One Drawing Concept to Cut Through Eight Line Quality Issues

Unhappy with the quality of your lines? Here are 8 possible ways your lines may be letting down your drawings. But even more importantly, here's a way to overcome them all at once - and possibly any others you have. It's probably not what you think, but it is what has transformed my drawings, as I show in the video at the end.

#stephentraversart #drawingtutorials #drawingvideo #artteachertips #drawingpractice #art #drawingteacher #drawingexercises

[stephentraversart]

Oops, a couple of minutes seemed to miss the edit towards the end. Sorry about that folks

[amberzartwork]

I really appreciate your tips here. Impatience and not thinking things through with ink really make for chaotic, unpleasant marks in my work, but when I rein myself back and become more deliberate, it's much more successful.

[karincarter]

Gem of a video thank you ! I recognise all the line work issues when I see how I overwork my drawings to try and save them!? So yes ! Back to the foundation and changing the way I think and approach the subject with much more observation before diving in !!!!😅

[MarthaJamsa]

A very intelligent talk about complexity. Enjoyed this food for thought. Thanks!

[TarsicioMolle]

Gracias Stephen por tus consejos. Nunca pensaba en el efecto del dibujo gracias a las marcas. Es una gran idea. Saludos

[LisaBrumley]

I tend lose track of the concepts that 1) I am not trying merely to produce a copy of a photo; and 2) I need to spend time planning how to use marks to make the drawing effectively represent the subject. Instead, I jump right into drawing and usually have to figure out where I went wrong. I’ll be watching this video again!

[sstolarik]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. This video kicked my skill level up at least a couple levels.
Good on’ya, and cheers from Chicago!

[troygoggans]

My line work is overdone and chaotic. The reason my shading looks overdone is because I am trying to fix bad line work that looks chaotic. So around and around I go never knowing when to stop.

[GM-ww]

Excellent video. You give me so much to think about. I stopped the video several times just to process the info. I’ve saved it and will watch it again, probably many times. In the big picture, I know that a reason that I dislike some elements of my drawings is that at the time I drew, in my mind was thinking about the object instead of the shape and the marks. Instead, my mind wanders to “I’m drawing an eye” or “I’m drawing a tree”, etc. This video helped me realize that my lack of skill to control the pen to make the marks needed has allowed me to rely on the sketch markers to draw the effects instead of developing my drawing skills. So maybe I’ll revert back to using only the ink pens again… I think I’ll redo some of of my sketches not using the markers to shade but instead develop my mark making. I’ll let you know how it goes. 😳

[newpractice]

💯✅ I feel this heavy. After I saw how you do trees that was what really clicked for me, using the entire body to do the action. In this way you can feel the roots pulling the work up through your feet. Just relax and open up. Good to see you still practicing brother.

[jeb]

Listened to this while working on quick gesture drawings and it was very insightful. Thank you ❤

[kimberleewatz]

Great video. I agree with this. I do sometimes find that sometimes scribbled lines and even feathered ones can be eye pleasing, if it's done intentionally, maybe to create a certain look or atmosphere. I wonder if that closer to "mark making" though? Or maybe I just have odd tastes ha ha. Either way, this is a useful video. Lack of confidence is challenging to overcome.

[eddienew]

A lot of useful information to digest in this video.

[RetroHoo]

I can't believe this video has only 158 likes... If I would have to pick a video that instantly imporved my drawing it would be this one. Thanks a lot!

[NancyParsons-yg]

Do you feel that line work can or should be sacrificed for the addition of watercolor or colored pencils, etc? Do you ever add these other mediums to your work?

[HeatherNicole-AuntiesaurusRex]

Food for thought. Perhaps instead of a negative title '8 poor 1 right' carefully chosen positive title would garner more attention from those lacking confidence... 'elevate your line work'.

[harth]

could that mindset work on figure drawing like, hands?

[SierraNovemberKilo]

Discovered my best sketching is when I use a biro!