Important Things I've "Learned" and Things to Study

 In 2025, I've been active on DoArtDaily (DAD) extensively for periods. It's a community where you have to draw for at least 30 minutes a day and then submit your work. I feel like I have improved a lot at art. I studied a lot of, well, things and completed lots of finished pieces. I'm still very much a beginner though which is pretty exciting! Improvement is addictive...

 I want to make a webpage where I collect my note on things I've noticed as well as things to look at in the future. ENJOY

On (Anime-Style / Cartoon) Heads

• I don't want to draw things that don't make sense in 3D.
• (Why? Because dolls / kigurumi / puppets / figures comfort and fascinate me.)
• So when drawing a head, one of the most important things is to place the eyeholes far enough apart.
• Draw the eyes as if they are physically there. Because they are. The head has eyeholes.
• The eyeholes are physically symmetrical and make sense in perspective/
• You should be able to see the part of the skin that is the small length of the inner hole.
• The curve of the face and the eyehole should be somewhat parallel.
• In anime-style, the eyes (drawn top lid, iris, and color) are the darkest things usually from the face and body.
• The nose is always present but small. I don't like to directly draw a line for the nose.
• Color and shadow the face to create a nose.
• Anime foreheads and lowerfaces are concave. The nose ridge area is convex. Shadow in where the eyes dip in.
• Mouths should be symmetrical, small, and dark. They should make sense if open.
• The sclera isn't always bright white since the eyeballs are physically round and in the head.
• I need to study eyelashes and hair more.
• Foreheads are BIG. Hair is BIG. Hair curves around the head too.
• Hair needs to make sense in reality.
• Ears aren't flat. They exist. Draw the shapes and bottoms of them. Don't be lazy.
• I like when the lights of the eyes are realistically reflective instead of placed on white blobs sometimes...