How To Draw For Beginners Step By Step
Drawing can seem like daunting topic, but it doesn’t have to be. With dedication, skill, and a little bit of practice, drawing can be learned. Here’s a simple step-by-step approach to drawing for even the most greenhorn newbies, so no matter what level you’re at, you’ll be a pro in no time.
Start With Small Shapes & Lines
Start by sketching out basic shapes and lines to give yourself a foundation for the details of your overall image. Even if you just draw a light sketch of circles or squares, it helps your brain’s visualization process and makes it easier to mentally build off of those simple shapes. And don’t worry if what you draw isn’t exactly perfect — you can keep altering and adding to it as you go.
Add Details
Making your image more detailed and dynamic isn’t just a matter of copying reality with great accuracy. It’s about selecting what details are essential and important to the overall effect. To find out which details and elements you need, start by analyzing the image on paper. Break it into simpler parts, then draw separate parts and combine them. You don’t have to worry about depth, texture, and surface effects just yet.
Contour Drawing
At this stage, replace outlines and silhouettes with contours. Contours are one of the key techniques for drawing because understanding the curved and straight shapes of objects helps you convey their form and ensure the volumetric illusion of the drawing. Contours don’t have to be perfect to create an impact—that comes with practice. Just do the best you can.
Add Color and Texture
Playing with color and texture adds vibrancy and life to any drawing. Even if you’re planning to go for a black and white drawing, there are still additional effects you can introduce. You can use various value, shade, and layer techniques to create a beautiful grayscale drawing. Every line, dot, and loop will affect the overall outcome.
Check It Out
Once you’ve finished your piece, take a moment to pause and inspect it from a distance. Do the colors and elements you’ve used look the way you intended them to? Does the contour show the correct volume of the object you’ve drawn? Don’t be too hard on yourself either – creativity is imperfectly perfect!
Practice, Practice, Practice
Just like anything else, when it comes to drawing, practice makes perfect. Don’t waste time comparing your work to others or comparing yourself to them. Just focus on improving your own skills and pushing the boundaries of your capabilities. As you do that, you’ll be mastering the techniques, and the more you practice, the better results you’ll get.
Stay Consistent
Staying consistent is arguably the most important factor in becoming a great artist. Stick to the same fundamental tools, techniques, and methods for a certain amount of time as you develop your skills. Your style will vary as your skill increases, but you have to learn to climb the ladder one step at a time.
Explore Different Mediums
Don’t be afraid to explore and experiment. From simple pencil and paper drawings to complex digital artworks, there are so many different mediums to play with. Some of them will come naturally to you, while others might require extra effort. Resist getting discouraged and seek out the medium that works best for you.
Have Fun & Don’t Give Up!
The most important advice you can follow when it comes to drawing is to stay true to yourself and to always remember to have fun along the way. Drawing can be frustrating and the process tiring, but don’t give up – your efforts will pay off with beautiful, creative pieces to be proud of!
