Drawing Tips for Intermediate Artists

     Hello again, fellow artists. Last time we looked at some tips for beginners. This time it's for those of us with a medium amount or experience. Maybe you've had a couple art classes before, or maybe you're the type who is constantly doodling. The following tips are aimed at your level. As always, sharing your art is recommended and encouraged.

1. When you draw something, unless it is entirely abstract, it tends to have a light source. Sometimes it is a very bright light, like the mid-day sun. Sometimes the light source is very subtle, or maybe there are multiple sources. I find it helpful to lightly draw a little sun to keep track of the direction where the light comes from.
2. Now that we have our light source(s) accounted for, we can work on our shadows. There are several types, but I'm going to focus on the drop shadow and the form shadow. The drop shadow is when an object directly blocks the light source. Think about going outside on a sunny day, you can look down to see your drop shadow on the ground. These shadows are well-defined and dark. On the other hand we have the form shadow, which is when light has a harder time reaching around the object but is not directly blocked. Think of the lighter, gradual shading that covers the half of the object which isn't facing the light. Keep this in mind when you draw, to make realistic shadows.
3. Whenever a living being is drawn, the artist should be aware of anatomy. For instance, checking a reference photo of a dog's skeleton would be helpful when envisioning how the dog's limbs bend, and where the muscles fall on the body. Think about where the eyes are on a human head. They are roughly halfway down the head in a plain front view, but I often see people drawing them much higher. We have these generic ideas of what things are supposed to look like, but we are much more accurate when we take the time to study the image.
4. Imagine that you are painting. Have you ever tried to make a darker yellow  by adding black to it? The yellow color just took on a nasty green shade. Maybe brown would have been a better choice. It can be very off-putting if the colors don't work together. Knowing the basics of color theory is extremely helpful for anyone who wants to make colored art. Don't worry. It's not that hard. Color theory is about the types of colors. You know that red and yellow make orange, right? Easy! The things to keep in mind are that all colors have a complement to them. When you mix complementary colors, you will probably get a muddy grayish color. However, if you mix just a little bit of one color into your main color can become much more realistic. Let's say that you are painting a picture of bricks. That red color is way too bright, so you add a touch of green (its complement) to mute it. Now you have a more neutral, less vibrant  red.