# Learning with the lizard man **URL:** \ **Category:** Share Your Art\ **Created:** [April 23, 2022, 10:59am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126 "2022-04-23T10:59:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smiley500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Smiley500](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Smiley500)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 10:59am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/1 "2022-04-23T10:59:41Z")
Hey. I’m doing the lizard man in pen and ink exercise. It’s been a big challenge. I managed the lizard head okay. But the suit! The suit! _pulls hair and screams_. I’m really struggling to get the fabric folds looking like fabric. I’m struggling to get the lighting at all. And I don’t know what happened to his hands. But it was so awful! I drew a square over it so I can continue with the exercise. I’m proud and frustrated and excited and depressed. But I am learning a lot. And that’s the point (I keep telling myself). ![20220423_204613](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thevirtualinstructor/original/2X/5/5ab832ae55a0143618fbbea87b3c4dc01c69bd0c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![anon8367598](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@anon8367598](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/anon8367598)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/2 "2022-04-23T18:15:23Z")
I see you figured out how to share your art in the forums! 😄 That’s the artistic life 😅 , the thing you’ve got to make sure to do, is keep going and trying! Never give up! I’m actually curious as to what the hand looked like 🙃 Yes, keep learning, that’s actually part of what makes drawing SO much fun! Just don’t beat yourself up about it! You’ve got this! Jesus loves you!!! ---
**Author:** ![Denise](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/denise/32/40_2.png) [@Denise](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Denise)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/3 "2022-04-24T14:02:53Z")
Never get frustrated or put yourself down. Keep at it and you will succeed. You are doing a great job. Give your self a lot of credit for that. I love this ---
**Author:** ![Smiley500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Smiley500](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Smiley500)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 10:52am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/4 "2022-04-26T10:52:43Z")
Thank you both. I will try to stay positive 😊❤ ---
**Author:** ![Anne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@Anne](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Anne)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/5 "2022-04-26T13:52:43Z")
Well, I’ve never done pen and ink art. So, what I see is incredible, and I love lizards! I’d love to see it finished. ---
**Author:** ![Ginny](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/ginny/32/94_2.png) [@Ginny](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Ginny)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2022, 1:50am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/6 "2022-04-28T01:50:11Z")
Your emotional issues make it sound, to me, like you are a real artist. LOL! That is all normal. At least from my perspective. I think you are doing a great job. It is just an exercise. Take it easy on yourself and keep on truckin’. ---
**Author:** ![lilnora](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/lilnora/32/1050_2.png) [@lilnora](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/lilnora)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/7 "2022-05-01T15:06:13Z")
I could not get your picture to come up with details any larger, but maybe doing some cross hatching to get those darker shadows, but this coming from an artist who is very rusty on a lot of mediums. Maybe someone who works with pen and ink would be more helpful. Lenora (lilnora - [ArtistLittleNora.Mitchell@gmail.com](mailto:ArtistLittleNora.Mitchell@gmail.com)) ---
**Author:** ![Smiley500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Smiley500](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Smiley500)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 11:21am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/8 "2022-05-24T11:21:07Z")
![20220524_212021](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thevirtualinstructor/original/2X/1/1d2e3cf6772f362a38f8159802bc0ac0b52d8b28.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Smiley500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Smiley500](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Smiley500)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 11:27am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/9 "2022-05-24T11:27:45Z")
I had some personal upheavals so its been about a month since I’ve had a chance to work on Mr Lizard Man. I decided to give his couch a go. It was a great challenge not to have the couch the same texture as his suit. And I found I prefer more squiggly lines than straight lines. My beloved pen is on it’s last legs nib wise. So my lines have become fainter and fainter. This has been a challenge as I have to go over individual lines a lot more to make later lines consistent with earlier lines. I added a lot more shadow than was done in the example illustration. I found that the couch looked a little flat compared to lizard man. And this was my attempt to build movement. Not sure if it worked. I will have a look at the comments now and try to reply 😊 ---
**Author:** ![Smiley500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Smiley500](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Smiley500)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 11:33am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/10 "2022-05-24T11:33:22Z")
Thank you everyone for your positive comments that I am not alone in finding creating art an emotional journey. I am trying to test myself with this piece to keep working at it even if it doesn’t look perfect. And it’s hard. But I a learning so much. 😊 ---
**Author:** ![anon8367598](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@anon8367598](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/anon8367598)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 9:46pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/11 "2022-05-24T21:46:09Z")
Yes, you didn’t give up @Smiley500 ! The couch looks real good! Oh, yeah, it’s annoying when pens start to do that 🙃 Can’t wait to see it fully finished! Jesus loves you!!! ---
**Author:** ![TeresaC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d78d45/32.png) [@TeresaC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/TeresaC)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2022, 5:18pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/12 "2022-05-28T17:18:28Z")
I watched this lesson series live and was so impressed with the detail Matt showed. You’ve done an incredible job and given me the courage to try it myself! ---
**Author:** ![finleyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6a8cbe/32.png) [@finleyj](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/finleyj)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 5:19am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/13 "2022-05-31T05:19:53Z")
I’m sincerely considering giving it a go, as well. Pen and Ink is not my forte, though I really love the medium, so it will certainly be a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Smiley500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Smiley500](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Smiley500)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 10:53am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/14 "2022-07-21T10:53:52Z")
The lizard man is finished! I feel like the wall behind him doesn’t match the feel of the rest of the picture. Sigh. I had been procrastinating this part. And I don’t think it worked out in the end. I decided to remove some elements from the example because my lizard takes up a lot more room on my page. Overall it was a good exercise. I think I learned a lot. And I feel like I can approach future drawings with more planning and patience. ![20220721_204653](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thevirtualinstructor/original/2X/2/2cc3e169469145e1b562dea6db2e83e422796195.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![anon8367598](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@anon8367598](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/anon8367598)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 8:42am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/15 "2022-07-23T08:42:13Z")
Way to go @Smiley500 ! I think it looks great! (Even the shadow cast from the lizard, oh my goodness, with pen? can’t imagine) ---
**Author:** ![SlippyPaints](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/slippypaints/32/2123_2.png) [@SlippyPaints](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/SlippyPaints)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/16 "2022-07-24T16:34:39Z")
I love it, and such a cool style as well! I type a whole other message before this one to then find out you finished the drawing 😂 Anyway, this is an amazing piece! Is so fun to look at. The suit came out great as well! Nice job! - SlippyPaints 🧡 ---
**Author:** ![Pjsart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71e660/32.png) [@Pjsart](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Pjsart)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2022, 12:03pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/learning-with-the-lizard-man/2126/17 "2022-10-01T12:03:27Z")
I think you’re doing a fabulous job. I saw this tutorial and strolled right by it 🤣 so kudos to you for even willing to try it.