When I was a younger artist, I thought bigger was better. If a canvas was 40x40cm, it seemed like no matter what I did, I'd have the space to add all the detail I needed to make it a masterpiece. I know now that that's not the case. I don't need a whole lot of space to do a good job, and more detail doesn't always mean better... as long as I knew what I was doing.
This was another problem I had, I wholeheartedly encourage drawing for the sake of drawing, but if you want something that you'll be proud of, have an idea in mind of what you want to draw. Whether it be a scene that looks like it's from a movie, a portrait, or just a pose to practice. Not only will it look better with a plan, but you'll be more satisfied with the result.
You can see without trying what went wrong with the first piece. I wasn't sure what I was doing and the background was so lacking I was desperate to fill it. The original canvas was 40x40cm and it still looked empty because I didn't know how to fill it. The figure (Jade, obviously) is crying but gazes blankly, there's no emotion despite the tears. No reason for her hair to be blowing back and she looks so plain and boring, the background only makes it worse.
The second picture is much more fulfilling, there's a plan to it. She's smiling, at peace, her hair flows back with the cosmos as she seems to fall back into a glowing light. Her crown is spread out more than usual, as if it's falling apart into the space around her and her arms are spread out more than the original to add to the falling theme. I also made the canvas MUCH smaller, 10x10cm if memory serves.
Check out the process here!
Music used;
Unvion - Wanna Be Deeper
Lumian - Fly
Heuse & Zeus x Crona - Pill (feat. Emma Sameth) [NCS Release]
