Don't afraid to cultivate your lost talents again / basic drawing tips

If you feel like you lost your talent, you can develop it again. This entry though just focuses on drawing, an important foundation to art.
This past week I had a drawing competition with a girl named Suzette because she felt like she lost her talent for art. This conversation came up because I am letting myself be too busy to draw, for I forsook the career path's pursuit. Suzette did not want me to lose my talent as she did.

When I came back from my two year mission at Jamaica, I did not feel the great love for drawing, but I wanted it. with prayer and trying all I can. I found my love again. 

Suzette however she drew differently than me and was at a loss to how to begin cultivating her talent again because she likes to draw straight from her imagination skipping all the basics. 

I tried to figure out how to get her naturally think of a scene that she may draw, asking her if she has a favorite fantasy book. Since she did not, I offered my sci-fi book that I am summarizing. I spoke of the character that needed the most imagination. He is Jacob, a winged child. I had not imagined how he may grow his wings, but the competition was to decide that.

I encouraged her, saying I have the confidence that I can cultivate my talent again at anytime and she can too; although, it may be hard.
Suzette did not have the courage to display her drawing, and talking to her after her lack of an entry for the competition. I made a list of drawing tips to jump start her effort, to overcome her fears, and to not be afraid to try.
Here are the tips that I gave her. After noticing that she was obviously afraid to try to draw 3d objects

• The thicker the mark and the larger contrast from the light to dark brings the image closer.
• That is what I did on my image on the biggest frame I made the girl with fat marks on her hair
• Maybe you should draw 3d shapes and shade the sides to practice. That will help especially when drawing noses.
• Don't forget to put the shadow on them.
• I liked how you had the back ground in your pictures
• I forgot to put the shadow in mine, but luckily I made the drawing's setting at night.
• Shading should be on most everything
• Put the skinnier marks on the object further back to make depth in the pictures imagine
• Details should be less in the image further back, more faded, and slightly darker; however, the further back you go the lighter and less detailed the image gets especially in landscape drawing.

Here is the final piece. It was just for fun as will as this entry. I have a greater article to write, but I had to write this one. I feel like I kind of cheated because the paper I used for this drawing was 2x1.5 feet for surface area, but a material advantage should not be regret.