How To Start Drawing

Demystifying the Process for Beginners

It seems the biggest mystery for beginner artists is how to start drawing. I’ve been asked the question many times. How do I start? Where do I begin? The very scope of it seems daunting and in many cases it results in a mysterious form of paralysis. The would-be artist becomes so overwhelmed with all of the what-to-dos and how-to-dos that they never even take the first and most important step. And just what is the first step?

Well, the first step is simple. Just start drawing, of course!

It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a fancy sketchbook or an expensive set of pencils. The tools don’t make you an instant artist.

There is no mystery. Just start drawing!

It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what you’re doing at this point. The most important thing is to just start. Try to draw what you see. Don’t worry if it looks like a child drew it. You’re a beginner. It’s supposed to look like that. Did you really expect something of DaVinci’s caliber right out of the gate? I think this is where most people get tripped up and discouraged. But it’s the silliest thing ever.

Think about it.

Think of all the great athletes, musicians, actors, engineers, and any other professional in their fields. Did Kobe shoot like he did with the Lakers from day one? Did Tiger swing like a pro right off the bat…er, club? What about Steve Jobs and Bill Gates? Did they produce perfect products that millions would clamor for right from the start? How many rockets blew up before Elon Musk got it right? Are you starting to get the picture? Even Thomas Edison didn’t produce a working light bulb in one shot. They went through thousands of errors before they got it right. Why we expect perfection right from the start despite never having done something before is beyond me. But I get it. I do it myself from time to time. But what makes the difference between the pros and the beginners? Why do they achieve pro status when so many others don’t? That answer is also very simple.

They practiced daily and never gave up!

Guidance for Free

Okay so that’s all fine and good. When it comes to how to start drawing…just start, practice daily, and never give up. But where can one go for some guidance, tips, and tricks? Well, lucky for you, you’re beginning at a time when information is readily available with a few keystrokes and the help of the internet. Something that wasn’t around when I began! There are oodles of sites where artists are willing to share their techniques. There are online programs you can subscribe to as well as free sites to get your feet wet. YouTube is chock full of how-to videos for artists. Some of my favorites art videos:

Proko

CreatureArtTeacher

Lachri Fine Art

Some of those might still be a bit intimidating for some people. So if that’s you, I humbly recommend my free class on Skillshare. In a nutshell, it shows you how to start drawing by teaching you to see like an artist. Yes, artists see differently. Trust me. This is something you need to learn if your goal is to draw well and confidently.

The simple truth about drawing is that you must draw and do it daily (or as close to daily as possible). You can’t ever hope to improve if you do not practice. You must continue and not give up even if it seems like your work isn’t improving. Just keep going. And do your homework! Look for the how-to videos or search for a local class to get you started. Don’t expect to get better if you’re not willing to put in the work.

You will not be a pro right out of the box. The drawing on the left was done when I was 5 years old (it’s a cat). The one on the right was done 40 years later. The trick is in not giving up.

In Conclusion…

So, yes. You’re going to be apprehensive. You’re going to make hundreds of mistakes. My suggestion is to just jump in and do your first drawing…and keep it. It’s the best way to gauge your progress. You might not like it and it’ll probably be embarrassing. But keep it and date it (hide it if you must). A year from your start date, if you’ve done the work and practiced every day (or at least several times per week), do a drawing of the same subject matter as that first one and then compare them side by side. If you’ve been consistent, you should see a pretty dramatic improvement.

Allow yourself the luxury of being a beginner. Make the mistakes. Be kind to yourself. Enjoy the process and never give up!