I’m new to the group

[Scribbler]

Welcome to DWM, Bela! Whatever your ultimate goal - realistic or expressive - the techniques remain the same. You'll find the Basic Technique videos will help you with those.

Thank you, Mike. I am happy you say the techniques remain the same.
I have watched a lot on YouTube. And I think it was on YouTube I found you. That was in 2021. Already then I was fascinated by your art. I have never seen someone drawing rust like you. And then discovering every little detail in your pictures - makes your pictures into never-ending stories for me. If I could only master a tenth of that it would make a big difference to me.

.........Actually, I'm wrong - I guess photorealism does demand being faithful to the reference. But I've never personally understood the world of photorealism. To me, it seems to praise technical expertise over content.

That is exactly the conclusion that I have ended up with since I first started drawing. It all started with a YouTube video I saw where the artist drew a photorealistic picture. I was very impressed. Then I found a video where this artist showed how to draw hair. And I thought well, I try it. I was surprised at how well I managed it and thought I wanted to start drawing. But drawing hair is one thing. Making art is another. Reality caught up fairly quickly. But I have not surrendered yet. On this drawing journey, I have searched for what suits me. I concluded that photorealism is somehow cold. I do not see a story, I do not see the artist -only technical expertise.
I have finished the lilly-shading and smudging and will start with the creative part in the next few days.
Joy, my boxer was my first drawing, after having tried to draw hair and the rabbit was last year.

[Mike Sibley]

May I be a little blunt, Bela? I've been looking at these drawings for the past few days and... I feel the rabbit as a step backward.

I say that because your Boxer possesses life and character, where the rabbit has the appearance of an illustration. It tells me nothing about rabbits, or that rabbit. OK, it does have well-chosen use of negative drawing within the ears... but then fails to use the same within the grass. And, where the ears have some three-dimensional form and associated lighting, the body is flat with no form at all.

But, to return to the Boxer...

Joy, my boxer was my first drawing, after having tried to draw hair

My feeling it that you drew Joy, but then you began to think about technique and how you might draw something using those techniques, and the souless rabbit is the result. Because the techniques got in the way, and the rabbit is a drawing. But Joy was a recreation of your Boxer.

Joy does have faults - one being the shadow cast by the ear, that you've drawn as a shadow, and entity, rather than hair receiving less light - but the overriding impression is one of a living Joy.

On this drawing journey, I have searched for what suits me. I concluded that photorealism is somehow cold. I do not see a story, I do not see the artist - only technical expertise.

I reached the same conclusion. In my case, I aim to represent a sense of reality and not reality itself. And I prefer to maintain the feeling of it being hand-drawn. No matter what you're drawing, you're telling a story. Even if that story is as simple as conveying your own feelings about the subject.

I have finished the lilly-shading and smudging and will start with the creative part in the next few days.

If you post that to the "DWM Video: Exercises and Critiques" forum, I'll happily critique it for you. And that applies to any of the exercises you try, or any you invent yourself.

[Scribbler]

Mike;
I thank you very much for taking the time to look at my drawings. As you see, I am still lost in the dark searching. And you are spot on. Yes, I think about technique. Maybe too, much. I know I have a problem with playing the values from the darkest dark to the lightest light. Almost afraid of letting me loose - and just go for it. Afraid of ruining the paper. But your answer is what I need to hear. I post the result of my Lilly tomorrow.