Any tips/exercises to improve drawing skills

[Aliveeagle]

I want a new hobby I decided to start drawing something I have not done since 4th grade so im complete wack does anyone have any exercises or tips to improve my drawing skills

[Grynn]

I've been trying to get back into using water-colours, so some good tips here

Wouldn't mind seeing some of your artwork, OP.

[Devsman]

You could check out some perspective lessons.

There's a channel I like about this called moderndayjames.

[skOsH♥]

Draw different objects at different size and scale. Work on the shadows and whatnot, do this for as many objects as possible and then work them into a picture

[Irene ❤]

Draw really hard things and detailed things. Get used to doing it as a normal practice. So when it's a simpler drawing you could have done it faster and better.

[Kiddiec͕̤̱͋̿͑͠at 🃏]

引用自 Aaaa-ha：

...
Ya listen to the unsuccessful people instead. All I'm saying it's better to work on your strengths, life isn't that long where you can afford to put years of dedication into areas where you don't naturally excel. Nothing wrong with drawing as a hobby no matter your genetical potential, but if you gonna grind and actually try to go 'professional' so to speak, then you're absolutely dumb to do so without talent.

A better way to word what you're trying to say, is :

Doing things that you're good at will make you feel good. If you struggle with drawing but have some other talent then it would probably be best for you to focus on that other talent more and save drawing for a recreational hobby - and then maybe in a decade after doing it for a hobby you might be good enough to consider making it your side-project.

---

Which I think is a similar sentiment to yours, if not the same, but much better worded and actually decent advice when framed properly - as something that won't just be understood by others as "if you don't have photographic memory then you should just give up because you'll never even be good enough for a flea market".

Anyways, it requires commitment, whether you're already good at it or not.
If this is truly your passion, then regardless of whether you're good at it or not, you'll be able to do something with it (eventually.........) if you commit to it.

[Dusk ✨]

Start by drawing ponies. Their simple shapes will help you learn fast.

[Haruspex]

So I used to draw a lot. I fell way out of practice but I've been picking it up again.

Early on when I was little I used to trace things. It was a good way to make things look like what I wanted. Later I found I could draw by eye and I didn't need to trace anymore. I believed I had graduated from tracing entirely.

I've found value in tracing again. I'll trace photos and works I admire, trying to break it down into its basic construction while trying to keep it in perspective. Later, I'll draw it again, but freehand while using the original as a reference. I feel I learn more by tracing first. I feel practicing my freehand exclusively just solidifies my bad habits.

Tracing is frowned upon, particularity if you try and pass off traced works as original, but when you are doing studies and practicing I thinks it's an extremely valuable tool.

[Fumo Bnnuy n Frends]

引用自 Aliveeagle：

I want a new hobby I decided to start drawing something I have not done since 4th grade so im complete wack does anyone have any exercises or tips to improve my drawing skills

fitting avatar pic


tbh drawing is all about muscle memory and perception.

there are several ways to tackle things:

1. probably the most way people start learning is trace drawing. Where you trace something and do it enough times and you learn how the contours draw for the shapes and shadding. How i learned was getting drawing books and tracing them to learn how certain shapes were reappearing in certain characters or things like trees and cars.

2. Old and tride and true you know that thing artists do in shows and cartoons using their thumbs to measure the size of something and paint it based on that? Well something similar is just look at something and try to draw it.

3. only truest way is to do it over and over again.. Make a journal or notebook.
Day 1 draw a super crappy wobbly unstraight line out of size apple. Day 2 same. Day 10 lines become a bit straighter. Day 20 apple looks a bit better. Day 50 apple looks like a parody comedic funny comic apple but an apple. Day XX apple now looks like an apple.


Basically the whole jist of it is doddling. Just like a muscian learns how to make crappy sounds and then at least play 5 notes. Then several others. Or a car mechanic starts breaking apart an engine and rebuilding them then doing that day in and day out and then finally learning about the parts.

It's all hands on. You gotta keep drawing just like a cook does it everyday for new recipes or making grilled food taste better or different. A woodsman chiseling statues. Etc.

Find something you really really like. Draw it. Even if bad infact if worse is better. Keep trying and monitor your progress.


Once you learn how to draw it try changing it a bit to a more unique style. Like faces. Maybe one day standard eyes. Then another time big or long eyes. Maybe make the nose or no nose. Make the nose pointier or circular or square. Try to draw arms and hands. More details more shadings. Add grooves and wrinkles.


Point being you gotta focus on one thing and monitor it. Then you get a better grasp on stuff. Probably my fave is online like twitter watching an artist's 1st works then their current works redone and the massive changes over a year or 2.

[Dusk ✨]

引用自 Kiddiec͕̤̱͋̿͑͠at 🃏：

regardless of whether you're good at it or not, you'll be able to do something with it (eventually.........) if you commit to it.

This is somewhat of a grey lie. I've seen some people draw and draw and draw, and they draw and draw and draw but they never improve. Everyone can do it, but it's not something everyone can do well.

[Fumo Bnnuy n Frends]

引用自 8bitbeard：

So I used to draw a lot. I fell way out of practice but I've been picking it up again.

Early on when I was little I used to trace things. It was a good way to make things look like what I wanted. Later I found I could draw by eye and I didn't need to trace anymore. I believed I had graduated from tracing entirely.

I've found value in tracing again. I'll trace photos and works I admire, trying to break it down into its basic construction while trying to keep it in perspective. Later, I'll draw it again, but freehand while using the original as a reference. I feel I learn more by tracing first. I feel practicing my freehand exclusively just solidifies my bad habits.

Tracing is frowned upon, particularity if you try and pass off traced works as original, but when you are doing studies and practicing I thinks it's an extremely valuable tool.

you're using muscle memory memory and overall breaking things down. It is actually a valid step. The last one is making it your own and that takes a bit more skill and practice.

[Fumo Bnnuy n Frends]

引用自 Dusk ✨：

引用自 Kiddiec͕̤̱͋̿͑͠at 🃏：

regardless of whether you're good at it or not, you'll be able to do something with it (eventually.........) if you commit to it.

This is somewhat of a grey lie. I've seen some people draw and draw and draw, and they draw and draw and draw but they never improve. Everyone can do it, but it's not something everyone can do well.

b/c they're not drawing more doodling. It's fine but real drawing you really gotta focus on the drawings.

[Haruspex]

引用自 Fumo Gaming：

引用自 Dusk ✨：

This is somewhat of a grey lie. I've seen some people draw and draw and draw, and they draw and draw and draw but they never improve. Everyone can do it, but it's not something everyone can do well.

b/c they're not drawing more doodling. It's fine but real drawing you really gotta focus on the drawings.

Right. You've got to practice with intent. It's easy to fall into a trap where you're just spinning your tires and not improving at all. Step out of your comfort zone.

[Kiddiec͕̤̱͋̿͑͠at 🃏]

引用自 Dusk ✨：

引用自 Kiddiec͕̤̱͋̿͑͠at 🃏：

... regardless of whether you're good at it or not, you'll be able to do something with it (eventually.........) if you commit to it.

This is somewhat of a grey lie. I've seen some people draw and draw and draw, and they draw and draw and draw but they never improve. Everyone can do it, but it's not something everyone can do well.

If you just practice scribbling then you'll only get good at scribbling, if even that...

I may have forgotten to mention that you'll need to be actually putting some thought into what you're drawing.

Haha, I had a substitute professor give a lecture on 4-point perspective once - he was out of his element because he was an illustration professor, not a life-drawing professor. The instructions didn't make sense, so I pulled out the text-book and started reading. Sure enough, he had given us bad instructions. He came around and saw I hadn't drawn anything yet and loudly said, as he pointed at me, "YOU'RE NOT LEARNING ANYTHING BUT THAT'S YOUR CHOICE."

I decided to hold my tongue while I double-checked what the textbook had to say and only disrespect him behind his back after I was sure that I was right and he was wrong, and he set up our entire class for failure on that assignment. Sure enough, around half the class completely failed that assignment.

[Fumo Bnnuy n Frends]

引用自 8bitbeard：

引用自 Fumo Gaming：

b/c they're not drawing more doodling. It's fine but real drawing you really gotta focus on the drawings.

Right. You've got to practice with intent. It's easy to fall into a trap where you're just spinning your tires and not improving at all. Step out of your comfort zone.

i mean youll get better eventually at drawing something you're not good at very fast because muscle memory

but diversifying it helps alot

[Phirestar]

As I've heard Marc Brunet mention in countless videos, the most important skill for improving your art is your observation skills. Essentially, art is all about your ability to interpret and understand the world around you, and the more than you know about how things look, the more effectively you're able to recreate them on your canvas.
https://youtu.be/uEvcBIC_Nj4
As for practical exercises, while I haven't done this one myself just yet, I do think it is an interesting concept worth trying.
https://youtu.be/y2lgutQ0HLg
(Skip to 3:55 for the actual exercise)

I think that it would feed into that idea of understanding what you are seeing quite well. By flipping a reference image and attempting to draw it upside-down, it removes your ability to see the object in the way that it normally looks, and you're left having to really focus in and get to know the object on a deeper level.