're a star!

[@lovelifedrawing]

Hey Danuta hope you've been well! Great to see you're still drawing :)

[@yssimon9058]

I absolutely agree with the motto.

[@auroraw.6566]

I have not thought of myself as an advanced artist but what you said about the mistake I've recently gone through ,and what you said about overcoming it is exactly what I've been working on! Thank you for this great video!

[@lovelifedrawing]

Thanks for sharing!

[@basrahg.250]

Thank you so so much 🙌

[@traattatata7973]

Stumbled upon this video of being frustrated out of my mind after doing the second week of daily 30 second gesture drawings and feeling like my ability to do them deteriorated instead of improved and almost like i started spending more time on them than before. Thank you for the advice to give myself more breathing room for these - I found I do better simple gestures if I extend timer to a minute instead of 30 seconds, as it doesn't pressure me as much which leads to "desperation painting" so to speak when I struggle to push something resembling the gesture out of myself as quickly as possible without much success in the end. Once again, thank you very much.

[@jankhambrams]

Thank you so much for this video, Kenzo! I've been stuck on Day 1 of the Fresh Eyes mini-course. It's tough getting over that initial creative doubt and how intimidating it can seem. It sure seems to take some courage to be a beginner at something. But! I'm gonna keep showing up, giving myself a chance, and I'm sure I'll find my way forward!

[@lovelifedrawing]

yeah it's so easy to get stuck. fresh eyes is really just a few ideas with some repeated practice, and you can keep moving through even if you don't nail it on any given day. just doing the exercise as best you can and moving to the next day is fine, regardless of the outcome

[@aliciamolloy5948]

Awesome discussion. Thank you for sharing.

[@koljak9395]

Couldn't agree more on having to make all the mistakes yourself :D I probably made every single one you mentioned on some level, too! Even worse, when I work through some mistake, being very disciplined, and eventually produce a nice drawing - I tend to think "Hey, I got this now", and throw discipline out the window again for the next drawing. Inevitably resulting in a big mess. Very humbling, in a healthy way, I guess.

[@lovelifedrawing]

haha that sounds SO familiar! as if i can bypass the process as soon as I've done it properly once

[@mjeffn2]

Wow. You are the first person I’ve heard say what the person I studied academic drawing under. He said to me that quick sketching is something you do once you have attained the skills to do it. It’s an advanced exorcise, not a “warm up to loosen up.” doing so is an exorcise in futilely if you don’t have the underlying skills to quickly throw down like the landmarks of the human body needed to represent the anatomy along with how they are used to show jesture. We always worked from long sketching, and from life. (He got his MFA from the Repin Institute in St, Petersburg, Russia which is the Oxford of academic art. His 30 second quick sketches have the look and feel of everybody else’s full blown academic studies.)

[@alexmccaleb2152]

Kenzo dropping some knowledge on us today 🙃

[@sylvain_st_pierre_2019]

Well said sir.

[@seans_shed]

ABSOLUTELY!!! I am an intermediate/advanced figure artist, but my portraiture sucks! I have tried loomis, tried freehanding, tried grids etc, although there is always a sense that things are in the right areas, I just cannot get a strong likeness so I rush forward and draw a "good" eye or a "good" ear becasue I know how to do these BUT they are not necesserily what I am seeing, so I definately trying to remember that I am a beginner portraitist and trying to be patient with myself. It's funny when I see these really naive drawings on Deviant Art that have likeness but no structre, blocked shading etc but the likeness is there - it frustrates me... how can they do it, but I cannot! So it teaches me to go back, be ok with failure as it is part of my process of learning.

[@lovelifedrawing]

I can relate. I tried portraits in 2021 and they were pretty bad. Then recently i tried again in 2024 and now they're getting good even though I haven't been doing portraits much at all! i put it down to: 1) finally understanding Reilly rhythms and 2) just having a few more years drawing practice under my belt

[@donlee_ohhh]

Great discussion. I shared your video with my Twitch art community.

[@catherinelauda6948]

Yes, yes, and yes!!! Thank w.

[@scdeltaa]

Kenzo, man I love your videos and the way you explain drawing. And not only technically but your kind approach to the mental and emotional mindset needed. Quite tired of the drawing equals suffering crap. Just finished my 7th day practice of the Fresh Eyes Challenge! 🌟 After five years drawing I'm finally understanding what I'm doing. Looking forward for tomorrow's, it's one of my favorite moments of the day, can't wait! (It's also helping me build a habit).Great, clear explanations. Btw, love the jokes. Thanks man! 🤘🏼🔥🔥🚀🌠

[@lovelifedrawing]

i'm so glad you're enjoying it!

[@suefraser5257]

All so true. It's only now that I find 5 minute poses helpful in getting down the main gestural marks and outline proportions but that's all I expect from myself. I don't enjoy 1 minute poses so stopped doing them.

[@drendelous]

please consider interviewing your mum. how has her attitude changed towards art and drawing? do your approaches differ?

[@acc5772]

The "north star" thing was helpful.

[@Mario543212]

nice video! love your channel!

[@cameronpfiffner3415]

Interesting- in horn playing, a way of developing good sound is to play long tones, but, as you say about gesture drawing, it’s not for beginners. It’s fun watching you try to draw like a beginner 😸

[@lovelifedrawing]

interesting thanks Cameron. hehe yeah it's kind of tricky to remember how i used to draw as a beginner

[@mikado_m]

So from the descriptions of each stage id say i fit at intermeduate then.. I think my problem is i never know _what_ to practice tho.. I can see/tell what parts i want to impriove on.. but im not good with decisions and i have noone to give me a structure for it.. So its just like.. 10 things at once.. But just practicing a with a little halfhearted everything everywhere isnt gonna get me far.. but i dont know what to target if i wanna do targeted practice either

[@lovelifedrawing]

perhaps choose one skill area each month to develop - simple forms, then gesture, then some area of anatomy etc

[@WarriorJournals]

Gotta admit, half the time when I'm watching these videos, I have to rewind because I've stopped listening to the words, and I'm just staring.😄 He is uppercase FINE!!! Plus the accent. *swoon*😍

[@VorpalSnickerSnack]

My tattoo mentor has given me a trial, 7 drawings in 7 weeks. My first drawing is a cannibal mermaid back in Nov 29th, 2023- it's Jan 25th, 2024 and I still haven’t finished pencilling let alone inked. What's really frustrating is I'm trying to specialise in fine line tattoos, however I'm drawn towards black outs (maybe cause i think it's easier?) I love learning fine line cause the line weight carries the full picture, and would like to specialise in pin ups and Japanese style, but not once drawn in any of those styles. I've hung out with a couple of well established artists and seeing them progress and constantly creat art is both inspiring and disappointing. I'm trying to fight myself to relax and allow myself to hate the drawings to completion since it's impossible to not grow/learn everytime a drawing/thumbnail/sketch is made. But I keep failing myself and end up freezing for months but never wanting to give up, it's like being in limbo, and the art is the proof. Edit: Been a tatoo mentee for 2yrs and still having trouble progressing.

[@lovelifedrawing]

the mental side is hard for sure. it sounds like you are overthinking it, or perhaps wanting to skip the process to just being super good super fast. give yourself time to not be as good as you want to be, and just believe in the practice process. all you need to do is practise your fundamentals consistently. pick up the pencil without thinking too much each day

[@paintbrushes5]

Hey. Ex tattooist apprentice here who actually ended up quitting because I was putting too much pressure on myself back in 2010. Stress and anxiety definitely hindered my ability to learn and draw because I was so worried about performing well. I actually stopped drawing as much for years after because of it. I rediscovered my love for drawing and painting in 2019 and now I'm at a point where I'm surprising myself sometimes with how far I've come with my drawing (and I'm getting closer to loving drawing as much as I did in highschool before anxiety ruined it for me). The best way for me to improve my drawing skills and enjoyment was to deal with my mental issues in life as a whole. It's funny how ironic the solutions are. This is working for me but it might not work for you but just in case it does: Letting go of my desire to want to draw by giving myself permission not to draw if I don't feel like it helped it go from work to play and now I draw more. Letting go of my need to be great by making "mediocre" drawings and "not as good as they can be drawings" helped my to relax, and enjoy the process of learning, and actually finish stuff. Letting go of the need to be unique or creative by deliberately drawing some generic and derivative stuff helped me to go through the ideas phase without feeling pressure and actually helped produce better ideas. Being aware that there are no big consequences for "failing" was also really important. For some people, that self pressure works, but for people like me (and maybe you), drawing and learning can sometimes be natural and all the stuff we do to push it harder actually stifles it. It took time but I'm in a better spot with art then I've been in my whole life by making small changes to my thinking at a time. Good luck! I hope this helps 😊

[@MASTERCRAFT938]

Hello there! :D

[@Spooki_Gh0st]

Kenzo for prez

[@rynhart4174]

If anyone can educate me on this, I’m open to it. Outside of having a deadline because you’re being paid by company that just sees dollar signs, I don’t see the point in putting a time limit on yourself. Start simple, yes. Learn the basic shapes of anatomy, yes. Learn how the shapes relate to each other, yes. Start drawing with those basic shapes and only draw them to learn them, yes. I can absolutely see the benefit of every aspect of gesture drawing EXCEPT the time limits. Get it done as fast as possible makes sense because it’s forcing you to look at the big shapes and structures and not get lost in details. If it takes me longer and I’m not employed by an evil company but I’m learning how to do it right and I become faster over time, isn’t that better?

[@jeff-buri-jeff3716]

My awesome art teacher many years ago would explain some techniques, then send us out to draw the model, saying "go make an intelligent mess"

[@clairewilliams9416]

I think my beginner problem is that I can follow along a step by step tutorial and replicate it perfectly and be really happy until I try and replicate with out the tutorial and then I completely suck think well I just need more tutorials and then. I try again without the tutorial fail again and it’s rinse and repeat, and I never improve because I’m not giving myself the opportunity too.

[@Australierin]

"Take one step back to take two steps forward" - that's really motivated me to keep at it, even with the exercises that I want to avoid because they don't turn out the way I want! Thanks for the motivation!