I’m working on a portrait of my son, and I think I’m about halfway through. Right now, it’s still not a drawing I enjoy looking at… at this stage, all I can […]

I love the expressions and exaggerated features. ❤️

Before I discovered AHR, I bought Fun with a Pencil by Andrew Loomis. While flipping through it recently, I came across this early-stage drawing. It […]

There’s a calmness to this drawing that I really like. The boat immediately draws the viewer in, and the reflections on the water help create a peaceful atmosphere. The shoreline textures also add a nice sense of place.
And for what it’s worth,… Read more

I wanted a change of pace, so I drew this little boat resting on the shore of an island. It’s not my best drawing, but it was a welcome break from more […]

I finally completed the outline sketch for my third street musician artwork. I’ve already shared the first two pieces, and today I’d like to share the […]

I hope something good happens in the end ☺️🙏

If the poster board has a smooth, slightly toothy surface, you should be able to draw on it without any major issues. The main thing to avoid is glossy or coated poster boards, as graphite tends to smudge and doesn’t layer very well on them.
To be honest, I’ve drawn… Read more

Does anyone one know if poster board will work as well as chart paper for the drawings where Ali uses larger chart paper? I can’t seem to find chart […]

The water droplets are very convincing, and the eyes immediately grab attention. I also like how you’ve pushed the contrast, which gives the portrait a strong sense of depth and drama.
Remember, perfection is not the goal. Progress is. And this piece shows a lot of progress. Keep drawing,… Read more

You’re building these textures very patiently, and that’s exactly the goal of this assignment. The value transitions on the spheres are becoming much smoother, and your stippling looks much more controlled than before.
Keep going. Every page like this is strengthening your shading skills for the bigger projects… Read more

Practice Shading using Scumbling and stippling Technique

For a quick sketch, these tennis balls read very clearly, and the shadows are doing a nice job of grounding them on the page. The blending of the shadows is actually a very good idea and helps create a much softer, more realistic look.
Nice exercise, and definitely not “terrible” at all 😉

Looks ok on paper but terrible in a photo when zoomed in 😂
I’m not sure how to do the tennis ball texture.
Reference: https://share.google/Jmc6RiVKanm3r0CtJ

Ik heb eindelijk ook weer iets te delen, heb behoorlijk zitten twijfelen waaraan ik zou beginnen, grafiet of pastel?

Je ziet hier wat het geworden is!

Your grid transfer looks clean, and the proportions seem well placed. Taking the time to get the outline right at this stage will make the rendering process much easier later on. Regarding the paper, 50 lb is definitely on the lighter side for a project like this, so just be a little gentle… Read more

Started it today. Didn’t have a bigger paper so it’s 20cm x 30cm (2cm x 2cm squares). I feel the paper is a bit too thin ( Strathmore Sketch 300 series, […]

To be honest, the real credit goes to all of you. A course can provide the lessons, but it is the students who put in the hours, complete the assignments, share their work, and encourage one another. That’s what turns a course into a true community.
When I look at the drawings being posted today… Read more

I am amazed at the high quality of drawings being posted on the Drawing Community site. It seems like every week there are more and more excellent drawings […]

Comments like this mean a lot to me. My goal has always been to create the kind of learning environment I wish I had when I was starting out, where artists feel comfortable asking questions, sharing their work, and learning together.
I’m really glad you find value in both the course and… Read more

I own black and grey multi-drawing papers from Clairefontaine (97372C) 120 GSM , but wanted one day starting a project ( colored pencil one ) on the grey […]

The eye looks beautiful, and I think choosing pastel was definitely the right decision for this subject. The reflection in the eye is especially well done and gives it a lot of life. Practice will make this even stronger. If I could suggest one small improvement, try pushing the darkest… Read more

Ik heb eindelijk ook weer iets te delen, heb behoorlijk zitten twijfelen waaraan ik zou beginnen, grafiet of pastel?

Je ziet hier wat het geworden is!

Off to Benidorm tomorrow with the wifey, 15 nights, cant wait, all that time at the pool just drawing, all those evenings drinking and watching the world […]

Hi artists! I had some free time and decided to revisit one of the very first drawings I made with Ali 🙂

Looking at it now, I can really see how much […]

It feels like you’re combining several exercises into one creative scene, and that’s a great way to move from practice into actual artwork. Keep developing the idea and see where it takes you.
Sometimes the most interesting drawings start with “just an idea.” 👍

Just an idea I had.

You absolutely captured Wednesday’s mood and expression. The eyes draw you in immediately, and the hair texture is exceptionally well done. The smooth transitions and dark atmosphere suit the character perfectly.
This is one of those drawings where all the hours of patience really show. Outstanding work.

I chose this subject because of the character’s calm, reserved nature and her unmistakable gaze. While working on the drawing, I focused especially on the […]

Must say black papers are far more forgiving. And it serves my urges while I am at work…

And I have to say, your collection of eyes is growing nicely. Each one teaches something new, and I can definitely see your confidence improving with every drawing. Keep them coming. By the time you reach the portrait projects, all this practice will pay off. 👏

Thank you Ali

The eyelashes, eyebrow, and smooth skin transitions look fantastic. You can tell you’ve put a lot of patience into this piece, and the result speaks for itself. Also, I’m curious about those new pencils now. Wonderful work, Anastasia. Keep sharing your drawings with us!

Hi everyone!
Today I managed to complete another one of Ali’s tutorials! I’m also testing some new pencils that don’t reflect light the way […]

The ear, eye, and hair exercises are all heading in the right direction, and I can already see better control of values and edges compared to some of your earlier work. As for the erasers, don’t be too hard on yourself. The cheaper Mono Zero alternatives often don’t perform nearly as well as… Read more

Mostly having issues with erasers, can’t seem to erase properly. I’ve tried different erasers but not the actual mono zero (I bought some cheaper versions)

Personally, I still find myself reaching for the Faber Castell pencils most often because I’ve used them for years and know exactly how they’ll behave. That said, I’ve always believed the artist matters far more than the pencil.
Looking at your apples, the differences are actually much… Read more

Whats your favourite pencils?
My favourite to use is the mitsubishi hi uni (top right), but my family members like the look of bottom left the most ( […]

One thing I noticed is that achieving bright whites on toned paper is much harder than it looks. In many cases, artists build up… Read more

I own black and grey multi-drawing papers from Clairefontaine (97372C) 120 GSM , but wanted one day starting a project ( colored pencil one ) on the grey […]

Go back to the tutorial, watch it carefully, and trust the process. Right now you’re still building the foundation. The details and realism will come with practice and repetition. Keep going. You’re learning more from this drawing than you realize. 👍

I finished my first dog drawing, it was a bit tiring 😅 but I think it’s a very cute dog 🥹

Practice Cross Hatching technique

Finished. My Niece named it Peaky Blinders a while ago, so I made it darker than the original to suit the title, but I like it and I already have a […]

The improvement in the eyelashes, iris details, and overall eye shape is very noticeable. You should be proud of how far you’ve come. As for getting darker blacks, the secret is usually not a darker pencil but more layers and patience. Try building multiple… Read more

Well, I finally finished my final eye. I enjoyed this assignment a lot, still I am having problems trying to get a darker Black. Any suggestion ? I submit […]

I completely messed up this one. So frustated that I willingly forced myself the other way around and sketch, not really draw based on a painting in less […]

What you’re experiencing is incredibly common, especially when you’re working on a piece that matters to you. In fact, many artists reach a stage where they stop seeing the drawing as a whole and only see the flaws.
Looking at your horse, I don’t see a drawing that needs to be abandoned. I see… Read more

What do you do when you get a long way into a drawing but feel disheartened because it’s not looking the way you want it to look? Do you persist and […]

Space Drawing Practice Lesson 17

Reading this made my day. What makes me happiest is not the drawing itself, but seeing you understand the principles behind it and apply them on your own. That’s the real goal of the course. Your final still life project turned out beautifully. Thank you for trusting me as your teacher. I’m… Read more

Someone once told me not to overcomplicate drawing, and I have always kept that advice in mind. When I enrolled in this course, I expected it to be […]

Great question. Based on what you’ve described, I don’t think the problem is the 8B pencil itself. In my experience, the most common cause is actually the paper.
Very smooth technical papers tend to hold the graphite on the surface differently. When a heavy 8B layer is applied, especially if it has been burnished or compressed… Read more

Hi Ali,

I’m working on the Wednesday portrait and I’ve run into a problem in the darkest hair sections. At this stage, I’m applying a very […]

At first, I considered adding a simple filter button to display a member’s posts. However, I decided to take it a step further and build a full Timeline feature instead. I’m happy to say…

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Wow, after 25 years away from drawing, that’s a fantastic start! 😊
I actually think you made a smart choice by drawing a different eye instead of just following the tutorial reference. That shows you’re trying to understand the techniques rather than simply copy them. The iris detail looks great, the eyelashes have a nice flow,… Read more

Hello fellow artists!

Inspiration from Ali brought me back to drawing! Really looking forward to growing my skills & seeing how much I can progress.

This […]

Sketchbookbygs

But now you’re on a completely different level. Your hard work and consistency are really starting to show, and it’s been great watching your progress over the past months.

Thank you for all the challenges

Thank you for all the challenges

Studying textures is a little bit tasking, so I took a break and draw a self portrait reflecting my journey in art. Every crack tells the story of who […]

The metal reflections are looking great, and you’ve done a nice job separating the different values throughout the lantern. My favorite part is how clean and readable the overall shape is. If I could suggest one thing, try pushing a few of the brightest highlights and darkest darks a little further… Read more

This was very challenging However with a lot of passion ,I made it through. kindly give me your input.

After many hours of work, my drawing of Michelangelo’s David is finally complete. This piece challenged my patience, especially with the marble texture, the […]

We’ve identified the root causes, and are already working on fixes. We hope to have everything resolved soon.

It feels great to have a community that actively helps…

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Each time I press on a notification link I’m directed to the profile page of the poster instead of the post itself. Anybody else ? Also when I want to know […]

Horse shading Part3, done a couple more hours, I will add some work to the eye next and then shade the background again before continuing with my eraser […]