Critique My Artworks

Artwork and question from Loreto, Drawing Academy student

I think that something is not right in this artwork. Can you tell me how can I improve it?

Thank you
Loreto

Oil painting by Carmen, Drawing Academy student

This is my first painting in oil.
Thank you!

Artwork from Ann, Drawing Academy student

Dear Natalie and Vladimir,

I have registered to the Drawing Academy to learn how to draw ‘properly’ in a classical way. This is my first artwork which I started just before joining. I understand that it has amateur flaws: I smudged a little bit on the cheeks before learning i shouldn’t do that, I didn’t ‘hatch’ in a conventional way, I’m very intuitive in rendering tonal values rather than knowledgeable, I copied from a picture which helped me make lots of progress in my drawing so far but I understand that drawing from life is a better training. I surely don’t want to become a skilled photocopy master, however I find realism attractive. I’m most interested in portraying expression and emotions in harmonious balance. I’m struggling to understand how I could learn to draw, for example animals, without picture reference as in real life they keep moving or are not around?

Portrait by Emily, Drawing Academy student

I just enrolled in the Drawing Academy a few days ago, and I am already glad that I did. I have been drawing for most of my life, but I was quite amazed at the concepts and skills I have been learning here which are almost entirely new to me. I have read a little about the hatching and crosshatching techniques in years gone by, but I never actually employed them much in my own works.

Story and drawing from Mary Townsend, a Drawing Academy art competition winner

I started this Drawing Course with Drawing Academy six weeks ago and was immediately knocked out of my comfort zone.

I wasn't expecting everything to be so new to me. From the way I hold my pencil to constructive drawing techniques - it's all new.