Brittany Myers

Thank you! Like a lot of other artists I was known at a very young age as, “The Artist” among my classmates, though I never thought anything of it. And for whatever reason when I reached age 12 I grabbed an old sketchbook that was given to me years before that I had stashed in my closet. I never thought I’d use it but I was clearly wrong. And after a few years of constant drawing I’m where I’m at now and I love it. From the start Disney animation has amazed me, I quickly realized how interested I was in drawing and animation when I began to notice that when I was watching any of the classic Disney movies I’d study the animation; I would watch the way the characters walked, how they posed, and their body language more than the movie itself. Glen Keane’s work has had a huge impact on my own; he’s a major source of inspiration for me. So many other artists inspire me too, such as Jin Kim http://cosmoanimato.blogspot.com/ and Brian Kesinger http://briankesinger.deviantart.com/ and so many more. I’m continuously discovering new brilliant artists each day!

Thanks! I have a real interest in drawing expression and body language, which both play huge roles in the way we perceive a character. I often tell people that my favorite part of the character to draw are the eyebrows. They’re one of the most expressive features of the face. I think what’s helped me most when drawing expressions is to feel the expression, and what I mean by that is I like to imagine myself making the same face as the character I’m drawing. What muscles are tensing? Which are not? Where would my face be squashed and where would it be stretched? The funny part about thinking this way is that I sometimes catch myself actually making the face, at times like those it’s probably best not to draw in public. But the same technique goes for body language. If ever I’m drawing someone in a simple standing position, I almost always draw a shift in their hips, and even in that situation I imagine how one leg would be carrying more weight as compared to the other.

Yes definitely, I can’t imagine not going into something art related. I’m currently interested in visual development, animation, and storyboarding. I’m excited to learn more and improve. Thankfully I have very supportive parents and they’re willing to help me along the way.

Personally I think it’s very important to understand both anatomy and perspective. I also certainly know those are two things I’m still trying to improve. What I do to help better myself in those areas is a lot of gesture drawings. Often times after finishing a drawing I will immediately spot out all of the mistakes, it can get frustrating but I try my best to acknowledge them and learn from them. I also find that I’m a very visual person and I can’t go a few minutes without taking mental notes of random anatomical observations. As far as the importance of drawing perfect anatomy, I think it depends. I definitely think it’s good to always be learning and improving on your grasp of anatomy, but it’s no secret that cartooning (in most cases), is a very exaggerated interpretation of the body. That being said, I also really like the saying, “Learn the rules before you break them”. I think it becomes extremely relevant with any type of character drawing. Long story short, do I think you need to know perfect anatomy? Maybe not, because I find that many times the story and emotion of the drawing can be just as important. But I do think you have got to have a great understanding of it, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt to strive to that level of perfection.

Overall I’ve got a lot to learn, but off the top of my head anatomy is something I’m still trying to improve. I notice that as soon as I finish a drawing I spot all of the flaws. I do a mental check of what I think looks right, and what doesn’t, hoping that some of those observations may be corrected next time around. But I’ll always have more to learn, and that’s the fun part. I’m pushing myself more and more each day to practice new things in my sketchbooks. Something else that I find had been a big struggle for me in the past was the dreaded “Art Block”. The lack of motivation that “Art Block” brings is tough and can lower your self-esteem, and I feel like all artists have them. I haven’t felt that way in a while thankfully, and I think that’s because I’ve begun to look at them in a different way. I try to convince myself that it’s a sign that I’m improving, and that unsatisfied feeling that comes with every piece during “Art Block” is pushing me to branch out and maybe do something I hadn’t thought of before. If I’m feeling uninspired I make sure that I’m not completely taking a break from art. I’ll read some art books, or do some gesture drawings. Sometimes listening to music or doing some simple fan art helps.

I’m no professional but here are a few tips I’ve learned that have helped, and still continue to help me. 1.) No one is born a talented artist. I think the real talent is not your skill, but how hard you work to maintain that skill level, and to improve. 2.) Self-motivation is very important. Coming from someone who’s never yet attended an art class, I know that it’s necessary that you push yourself, and that you make sure you’re learning. 3.) Stepping out of your comfort zone. This has been a struggle for me, but lately I am pushing myself to practice different things, and it’s extremely motivating! 4.) I can’t stress this enough, FEELING the pose/emotion/story of your drawing is extremely helpful! 5.) And last but not least, practice, practice, practice! Drawing, of course, is the best way to improve!

The pleasure is mine! Thank you!