The main question that torments all aspiring artists is where does the author’s style come from and how to develop it?
Most established artists answer this question like this:

The author's style is something that you shouldn't think about. You just need to draw and it will come by itself.
In fact, I was never satisfied with this answer and I decided to look into this issue myself.
How should you develop your author's style?

It seems to me that initially you need to understand what the illustration style actually is. What are they and what are their features?
There are an incredible number of styles in illustration! They are all very closely intertwined with each other. But among them there are five main ones:

• Realism
• Decorative style
• Grotesque
• Minimalism

Realism

Realism is a style according to which the artist’s task is to capture the depicted object as accurately and objectively as possible.
The main emphasis is on maximum image authenticity. When working in the genre of realism, the artist must strictly observe proportions, the laws of chiaroscuro and perspective. However, there is still a certain degree of simplification in this style. The effect of simplification is achieved due to the technique of execution - pencil shading, abundant and careless strokes of paint, as well as some neglect of drawing individual elements in the technique digital painting to highlight the main object.

Who is realism suitable for?

• To all academic lovers
• Concert for artists

What should you upgrade to master the realism style?

• Academic drawing
• Painting
• Anatomy
• Chiaroscuro
• Realistic textures

Decorative style

Decorative style is a style that has a paradoxical combination of decorative conventions and the realism of the depicted object.
The main strength of the decorative style is the contrast of realism and conventionality. This effect is achieved by dense spot filling of some elements of the object, that is, by using a pure color and obligatory realistic drawing of other elements.
To enhance the effect, you can decorate individual objects with ornaments. When working in a decorative style, it is very important not to overdo it and maintain a balance of conventionality and realism, so that the image evokes as many mixed feelings as possible in the viewer.
Who is the decorative style suitable for?

• To all the rebels who have behind them good school academic drawing
• Magazine illustrator
• Artists who want to create super conceptual and challenging works

What to upgrade to master the decorative style?

• Anatomy
• Ornament and other decorative elements.

Grotesque

Grotesque is artistic image and a style based on whimsy and a combination of the real and the unreal. Some distortion of the image and plot.
Grotesque is one of the most popular styles in illustration. It is characterized by a significant distortion of proportions, perspective, as well as unusually unusual angles, which, thanks to the laws of perspective, significantly distorts the depicted object.
However, it is very important not to radically depart from the original image in order to maintain its recognition. The grotesque is characterized by a certain metaphorical and surreal nature of the plot and character image.
Who is the grotesque suitable for?

• Most illustrators
• For animators
• Character concept designers

What to upgrade to master the grotesque style?

• Composition
• Plastic anatomy
• Fantasy of the author himself

Naive

Naive is a style main characteristic which is a simplification of the form for perception on a subconscious and emotional level.
Basic distinctive feature is the primitiveness of forms with a practical rejection of anatomy and proportions. It is often called childish or cartoon style.
The main task of illustrations in the naive style is to evoke in the viewer positive emotions and tenderness.
When drawing in a naive style, it is important not to overdo it with simplification, while maintaining the properties and recognition of the depicted object.
Who is the naive style suitable for?

• Most illustrators
• Children's illustrators
• Artist-animator
• Concert for character and environment designers for cartoons

What to upgrade to master the naive style?

• Shaping
• Works with silhouette
• Softness of texture
• Various methods of decorative shading

Minimalism

Minimalism is a style characterized by maximum simplification of the form of the depicted object, the use of minimal means of expression to convey the artistic concept.
Now it is very popular and has another name - Flat Design, that is, “Flat”.
Minimalism is characterized by a lack of perspective and laws of light and shade. Objects are simplified to geometric shapes, or are made up of them. Also, objects can be depicted with only a few lines and spots. To breathe a little life into their work and add charm, illustrators often use nice and rough textures.
Who is the minimalist style suitable for?
For illustrators who want to work with:

• Infographics
• Motion design
• Magazine illustration

What to upgrade to master the minimalist style?

• Composition
• Shaping

After we have analyzed all 5 styles and learned about their features, it’s time for the most important question:

How to develop your own style in illustration?

It is necessary to form an author's style from what you do best. But now that you already know what styles of illustration there are, you can compare your drawings with the examples that I gave and see which style your drawings belong to. And to add flair to your style and make it more memorable, I advise you to combine the characteristics of two different styles into one style of your own.
If you are best at drawing in a naive style, adding elements from a decorative style to it, you will already add your own signature style.

Almost every artist at the beginning of his creative path faces questions - how to learn to draw and how to find your own style? In fact, learning to draw is not that difficult. The answer to this question lies in the details and nuances, which we will consider in this article.

This is not even a rule, but the most faithful and sincere path that one can choose. creative person. For as long as I can remember, I have always liked to draw human faces. And it was from this that I once began to learn to draw and search for my own style. But we are all so different, and some like images with landscapes, while others like abstraction. Therefore, first of all, just decide what your soul, hands and paints strive for! And start drawing for fun. Over time, of course, the list can expand, but each time you need to ask yourself the same question: “Am I now drawing exactly what I can draw endlessly?” At the beginning of your creative journey, ask yourself this question more often. And, of course, never throw away your old drawings and keep them in one place so you can see your progress over time.

Tip 2: Never compare yourself to other artists

Because you will never know how much time, what techniques and “tricks” are behind this or that picture. You will never know how much time the artist spent to achieve his result. And the worst thing you can do when you're just starting to learn to draw is to start comparing your beginning with someone else's middle.

As I wrote above, comparison with other artists is detrimental to your creativity. But this does not at all negate the “eye observation” that develops through expanding your horizons and following the works of artists who are close to you. This is especially true when you are just starting to learn to draw and are looking for inspiration from the outside. Analyze what exactly catches you in these works? What specifically attracts and pleases? What parts catch your eye and make you flutter? Maybe you like how some artists combine completely incompatible things or use original textures? To learn how to draw, be inspired by what you love and combine the techniques you love to create your own. unique work. And, of course, look for inspiration and styles you like not only in the works of other authors, but also in individual lines of books you read, exhibitions, films and even music!

Most novice authors do not pay the necessary attention to this point, but in vain. As soon as you have started learning to draw, and even more so have asked yourself the question of finding your own style, you should not immediately look for a quick way. Better try more, combine different textures, materials, techniques. Look for what others haven't found. Use something that others haven't thought of. Try, scribble, tear, combine! Be crazy and unpredictable - in in a good way this word! After all, only experiments and the search for new ideas can push you out of your usual comfort zone and find your “zest.”

Here, I think, everything is clear. This is perhaps my favorite and most important point. It is impossible to learn to draw and acquire your own style in two weeks, no matter how much you want. Therefore, I have always said and will repeat again - diligence and hard work are 90% of success! Otherwise, how can you learn to draw and find your own style? Many people believe that the talent to draw and having your own style is something that was given to you right away, almost from birth. But that's not true. Because behind every unique style and personal style there are years of work, sleepless nights, disappointments, creative crises and falls. This may sound very menacing, but creativity is a job that absorbs all your time and energy. But it's worth it.

Style is understood as a formed complex of visual techniques, expressive means, identifying the artistic originality of an art phenomenon. The word "style" comes from Lat. stilus, from Greek. stylos, meaning "pointed writing stick". The styles are not equivalent to each other - some styles have existed for centuries, others have been relevant for only a few years. The division of artists' creativity into styles, or directions, is conditional. This happens because it is not possible to clearly define the boundaries of a particular style. The number of styles and their types is not a constant quantity; movements, changes, and development occur continuously. There is an almost endless variety of them.

Abstractionism

V.V. Kandinsky "The Dominant Curve"

Abstractionism (from the Latin abstractio - removal, distraction) is a direction in painting characterized by the rejection of the desire to bring the depicted objects as close as possible to the forms of the real objective world. Abstractionism is also called “art under the sign of “zero forms””, “non-objective art”, “nonfigurative art”, “non-objectivity”. Abstractionism as a movement emerged in the 10s. twentieth century, and is the extreme manifestation of modernism. Artists of this movement used only formal elements when creating works, such as lines, color spots, configurations. In the twentieth century in Russia, the most prominent representatives of abstract art are V. Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich (the author is very famous painting“Black Square”), as well as the creator of Suprematism and Mikhail Fedorovich Larionov, who was the founder of such a movement as "rayonism"(1910-1912 XX century).

M.F. Larionov "Radiant Lines"

From the position Rayonism, the purpose of painting is not to depict the objects themselves, but the color rays reflected from them, because this is the closest thing to how objects are perceived by the human eye. Workers in Rayonism: Mikhail Le-Dantu, N.S. Goncharova, S.M., Romanovich.

Avant-garde

Avant-garde (from the French avant-gardisme, from avant-garde - vanguard) is a set of art movements characterized by underestimation and a break with pre-existing canons and traditions of creativity, a continuous search for new forms of expression, and the elevation of innovation to the rank of the most important value. The term “avant-garde” itself appeared in the 20s. XX century and finally established itself in the 50s. In different periods, various movements were classified as avant-garde (cubism, futurism, expressionism, dadaism, surrealism, etc.)

Academicism

K. Bryullov “Horsewoman”

Academicism (from the French academisme) is a direction in painting characterized by elevation to an ideal and strict adherence to certain canons. This direction was highlighted in painting of the 16th-19th centuries, when the norms of any art school were elevated to the rank of a standard, a model for others. On the one hand, academism contributed to the introduction of art education into the system and the consolidation of traditions; on the other hand, it grew into an endless system of “prescriptions”. Academicism understood the art of antiquity and Italian Renaissance. For example, when studying at art academies, it was mandatory to fulfill theses to mythological, historical or biblical stories. The choice of other topics was not allowed, which entailed an inevitable gap between the realities of life and art. Protests by artists against following existing canons gradually led to the fact that the term “academicism” acquired a negative connotation.

Actionism

Actionism (from the English action art - the art of action) is an art direction characterized by diverting the viewer's attention from the work itself to the process of its creation. Happenings, performance art, events, process art, demonstration art and a number of other art forms are close to actionism. Actionism arose in the 60s. XX century Actionism seeks to erase the line between art and reality, involving the viewer/artist in some action or action.

Empire style

J.L. David "Oath of the Horatii"

Empire (French empire - empire from Latin imperium - command, power) - the essence of this art direction is reflected in the name. It is characterized by the display in paintings of the power and strength of the army, the greatness of the state; This was achieved by turning to ancient Egyptian decorative forms (military trophies, winged sphinxes), Etruscan vases, Pompeian painting, Greek and Roman decor, Renaissance frescoes and ornaments. The Empire style manifested itself most clearly in architecture. Empire style originated in France at the beginning of the 19th century, during the First Empire of Napoleon Bonaparte. Empire style is the finale of the development of classicism. Like classicism, the Empire style strictly follows the canons. But it has a number of features: the Empire style is characterized by the use of bright colors - red, blue, white and gold; the composition of the painting is built (as a rule) on the contrast of monochromatic surfaces of the interior, dishes and minimal ornamentation located in a strictly designated place, whereas in classicism the boundaries of the interior are blurred. Empire style is hard and cold. He is characterized by monumentalism and laconism. Decorative motifs of the Empire style consist mainly of elements of ancient Roman military equipment: legionary badges with eagles, bundles of spears, shields, bundles of arrows, and announcer's axes.

underground

L. Kropivnitsky “Irrefutable arguments”

Underground (from the English underground - underground, dungeon) is a direction in art characterized by opposition to mass culture, existing restrictions and conventions; deliberate violation of accepted norms. The underground arose in the USA in the late 50s. XX century In Soviet times, the concept of “underground” included almost any unofficial (unapproved by the authorities) art. The themes that most often appeared in works of this style were the “sexual revolution”, drugs, problems of marginal groups. After the collapse of the USSR and the lifting of bans on freedom of creativity, the underground lost its relevance and essence.

Art Deco

T.de Lempicke “Kisette on the Balcony”

Art Deco, also art deco (from the French art deco, abbreviated from decoratif, literally “decorative art”) is an eclectic style that is a mixture of several trends such as modernism, neoclassicism, as well as cubism, futurism and constructivism . Characteristic features: a rich palette of colors, luxury, chic, many ornaments, following patterns, but at the same time using bold geometric shapes, an unusual combination of expensive and exotic materials (ivory, crocodile skin, silver, black ebony, mother-of-pearl, diamonds, pebbled leather, even lizard skins). Fantastic creatures and languid pale women with flowing hair were often depicted. Paintings painted in the Art Deco style reek of fatigue and satiety. The Art Deco style originated in France in the 1920s. XX century, later spread throughout the world (by the 40s). Art Deco is called the last of artistic styles, “connecting the incompatible.”

Baroque

P.P. Rubens "Portrait of the Marchioness Brigitte Spinola Doria"

Baroque is an art direction characterized by an abundance of decorative details, pomp, grandeur, contrast (light, shadow, materials, scale), heaviness, and colossal nature in the creation of works. The history of the origin of this word deserves special attention, because It is not completely clear from which word the name of this style was originally derived. The word "baroque" in Portuguese was used by sailors as a name for defective pearls of a bizarre, distorted shape (perola barroca). Later, in mid-16th century V. this word was borrowed by the Italians and became synonymous with rude, false, clumsy. French word“baroquer” for jewelers meant “to soften the outline, make the shape more picturesque”; and in 1718 This word appeared in French dictionaries and was interpreted as abusive. In connection with this, they refused to use this word as a name for a style in art for a long time. The Baroque style itself arose around 1600 in Italy and Rome, later spread throughout Europe and became one of the dominant styles in architecture and art. European countries late 16th - mid 18th centuries. The most prominent representatives of Baroque painting are P. Rubens and M. Caravaggio.

Verism

G. Fattori "Battle of Montebleau"

Verism (from Italian il verismo, from the word vero - true, truthful) is a direction in art characterized by the desire to most fully convey the truthfulness of the events described. The term itself arose in the 17th century and served to designate the realistic movement in Baroque painting. Later (in the second half of the 19th century) the term takes on a different meaning, reflecting the desire not for realism, but for naturalism.

Renaissance or Renaissance

Renaissance, or Renaissance (from the French renaissance, Italian Rinascimentom - revival) is one of the most important areas of art, characterized by anthropocentrism (interest in man and his activities), the secular nature of culture, a humanistic worldview, and an appeal to the ancient cultural heritage(i.e. a “rebirth” occurs). It is quite difficult to establish the chronological framework of the Renaissance: in Italy the XIV-XVI centuries, in other countries - the XV-XVI centuries. Artists still turn to traditional religious themes, but at the same time they begin to use new artistic techniques in their canvases: constructing a three-dimensional composition, using a landscape in the background. This allows you to achieve greater realism in the image, “bringing it to life.” The Renaissance is characterized by changes in the culture of society as a whole concerning the orientation and content of art; man and the world around him are affirmed as the highest value. The Renaissance had a strong effect on all subsequent development of European art.

Gothic

“The Virgin and Child” stained glass window of the Cathedral in Chartres, created by. up to 1200

Gothic (from Italian gotico - unusual, barbaric) is a movement that arose in mid-XII c., characterized by an organic bond visual arts with architecture and interior, complexity and richness of composition, spirituality and sublimity of images. During the Renaissance, this art of the Middle Ages was considered “barbaric.” Gothic art was cultic in purpose and religious in theme. Gothic in its development is divided into Early Gothic, Heyday, Late Gothic. Masterpieces gothic style became famous European cathedrals, which tourists love to photograph in great detail. In interior design Gothic cathedrals played an important role color solutions. The exterior and interior decoration was dominated by an abundance of gilding, the luminosity of the interior, the openwork of the walls, and the crystalline dissection of space. The best examples of authentic Gothic stained glass are on view in the cathedrals of Chartres, Bourges and Paris.

Dadaism or Dada

F. Picabia “Parade of Love”

Dadaism, or dada, is a movement in art characterized by the denial of canons, art standards, unsystematicity and disappointment, and irrationality. Dadaism arose in Switzerland as a response of creative individuals to the First world war. Switzerland maintained neutrality, and artists could observe the life of refugees and deserters. The main idea of ​​Dadaism was the consistent destruction of all aesthetics. The explanation for this is that the Dadaists believed rationality and logic to be the cause of wars and conflicts. Protesting against this, in their works they destroyed and abandoned aesthetics and accepted norms. The term "Dadaism" comes from the word "dada", which has several meanings: the tail of a sacred cow; mother, children's wooden horse, doubled statement in (Russian and Romanian); as well as baby talk. In general, it was something meaningless, which reflected the essence of this style. A common form of Dadaist creativity was collage. This style quickly exhausted itself, but had a great influence on the development of art. It is believed that Dadaism was the predecessor of surrealism.

Decadence

Decadence (from the French décadence, décadentisme - decline, decadence) is a collective name for phenomena in art caused by a crisis of traditional ideas and values. It was widespread in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries. Characteristic features: moods of despondency, pessimism, denial of historically established spiritual ideals and values, rejection of everyday reality, fundamental apoliticality, a tendency towards irrationalism and mysticism, a vague longing for an unearthly ideal, deliberate obscurity and mystery of images, motives of skepticism and hopelessness, interest in eroticism, close attention to the topic of death. The decadents demanded the creation of new forms in art, without offering specific measures and ideas. The philosophical basis was the ideas of A. Schopenhauer, F. Nietzsche, E. Hartmann, M. Nordau.

Impressionism

Impressionism (French impressionnisme, from impression - impression) is an art direction characterized by the desire to capture beauty real world“since it is”, to convey its variability, to reflect one’s fleeting impressions. Impressionism originated in France; its period of existence can be noted as the last third of the 19th – early 20th centuries. The term “impressionism” itself was first used by the critic L. Leroy, who spoke with disdain about the exhibition of artists in 1874, including C. Monet’s “Impression. Rising Sun. " In their works, the impressionists sought to convey the freshness of perception of life, depicting momentary situations, torn from the flow of reality, and strong passions.

Highlight neo-impressionism(French neo-impressionnisme) and post-impressionism(from Latin post - after and impressionism). Neo-impressionism arose in France around 1885, its peculiarity being the application in art of the latest achievements in the field of optics. Post-impressionism is a collective name for movements in painting; its peculiarity is the search for means of expressing not only a specific moment of life, but also understanding the long-term states of the surrounding world.

Classicism

N. Poussin “The Inspiration of the Poet”

Classicism (derived from the Latin classicus - exemplary) is a movement in art characterized by an appeal to the ancient heritage as a standard to follow. The greatest value for classicism is the eternal and unchanging; individual characteristics fade into the background; the search for essential, typical features becomes dominant. The works were built on the basis of canons (it was in classicism that the division of genres into “high” and “low” appeared, while their mixing was not allowed) to convey the logic and perfection of the entire universe. The ideology of classicism attaches great importance to the social and educational functions of art. Characteristic features of classicism: harmony, order, logic, clarity, plastic clarity of pictorial constructions, reflection of the theme of nature, timeless, appeal to themes human life and history. Classicism manifested itself in the works artists XVII V. - beginning of the 19th century Over time, classicism transformed into academicism.

Cubism

P. Picasso "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon"

Cubism (from the French cubisme, from cube - cube) is a direction in painting characterized by the desire to depict objects of reality through geometric shapes - straight lines, edges, cube-like shapes, intersecting planes. Cubism began in the 1910s. It is noteworthy that the term "Cubists" was originally used French critic towards artists as a mockery. The most prominent representatives of Cubism are P. Picasso and J. Braque.

Mannerism

Mannerism (from the Italian maniera, manner) is a movement in art characterized by a lack of harmony between the physical and spiritual, nature and man. Artists attach excessive importance to plasticity, sensuality, and expression. The images in the paintings are either “overly beautiful”, the objects are elongated, elongated, or vice versa. Mannerism (from Italian manierismo, from maniera - manner, style) is a style in art based on the assimilation of the manner of some great master or a certain art school. Chronological framework mannerism - 16th century until the first third of the 17th century. Some researchers consider mannerism to be a transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque, calling mannerism the early phase of the Baroque.

Art Nouveau, or Art Nouveau

A. Mucha “Zodiac”

Art Nouveau, or Art Nouveau (also Art Nouveau) (from the French art nouveau, lit. “new art”). Art Nouveau owes its origins to stained glass - that was the name of the store in Paris where they sold stained glass, which later became extremely popular. Synonyms for Art Nouveau are Art Nouveau (German), Secession (Austrian), Liberty (Italian), Modernisimo (Spanish). These directions are very close to each other, so we note the most pronounced features: the use of winding, smooth lines, decorativeness, “naturalness” - an abundance of natural and plant motifs (water lilies, lilies, octopuses, butterflies, dragonflies), mandatory adherence to stylistic unity, a combination of various textures and materials. This style arose in 1880-1900 and was popular in Europe and America, but not for long. This style received a “second wind” in the 50s of the twentieth century.

Naturalism

C. Meunier “Return from the Mine”

Naturalism (French naturalisme, from Latin natura - nature) is a direction in art characterized by the desire for an objective depiction of reality, without embellishment and taboos. Representatives of this movement proceeded from ideas about the complete predetermination of fate, the dependence of a person’s spiritual world on the social environment, and showed increased interest in the biological aspects of life, which led to a frank display of the physiological manifestations of a person, his pathologies, scenes of violence and cruelty. Naturalism arose in the last thirds of the XIX century in Europe and the USA. Naturalism is characterized by a rejection of generalizations, an interest in depicting the “social bottom”, and the reproduction of reality without its ideological comprehension, evaluation and selection.

Pop Art

Pop art (from the English pop art, short for popular art - popular, public art; the second meaning of the word is associated with the onomatopoeic English pop - abrupt blow, clap, slap, i.e. producing a shocking effect) - a direction in painting, spread in the USA and England in the 1950s, characterized by the involvement and transformation of images popular culture. Pop art artists set as their goal to reflect “life as it is,” to reflect reality, and the source of inspiration is the mass of media: advertising, comics, cinema, jazz, newspapers and magazines, etc. Pop art necessarily uses established stereotypes and symbols.

Realism

Realism is a direction characterized by the desire to depict the external and internal essence of phenomena and objects of reality with maximum plausibility, reliability and objectivity. The boundaries of realism are blurred and not clearly defined. Realism in the narrow sense is understood as a movement in the art of the second half of the 19th century century. The term “realism” was first used by the French critic J. Chanfleury in the 50s. XIX century to designate art opposed to romanticism and academicism. Realism was widespread not only in France, but also far beyond its borders, acquiring in some countries proper name: in Russia - peredvizhnichestvo, in Italy - verismo Macchiaioli, in Australia - the Heidelberg school (T. Roberts, F. McCubbin), in the USA - the trash can school (E. Hopper). Realism is the longest existing movement.

Rococo

F. Boucher "Diana's Bath"

Rococo (from French rococo, from rocaille, rocaille - decorative motif in the shape of a shell) is an art direction characterized by a hedonistic mood, gracefulness, lightness, and an intimate and flirtatious character. The Rococo style replaced Baroque, being its logical continuation and at the same time its opposite. What Baroque and Rococo have in common is the desire for completeness of forms.

Painting in the Rococo style is decorative in nature, distinguished by the grace of color tints and at the same time some “fading” of colors, loss of independent meaning the image of a person in painting, the predominance of such genres as landscapes and pastoral.

The chronological framework of Rococo is the second half of the 18th century - the 19th century. Having existed for about half a century, Rococo gradually gave way to neoclassicism.

Romanticism

E. Delacroix “Freedom leading the people”

Romanticism (from the French romantisme) is a movement that replaced classicism. Characterized by the dominant idea of ​​individualism in the image (as opposed to the ideal beauty of the classicists) and the transmission of passions; depicting rare, unusual, and fantastic phenomena. The chronological framework of romanticism is the end of the 18th century. — early XIX V. Romanticism is characterized by the desire for unlimited freedom and infinity, the expectation of renewal, and the glorification of personal and civil independence.

Art became a certain synthesis of the principles of romanticism and “burgher realism” Biedermeier(works of L. Richter, K. Spitzweg, M. von Schwind, F.G. Waldmüller.

Sentimentalism

Sentimentalism (from the French sentimentalisme, from the English sentimental - sensitive, from the French sentiment - feeling) is a direction whose characteristic features are the patriarchal idealization of everyday life, the cult of natural feeling, disappointment in a civilization that relies on reason. J. J. Rousseau is considered the ideologist of sentimentalism. The style arose in the 2nd half of the 18th century.

Symbolism

P. Bruegel “The Triumph of Death”

Symbolism (from the French symbolisme - sign, identifying mark) is a direction in painting, characterized by the use of hints, “innuendos”, mystery, and symbols in painting. The word "symbol" in Ancient Greece meant a coin divided into two parts, by which people could recognize each other when they met. However, later this word turned into a multifaceted and capacious concept. Symbolism originated in France in the 1870s and 80s. and reached greatest development at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The word symbol acts as a sign, a universal image that has an infinite number of meanings. Symbolism is a person’s attempt to convey spirituality, the abstraction of life, to touch the abyss that goes beyond the visible world.

Suprematism

K.S. Malevich "Black Square"

Suprematism (from Latin supremus - highest) is a movement in avant-garde art in Russia, founded in the 1st half of the 1910s. K. S. Malevich. It is a type of abstract art. The name “Suprematism” implied the primacy, the superiority of color over other properties of painting. Suprematism is characterized by combinations of multi-colored planes of the simplest geometric shapes devoid of pictorial meaning, a combination of multi-colored and different-sized geometric figures.

Surrealism

S. Dali “Geopolitical Baby”

Surrealism (from the French surrealisme lit. superrealism) is a direction in painting, the source of inspiration for which was the sphere of the subconscious (dreams, hallucinations). Surrealism arose in France in the early 20s. XX century Artists used various contradictory and absurd combinations of naturalistic images and allusions; freedom and irrationality were proclaimed as the main values. Frequently used themes in the works were magic, eroticism, the subconscious and irony. Artists sought to create paintings with photographic precision, but at the same time the image turned out to be illogical and repulsive; or used unconventional painting techniques to help convey the subconscious. There were cases when surrealists created under the influence of hunger, drugs, hypnosis, and anesthesia.

Tachisme

Tachisme - European variety abstract expressionism. The term was first used in 1950 by the Belgian-French critic M. Sefort to designate the painting technique of a group of artists whose method of work was the impulsive and spontaneous application of paints to the canvas and was close to what in the USA at the same time was called action painting ( action painting).

Primitivism

A. Rousseau “Walk in the Woods”

Primitivism is a direction in painting characterized by deliberate simplification visual arts and imitation of the primitive stages of the development of art - primitive, medieval, folk, art of ancient non-European civilizations, children's creativity. However, primitivism of form does not entail primitivism of content. The term “primitivism” was also applied to the so-called “naive” art, i.e. creativity of artists who do not have a specialized education.

Futurism

Sentimentalism

D.D. Burliuk "Lightning Horse"

Futurism (from Latin futurum - future) is a movement in art characterized by the rejection and destruction of previously existing traditions and stereotypes of culture; instead, it was proposed to praise technology and urbanism as the main signs of the present and future. Futurism proclaimed itself as the prototype of the art of the future.

It manifested itself most clearly in the painting and poetry of Italy and Russia; it arose at the beginning of the 20th century. Futurism is characterized by energetic compositions with figures fragmented into fragments and sharp angles intersecting them. The main idea of ​​futurism was the search for a reflection of the speed of movement as the most important sign of the pace of modern life.

In Russia there was a direction cubo-futurism(D. Burliuk, O. Rozanova), which was based on the combination of the plastic principles of French Cubism and European general aesthetic principles of Futurism.

Attach a piece of paper to the photo and translate it. Simplify your hair into patches, enlarge your eyes and create large highlights in your pupils. Anime portrait is ready. But this is enough if you want to know how to draw yourself in

You have read a description of the process of creating many cartoon characters. But the anime style has enough nuances and special details. Manga characters immediately catch your eye, and it is impossible to confuse them with any other regular cartoon characters. Learn this and drawing anime portraits will be easy for you.

Facial expression

Do you want to convey emotions, but don't know how? Drawing a face in anime style is one thing, conveying it is another. Emotions are drawn quite simply, one might even say, with symbols.

For example, pink lines on the cheeks show that the hero is embarrassed, a wide open mouth with a grin when talking - he is angry, two arcs instead of eyes - the eyes are closed, and, most likely, the character is experiencing pleasure.

However, without studying this “ABC”, you can easily guess state of mind hero. If the person in the portrait is smiling, look at how it is depicted in anime style and do the same.

Dynamics

It's easy to draw a head from the front. But it's boring and gets boring quickly. How to draw yourself in anime style so that your head is dynamic? Imagine that your head is a ball. Draw a line exactly in the middle where the eyes will be located. Now rotate this ball along with the line to change the angle of movement.

Draw lines for the nose and lips and then draw in the details of the face. The work should always be done by outlining the shapes. Draw it in detail - and it turns out that the result is not the movement that you would like.

Main mistakes

Anime in portraits obeys general rules. The nose, eyes, mouth, ears take their position on the head. If you can’t draw a regular head, it’s too early for you to think about how to draw a portrait in anime style. Mastery depends on experience.

Draw more sketches, practice. This helps in identifying errors and eventually correcting them. So, instead of opening a tutorial on how to draw an anime portrait every time, go through the list of common mistakes that you should be aware of and try to eliminate them.

Are the eyes evenly spaced along the line? Many beginning artists fail to draw identical eyes; they don’t know what to do with it or how. Drawing yourself in anime style isn't just about making your eyes the size of a galaxy. After you draw them, mark the extreme points below and above and draw lines through them. This will help you find out if the eyes are drawn evenly.

Is your chin centered between them? Draw a line down the center of the face between the eyes and make sure the chin is on this line. It should also cross the mouth and nose. In the center, third or fourth - it depends on the perspective in which the head is located.

Are the ears level with the eyes? The top point of the auricle is located at the level of the eyebrows. The earlobe is in line with the tip of the nose. But these are individual values, so there may be deviations from the given rules - take this into account.

Watch anime based on manga by different authors so you don’t have to worry about how to draw yourself in anime style. Explore different styles manga and enjoy watching it at the same time. Many otaku (avid anime fans), without studying the principles, make a good “anime” drawing the first time.

Children are the main audience for watching various kinds of cartoons. A good cartoonist is one who can extract the main features of an object or person and simplify them to attract a child's attention. Masters such as Walt Disney, Hanna and Barbera, Chuck Jones, Jim Henson, Walter Lantz and many others, by studying children's opinions and perceptions, achieved the fascination of the whole world with their magical and eternal characters. In this lesson we will look at how to easily and correctly draw cartoon characters, which both children and adults will be delighted with.

The final version will look like this:

Lesson details:

• Complexity: Average
• Estimated completion time: 2 hours

Understanding Human Perception

Man is a creature who has very interesting feature- we can transform parts that form a very complex structure or object into a fairly simple form.

Can you tell that the two images below represent the same object?

It may seem strange that you can look at a picture and say it's a car.

What happens to most people, except artists, who cannot retrieve from their memory all the details of a car, the appearance of a dog, or the facial features of a child? They begin to associate very simple and primitive shapes with specific features of each object. So, for example, how many children came home from school with a piece of paper like that in their hand and said, “This is Mom and Dad!”?

You don't want to draw like that, do you? If you don't want to, let's pick up a pencil and start drawing!

1. Creating your first character

The basic shape of a cartoon shape will be a circle. A circle is all it takes. From the circle you can determine the basic proportions of the character's head.

Draw vertical and horizontal lines that intersect in the center of the circle, as in the picture below:

Step 1

Draw oval-shaped eyes with a slight slope to the sides. Necessaryleave a gap between the eyes about the same size as the eye.

Step 2

At the top of the eye ovals, lightly mark the character’s eyelashes. Draw above the eyelasheseyebrows that convey a kind of surprise. Draw the shape of the eyebrows that you get, in the future you will adapt to your own style.

Draw the pupils so that they are centered (this is a very effective tactic used by cartoonists to make characters look more likable).

Advice: To give more life eyes, you can draw a small line under them to simulate wrinkles.This is another very interesting tactic that gives a special flavor to the character’s facial expressions.

Step 3

Now the most interesting point lesson. It is at this stage that we will determine what our character will be: thin, fat, young, old. Our character will be young.

Drawing the jaw:

Step 4

The nose will be from the front. In order not to use a lot of details, let's draw it in general outline. Quite often the nose is drawn in detailon one side of the face due to the fact that the light falls on only one side.

Step 5

Our character is a child. Making a mouth - something simple and with an expression of innocence.

Please note that in cartoon style Children, regardless of gender, have a fairly simple mouth shape without lips.

Step 6

The shape of the ears is quite simple.

Step 7

Finishing the boy's haircut.

I don't know how to draw hair. Help!

In order to draw perfect hair, you don't need to be a designer or stylist. No the right way draw hair, so you should try until you get the right one for this case. Just remember that hair, through its shape, can convey certain personal qualities character. Oddly enough, hair can express age, rebellion, conservatism. Incredible, right? What's your hairstyle?

Accurate and quick way Drawing hair for cartoons is all about finding the appropriate photo on the Internet! Once you've found the perfect style, place an example image next to your tablet or piece of paper and start designing a simplified version of it.

First character completed successfully! Congratulations!

Now let's work on a different character using the same template as for the boy.

2. Creating an older character

Step 1

Let's start with the eyes. This time we will draw faster, adding wrinkles, eyebrows and eye pupils. Please note that we didn't change much, but we just widened the eyebrows a little. Older people have thicker eyebrows, which take up more space on the forehead. We draw eyelashes in the same way as in the previous version.

Step 2

The chin will be slightly larger than the previous character.

Step 3

Create the nose. The shape is completely different. Please note that the nostrils are located very close to the bottom of the eyes. The idea is to get a good result by slightly exaggerating the body parts.

Step 4

Instead of a mouth, draw a large mustache.

Step 5

Add the same ears as the boy. However, the hair will be of a different shape - we will add a little on the sides, and leave a bald patch on top.

Our character is like a mad scientist.

3. Creating a female character

Creating a sister for a boy:

How did it happen so quickly? Very simple... Women have a thinner facial structure. Consider some features:

• thin eyebrows;
• larger and more expressive eyelashes;
• thinner chin;
• small nose with fewer details;
• long hair.

That's all! Once you start to feel more confident, you can draw a few more characters with different details.

4. Facial expressions

Let's draw a girl after receiving the news that the school holidays have come to an end.

Now let's go back to the boy and ask his opinion on this matter:

It feels like he's up to something!

Notice the changes in the boy's face:

• one eyebrow lower than the other;
• eyes half closed;
• added a smile (one side is higher than the other, in line with the eyebrows);
• the pupils moved under the eyelashes.

That's all! Everything is as simple as shelling pears!

5. Draw in profile

Let's draw two circles.

We will create a boy and a girl in profile:

The ear remained in the center of the circle.

Pay attention to these details when composing male and female characters:

• the boy has thicker eyebrows;
• the girl's chin moves forward a little;
• the girl's nose is thinner and sharper;
• A boy has no eyelashes, while a girl has large and thick ones.

6. Playing with angles

Eyes, nose, mouth, ears - all these details make the face change its shape if you look at them from different angles. You can often observe this in cartoon characters.

Notice how real eyes are simplified when converted to cartoon.

The actual shape of the nose is made up of several cartilages. His form is radically simplified in the cartoon.

Understanding how the mouth behaves under different angles it's important. Remove excess details and try to maintain only the basic shape of the lips. The ears are also greatly simplified.

Now we will put into practice everything we have learned. Below are circles with arrows that show the direction of view. We can practice our drawing skills in different positions:

Let's mark the eyes for each of the circles:

Now let's add various shapes jaws:

You can complete the drawings yourself, based on the knowledge that was provided to you in this lesson. Remember:

• the face needs to be simplified and rounded;
• exaggerate certain parts of the face and its expression.

Once you have managed to mark the direction of the eyes and select the corresponding chins, try using your creative potential and finish the drawing. If you draw for at least 10 minutes a day using the rules presented here, you will be able to draw cartoon faces as easily as breathing.

Let's summarize the drawing of characters:

1. Draw a circle for the skull;
2. We set the direction in which the character will look;
3. Make an oval eye contour;
4. Draw the pupils of the eyes that look at the nose if you want to create a cute character. Don't forget the eyelashes;
5. Choosing the right eyebrows depending on age and gender;
6. Create the corresponding jaws;
7. Add simple ears without unnecessary details;
8. We search for the required hairstyle on Google and use it in our sketch;
9. Let's celebrate!

Here's what happened:

An example of how to use the same template to create different emotions. Notice that only the eyelashes and eyebrows have been changed. Nothing more!

7. Study of nationalities

We are approaching the end of the lesson. I would like to encourage you to continue experimenting with facial expressions and, if possible, explore the face more. Learn how the eyes and mouth behave in different situations. Take a look at different nationalities and learn their key characteristics.

For example, African Americans have a slightly flattened nose and rounder cheekbones.

Whenever possible, try to draw your characters more realistically. Watch behind people's behavior in real life.Look at photographs, study the style of your favorite artist, or look online for inspiration. TOWhen we look at real life, we can extract quality information for our sketches.But remember: observing the real world does not mean copying it!You want your character to be unique and not a copy of the real thing, right?

Great job!

Now you know the basic methods that are used by the best animators around the world. Good luck!

We hope you enjoyed the lesson.

Explore other techniques for drawing cartoon characters' heads.

The sky is the limit!

Translation - Duty room.