Critique My Artworks

Do you have drawings you want a professional opinion on?

As a Drawing Academy student, you can submit your artworks for critique. The Academy tutors will give you comprehensive feedback on your work of art and advise on how to improve your skills

Submit Your Artwork for Critique here »

What we can learn from Michelangelo

June 11, 2021June 14, 2021
2 Comments

Portrait by Betty, Drawing Academy student

Hi Vladimir,

I used Mars Lumograph HB and 2B graphite pencils on Canson 9×12 65 lb Universal Sketch Artist Series 1557 paper for this project. I used a reference photo that I took of “David” while visiting Florence’s Museum Academie.

Before I started this project, I studied your drawing of Thalia and other lessons on Drawing Academy to learn the different techniques, such as drawing the features, tonal values, cross hatching and of course how to draw a portrait. These are of immense help to me.

Portrait Painting Critique

May 24, 2021May 24, 2021
1 Comment

Artwork by Jasmin, Drawing Academy student

Dear Natalie and Vladimir,

Hope this finds you well! I’ve painted this portrait, but I am not happy with it. I was hoping you could share your opinion of it with me.

What should I have done differently to make it more visually interesting? I feel like the composition and technique have issues but I can’t put my finger on what’s wrong.

Thank you so much in advance! I appreciate you!

Kind regards,
Jasmin

Three-quarters portrait drawing critique

May 19, 2021May 19, 2021

Portrait by Wendi, Drawing Academy student

I drew this portrait using constructive drawing principles. I think this one is more on point.

How to draw great portraits

May 14, 2021

Portrait by Molly, Drawing Academy student

Hello,

Thank you for your time. I’m experiencing some problems with rendering my drawings. I feel like I’ve got a handle on the likeness etc. but the rendering is leaving me frustrated. I can’t seem to get the hang of hatching and cross hatching. As you see in my picture it looks too rough and crude. When I blend it looks better to me. However, I know from your course that graphite should not be blended. How to fix this problem?

Thank you.

Artwork critique by Vladimir London, Drawing Academy tutor

Dear Molly,

Thank you very much for your wonderful drawing.

Before rendering an artwork…

An Exercise in Pencil Hatching and Drawing what I Know

April 3, 2021April 3, 2021
2 Comments

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.

New Skills for Old Habits

October 9, 2020October 9, 2020
1 Comment

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.

March 14, 2020October 28, 2025
1 Comment

How to draw good portraits - Artwork critique

Portrait artwork for critique from Luciana, Drawing Academy student

Since I started the Drawing Academy, I can see some improvement in my drawing skills.

Here’s the portrait in progress. I tried to follow the right proportions, but it still feels like something is not quite right, though I can’t exactly tell what it is.
I would really appreciate your critique.

Golden Mean in a still life

February 18, 2020February 20, 2020

Drawing by Ann Marie

Hi,

I have a question or two, regarding my artwork. I am working on this piece and I am thinking about the golden mean and how it works when setting up this still life.

I visualize the spiral starting in between the the window and door of the shoe and spiralling out and going up by the roof to the top of the plant and down to the lemon. I see the rabatment rectangle of the drawing as being the horizontal back edge of the table.

Also regarding perspectives, I should make the leaves in the back of the plant a little lighter than the leaves in the front to show distance, right?

I’m reviewing Drawing Academy videos on the golden proportion and focusing on how to include the Golden mean in my drawings and paintings.

Thanks for your response in advance.

Ann Marie

January 30, 2020October 28, 2025
1 Comment

Portrait Drawing - Why to draw what you know

Portraits from Bill, Drawing Academy student

Somehow your words “draw what you know, not what you see” just didn’t click with me. While doing some practice drawing today, I began to realize that it is not only drawing what you know, but to feel the curves that round the face, the eyes, lids, nose, lips, etc. I have never drawn this way before. I started my old way, and I realized I had to feel the roundness and curves to have them stand out. In the past, by luck, some of my copying of photos did produce many of those curves. However, I now realize that this is a much better way to draw. Sorry it took me so long to understand how to make curves. I will let you know how this drawing turns out.