The main reason people don’t start drawing is the idea they “just don’t have a talent for it.” This belief holds beginners back far more than any actual lack of ability. But drawing is not a talent you have or don’t have, it’s a skill you can learn.
All artists have started drawing exactly where you are, with the same lines, shapes, and proportions they struggle with. The main difference between them and you is not talent, it’s how consistently they’ve practiced.
Beginners try to draw simple shapes
When they’re learning to draw, beginners often don’t just want to draw simple shapes. They want to draw faces and characters and scenes. It’s difficult when their skills are new and they try for detailed pieces. It’s better to begin with simple shapes, like circles and squares.
Most things in drawing can be represented by simple shapes, and this allows you to see everything more clearly. Faces will look like a series of circles and lines, buildings like stacked squares, and even more complex things make much more sense this way. Once you get a sense of how drawing shapes works, you’re well on your way.
Beginners don’t need to start off by drawing perfect pieces
Often, beginners stop drawing because they don’t like their drawings. Early drawings aren’t meant to be great. All you’re doing is teaching your hand and eye to work together. You will not draw perfect lines. Your measurements will be off. Things will not look like what they do in real life. And that’s okay! It takes a bit of time to draw what you want. This all happens with time, so you need to stay consistent.
Draw what you actually see
You want to try to draw what you see instead of what you think you see. The point of drawing isn’t to imagine something; it’s to observe something and record what you see on paper. You should study how things connect, how the sizes are different from one another, how the lines are angled, and how the shadows fall. As you do more studies, you will see how everything is connected. Training your eye is just as important as training your hand.
Practice in small amounts on a regular basis
Don’t just wait until your next free weekend to begin drawing. It helps to just spend 15-20 minutes a day drawing. Drawing is a skill that requires repetition, not intensity. It doesn’t matter that you just spend a few minutes at a time. It’s all about being regular with how you practice.
Don’t compare your beginnings to other people’s progress
You have to resist the urge to compare yourself to professional artists. It’ll only make you give up, when you really just started. When you look at someone’s drawings in comparison to your own, they will seem like professionals even if they’ve only practiced for a few months and you’ve been practicing for a few years. You should look at your current drawings and compare them to how you drew in the past. It’s okay when you start off, even if everything looks a little bit off. Every artist you know has started at 0. Don’t compare yourself to others, you’ll be much more successful.
The Bottom Line
You don’t need any talent in order to start drawing. You just need to start off drawing simple shapes, draw what you see, and be consistent in what you practice. Once you do, your drawing is certain to improve. Drawing isn’t about having talent, it’s about how you look. It’s about changing how you look at things, one line at a time.