So I used to draw a lot as a child and I've recently made friends with someone who is really good at drawing. It made me realize that I really missed out on a lot by not developing my talent. And I kind of want to have something in my life that isn't school related. Anyone know of any good ways to start learning how to draw seriously? Such as online tutorials, specific YouTubers, or hey even your own personal advice.
Advice for learning how to draw?
- Thread starter Bob_McMillan
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Draw.
Then, draw. Doesnt look like you planned? Draw again. And again. And again.
People who are fantastic at drawing dont just spontaneously become fantastic at drawing. They practice and practice and practice.
It will suck. You wont always see yourself getting better. You wont always get what you want on the paper. You will constantly find mistakes that only you can notice. Doesnt matter. Keep doing it. One day, while still thinking you're not where you want, you'll look back on old stuff and be all 'holy shit, I have improved so much'.
Practice practice practice!
Then, draw. Doesnt look like you planned? Draw again. And again. And again.
People who are fantastic at drawing dont just spontaneously become fantastic at drawing. They practice and practice and practice.
It will suck. You wont always see yourself getting better. You wont always get what you want on the paper. You will constantly find mistakes that only you can notice. Doesnt matter. Keep doing it. One day, while still thinking you're not where you want, you'll look back on old stuff and be all 'holy shit, I have improved so much'.
Practice practice practice!
It depends on what and what style you wish to draw. What materials do you want to use? What style? What subject matter. Yes, it is all relevant because different styles have different different tips,techniques, process and tools used. First you want to figure out what you want to start with. You can always expand to other types later if you are interested, but you have to start somewhere with something you truly wish to do.
Here are some resources that may help:
https://preparatoryblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/14/different-kinds-of-drawing/
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/drawing.htm
Some tips that may help:
Keeping perspective with string:
Here are some resources that may help:
https://preparatoryblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/14/different-kinds-of-drawing/
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/drawing.htm
Some tips that may help:
Keeping perspective with string:
All I have to say is, if you draw hoping to get better or if you draw hoping to be as good as some guy who is really good, you will give up extremely quickly. Take it from me lol, I don't draw anymore.
You have to have fun while drawing. It's a hobby, not a job. Draw things you want to draw, but do studies once in a while so they can look better. You also have to enjoy doing studies, where you are constantly learning and discovering new things about whatever subject matter you want to draw.
If you're having fun, you're drawing a lot and getting better comes naturally.
The entire point is to be creative, not to mope around on why your art sucks.
Edit:
For things to get started, one youtuber I recommend is ProkoTV if you want to draw people or animals. If you want to draw tanks or planes and stuff, I wouldn't know, because that requires a lot of knowledge of perspective. There are some Scott Robertson and Syd Mead dvds which probably won't be helpful if you have no inclination of perspective.
For books, Andrew Loomis is good for teaching techniques about drawing people and random things like cloth wrinkles. James Gurney's books are good for painting if you ever want to do that.
You have to have fun while drawing. It's a hobby, not a job. Draw things you want to draw, but do studies once in a while so they can look better. You also have to enjoy doing studies, where you are constantly learning and discovering new things about whatever subject matter you want to draw.
If you're having fun, you're drawing a lot and getting better comes naturally.
The entire point is to be creative, not to mope around on why your art sucks.
Edit:
For things to get started, one youtuber I recommend is ProkoTV if you want to draw people or animals. If you want to draw tanks or planes and stuff, I wouldn't know, because that requires a lot of knowledge of perspective. There are some Scott Robertson and Syd Mead dvds which probably won't be helpful if you have no inclination of perspective.
For books, Andrew Loomis is good for teaching techniques about drawing people and random things like cloth wrinkles. James Gurney's books are good for painting if you ever want to do that.
I teach art and I start with the basic elements of design because a lot of my students haven't ever even tried to draw and the class is sort of a side elective they take to practice their English in a more relaxed environment. Honestly, get a decent sketch pad and a nice set of pencils (super cheap online) and just go outside and draw what you see. If you can find a cheap art class at the local rec center, try that too. Paying for classes will force you to practice.
If you're just doing it for fun, don't worry about developing a specific style yet, I'd say. Just practice and see where it takes you at first and worry about that as you begin to figure out your strengths and weaknesses.
But above all, screw around and have fun with it. You're gonna fail and you're gonna make drawings you probably hate but that's par for the course, you always end up your own worst critic so don't sweat it.
If you're just doing it for fun, don't worry about developing a specific style yet, I'd say. Just practice and see where it takes you at first and worry about that as you begin to figure out your strengths and weaknesses.
But above all, screw around and have fun with it. You're gonna fail and you're gonna make drawings you probably hate but that's par for the course, you always end up your own worst critic so don't sweat it.
Everything everyone else posted are really good suggestions but I will share my own learning process.
I really wanted to draw anthros but had no idea how to draw anatomy but still jumped into learning how to draw from this book by Steve Miller.
https://www.amazon.com/Freaks-Fantastic-Fantasy-Creatures-Comics/dp/0823016625/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0823016625&pd_rd_r=84cd7f72-b84e-11e8-bec8-475d0372adf1&pd_rd_w=AlvtG&pd_rd_wg=7Sw69&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=56838e6b-66d4-41e0-a762-743f1a1a628a&pf_rd_r=PX7TF0PS76B5BAVD29JZ&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=PX7TF0PS76B5BAVD29JZ
For drawing mechanical things I was recommended Gung-Ho by the same author.
https://www.amazon.com/Gung-Ho-Fantastic-Military-Comics/dp/0823016617/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536950791&sr=1-6&refinements=p_lbr_one_browse-bin%3ASteve+Miller
It is pretty advanced but you can apply everything you learn in this book to just about any vehicle you want to draw. The anatomy portions are really lacking though.
This book by the same artist had me covered when it came to anatomy but it was still lacking. I learned a lot but not enough about anatomy to do everything I wanted to. Still, I love the comic book stylization of everything in it.
https://www.amazon.ca/Hi-Yah-Draw-Fantastic-Martial-Comics/dp/0823022463
This book gave me a massive boost:
https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Artist-Sarah-Simblet/dp/078948045X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536951187&sr=1-4&keywords=anatomy+for+artists
It does not actually contain any tutorials but a lot of anatomy references that would be helpful an artist all the same.
And then I fell into a rut and mostly stopped drawing for a few years, lost a lot. Had a moment of inspiration here or there but nothing really advanced.
So I then bought this tutorial series by cubebrush and have found some new inspiration to start drawing again.
There are plenty of free resources but I always found that the production quality of a lot of paid tutorials to be of a higher standard.
One series I just noticed by a favourite of mine, Jazza, appears to cover all of anaotmy but in a very comic-book fashion like the previous examples.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2fKxNDsXuw&list=PLEs7_PDGDuawVlJY_tVJwYcP0fbBPn0Io
I really wanted to draw anthros but had no idea how to draw anatomy but still jumped into learning how to draw from this book by Steve Miller.
https://www.amazon.com/Freaks-Fantastic-Fantasy-Creatures-Comics/dp/0823016625/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0823016625&pd_rd_r=84cd7f72-b84e-11e8-bec8-475d0372adf1&pd_rd_w=AlvtG&pd_rd_wg=7Sw69&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=56838e6b-66d4-41e0-a762-743f1a1a628a&pf_rd_r=PX7TF0PS76B5BAVD29JZ&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=PX7TF0PS76B5BAVD29JZ
For drawing mechanical things I was recommended Gung-Ho by the same author.
https://www.amazon.com/Gung-Ho-Fantastic-Military-Comics/dp/0823016617/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536950791&sr=1-6&refinements=p_lbr_one_browse-bin%3ASteve+Miller
It is pretty advanced but you can apply everything you learn in this book to just about any vehicle you want to draw. The anatomy portions are really lacking though.
This book by the same artist had me covered when it came to anatomy but it was still lacking. I learned a lot but not enough about anatomy to do everything I wanted to. Still, I love the comic book stylization of everything in it.
https://www.amazon.ca/Hi-Yah-Draw-Fantastic-Martial-Comics/dp/0823022463
This book gave me a massive boost:
https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Artist-Sarah-Simblet/dp/078948045X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536951187&sr=1-4&keywords=anatomy+for+artists
It does not actually contain any tutorials but a lot of anatomy references that would be helpful an artist all the same.
And then I fell into a rut and mostly stopped drawing for a few years, lost a lot. Had a moment of inspiration here or there but nothing really advanced.
So I then bought this tutorial series by cubebrush and have found some new inspiration to start drawing again.
There are plenty of free resources but I always found that the production quality of a lot of paid tutorials to be of a higher standard.
One series I just noticed by a favourite of mine, Jazza, appears to cover all of anaotmy but in a very comic-book fashion like the previous examples.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2fKxNDsXuw&list=PLEs7_PDGDuawVlJY_tVJwYcP0fbBPn0Io
A teacher of mine from a lifetime ago once told us, "You have 999 bad drawings in you and one good one. So get the bad ones out."
Now me, personally, I would say that you need to avoid the trap of spending a lot of money. Spending money is not the same as preparing. What I recommend is going to an art supply store and buying four drawing pencils: one #4B, two #2B and one HB. And a decent pencil sharpener if you don't have one. The little plastic ones are crap, they'll just snap the lead and waste your money. Practice sharpening your pencils with the careful strokes of an XACTO knife perhaps.
Don't bother buying an eraser. When you're starting out, nothing is precious. Make your mistakes now. They're unavoidable in the beginning. Buy the pencils and a large pad of newsprint or the cheapest large pad that you can afford.
Then get the bad drawings out of you.
Don't draw from your imagination. Set up a still life full of objects in an area where you know they won't be disturbed. Then draw it, no matter how badly you think you might do. Start off light, then gradually add your details. Each mistake is a lesson to be learned. Make a new drawing from the same perspective around once a day, at most. You need time away from your subject. Each time you return, you'll find yourself noticing more or different details and your drawing skills will improve.
For light areas you can use the HB, or you could just use the 2B and blend with your fingers, but that's a bit advanced for now. Try to avoid that starting off; just use less pressure with the pencil.
Be HONEST about what you see, or THINK you see.
Start there. Save the 'how to draw' books for later, much later.
Now me, personally, I would say that you need to avoid the trap of spending a lot of money. Spending money is not the same as preparing. What I recommend is going to an art supply store and buying four drawing pencils: one #4B, two #2B and one HB. And a decent pencil sharpener if you don't have one. The little plastic ones are crap, they'll just snap the lead and waste your money. Practice sharpening your pencils with the careful strokes of an XACTO knife perhaps.
Don't bother buying an eraser. When you're starting out, nothing is precious. Make your mistakes now. They're unavoidable in the beginning. Buy the pencils and a large pad of newsprint or the cheapest large pad that you can afford.
Then get the bad drawings out of you.
Don't draw from your imagination. Set up a still life full of objects in an area where you know they won't be disturbed. Then draw it, no matter how badly you think you might do. Start off light, then gradually add your details. Each mistake is a lesson to be learned. Make a new drawing from the same perspective around once a day, at most. You need time away from your subject. Each time you return, you'll find yourself noticing more or different details and your drawing skills will improve.
For light areas you can use the HB, or you could just use the 2B and blend with your fingers, but that's a bit advanced for now. Try to avoid that starting off; just use less pressure with the pencil.
Be HONEST about what you see, or THINK you see.
Start there. Save the 'how to draw' books for later, much later.