Copying Cartoons to Improve

[MooseTracks]

Hi, I'm an amateur cartoonist and I believe the best way to improve cartooning skills is looking at other people's art and copying it. I look at the reference and copy it the best I can in SAI. I've learned from John K's (Ren and Stimpy creator) site that it is not enough to copy, you must force yourself to pick out things about the drawing and try to see what you're learning. After that you should draw the character in a different pose to see if you learned anything. Like him, as a cartoonist my eyes fool me so it doesn't end up exactly the same (but I try to correct it by pasting the reference in photoshop and pasting the copy on another layer and then setting the transparency to a %- not sure this is a good idea or not) but it comes out pretty similar after that.

It's a time-consuming process, and I end up learning some things, but I forget most of it especially after a while (I remember John K saying that the information remains in your subconscious after you forget- is this true? I want to get the best out of my time spent copying things and I'm wondering if any of you can offer me some advice and tips on the matter- like what I should copy, how to be more efficient, how I should do it, ect. Whatever comes to mind. It's not my favorite part of the process but I believe it's the most essential. From your experience, can you give me some advice?

Much appreciated- MooseTracks

[MooseTracks]

I forgot to mention that after the process I like to draw a new character based on the reference, maybe incorporating some of the things I learned, and I try to draw the character from memory- it comes out wonky-looking, it resembles the character somewhat but it's never completely accurate. I then go back to the ref and try to fix the errors, but I don't know if it would help if I really look at the drawing in detail and then memorize the main features and then try to draw it again.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

[MooseTracks]

Sorry, one more thing, I want your advice on how to understand what you're learning from the drawing- it's not always clear- John K states to write down the things you're learning after you copy it. I kind of have to force it, and it doesn't translate well if I write it down, if you know what I mean. I want to learn as much as I can and retain the important information in my head. Not the easiest task- that's what makes it so frustrating. Don't get me wrong, I have improved a lot since I first started, but I want to get the most I can out of the experience. Thanks!

[Template88]

uh i mean, its pretty important not to mindlessly copy things but to attempt to understand the true nature of the forms volume and mass as it exists in space. copying cartoons doesnt seem like a particularly worthwhile venture to me unless you are trying to familiarize yourself with the qualities of a particular style for some illustrative purpose.

[bigjonny13]

This is maybe the fourth or fifth thread you've made in the forum about different methods for learning how to draw, and how each one is the "best method".

I'm not sure if you're just trying to get feedback on each of these methods, or you're just that indecisive.

[MooseTracks]

At 8/20/13 03:58 PM, bigjonny13 wrote: This is maybe the fourth or fifth thread you've made in the forum about different methods for learning how to draw, and how each one is the "best method".

I'm not sure if you're just trying to get feedback on each of these methods, or you're just that indecisive.

That's irrelevant, and doesn't help me at all. I'm just trying to find the method that suits me the best. No need to be rude. I never claimed that each one was the "best method"; I only wanted some feedback. There are a lot of artists here that are more experienced than I when it comes to art, and I only wanted to gain some knowledge in that area.

[MooseTracks]

@ Template88

Thanks for the tip, I'll keep that in mind.

[bigjonny13]

At 8/20/13 06:27 PM, MooseTracks wrote: That's irrelevant, and doesn't help me at all. I'm just trying to find the method that suits me the best. No need to be rude. I never claimed that each one was the "best method"; I only wanted some feedback. There are a lot of artists here that are more experienced than I when it comes to art, and I only wanted to gain some knowledge in that area.

I wasn't being rude, I was trying to understand where you're coming from.

As for the topic at hand, copying is fine and dandy if you just want to recreate something, but it doesn't teach you the basics. You need to study the forms and characters to actually see what's going on, instead of just blindly replicating.

[MooseTracks]

@ bigjonny13 wrote:

Alright, my apologies. Thanks for the tip, I'll try to apply this advice from now on in my studies. It'll make me a better artist. Much appreciated!

[Artist-Lost]

When I was still looking for "My Style" I first started out by copying other artists and I while it was partially beneficial towards learning new ways to look at detail, I would later find out that If you find an artist who shows their technique step by step and then you copy them, this style of learning is much more effective. Once I felt comfortable enough to create a unique composition in the other artists style of my own I would move on to the next artist to learn their techniques. Just like in martial arts you can still be a decent artist by learning from "copying" one master, but if you ever intend to branch out and become more then a student you need to study under many masters. With a large arsenal of techniques and styles at your disposal your own style will develop naturally as well as your hand skills from all the previous work.

Hope this helps.

[qweeirdo]

im not totally sure if it works the same with cartoons, but what i like to do with anatomy practice is to essentially trace the defining lines of a photograph and then block out the major shapes and proportions. then i open up another file and draw the pose freehand using the traced lines and shapes as a reference. it helps me to understand both what shapes make up the human body and how to draw them without having to draw directly on top of something else. maybe you could try that and it may stick a little better.

[TreasurePlanet]

copying def helps. Try copying similar things, you will notice and retain more through this repetition. when copying a cartoon i like to start the way that they prob did (with the basic shapes) i then try and find dimension in the shapes and then add the features on.

writing things down can sometimes help, but i find that it just helps to feel it while you are doing it.