-
I would say that while you have preferences for certain aesthetic styles, try not to ape those styles. I wasted a lot of time (actually that’s a bit harsh, but it’s how it feels now!) trying to mimic styles I liked and in hindsight it stopped me progressing as much as I could have done. Influences will seep in organically.
Just draw in a way that feels right to you and in a way that you enjoy. Don’t worry about style - the way you draw is your style.
Find a medium that you like and perhaps more importantly that is easy/accessible for you - probably pencil! - and just start drawing stuff. Pick subjects you like and that feel fun to draw. Then after a while pick subjects that are out of your comfort zone.
Give yourself little tasks, like doing a drawing a day (my ‘non-artistic’ uncle has been doing this for a year now and is really enjoying it and constantly improving). Keep a sketchbook - find a nice one with paper that feels nice to draw on (moleskines make people roll their eyes but they have decent paper and feel nice to hold!).
-
Not an art teacher, but I regularly do freehand technical drawing as part of my job. And have had some pretty talented teachers try to help me with drawing/painting etc. Some tips from what I've learned from those infinitely better than me:
Do lots of free hand drawing on paper. Lots, and lots. Leave the drawings to one side for a bit then come back to look at it with fresh eyes and think about what you are pleased with, then think about why. Also don't be afraid to draw over something, ruin something, and stop before you are happy. Every now and again something that brings you joy will come out of it.
Another excersize that I liked was doing several studies of the same subject in a very quick time frame 2min or 5min. Maybe do 5 very fast drawings of the same object. It limbers you up and stops you being worried about doing things wrong.
Try different scales every now and again. Blow something up or shrink it down. Draw something on a big bit of paper sometimes and really free up you arm for large gestural movements.
The key thing is to enjoy it, because otherwise you won't keep going. Sometimes to clear my head I just doodle wierd patterns and try different ways of making a mark.
Long reply this, hope it's not boring or condescending. I'm sure people who are both better at drawing, and better at helping will be along soon.
-
To add to the others' sage advice:
Drawing humans (or, indeed, other living beings, but we have the clearest perception of ourselves and other humans, so this makes it hard to live up to the clarity of our perception, and therefore valuable) is the best school of drawing. You can practise perspective, movement, proportion, detail, light and shadowing, and surface structure all in one. Even if you fail repeatedly at attempting something very hard to draw, like hands, it'll teach you something. There's a reason why people go to life drawing classes.
As you have done a lot of hard physical work, your wrist may need loosening up at times and becoming more supple. Maybe not, you be the judge. What I like to do when I feel as if I need to get into drawing again is to take a blank sheet and start randomly drawing lines, trying to shape them into something, like doodling, but less absent-mindedly and more dynamically. Sometimes, that results in things I want to keep.
Finally, I really like these lines from a song by Lou Reed and John Cale:
I like the druggy downtown kids that spray paint walls and trains.
I like their lack of training, their primitive technique.
I think sometimes it hurts you when you stay too long in school.
I think sometimes it hurts you when you're afraid to be called a fool.https://youtube.com/watch?v=Li6NaDax7g0
So, yeah, just draw what you like. No-one's about to judge you, it's for your enjoyment. As with everything, finding what you enjoy may take a while, but that's half the fun.
You are reading a single comment by @edmundro and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
AlexD
AWu-Tang
Oliver Schick
@edmundro
So, thought I’d revive this thread and ask a question or two if that’s cool?
I’ve never been an artist, naturally left handed as a tot(both parents lefties) but strict CofE/High Anglican education in my early years meant I’m now right handed for writing but ambi(ish) for tool use. Basically I’m shit with both hands.
Fast forward to secondary school where the only acceptable art was ‘still life that looks like what it’s supposed to look like’ and anyone who fell short had their homework ripped up in front of the class(my teacher was a massive prick and eventually got weighed in by a 6th former) which undoubtedly killed the aspirations of many kids in my town.
Based on those experiences I’ve never really felt anything arty was for me but this week I got fucking stressed at work and decided I might need a little drawing in my life.
Now, this might sound ridiculous but where on earth do I start? I have a passing interest in 50s atomic futurism/atomic age kitsch etc and have spent years loitering around in tattoo shops so have been exposed to a lot of pen and ink illustration.
This is the first thing I’ve attempted in about 20yrs, obviously the anchors were traced first but at this point I’m just interested in baby steps and learning a little hand eye coordination.
Any advice on a book/YouTube series/any other starting points? Of course a big part is practice practice but ummm.... yeah 🤷♂️
1 Attachment