Judging by this drawing, how much experience do you think the artist has?

I would categorise this as “some experience”, as shown by the lighting and shading.
He has a terrible eye for anatomy, though.

What do you mean by “how much”? I guess 1,732 hours’ experience doing all types of art since birth. I’ve certainly seen less technically developed pictures published.

What’s wrong with the anatomy?

Quality of experience probably counts for more than quantity. The artist has some talent and is not an utter beginner, but he has some work ahead in order to advance his level of competence. The eraser work in particular is pretty good, if lacking in subtlety.

The image appears to be based on this reference. The artist needs to work on proportions. The artist also needs to work with a qualified instructor who can help him overcome some technical challenges and acquire some good habits.

The fact that it’s drawn from a photograph is immediately obvious. Note that drawing from a photograph is good practice in copying an image, but it is not at all like the work of rendering the view of a three-dimensional model in two dimensions. That skill set takes a lot of practice. The artist should remember that if you have a mirror, you have a model.

Also there are lots of cooperative models to be found in the produce section of your supermarket. Try rendering an onion, a bell pepper, a pumpkin, a bunch of bananas, or an apple, for example, and get the proportions right, the treatment of light and shadow, the values, the volume. Then see how those skills translate into images of rabbits and owls.

I’m fixing the ear right now lol.

I can’t imagine anyone looking at art – of any kind – and judging “the artist’s level of expertise and experience”. In my experience, and the experience I’ve learned of others from talking to them about art in a general way, they judge “the art itself” on various factors:

- did it appear to be technically competent and representative of the thing being portrayed?
– did it move me in some way emotionally?
– did I like it or not?

If you’re asking people to look at your art and to judge you by it, I’m afraid you’re going to be even more disappointed than if they just pan the art itself outright.

What I will say for certain, and with zero hesitation, that the artist has far more skill already than I will ever have. But that’s not saying much, so don’t get all puffed up by that.

10,000 + hours of experience. Much better than what the average person can do.

Do you think so? Ten thousand hours equals 50 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, for four years, or 25 hours a week for 8 years; whereas even just one hour per week ought to put you above average, given any native ability at all. I think the OP has potential, but we are not looking at a Leonardo or Vermeer or Michelangelo here.

@Jeruba

I have to be honest, and I don’t mean to boast or anything, but this was only the second or third time I’ve attempted to draw an animal. I started drawing a few months ago and I’ve been practicing everyday, which is probably why I’m on level of a somewhat experienced drawer. But I really need to learn how to do proper proportions

@rockfan, you’ve made a very good start. Proportion is essential. That’s how you recognize a tiny face in a group shot or an actor seen in the thumbnail of a Netflix movie. Look at how little information you get, and you just know it’s Sean Connery, or the president, or your dad when he was 18.

My art teacher constantly reminds us to look at the length versus width of every element and to compare shapes and sizes. She carries around a knitting needle for that purpose. I use a spoke from a dismantled bicycle wheel, with a little magnet glued to the end so I can attach it to the spiral binding of my drawing pad without dropping it. You can even just use your pencil. Hold it out at arm’s length and compare horizontal and vertical dimensions and relationships of elements and features. This is not the only method, but it is one method of establishing proportions, and it helps you to produce an image in which all the parts work together instead a bunch of little sections that look right separately but don’t come together as a whole.

” this was only the second or third time I’ve attempted to draw an animal.”

That’s my assessment as well for someone who shows artistic potential.

I am still waiting for the drawing you promised me.
Having the right muscle tone I do, makes it impossible for me to ever make a drawing look so pretty. I envy those who can.
Proportion is important for portraits, but with illustrations proportional variances are less an issue.
I wish I could afford to have you do cover art for my novels.

@Patty_Melt

Finished your drawing a week ago but forgot to post it! Hope you like it.

https://imgur.com/gallery/RsrNt