Start a New Hobby Week - Learn to Draw

This week the Hobbies and Games Channel here at About.com is hosting a "Start a New Hobbies Week" blog party, focusing on the need-to-know basics for brand-new hobbyists. What better way to spend a lazy summer day than with an absorbing new craft or activity? (Or for Southern-Hemisphere dwellers like me, cozied up by the fire... crochet is looking good!)

Drawing is a rewarding hobby in its own right, and can often come in handy for other hobbies too. It's obviously important for a painter, but you can use your new drafting skills to draw a model train track, woodworking plans or design some DIY Fashion!

So how do you get started? The important thing is to begin at the beginning. You don't pick up a knitting needle and go straight for a Fair Isle sweater. No, you start with a simple scarf. So let's do the same with drawing. Just dig out whatever pencils you can find in your stationery drawer, grab some office paper and begin with some simple drawing exercises.

• Painting - Why Not Paint?
• Dance - Learn How to Dance
• Contests and Sweepstakes - Getting Started with Sweepstakes Part 1: Entering Online Sweepstakes
• Miniatures - Working with Miniatures
• Collectibles - Ten Tips to Start Collecting
• Knitting - Getting Started Knitting
• Crochet - Is Crochet the Right Hobby for You?
• Jewelry Making - Getting Started with Jewelry Making
• Model Trains - Get Started With Model Trains
• Pottery - The Clay Is the Thing
• Rubber Stamping - Start Rubber Stamping