1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Learning to Draw

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Perhaps, Feb 27, 2015.

  1. Perhaps

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2013
    Messages:
    29
    Likes Received:
    0
    Gender:
    Male
    Hello everyone~. I was just wondering. Is anyone here really good at drawing? I'd like some kind of mentor or something to learn how to draw. I've asked really good drawers before, but they say start with the basics and what not. I'd like less vagueness if possible, haha.

    Thank you,
    Perhaps
     
  2. Kami

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2015
    Messages:
    49
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Gender:
    Female
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    A few people
  3. TJ

    TJ
    Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2011
    Messages:
    1,833
    Likes Received:
    299
    Location:
    Lawrence, KS
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    I don't have a lot of advice to offer, but just pitching in that, honestly, I've recently wanted to start drawing too. I want to draw some kick ass landscapes and cool warrior-looking stuff.

    Anyway. Best of luck in your quest, my good friend.
    [​IMG]
     
  4. TheStormInside

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2014
    Messages:
    1,308
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    New England, US
    I'd suggest taking a class or two if you really want some instruction, though it's possible you might be able to find a tutor locally. It'd be really difficult to try to teach someone how to draw over the internet as you can't really observe the person too easily that way, or demonstrate as easily, either.

    The best way to learn to draw is to start drawing from observation. Meaning, draw what you see. The more you learn about how things are supposed to look the more easily you could start to draw from your imagination (if that is your end goal, anyway). Also, practice, practice, practice.
     
  5. Kaiser

    Kaiser Guest

    Joined:
    May 10, 2014
    Messages:
    2,867
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    кєηтυ¢ку
    I used to try and draw from those How To Draw books, but I found it kind of confusing, so I'd take shortcuts. Basically, I'd still draw the shapes, but do so without adding in the thin dimension lines.

    One trick you can do is, begin simple. Find a very basic character or shape, and draw them. When you get that down, you can start expanding from there. You might even consider tracing a few times, to "feel" the way something is drawn.

    Everything else is up to your patience, skill, and dedication to practicing.
     
  6. CyanChachki

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2014
    Messages:
    1,397
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    British Columbia
    I'm a pretty good artist and I would say that the best way to learn art in a not-so-expensive way would be to pick up some basic how to draw books. Maybe start with some cartoon how to draw books and then work your way up from there. Buy some really good graphite pencils to your liking, buy a good drawing book and find a good white eraser. If you want to use ink, I would suggest drawing out what you want, how you want it with pencil first, just in case you make a mistake, then draw it over with ink and then clean it up to your liking.

    The easiest cartoon to draw back when I really started getting into art was The Simpsons. They don't have any extra details that you need to draw and are quite easy for a beginner.
     
  7. DoubleSoul

    DoubleSoul Guest

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2015
    Messages:
    75
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Kιηмσкυ
    I suggest you thinking about what style can be suitable for you. Realism? Stylized art? Colours? Black and White? From this, you can join an art class or find books which explain that type of drawing.


    About me, I used to draw realistic stuff, like people's portrait, and architectonic perspectives. While I was very good at tecnical drawings, I wasn't amazing with realistic drawings, since people's face were too stylized.
    Then I thought: "Let's draw mangaaaa!" and now I'm a manga artist :icon_bigg
     
  8. Tardis221B

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2014
    Messages:
    312
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    West coast U.S.
    Hey Perhaps :slight_smile:

    If you ever want to chat about art, I'd be more than happy to give you pointers or tips. I'm a studio art major at university, with an emphasis in painting. So I'd be more than happy to help you out, answer questions, or just chat about art. (if you ever post some pic's I could try to give you some feed back and ways too improve too, if you want :slight_smile: )
     
  9. LakanLunti

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2015
    Messages:
    110
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Philippines
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    What I learn from my Drawing class is to perfect drawing shapes and lines. And once you perfected it, then practice putting shapes together to create a figure. Then adding fine details is something you learn from practicing, again.

    So bottomline is, PRACTICE PRACTICE and PRACTICE. :slight_smile: I hope this helped
     
  10. Yosia

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2014
    Messages:
    1,791
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    England
    I want to start learning too.
     
  11. Michael

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2014
    Messages:
    2,602
    Likes Received:
    4
    Location:
    Europe
    Gender:
    Other
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Not out at all
    ... That's how you go to Carnegie Hall... Prrrractice! :icon_wink

    Yeah, I've been also trying to learn, and actually I'm (supposed to be) drawing a comic.

    I think when it comes to arts (in general) it's paramount to find your own voice first, your own personal style, rather than just aiming to imitate someone else you admire (it'll happen anyways, don't worry...)

    There is worlds between Picasso and Monet, or between Manga and Marvel, and both (well , the four of them) are described as art (or should be)...

    I try to pick stuff that I just like, and mix it all, trying to do something personal and honest, while being still technically correct (a.k.a. if you don't respect things like perspective and realism, you better have a very good reason to do so).

    The more you learn about art in general, the broader will be your views, and the higher the chances you can be able to create something new and original.
    One of my girlfriends is a respected painter, who has been making a life out of her own art for 30 years. When I started with my comic I asked her about what I need to make really good stuff.
    She answered my question in one single word : Honesty.
    Good luck! :thumbsup:
     
  12. anonym

    anonym Guest

    I have been drawing ever since I was a child up until a few years ago. I gave it up because I lost interest and it made me dysphoric, since it was something I associate with me being female. Having studied art for GCSE, A Level, BTEC and BA, I have learnt a thing or two over the years from teachers approaching drawing from various perspectives. Generally, there are 3 main approaches to drawing.

    If your aim is to draw in a realistic fashion, you will want to pay close attention to perspective and proportion, possibly even shade and tone if you want to accomplish more than just line drawings. Life drawing classes can be great practice but if this is the style you're going for, I would probably also recommend looking to books for techniques. Equally, if you can't afford life classes, you can easily set up your own still life at home with various assortments of objects.

    Alternatively, you may want to communicate something through your drawing such as a message, a mood or a concept. In these types of drawing, perspective, proportion etc. can (but not always) become secondary to what you are trying to communicate. Colours may not be realistic, but rather reflect mood for example and proportions may be based on perception rather than reality. For instance, a person may be standing in front of a building far taller than it really is, to exaggerate its grandeur or power.

    Lastly, you may just want to disregard all rules and draw something as how you see fit. This is probably the most personal style. The best way to explain this to you is to ask you to imagine a room full of people all drawing the same subject - let's say a plant. Without any other instructions than to draw the plant using whatever medium they see fit, every person will interpret that plant differently. Some may produce a line drawing focusing on the shapes they see, others may see it as a texture which they may aim to recreate on the page using various marks. Some may draw the whole subject, some may focus on a particular detail like the veins in the leaves that they find interesting. It really can be whatever you want. Despite what we are taught about art and drawing, really there shouldn't be any right or wrong. It's all down to personal interpretation. You see something in front of you with your eyes and you choose how you want to describe it on the paper, the materials you want to use and the techniques by which you apply them.
     
    #12 anonym, Feb 28, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 28, 2015
  13. Fugs

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2011
    Messages:
    1,614
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    United States
    Gender:
    Female (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    i start drawings with geometric shapes. Circles, squares, ovals. Then you add details to those. Hands are ovals, fingers are rectangles, arms are long ovals. Stuff like that.
     
  14. Weregild

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2015
    Messages:
    527
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Brazil
    Gender:
    Female
    Sexual Orientation:
    Questioning
    I quit drawing but copying and taking a few classes was really helpful. Also, try to watch people as they draw, because it's easier to learn from experience
     
  15. gibson234

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2013
    Messages:
    1,135
    Likes Received:
    4
    Location:
    UK,Wales
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Some people
    I'm not very good at drawing. But I've heard it only takes 5 days to go from bad at drawing to really good at drawing.
     
  16. greatwhale

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2013
    Messages:
    6,582
    Likes Received:
    413
    Location:
    Montreal
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    In addition to Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards (mentioned above), there is a book by Kimon Nicolaides called The Natural Way to Draw, it is not only one of the best "How-to" books on drawing, it's one of the best How-to books on anything!