3 Tips to Improve Your Drawings

How to improve your drawings is probably the most common question when it comes to art. Now keep in mind that I am of the firm belief that anyone can be taught to draw. It is a skill and it isn’t one that only the artistically gifted have. You were taught how to write (a form of drawing). Plus, you instinctively knew how to draw as a child. The majority of kids stop drawing when they become aware of peer criticism.

If you had never stopped, you’d probably have been pretty good by now. So now, it’s about relearning. It’s about learning how to translate what your eyes see into a two-dimensional format.

Here are three of my favorite tips to improve your drawings:

With a little practice, you can identify the basic shapes of the objects you’re drawing. (Photo credit: Myra Naito)

1. Draw the basic shapes first. The biggest mistake most people make is that they try to draw all the details before anything else. But just like building a house, you have to secure the foundation first. With a drawing, the basic shapes are your foundation. You have to get the basic shapes down first and then add to it or subtract from it gradually. Once you have the basic structures down, then you can start adding details.              ………………       ……………………………
   

   Artistic liberty frees you from drawing every minute detail. (Photo credit: Myra Naito)                                                                                       ..

2. Take artistic liberty. Some might call it cheating. It’s not. Artistic liberty means you can embellish or minimize as needed in order to get the results you’re after. As an example, say you’re drawing a portrait. If you try to draw every single hair on this person’s head, it will make your artwork look anything but realistic. So, an experienced artist will concentrate more on the basic shapes of the hair. Hair naturally falls into clumps and bunches. That’s what you need to look for to capture and minimize all the individual strands. Shadows and highlights create their own shapes. The human eye and brain quite effectively fill in the rest, which is why it isn’t necessary for you to torture yourself with drawing every single strand.                                                                              ……………………………………………………………………
   

   While the drawing on the left is okay as is, it lacks the depth of the finished drawing on the right. Check for accuracy. Don’t be afraid to gradually go darker. (Photo credit: Myra Naito

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3. Accurate values. This one is absolutely necessary if you want to give your drawings dimension. Yes, it’s a two-dimensional format. A paper or canvas is flat. But your use of value, can trick the eye into seeing depth in your drawing or painting. Most beginning artists are afraid to go as dark as they should. This leaves your drawing looking flat. Gradually taking dark areas darker, creates depth. Accurate darker values will also make lighter areas pop, making the lighter areas come forward and make darker areas recede.

If you can get these three basics down, you’ll be well on your way to improving your drawing skills. And like with anything else, don’t expect perfection right off the bat. It takes practice and time.

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