Best way to learn to draw ?

Underscore

New member
I used to draw alot but this was many years ago. I havent really drawn anything since, at least nothing other then doodles.

I would really like to get serious about it, as Im moving into web design as a career and may need to dabble with graphics. I know its common for a web designer to outsource the art to someone else, but its something Id like to learn to myself.

Aprt from the obvious practice, practice, practice how should I get started ?
 

Frederik.Sjölund

Moderator
Regulator
Best way to get back in the action is just start doodling and drawing. Whenever you have time. Keep a small scetchbook in your bag. So whenever you're in a situation when you have to sit for a longer while with nothing to do, you can draw. For instance on the bus or train or whatever.

Also, calculate how much drawing you have been missing out on over the years you haven't been drawing. For example one A4 paper per day for a year makes 365 papers. Multiply it with the number of years you have missed out on and thats how many drawings you need to do this year plus 365 more.
So if you missed out no 14 years of drawing, you should draw 15 papers per day for one full year to catch up.

Also practice with drawing things out of real life, from a photo or something in front of you. Portraits are good practice too since you learn more of the facial anatomy and so on.
 

Underscore

New member
Also, calculate how much drawing you have been missing out on over the years you haven't been drawing. For example one A4 paper per day for a year makes 365 papers. Multiply it with the number of years you have missed out on and thats how many drawings you need to do this year plus 365 more.
So if you missed out no 14 years of drawing, you should draw 15 papers per day for one full year to catch up.

grin.gif


Actually I did a few sketches of family photos about a month back and I was pretty impressed with what I came out with, even my parentd said it looked like them but it wasnt really professional looking and I could definately improve.

I always have diffculty with proportion when drawing objects.
 

Priest

Commodore of Impending Doom II
Get hold of a Wacom Tablet(a pen shaped mouse) for your computer. I can recommend you to use the version called Wacom Intuos 3. Then get hold of some of the following programs. Photoshop, for picture manipluation and some certain amount of digital drawing. Adobe Illustrator.. you work in vectors in this program.. it's good for making stuff that is simple, "trendy" and shapes that don't comsume much of the computers memory.

Then there is at last my personal favorite, PainterIX. It simulates brushes of every kind of conventional painting. Pencils, oil pastels and brsuhes, chalks, coal, inks, various types of paper and the list goes on... I use it together with Photoshop, and this is indeed the program you would like to use if you want to get into some making some serious nice pictures on your computer.
 

egue

New member
I used to draw alot but this was many years ago. I havent really drawn anything since, at least nothing other then doodles.

I would really like to get serious about it, as Im moving into web design as a career and may need to dabble with graphics. I know its common for a web designer to outsource the art to someone else, but its something Id like to learn to myself.

Aprt from the obvious practice, practice, practice how should I get started ?

if you know basic principles for drawing,there's nothing to stop you,but if you want to make your drawing perfect,you have to practise a lot..I'm preparing to faculty of fine arts for 5 years and it's still not perfect...
 

Priest

Commodore of Impending Doom II
Underscore.. can you post some stuff you've done?
would make a better fundament for us giving advice..
 

Kaizen

New member
Well i personally know that i have been attempting to learn how to draw for some time. Aside from the traditional practice,practice,practice, there is also the matter of learning new techniques, and trying to draw what you are feeling. Drawing seems to me the same as music, if you try to do it, it wont be that nice, but if you just go with the flow and become inspired creatively then it will be fantastic.
 

ArtsWom

New member
I agree with Kaizen that the only way to improve is to get trying new styles. I spent a long time only drawing in a way I was comfortable with, which led to some good work (if I do say so myself!) but it also meant that my range was very limited which stifles my creativity and frustrates a lot more in the long run.

What I find helps a lot now is using shapes as much as I can. I'll start off with no idea what I'm going to come out with but linking together some squares, circles and triangles and then fleshing it out. Using this method I'm able to draw (most) things I can imagine to a standard I'm more happy with.
 

Museo

New member
I used to draw a lot at school and would like to start up again. I came across a book called "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". It teaches some techniques and also shows how you can break down objects into a series of geometric shapes and join them.
 

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
Fascinating thread ... I tend to get bogged down in the organ forum and not look elsewhere. I, too, was a good drawer when I was at high school. The music can along and I gave it away. I've recently bought some sketch paper and pencils ... I love sketching statues, trees, birds. I'd never share my art, though, it's not good really, but I get enjoyment out of the frustration sometimes.
 

Green_Ambit

New member
What's worked best for me is going to the local library, finding a "how-to-draw" book on something I haven't drawn much, and using it. Even if it's something off the wall like spaceships that I don't plan on using, it's good practice and can give you ideas on how to approach other concepts.
 
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