5-Year Progression

I've seen these floating around, I've done similar ones in the past, but this time I tried to take it a little more seriously, pulling up the pieces I honestly considered to be my best from the years in question. I DID limit myself to canine pieces, though, so I'm not counting non-canine pieces in that estimation.

The idea behind doing these is to compare your art, specifically one character, I've usually seen, that you've drawn throughout the years, and mark your progression. I don't have one particular character I've drawn that long, but I figure doing 'just canines' narrows it down for the most part.

Area I've improved the most in is, unfortunately, probably anatomy. It's actually the area I probably should have de-prioritized for awhile, in the spectrum of overall importance, but you love what you love.

Area I need the most work in has still got to be lighting. This has been a constant source of frustration for me for a long time, and it's definitely the place I have been actively studying and trying to improve in, but it's difficult without an actual art education to know just HOW to improve, sometimes. Thanks go out to all the other artists out there who've lent their opinions and crits over the years. . . you know who you are. . . those have actually made a difference, I think.

My use of color and composition needs to expand dramatically, and I know that. I tend to get very stuck into a few color schemes and comfortable composition schemes I know well. I'll be working on doing more dramatic angles, and more interesting layout in the future, and working with more challenging palettes.

I haven't posted anything for 2014 yet because I don't feel I have a strong canine piece for this year yet. But that's given me a goal! Doing this thing has been really motivating, in the end, and I think all artists should give it a try :)

© 2014 Rukis