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[blacksunproject]

You don't need a computer.
All you need is a pencil, an eraser and paper.

Why do I write all this?
Because, if you learn to draw, you will never be dependent on anyone to do it for you. You will liberate yourself, you will be able to put your thoughts and concept on paper, and, since the drawings are created by you, YOU OWN THEM.

There is a flaw in your reasoning. Although everyone who can hold a pencil can learn to draw (even a chimpanzee), not everyone can be a master draftsman and original artist, like Albrecht Dürer. So, everyone can learn to draw up to a point.

It's not about being a "master draftsman and original artist, like Albrecht Dürer", it's about doing it until we are satisfied with "our own result".
I will never be Rembrandt or Davinci, but, I know I will definitely be me.
If I aspire to be like someone else, it will be the most frustrating experience in the world, but, If I aspire to be good at what I do and continue to enjoy the results of my labors, I will be happy.

[blacksunproject]

I'm a developer, professionally. I make my living writing c#, Delphi, and SQL Stored Procedures. And believe me when I tell you, anyone can program. Practice a little bit each day, and eventually you'll get better. Now you may think I'm mocking you blacksunproject, but I'm not. Because it's exactly how I taught myself to program. I read a book or two, and sat down and started writing code. Practicing. And now I get paid to do it (a pretty good chunk of change too).

But the kicker is, not everybody has the inclination, the desire, or the time to pursue that practice. It just doesn't interest them. But that shouldn't exclude them from using programs, even templates to help them make something they want or need.

Same with animation. I want to tell stories, preferably in a visual medium (I been writing stories for a long time, and now want to try something else). I don't necessarily want to learn to draw, I get very little enjoyment out of drawing, and a whole lot of frustration. I doodle all the time, but to formerly draw something, doesn't really interest me. I lose interest in it quickly.

And I'm sure there are others as well...

However, there is a caveat. To tell the stories I wish to tell, I find I need my own content to use. So I have been drawing my own, and I have been practicing. I still great more frustration than enjoyment, but I will admit, there's a certain satisfaction to using your own artwork.

I just wanted to point out that there are other perspectives, other points of view to consider.

"But the kicker is, not everybody has the inclination, the desire, or the time to pursue that practice. It just doesn't interest them. But that shouldn't exclude them from using programs, even templates to help them make something they want or need."

You are correct on this point. If they learn to draw, even a little, they can use this skill to help them in their creation process, not replace their using of programs and templates to make something they want or need.

"Same with animation. I want to tell stories, preferably in a visual medium (I been writing stories for a long time, and now want to try something else). I don't necessarily want to learn to draw, I get very little enjoyment out of drawing, and a whole lot of frustration. I doodle all the time, but to formerly draw something, doesn't really interest me. I lose interest in it quickly."

We all lose interest quickly in things. I do also. I fight everyday trying to keep interest in the things I do, whether its drawing or work. Yes it can be frustrating. The focus here is to learn something to help us create. Learning to draw, just a little, helps in the creating process. It helps to plan some things before hand. Drawing should not be used to "replace" something, like programs or templates in programs. If anyone enjoys doing things their own way, then they should do it their own way, but, we can also try to learn new things to help the process along, and, most important, not be dependant on others to do it for them.

[wizaerd]

I'm not going to get into a long debate over this, I was merely trying to point out another perspective. Not everybody wants to learn to draw, not everyone want to learn to program, not everyone wants to learn to cook, not everyone wants to learn play the piano.

The initial point of this thread was a member wanted to know where to get more content for AS, and you jumped up on the pedestal and told them to just draw their own. Just do it. Learn to draw. Period.

Again, not everybody wants to learn to draw, but they shouldn't be excluded from using this program. Will their work be as good as somebody who does in fact draw their own artwork? Perhaps not, but you just never know.

[Rasheed]

It's not about being a "master draftsman and original artist, like Albrecht Dürer", it's about doing it until we are satisfied with "our own result".

IOW in perpetuum (for ever). I'm never satisfied with my drawings, although I took classes for more than 3 years. Those classes didn't help much, but to learn what materials there are. I stopped those (expensive) classes, because I saw that even newcomers were soon very much better draughtsmen than me. So I never made anything I was proud of, or even satisfied with. I just suck at drawing, big time. No overview, no feel of volumes. I can trace a little, but that's about all, it seems.

Perhaps I was never motivated enough or class drawing and working with people around me is not my thing. I get very easily distracted and need absolute silence to concentrate. I even can't surf or read and listen to music at the same time.

[blacksunproject]

you jumped up on the pedestal and told them to just draw their own.

My apologies.
My words were meant to encourage.
I was not trying to preach to anyone.
As a former instructor, I always found that words of encouragement were more useful when teaching and helping others understand about drawing and the creative arts.

From past experience, I always hated instructors who were in the habit of telling folks who were struggling with learning how to draw that "maybe they should try something else because they would never learn how to draw". This is the worst thing that can be said to anyone trying to learn something new, regardless of what it is.

Again, my apologies.

[blacksunproject]

It's not about being a "master draftsman and original artist, like Albrecht Dürer", it's about doing it until we are satisfied with "our own result".

IOW in perpetuum (for ever). I'm never satisfied with my drawings, although I took classes for more than 3 years. Those classes didn't help much, but to learn what materials there are. I stopped those (expensive) classes, because I saw that even newcomers were soon very much better draughtsmen than me. So I never made anything I was proud of, or even satisfied with. I just suck at drawing, big time. No overview, no feel of volumes. I can trace a little, but that's about all, it seems.

Perhaps I was never motivated enough or class drawing and working with people around me is not my thing. I get very easily distracted and need absolute silence to concentrate. I even can't surf or read and listen to music at the same time.

I hear you perfectly.
I spent six years in college.
Sometimes I feel maybe I should have saved my money and gone about it my own way. And eventually I did.
My best learning experience came after college.
I started looking at work done by people I admired at the time.
I mostly copied their work until I decided to try things on my own.
You are correct, distractions are everywhere and concentrating was hard.
I found that when I was outside of the classroom environment, alone, I learned more and did my best work.
It comes with time and persistance.
Sadly enough with live in a society that does not promote patients, time and persistance.
Everything these days is about instant gratification and "if it's not working now, it will never work, time to move on to something else".

All said, I still think that what ever you learned in your formal drawing classes can be used to your advantage when using Anime Studio and any other software you choose to use in being creative.

I may sound a little melodramatic, but, "don't ever doubt yourself, don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do something". The power is in your mind, your heard and in your hands. Just do it.

In closing, I am not trying to stand on a pedestal or a soap box to preach, I am just supplying words of encouragement.

All the best.
Goose

[Rasheed]

I will keep trying. Thanks for the encouragement. I guess most quality drawing is done without any distractions from the task at hand.

I now have given myself the assignment of drawing something I find interesting everyday for at least 15 consecutive minutes per day, preferably with pencil on paper. I hope this will turn into a healthy habit and in time will improve my drawing skills. Of course, I'll date the drawings and also add how many minutes I spent on drawing. The more time, the better, I guess.

[blacksunproject]

You don't need a computer.
All you need is a pencil, an eraser and paper.

Why do I write all this?
Because, if you learn to draw, you will never be dependent on anyone to do it for you. You will liberate yourself, you will be able to put your thoughts and concept on paper, and, since the drawings are created by you, YOU OWN THEM.

There is a flaw in your reasoning. Although everyone who can hold a pencil can learn to draw (even a chimpanzee), not everyone can be a master draftsman and original artist, like Albrecht Dürer. So, everyone can learn to draw up to a point.

I don't think it's necessary to be someone at the level of Dürer or Rembrandt to do animation... but there's no harm in learning some of the basic principles of drawing, layout, perspective -- it can only make your animation better, it can't make it worse. Someone who writes has to learn grammar and the basic techniques for writing, even if they aren't professional linguists or language experts; someone who plays music has to learn basic performance techniques for their instrument, even if they don't study theory and composition.

If you have a pencil, you can create anywhere, even if later on you are going to scan your doodlings into the computer to animate.

I agree.