Poll: How did you learn to draw?
Thursday April 13, 2006
I've always drawn, and I learnt a lot at university, but I don't think I ever really understood the process of drawing. I did it, and sometimes quite well, but there were always limitations. It wasn't until I actually started writing the Drawing/Sketching website that I took an interest in realist drawing and discovered artists like Mike Sibley and J. D. Hillberry. Mike Sibley's tutorial on Negative Drawing (find the 'tutorials index') was a lightbulb moment. I also always learn a lot from my students, and Drawing forum members, observing how they see and interpret things, and helping them solve drawing problems.
How did you learn (or are now learning) to draw? You can vote as often as you like, so click whichever choices apply to you. Why not share your story in the blog comments?
How did you learn (or are now learning) to draw? You can vote as often as you like, so click whichever choices apply to you. Why not share your story in the blog comments?
Poll: How did you learn to draw?
Comments
i learned how to draw from a verry good art teacher, art teachers teach more then just books its a step by step process. i learned to see shapes no matter what the shape is, and then i draw it. i learned free hand my teacher laughed when i said i wanted grids he said i will have to depend on this as a crutch i now draw free hand ever since. the best teachers ive learned by is lee hammond from draw real people and so on. she got me started and my art teacher in school. and hellen south who taught me to draw sketches on this web site thank you hellen wasent for you i wouldeve never been able to draw a horse. my hardest thing of all is mesherments i dont know how to do it yet.
I have always wanted to be able to draw, and when I was 13 I sat down one day and drew a picture of my Dad who was having a snooze. He was thrilled with the picture as it looked just like him. But at school art was not taught properly, and I became discouraged when I failed my art O level.
Since then I have taken classes a couple of times and really learnt a lot. It has changed the way I look at things. I have become more aware of the negative space around people I see and talk to, and the way the colour of their clothes reflects up onto their faces. This can be distracting when having a conversation, but I think it shows progress in my ability to see and draw things.
Still need lots of practice though. But to anyone who was discouraged early on, and who would like to try again, I say GO FOR IT.
Glad to be of help, Ronald. Though I don’t agree with your art teacher – I think things like grids are handy tools to get started with – to follow the ‘crutch’ analogy, you wouldn’t put your whole bodyweight on an injured knee until you’d trained the muscles to handle a little less weight first.
Its a pity when people are put off art by the education system, or by an unsuitable teacher. Often its just a case of different views, but I remember thinking my teachers knew everything, not wanting to question them. And the ’system’ needs rules and measurements – not always conducive to creativity. I’m glad to hear you’ve found your creative side again, Patricia!
I wanted to participate in this poll but as I read through the answers, I had multiple of them. I’ve seemed always to know how to draw, but I have also been self-taught and taught by an other whether it was a teacher, peer, or my mom (who critiques which compliments teaching). I also went to art classes and clubs in high school, while taking some ideas from online. So I guess the only one I can’t agree with is the very last one…
I first realized that I wanted to start drawing when that movie “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” came out in the 80’s. I moved on to comic books then started getting anatomy books from the library around high school time.I’m 26 yrs old and I’m taking some art classes in a jr. college and later I will transfer to Art Center in Pasadena,Ca. to get my assosciates in illustration. So that I can start my carrer. I also had interests in photography, painting and animation.
I learned to draw on my 50th birthday. My husband had to work so I was home alone. I picked up some paper and a pencil and haven’t stopped since. I’ve been drawing just over a year and I still can’t believe I can draw. As far as I’ve ever known, I had no artistic talent whatsoever.
The only thing I learned from a book (Drawing for Dummies) was how to draw eyes. Everything else, it’s a mystery to me where it’s coming from.