[Vyuru]

I'd really like to learn how to draw, but I have no idea where to begin. I've seen a number of talented artists post their work here, so I was hoping someone might be able to give some advice on how to get started, or other pearls of wisdom they may have.

[Yellow Mage]

Originally Posted by Vyuru

I'd really like to learn how to draw, but I have no idea where to begin. I've seen a number of talented artists post their work here, so I was hoping someone might be able to give some advice on how to get started, or other pearls of wisdom they may have.

Ditto.

[Feba]

I tried learning how to draw, but I have no hand control... I wish I could figure out how I can do things like typing and using game pads very well, but can't do things like painting or writing or drawing for crap.

[Jei]

Just keep drawing. Look at real things, anything, and draw them. A good beginning trick also is to copy the pieces you like, remember that they are only for learning and never show your copied arts.

And here's my favourite book
http://www.amazon.com/Drawing-People...1610972&sr=8-1
it's NOT a step-by-step how to draw kind of book. But it gives you pointes : what real artists look for when they draw their art. This is a great helpful book regardless of the style of drawing you're going for. The author used to teach at my college.

not completely related but here's my drawing xD
http://www.penguinvisuals.com/2d.html

[Yellow Mage]

'Tis good advice, now if only I had the time to invest in to such practice . . .

I think I fear most getting in to a situation where I have to ask "now what?"

Anyways, while helpful, your post was a lot of knowledge to absorb, and I don't think I can accomplish all of that; for example, I haven't the slightest idea where I can find such a store with B, 2B, and 4B Pencils, or anything of the sort. Another thing is all the advice, which has sort of overloaded me. I . . . I . . . I'm clueless, stuck, have no idea what to do, despite all the knowledge of the world before me.

Ack, the envy, the disappointment, the frustration . . . it all overwhlems me sometimes. I know I'd make a better poet than visual artist, but . . .

EDIT: Read, "hopelessly inept" . . . that's me.

[Murphie]

Any art store should have pencils like that. You can also probably find them in a well-stocked department store.

Honestly though, all you really need is a pad of paper, a pencil, and a bit of time to sit and draw. Do a little bit each day, even if it's not that great, and you will get better. All these great sketches you see are the result of lots and lots of practice.

[Yellow Mage]

Oh, and another thing: my shading sucks, too.

I'll try drawing real-life things, as most of the stuff I've done before was stuff from my own head, but . . .

I took an art class which proved to be a waste of a year, as I don't think I improved much at all within that time. The first half was mostly the things suggested: copying reality, photographs, working on shading/perspective, etcetera, while the second half focused on the hidden art of cartooning I so desired. Apparently, the class was only for people who already had the inate skill to draw in the first place, as all my mimicries of reality were easily at the lowest end of the class. Needless to say, I didn't do much better in the part focused on cartooning, and that was where it -really- stood out that that was a class specifically designed for people who could draw already!

And if I did improve any, it would have been from the sheer attempts at drawing that were mandatory for my time. And I really hope that such a not-so-easily seen improvement is what I'll get for every year just for trying, because that's all I can apparently ever do: try.

/frustrated at self

/cries in a corner

[Jei]

YM - 1 year is not enough to train an artist. Don't blame yourself, you just need more time.

I spent at least 15 years drawing before college with graphire pencil, didn't get very far honestly

Then once I got into art college, I started using charcoal and omg I loved it so much. It gives you chance to focus on the value and only value (and some accuracy I guess) and it's very easy to lift out the white and punch up the darkest dark to give the images some little final touch.

I still kept some of my very first charcoal drawings :D There were cubes, balls, cones, some weird geometry objects, etc. We spent MONTHS just drawing geometry shapes before we even move on to more complex stuff. All of that were to train one's eyes to be able to see the subtle value changes that might be going on in 1 simple plain.

This was from my first day I ever drew with charcoal.

[Feba]

Offtopic, but Jei, your last name is "Chay"? Wouldn't that be transliterated as "Chai" or "Che" or something? I've never seen "y" used at the end of a word for an asian language.

[Jei]

I know my handwriting is horrible It's Chong. Short for my full last name, Chongstitwattana.
Chong was our original family last name when my ancestor moved to Thailand from China.

[Aeolus]

It took me the longest time to learn to draw what I saw and not what I wanted the picture to look like. Its hard (to me anyway it was) to do at first but totally works.

[Feba]

Chongstitwattana

Hey, this is a family friendly board!

Anyway, at least yours looks nice. Mine looks like a three year old's.

[Hantz]

Just draw things unrealistically. That's what I do. Cartoony looking shit ftw.

My newest little project was to give my friends a covert personality quiz and create some type of fantasy character from the answers. For no reason at all really, except to just draw something foreign that wasn't coming from the same well of creativity.

I've only drawn my character so far. I'm going to spend forever on their characters until I think they're perfect.

Anyway, I'd say my drawings look only a tiny bit like the anime stuff everyone seems to love to draw so much, a bit like, hmm, the Tick maybe, and a little like reality. Just let your style develop into whatever it is and don't sweat trying to force yourself to draw things a certain way. Look at Yoshitaka Amano's stuff; I wouldn't say it looks realistic, in scope or proportion, but it sure is cool.

[Yellow Mage]

Originally Posted by Jei

YM - 1 year is not enough to train an artist. Don't blame yourself, you just need more time.

I spent at least 15 years drawing before college with graphire pencil, didn't get very far honestly

Gee, way to cheer me up . . . I'll never be a good artist . . . *whimper*

[Feba]

Look at it in a more encouraging way. Jei is old. Haha Jei.