Kudos for asking the questions and being honest about your frustrations about sketching! I know I’ve totally shared in those frustrations. Here are my answers below.
sketchie105:
About how long did it take you to really dial sketching down?I do not have sketching dialed down by any means, but starting from nothing, it took me 3 months of daily practice for me to realize that I could do it if I kept at it.
Do you feel like you have to learn to draw each object or can you just draw any object at any time?I feel like I need to learn to draw a new object to nail it down. Initially I might try and fail to sketch something new based on previous sketching basics but after a few tries I usually can get it. Reference images are super useful for sketching a new object especially with getting proportions correct.
Rendering, How long did it take you to learn? Marker? Digital?I’m still learning markers but leaned to render digitally a little better very recently. The really nice thing about learning to render digitally is that you can experiment with shadow and highlight placement and let you eye tell you if it’s correct. If you placed a shadow wrong, no problem just press undo and try again !
Does anyone else get freaking frustrated on insta by looking at those super amazing digital renderings some godlike automotive designers are producing these days? Seriously.Personally, I just get really happy when I see an awesome sketch on Instagram, it’s amazing to see them soar. My first reaction is often to just be in awe of their skill and keep on scrolling. Lately, I’ve been trying to get myself to stop for a second and deconstruct what I’m seeing and pull one lesson from their sketch.
Rate the importance each, Digital and Manual Sketching. Which do you find more difficult?I think analog is much faster for getting an idea down and it feels easier to get the line work right since you have more control. That said, in an analog sketch you have to be able to work with or hide your mistakes and that is much more difficult than being able to undo a mistake instantly with digital.
Like cwatkinson said, definitely post your sketches, I can personally attest to the value of sharing and listening to the feedback the Core77 family will give you on your sketches! If you keep sharing, listening and practicing, you’ll improve in no time. Good luck!