How to Improve Your Drawing Skills
With a simple stroke of a pen or pencil, you can create cartoons,
comics, realistic depictions of the world and you can even give life to a
fictional character. Drawing is one of the most challenging, relaxing and wonderful
skills to practice, but it can be very frustrating when trying to figure out
how to improve at a good pace. No matter if you're a beginner or expert,
hobbyist or professional, there are several effective methods of improving your drawing skills.
Draw Something at Least Once a Day
Practice is one of the most important and effective ways of improving
any skill. You may find yourself stuck behind a drawing block for days or even
weeks on end, but even if you don't have the inspiration to draw something
incredible you should still draw something at least once a day. Even if it's
just a simple doodle, you'll still be utilizing skills that you've acquired
throughout time, and you'll constantly be spotting areas that need improvement
or areas that you've improved in.
Draw from Scribbles
Most artists feel the urge to just let loose and scribble once in a
while, and it can actually be helpful in developing your drawing skills.
Scribbling in itself may not be very helpful, but take a minute out to see if
you spot patterns and designs within the lines. You may notice shapes that give
you ideas and provide a base for you to draw a full drawing. If you want, start
drawing a full picture within the scribbles. You'd be surprised how much the
imagination can build from seemingly random lines and shapes.
Draw What's Around You
Many artists work from references to understand how certain things are
designed. They want to have very detailed drawings, so they analyze something
that matches what they're trying to draw thoroughly to transfer the details to
paper and build on them. Drawing anything around you not only provides you with
good reference material, but it helps you with shadows, texturing, light
sources, shapes and perspective.
Use a Mirror
When you're drawing, hold up the paper to a mirror. This may seem weird,
but it's actually a great way to spot oddities and mistakes in your work. Not
everything is symmetrical, but a mirror can show you the discrepancies between
itself and the mirror image. Drawings should look nearly identical when
mirrored, just on a flipped perspective.
Study the Drawings of Others
It's never okay to outright copy another person's drawing, but there is
a lot that you can learn from studying drawings from other people. Look at the
details, take note of the light source, analyze any poses, consider the color
choices, examine the lines and perspective. There is a lot to learn from just
one drawing, and there are billions of drawings to see.
Ask Artists for Tips
Examining artwork may only give you a piece of the puzzle. You may see
that someone achieved a certain effect or was able to detail another part well,
but how did they do it? Never be afraid to ask artists how they did certain
things on their drawing. No matter if the artist is more or less skilled than
you are, there is always something to learn from everyone. Many artists are
more than glad to share their techniques and opinions, and there are several
communities across the world dedicated to artists coming together to share
knowledge, improve skills and encourage the art world to grow and thrive.
Change Up Your Art Tools
It's very common for people to get comfortable with a specific tool in
their art. For example, some people draw exclusively with pencils. Another may
draw with only pastel crayons. While it is great to have a specialty, it's a
good idea to break out of your comfort zone and try new art tools. It gives you
a better perspective on what you're drawing and how it can be drawn. It may
also give you a better understanding of textures and pressure. Not only is it
great for your skills, but it's also a great way to freshen up your artwork
when you're in a slump.
Keep a Sketchbook with You
How many times have you had a great idea for a drawing or been hit by a
sudden surge of inspiration only to find that you have nothing to draw with?
Then when you get to a pad of paper and a pencil, the inspiration is gone.
Keeping a sketchbook with you allows you to take advantage of these
opportunities whenever they arise. They also allow you to keep up more practice
outside of scheduled practice times.
Take an Art Class
When you've hit a wall in self-learning, want to return to the basics or
simply want to take advantage of the skills and knowledge of professional
artists, taking an art class can be one of the most beneficial options. These
classes not only provide you with valuable knowledge and techniques, but they
also give you a sense of structure in learning your craft, allowing you to more
efficiently and effectively improve.
There's no universal method for improving your drawing skills since,
like every piece of art, every person is different and everyone shines in some
areas over others. However, they do provide you with a good baseline to build
your own unique practice and studying plan. No matter what you choose, there's
no denying that improving your artistic skill requires a lot of practice,
patience and hard work. Learn from every misstep, and celebrate even the smallest
improvements in your work.
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