Across generations, technology is implicated in this assault on empathy.
We’ve gotten used to being connected all the time, but we have found
ways around conversation — at least from conversation that is open-ended
and spontaneous, in which we play with ideas and allow ourselves to be
fully present and vulnerable. But it is in this type of conversation —
where we learn to make eye contact, to become aware of another person’s
posture and tone, to comfort one another and respectfully challenge one
another — that empathy and intimacy flourish. In these conversations, we
learn who we are.
Arrrgh thanks! It never occurs to me that I have a style. I just draw and that’s what it looks like, lol.
Tips!
Draw. Drawdrawdrawdrawdraw. Every day if you can. If you are working on learning humans, draw humans. Don’t worry about drawing 1000000000 pictures of the same human. Just draw. It’s all practice, and the more you practice, the more you internalize a visual vocabulary for the thing you’re drawing.
Use reference. Even when I draw my character, Kalhoun, who I have drawn eleventybillion times, I still look at pictures of real people while drawing him. If I want to draw him smirking, I’ll look at pictures of smirking faces. How does the shoulder connect to the body at this angle? How do the eyes squish when he smiles?
When I can’t find reference for what I want, I either take pics of myself in a mirror or have my hubby pose for pictures.
Practice! If you have trouble drawing mouths, draw mouths. If you hate drawing hands, fill a page with hands. It gets easier and easier the more you do it. Really look at something and figure out how it’s put together. If you find you avoid drawing certain things, make yourself draw them.
Look at your old work. I hate looking at my old art, but it helps so much to see where you came from. When you actually can see the progress you’ve made, it helps you stay motivated to keep learning.
I hope that helps. Honestly I feel like art is this ongoing struggle of learning how to see and how to translate what you see. It’s horrendously frustrating but so amazing when you see yourself improve.
