How to start drawing if you've never done it before

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

It's never too late to get started if you have the desire to paint and the willingness to practice regularly.

I am sure that you can start drawing at any age. I myself became interested in art after school. For a person who wants to paint, there are two ways. The first one is to take paint and just start: do not delve into the theory, do not think about the rules, follow only your inner impulse. The second is to go to study.

Where to start, what to read, where to study

Here are some ideas.

• Sign up for any adult group course or go to an art party.
• If you are more of a fan of video tutorials, then here is the popular channel of the professional artist Anastasia Shimshilashvili - Art Shima. Or the channel, which is called “How to learn to draw”, where they post lessons on drawing in different styles, with different methods and tools.
• My favorite book is “Drawing. Fundamentals of educational academic drawing "by Nikolai Li.
• Find an artist whose work is very close and interesting to you, chat with him or even take a lesson. Fortunately, the Internet allows you to contact anyone.

Which technique to choose

I don't think that at first you need to limit yourself in the choice of drawing technique. Whether you choose traditional art or digital, sketchbook and pencils or tablet, depends on your personal preference. Both are in demand on the market. These are different tools, they can and should be mastered, besides, the rules of perspective, composition, proportions, color science are the same.

And in order to understand whether you want to do art, whether you like this technique or another, whether drawing will come to you at all, you need to try.

What to be inspired by

You don't have to be inspired by artwork alone. I find a muse in design, fashion, tattooing. Each area has its own inspirers. For example, I like the work of the tattoo artist Andrey Volkov and the project "Mister Artist" by Radik Musin. I would also like to note the Bevza clothing brand and their presentation of collections on social networks.

Read books, go to museums, watch films, listen to music - you never know what will ultimately be the impetus for creating a project.

Is it possible to achieve something without education

It all depends on your goals.

If you want to fulfill your creative needs, show your relatives and friends that you are a creative person, fulfill an old dream, then you don't need any education.

If you have a goal to become a professional, commercially successful artist, then sooner or later you will surely face the need to gain theoretical knowledge and develop skills. This is necessary at least to improve the technical level and quality of order fulfillment.

On the other hand, looking at Malevich's Black Square, it may seem that this is all that the author is capable of. However, Malevich was a professional artist and an authoritative art theorist, painted in various techniques. It turns out that your education may be invisible to an unprepared public.

Rules for every day

1. The most important rule of the artist, in my opinion, is to practice every day, at least at the stage of training. I also notice to myself that after a long break it is very difficult to start, it seems that you have to re-learn, the skill is lost. The hand seems to forget what was given with ease until recently.
2. Sketch wherever you are. Even if you are short on time, carry a sketchbook with you to sketch everything you see. It can be figures of people, streets, lanterns … Sketches perfectly develop the eye and train the hand. And later they can be useful for the plot of a full-fledged picture.
3. Try new things. In the learning process, do not dwell on one subject or material. Try different techniques and materials to help you shape your own style.
4. It may sound trite, but it's very important to be interested in art. Broaden your horizons, see paintings by different artists, find out how and why they created their works. I'm sure this is an invaluable and exciting experience for any aspiring artist.
5. Don't be afraid of feedback. You can upload your creations on pages in social networks, but it seems to me that the best way to get feedback is personally at exhibitions. Expose your work and communicate with people, listen to criticism. After all, it is she who will help you become better. It is not necessary to start with large galleries: organize a home apartment only for your own people, invite friends and family.

If you imagine a successful contemporary artist, I would describe him as a charismatic, bright personality with good technical skills and, ideally, also with a commercial streak. But every artist has his own path. Someone is a bright character, someone is a master of painting landscapes, and someone can sell a canvas with a "spit" of paint. It is this diversity that makes the art world so interesting. And I truly believe that each of us has our own audience that just needs to be found.