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Pyrubble In reply to IndigoVulpine [2015-07-02 16:00:58 +0000 UTC]

I'm glad you like it! I definitely think this is one of my best pieces, so thanks for the opportunity to draw this character!

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IndigoVulpine In reply to Pyrubble [2015-07-02 23:34:32 +0000 UTC]

No problem,im definitly coming back when I have more points! ^^

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Pyrubble In reply to TenPaints [2015-07-01 21:32:56 +0000 UTC]

Practice! I bet lots of artists are getting real steamed after hearing that so many times, but that's honestly all there is to it. Also make sure to experiment a lot too (that's part of practicing, right?).

Whenever you feel stuck, look at a successful artist's work and compare their's to your own. What are they doing better? Is it anatomy? Search up some images of dynamic poses, try drawing them. Some places I personally use are artists.pixelovely for figure studies, and SenshiStock for pose references. 
An easy way to get better at drawing something is to draw it from reference. During the initial sketch, my workspace will look something like this . Lots of pictures of real-life examples to make sure I get it precisely how I want it.
If you're looking to do a stylized version of an animal (as you are now) consider drawing that animal directly from reference for a while and then revisit your stylized way of drawing them. You'll note in my own gallery that I tried drawing mice more "realistically" for a time and gradually moved back to my style. I think it helped me learn a lot about how to translate the real-life mouse to a more cartoonish version.

Lighting and shading is something I haven't quite gotten the hang of myself, but always make sure that your lighting is consistent, meaning that every shape in the painting is lit from the same angle. Also keep in mind that light can be different colors, as well as shadows. Try using a light gold for highlights and a desaturated teal for shadows (they're complementary!). One thing that can also add a ton of depth is reflections . I've also found the color balancing tool in most software to be extremely useful for final adjustments (not available in Paint Tool SAI).

A good color tutorial can be found here: Flash version  / Page version

As for painting, that's something that's entirely up to the painter. This is the part that's all about experimenting. Make a bunch of different brushes, learn the effects of changing each setting. A thin brush with a rough texture might be good for fur or cloth, while a very smooth and soft brush might be better for skin. Personally I find it better to make your own brushes instead of using brush packs, but messing around with some downloaded brushes can be a good place to start!

I didn't mean for this to be so long, but I hope it helped anyway!

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