Despite popular belief, drawing is not about talent. It's about methods and strategies, which you can learn right away.
Here are a few questions and answers beginner artists commonly ask when getting started.
How long does it take to learn how to draw?
I think drawing has a relatively short learning curve. By that, I mean you can become proficient enough that you enjoy the process and feel good about your work in less time than it takes to reach a similar level in other hobbies like snowboarding or tennis.
What matters the most is how you learn.
I've helped about 500 people through my beginner drawing class, Intro to Urban Sketching, which I teach on Saturdays in New York City, and after just 90 minutes, almost everyone (maybe 498) has surprised themselves. They look at a drawing and think, "I can do this!"
After a few weeks of practice, the skills only improve. Perhaps they aren't Rembrandt, but they feel confident carrying a sketchbook around and drawing from life wherever they go.
What is the best way to learn how to draw?
The first exercise I cover in my beginner classes is called a Blind Contour Line Drawing and it involves learning how to draw without looking down. It sounds wild, but if you can coordinate your eye and hand so they both move in symmetry, then you can draw anything–sort of. There are some other techniques to develop, but many of them rely on observational skills.
At that point, there are a couple of ideas that help people make the most of their practice time:
Consistency: Your drawings will improve a lot more if you practice for ten minutes every day instead of three hours once a week. This is because our brains like to solve problems through frequent exposure. At least in the beginning, breadth is more important than depth.
Quantity: Along the same lines, it's better to practice lots of quick sketches than spend all of your practice time on one piece. Think of it this way: If you drew 30-second gesture drawings every day for ten minutes, you'd complete 20 gestures per day and 140 by the end of the week. You'll develop a better sense of human proportions by drawing 140 people, even if loosely, instead of drawing 7 people, even if more carefully.
Are in-person classes better than online tutorials?
Yes, but mostly because what really helps is interaction.
Even if you don't take Intro to Urban Sketching, I recommend taking another in-person drawing class because you'll get more out of a 1:1 conversation with a teacher.
YouTube tutorials can help, but they're one-sided and made for the masses. Conversely, a teacher can tell you exactly how to improve in a way that makes sense to you.
What materials do I need?
A pencil and any old notebook will do. People love to obsess about materials, hoping that this or that pen will make them Kim Jung Gi. But great artists can use any brush. As a beginner, I recommend doubling down on this idea. Don't entertain myths or fantasies about suddenly becoming much better with something you can buy. Instead, focus that desire toward learning methods, strategies, and skills that matter. You can branch out to other materials when there's a compelling reason.
What should I draw?
As a beginner, you should draw everything. Be prolific. Make the most of every five minutes by bringing your sketchbook and pencil everywhere you go. (This is also why simple materials are better!) The idea isn't to get good at drawing one particular thing, like a bicycle, and then move on to another thing, like a building. The goal is to develop your observational skills so much that you can draw anything from life–and even begin to draw some things from imagination.
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