New Years (Art-related) Resolutions

A couple of years ago, my resolutions were to work on improving my lighting, and varying my style (as well as just Really Really Trying, which is rather vague but I knew what I meant, heh). I like to think both of those were a success, by the end of 2013 I was a lot happier with the way my things were turning out. In 2014 I aimed not to slip back into old habits and go for simple'n'easy rather than pushing myself to make pictures look how I really wanted to be able to draw. Again, I reckon I did ok there, with about equal amounts of inside-my-comfort-zone and attempting-something-challenging, and the more difficult drawings were all reasonably successful ones, which made pretty pictures and some left me rather satisfied in the bizarre and contradictory smug/shocked did I really draw that?! way which must be familiar to all amateur artists who surprise themselves with unexpected good work XD So for 2015 I'll note down what else I'd like to improve or work towards, as having the resolutions in mind seems to have positive effects on my progress!

Poses : A tricky one to start! I'm aware I go for a lot of easy poses, and easy angles when drawing close-up portraits or head-and-shoulders scenes of characters interacting. I started out only ever drawing horses, never people, and it took me a long time to really get to grips with the shapes, proportions, and features of the human face. This means I tend to have one or two favoured angles to draw a face from, cos those are really the only views I'm capable of getting right. This year, I'd like to work on posing the characters in more varied ways, and choosing angles which challenge me rather than being simple and straightforward.

Sharp shadows : I'm incapable of drawing anyone in direct sunlight without panicking and changing the weather so there's no need for actual shadows, just shading. It's not all sunlight which is impossible, I can even deal with things which ought to be more difficult. Dappled light under trees, fine. Indoors with window and artificial light from opposite directions, fine. Weird backlit glowing-highlights sunset thing, fine. But stand a character outdoors on a sunny day and I'll be clamouring to hand them a parasol or make it rain

Expressions : There's a lot I haven't really tried yet, so much I could do with the faces I've got used to drawing with a simple smile, or a placid neutral look, and just the occasional bit of temper (Aubrey that's you). I'd like to be able to draw someone laughing hysterically, or crying, or looking fierce in the middle of a fight - things which really distort the face and yet also require consistancy to still look like the person they're mean to be. 

So....let's see if I manage to do any one of these to a satisfactory amount by the end of the year. I'll probably just draw a lot more pretty horses and Ambrose and bunnies XD