Do you have to learn this first to be a good drawing artist?
Hi, I have no training as a drawing artist. I have never gone to school, college or even taken courses on drawing. My friends used to tell me that I had a good drawing skills but I never believed it. Now, years later, I would like to know if I can improve those skills and be a good artist for myself. I don’t intent to make a career as an artist but to do it for enjoyment only.
I would like to learn how to draw well. It does not matter if is the human figure, cartoon or anything else. All I want to do is be a good artist.
My questions to you are very simple:
What can I do learn how to draw well on my own? any books? I have leaned a great deal about the right side of the brain in drawing but would it help me expand?
I never had the chance to go to college but I am curious as what they teach in the first years in art classes:
Do they teach technique? If so what do they start with and what do they end with? What do they tell you to practice first? What do they tell you when you can’t accomplish tasks?
I have been going to the library for some time and have checked books on the so called "how to draw" but every technique is different.
I would like to start by knowing what to learn as basics. I know it all depends on what I like draw but a little help would help a lot.
Thank you!
I attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit for 2 years. I started out as a Fine Arts major and then switched to Illustrations. My first year I took the following classes:
Design Concepts I & II – basic design class.
Color & Light
Foundation Drawing I & II
Figure Illustration
Art History: Ages of Faith & Ages of Discovery
and 2 Writing classes, Literature class and a Digital class
With this particular college, you were accepted because you already held a fairly good understanding of drawing and design (how much knowledge needed depended on the program you were entering). Yet, all 3 of my drawing instructors were adament about the fact that anyone can learn to draw and learn to draw well.
The ability to draw stems directly from you’re ability to see. I always found this confusing because, you think you see something and how it is put together to know how to draw it, but one thing you have to remember is that… you are taking a 3D object/figure and transforming it into a 2D object (the drawing) and rendering it so it appears to be 3D. Drawing is simply the ability for someone to trick the mind.
In short, anyone can learn to draw and the best thing is practice. Listed below are a few books that I suggest for figure drawing and perspective. I hope this helps you a bit.
- "Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist" by Stephen Rogers Peck
- "Human Machine: The Anatomical Structure and Mechanism of the Human Body" by George Brant Bridgman
- "Rapid Viz: A New Method for the Rapid Visualization of Ideas" by Kurt Hanks, Larry Belliston, Larry Belliston, Philip Gerould
- "Perspective for Artists" by Rex Vicat Cole
- "Perspective Drawing Handbook" by Joseph D’Amelio
Those are my favorites and the Bridgman book is amazing. The attention to detail is superb. Perspective is the basis for everything and is also very easy to learn.
Again, I hope this helps. Good luck!
-Kate Harneck
AIM: Leftofnowhere