How do I start drawing?

Text and Imagery - Dom Read 

As with everything there are many different routes to success. In this article I am going to outline 3 potential methods to begin drawing. If you have followed a different routes or want to start differently, do not worry these are just some suggestions to get people drawing!!!

Set A Goal or Goals...
​Before you begin on this journey it is good to have a destination in mind. The path may vary and you may end up somewhere completely different to where you first imagined and that is perfectly fine. But in order to help you take the first step it is helpful to outline a goal or a couple goals and some sort of deadline to achieve this goal within.

Don't beat yourself up if you fall short or if you don't meet the deadline this is simply something to work towards and give you some meaning to fight for. 

Some examples of goals could be: 

• I am going to draw every day for a month.
• I am going to draw 100 people within the next 2 months.
• I want to improve at drawing buildings. 
• I want to learn to draw like this ***artist***
• I want to learn to draw with fine liner pens.

The simple act of outlining a goal and committing to work towards it helps define your practice. Simply saying I want to learn to draw is too broad and overwhelming. By focussing in on a specific goal you are able to direct you efforts at this one problem to which you can then analyse you progress before moving onto your next goal.

Seeing progress in your practice is a great way to motivate yourself to keep going, keep practicing and keep learning.

Draw From Life...
Pick up your pen or your pencil and grab your sketchbook and start to draw. Look up and look around you, where ever you are whether you are inside or outside look around pick something and draw it.

I know this sounds like oversimplifying the problem, but a huge part of learning to draw and make art, is learning to look. You have to examine your subject matter, focus in on the shape and the proportion of the object. What texture is it? Is it smooth or rough? What are the values of light and shade hitting it. Is it moving or is it still? Try your best to think about these things as you capture it in your sketchbook.

Repeating this again and again will train your eye to quickly pick up on small details that you didn't at first notice. You will learn to record all of the details that you see more and more accurately the more you practice. Take your time and enjoy the process.

A good technique, is to time yourself as you draw. As you get used to how long it takes to create a sketch, start to challenge yourself. Set varying time limits for different objects as you draw them. Always make a note next to your drawing when you play this game as this will be beneficial to know when you look back and analyse your work.   

,Find an Master Artist or Illustrator to Copy...
I know what you are thinking here, I wanna learn to draw Dom not draw like somebody else!! And I agree, I thought exactly the same when I was starting out. That said copying the work of a master, someone who has completed or is at least much further in their journey is a great way to learn. And don't you worry, this technique is simply a starting point to begin with before beginning to try and create work of your own in this style.

As you analyse their work and try to decode the techniques and methods that they implemented, you are literally in conversation with that artist and their work. As you try an emulate their work you will learn a huge variety of drawing techniques. You will also have to focus on the same things that you would have to focus on if you were drawing from your own subject matter - form, proportion, texture, light values and movement as well implementing the artists techniques for shading or colouring the drawing. 

I hope that these techniques are helpful to you and will get you drawing. It is a long and scary road before you begin, so the easiest thing is just to start. Pick up your pencil and pick up your pad and start practicing. Progress comes with dedicated, focussed practice! 

You can do it!

As always get in touch and if you have any questions we would love to help. If there is anything you would like a tutorial about, again let us know and we will put one together. 

Thanks for reading!!
Believe in the process!!!!
All the best!!!!
Dom xx