The importance of observation.

I'm a bit late to this journal! I think your first bold statement goes with the use of bad references and i know I was not too long ago victim to that. And it sometimes ends with a 'screw it, I can't find what I'm looking for, GUESS.' Google is probably also not the best place to get good references but I remember some comment from some time ago on a critique on another members art about having a folder of references, organizing, down to very specific things, so I've recently thrown together something over the past few months, not many pictures, but at least good ones.

I'd like to make a suggestion and I don't know if this has been considered or not but I think it would be pretty rad if the group had some folders such as stock and good tutorials.And it can be time consuming trying to find something helpful. Stock on DA is usually pretty good and much more raw with better lighting than what would be found elsewhere. The links to websites you've also have been giving people are really good and I think it would be good to simply put a list of a bunch websites on the main group page or something just so everyone can see. It makes things easier for everyone, instead of having to repeat yourself and people will have fewer excuses for no improvement, you know like, well there's a website on the front page just for that and a bajillion good references in the clubs stock folder.

I can understand that the group is still fairly new so it will get frustrating until everything is completely laid out,people not sticking to the groups expectations, etc. Everyone is at a different level and people may be using references but don't know how to observe and apply it well. I remember the best thing I was ever told in my human figure class was to look at the negative spaces as well and not just the figure, observe how much distance was between certain areas was probably the one of the best tips from school. Or try to look at your art as little as possible when trying to draw from observation because when you draw and look at your picture, you're working from memory...My comic professor even had given a speech to the class one day, nobody knows how to draw everything, he was complaining about how he had to look up a bunch of light-posts for a panel because he didn't know what they look like. Even professionals need to use references.

I think the challenges will really be awesome and really good for everyone and get the club more engaged. I'll totally do them for sure! Trying to think of this whole club as a class. I'm liking the observation thing, start whipping everyone into shape Now I'm gonna go overboard and throw in my own ideas again xD Have everyone start with basics, maybe one week, let people choose from a few stock photos and try to draw them. People can learn from each other's mistakes because they're working on the same image for example, just like a normal art class, and over the weeks challenges will get harder, apply things learned from the week before, for more advanced people, make them do a little extra something...that sort of thing, but they would all stay on the same sort of topic...once a month, do a 'final project'.Asdfgh Okay, okay, I'll shut up xD I'm just exciting myself now.