>>2483105
If you're just starting out and have the opportunity to study through the Watts online, you're probably luckier than many.

Although, I would still give books like the Loomis ones a read though regardless. There's no need to be exclusive about it, and doing one thing simply to avoid having to do the work of taking time to read a book is probably not the best mindset going in.

>>2483116
I have no problem reading, but /ic/ is always saying (including the sticky) the books are full of stupid babbling bullshit.

>>2483120
It doesn't have to be an in-depth read with note-taking. Just a skim through at the least after picking it up from the book thread. Don't take /ic/ memes too seriously, it's mostly facetious shitposting.

Anyway, I haven't taken a thorough look myself at the Watts online, but I do know that they have lessons for those starting from the very basics (like rendering basic shapes).

You could also just shoot an e-mail with your questions to the atelier itself, I would guess.

Its great but expensive enough that you gotta do it, no lazing around or you're wasting money.

It's annoying that he takes up to 2 weeks to grade but hey what can you do.

I recently got to the buddha and he rekt me.

>>2483198
>I recently got to the buddha and he rekt me.

Proof?

Depends. If you're brand new on fundamentals, he's going to be teaching above your head. Can you reliably hit an oval in perspective? Can you maintain clean line work while describing a form? Assignments will quickly start to assume that you can hit the shapes he's describing with accuracy and consistency. I fail more assignments for cleanliness of linework and form than anything else.

>>2483297
Then what should I work on before I sign up? There is a fundamental class, is that not going to cover the necessities?

>>2483304

It does cover the fundamentals. I'd say its good coverage..the problem is that if you try to move on before you absorb it, you'll be failing every assignment later a ton, or you'll need to spend the first three months skilling up.

Are you familiar with the pencil? Proko uses the same one. It took me about two months to feel comfortable using it, personally, and probably another four months before I could really control it well.

Go to the Watts tumblr and pick an image. See if you can emulate shapes. Can you do an oval the size, shape, and orientation of this head ( http://wattsatelier.tumblr.com/post/141341027708/five-min-quicksketch-by-jeff-watts-in-class-today ) in a clean stroke?

Personally, I use Proko as Watts-lite. Not as intense, not as good, but more beginner friendly.
There's also the Peter Han videos, and How to Draw by Scott Robertson.

>>2483323
>http://wattsatelier.tumblr.com/post/141341027708/five-min-quicksketch-by-jeff-watts-in-class-today

I can do the head shape, no way can I do the rest of the body from imagination.

I've seen Proko's vids and they seem good, but not sure where to start with his. They kind of seem all over the place, there isn't a playlist on his page that guides people to the beginner steps before tackling tougher things later on.

>>2483336

Nah,don't need to be able to do the whole damn thing from imagination. Watts will teach you that stuff. I'm talking more about the mechanical ability to make marks consistently on the page than the actual anatomy.

Right now Proko is doing a simplified anatomy course. He's been working on it for about two years. I find it marginally useful. Its great for loose blocking, but he doesn't really tie the pieces together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GA8oC9PFQo this is a good example, I think. Complicated form, need to break down and rotate in lots of directions. If you feel comfortable doing something like that, you're probably good with starting Watts.

>>2483350
Nice video

But who's going to critique my shapes? Should I post them on /ic/ or is that frowned upon here?

>>2483369

Getting good critique is 90% of why I pay Watts. You can rip the videos in a week and the pdfs in a night, but there's no easy way to get critique from somebody you know isn't a fuckhead.

You can try posting it in the beginner's thread, but of course, /ic/ is the land of assholes. You can try posting them here, but I'm only a few steps further along than you. Frankly, you're just gonna have to look, ask "Am I good enough?", and guess.

Don't forget that Proko spent a few years (at least seven) at Watts so he is a good free resource to get a second point of view of the same stuff. I would recommend referencing both.

>>2483383
>at least seven
in person or online?
I'm assuming in person gives you more experience. I wonder if its worth moving to commiefornia to go in person.

From what I've read new masters academy is a good place for learning too

>>2483402

Shit ain't cheap yo. Four quarters a year, ten weeks of instruction each, run you about 350 a class and the "average load" is six classes a week. 24 * 350 a year. So tuition, more or less, of about 9000 a year. Plus living in Los Angeles.

Obviously not impossible, but the commitment is on par with college. You don't happen to have rich parents, do you?

>>2483402
On his blog there's an old post from like 2009 that says he had been attending there for seven years. He gives a list of the classes he took over the years so it was in person. I actually didn't know he was so good at painting and that the anatomy/drawing was just a side thing of his.

>>2483383
Isn't Proko an instructor there? (or was?)

>>2483414
There's an atelier near me; full time courses are $8000. $8000 is actually a steal because there's only 12 instructors to 22 full time students so there's potential for tons of one on one time. When you do the math you realize that nobody's really getting rich either; the grounds the Atelier are hosted on easily cost $5000 a month alone. There are pretty much daily life drawing sessions with paid models and so on (I assume that's another $700 a week or so). Probably well under $100,000 split between 12 instructors (I don't think it's unheard of for some of these $40,000 colleges to have one instructor per 15 students or even more). I'd say the same might be for Watts, but with their internet classes and so on they probably are making quite a bit more money.

>>2483374
>You can rip the videos in a week and the pdfs in a night

Please explain? I thought he came down hard one people that rip his videos?