Teach me to draw!

[Tigra00]

:'(

 

 

 

I finally have to come to terms. No matter how much I want to draw, I just cannot do it. I really, really can't. I must also do something I almost never do - ask for help.

 

 

 

Does anyone here know the basic fundamentals of learning to draw realistically? Honestly, I wish I thought art class wasn't so useless...I loved art, but I didn't pay much attention in the class because it wasn't a life skill...

 

 

 

Now, finding myself wanting to be an animator/designer, I need to learn to draw more realistically. This really sucks because I have so much great material in my head, and when I go to draw it...It just looks rediculously stupid and childish, like I never even TOOK art class.

 

 

 

I'm a fast learner and I'm good at teaching myself, so does anyone here want to teach me? Or know of a website that has some basics? The best thing about art is it's yours and you can change whatever you like in it and make it more "you", but you just can't change the basics, it doesn't look like anything but scribbles.

 

 

 

Helpz. :( I'm pathetic. :P Pretty bad when your only one life wish was "I wish I could draw!" :lol:

[deloriagod]

The most basic part of drawing realistically is drawing what you see, not what you know. You might know that a person has 2 arms, but if you only see 1 then only draw 1.

 

 

 

For drawing people, do some research into basic human anatomy. It's really boring but it'll help a lot.

 

 

 

And the best thing you can do is practice. I'm failing my biology class because I'd rather do sketches on my paper instead of pay attention (though I plan on pursueing a career in art, so I have no need for biology). Just draw on anything (or anyone) you can. My friend is always drawing interesting deisgns on people and they keep getting better.

 

 

 

 

 

If I didn't have so much homework I'd dig up some material for you.. If you haven't found anything before I get some free time, I'll find some good stuff for you to look over ;)

 

 

 

GO PRACTICE! :thumbsup:

[WutangFlu]

study others art work, then look to see what techniques they may have used and try to apply those techniques to your own work.

[Tigra00]

I've stopped practicing, effective today. I don't get any better, honestly. I can draw 2D, like...You know, just as good as the next guy, but 3D...I have no chance. It isn't about what you see sometimes. Sometimes it MUST be about what you know.

 

 

 

My problem is perspective. I can see something and draw it, but it'll NEVER look right. It'll always look 2D. It really sucks...Like I said, I have so much crap in my head I wish I could put on paper, and when I do, it just looks so crappy that I say forget it, it isn't for me.

 

 

 

Sadly, it's the only thing that interests me. I spent so much time doodling and thinking about stuff other people don't think about that I just lost interest in pretty much everything else...I still did fine in school, but I gotno enjoyment out of it. Art was my favourite class, oddly. And I didn't even pay attention because I thought it wasn't important. IDIOT IS ME!

 

 

 

I've looked all over for things and I can't really find anything worth much. I've thought about just tracing realistic drawings and then drawing over them over and over until something in my head clicks and I finally learn how to draw it right, but I dunno'...Seems more like memorization than "learning".

 

 

 

*Sigh* :( I'm going to be so mad if I just end up having some lame job when I grow up. I know it's quickly becoming cliche, but all I want to do is animation for games. That's the only thing that excites me. I've messed around in 3D modeling programs a bit and I liked that even more than playing an actual game, so I know it's for me...I just don't have what it takes, apparently. Boo.

[Tigra00]

Been practicing a little tonight...I've been trying to get the human skull down right. Seemed like a good start...The first one was crap, second was cartoonish, 3rd was getting better and my 4th was acceptable in my eyes, but not really "real" looking. :(

 

 

 

I guess sometimes you just don't have it in you. :P

[Nadril]

Your not going to get a realistic drawing overnight, just keep working on it if you really want to get better.

 

 

 

btw, a good idea is to simply draw anything you see. Sit down and just literaly draw your surroundings in front of you.

[Kiriyama]

ONly thing I can really say is that drawing is 90% looking at the subject 10% drawing.

[Zonorhc]

ONly thing I can really say is that drawing is 90% looking at the subject 10% drawing.

 

It depends. I rarely have a subject to look at while drawing, besides rough drafts of what things I'd like in it and composition.

 

 

 

Most of drawing for me is figuring out ideas, and then how I can put them on paper. I didn't really learn to draw overnight, and I'm still learning. However, looking back at things I drew two years ago and last year, I can see that I've improved quite a bit.

 

 

 

It's just something that takes a lot of practice.

[issy2]

This isn't exactly drawing, but it's fantastic art. You said you wanted to be a designer? What kind? Paintings, clothes, artitechure?

 

 

 

Well anyway, I got some fantastic ideas for my own art from this site. Just have a look at the pictures, go on the VR tour (virtual reality) on which you can swivel around...et cetera...

 

enjoy. I know it's not drawing but it may help get the ideas flowing.

 

 

 

http://www.strongroom.com/

 

 

 

Go to 'Quick Access,' at the top right corner, select SR 1/2/3/4/5, and enjoy lol.

 

 

 

 

 

And try and start with basic shapes; everythingyou see, everything you draw, is just a shape. No, honestly. True. But you need to learn to put these shapes in the right places.

 

For instance, let's say you were drawing a person. You should start with a slightly elongated square. Round off the sides, forming an oval. Then draw lines across the page, where the ears, eyes, nose, and mouth go. The eyes can start as ovals and gradually evolve into eyes. The mouth can be an oval too. It'll look very crude, but keep working with it.

 

 

 

Well good luck with whatever you choose to do!

 

:thumbsup:

 

Issy.

[cadburys_egg]

I can't draw to save my life, but I have seen a few website providing excellent advice.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.polykarbon.com/tutorials/index.htm

 

 

 

This isn't strictly a realistic drawer's guidebook. It teaches how to draw anime/manga style. But it teaches the very basics, such as how to create your drawings from shapes.

 

Definately worth a look, I tried some of the things myself and it came out ok.

 

Really, any free time you have just try a quick sketch of your surroundings or whatever comes to mind. Practicing really is the best way to go about these things.

[4be2jue]

[Preditor]

That face is way to long.

[4be2jue]

if you read the post right you would have seen that i said it would look something like that.

 

 

 

 

 

i didnt say that this is it ,just it looks like it

 

 

 

and as for been useless, it is not useless, trying to draw faces are the hardest thing to start drawing with, if someone has no perspective using light on the subject helps them see.

 

 

 

anyway you know best its seams that your names are picaso or rambrant.

[Quer_Skulll]

4be2jue.. looks like.. seems we know best.. your whole story..

 

hate to break it down to you but your eyes aren't on the top of your head, because you see thats where your hair grows..

 

 

 

 

 

now cover your eyes for uber crappy template i just made..

 

 

 

 

it's a quick basic sketch that might help you in the steps at starting to draw heads...

 

nowhere near an acceptable end product.. seeing i made several mistakes aswell..

[beesafree]

hmm could you post some of your pictures that would help us pinpoint your problem

 

 

 

if you have no saved pictures make simple drawings of a square triangle and circle and show us

[Viktorkrum77]

Been practicing a little tonight...I've been trying to get the human skull down right. Seemed like a good start...The first one was crap, second was cartoonish, 3rd was getting better and my 4th was acceptable in my eyes, but not really "real" looking. :(

 

 

 

I guess sometimes you just don't have it in you. :P

 

 

 

firstly if your drawing with pencils and paper, skectching outlines you would be better drawing something like an apple or just a box sat on the table with a lamp shining onto it from one side.

 

this will give you a better look at how shading can change the concept of a flat 2d drawing.

 

 

 

i think personally that trying to draw the human body or any part is very difficult until you know the basics of shading, this will make your image come alive.

 

 

 

if you are drawing via the mouse on your pc thats different again it practice that makes the picture perfect.

 

 

 

but if you really want to draw faces etc, you need the basic template which is a graph type sheet which looks something like this

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

remember rome was not built in a day.

 

 

 

If you de-narrowized your oval, than you'd find that the eyes are actually at the half way point, not that far up.

 

 

 

I figure drawing is a talent, like singing, not everyone can do it. You can try, and get pretty good, but some people will always be better, and will have it easier. It's just a fact of life.

[Nahdrav]

I can't draw to save my life, but I have seen a few website providing excellent advice.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.polykarbon.com/tutorials/index.htm

 

 

 

This isn't strictly a realistic drawer's guidebook. It teaches how to draw anime/manga style. But it teaches the very basics, such as how to create your drawings from shapes.

 

Definately worth a look, I tried some of the things myself and it came out ok.

 

Really, any free time you have just try a quick sketch of your surroundings or whatever comes to mind. Practicing really is the best way to go about these things.

 

 

 

Thanks for that!It helped a ton! :thumbsup:

[runemetsa]

hmmh... learning to draw might be difficult if you have to learn it from the beginning...

 

myself, I have drawn my whole life [i recently found an old suitcase full of pictures/paintings/such which I had done when I was like 5 : ] so I never had to try mastering it with special ways.

 

Older you get, harder it gets...

 

basically the very best way to learn to draw is just draw. alot. all the time. literally. More you draw, better you get. Like any new skill, it takes alot of time to master it.

[4be2jue]

hmmh... learning to draw might be difficult if you have to learn it from the beginning...

 

myself, I have drawn my whole life [i recently found an old suitcase full of pictures/paintings/such which I had done when I was like 5 : ] so I never had to try mastering it with special ways.

 

Older you get, harder it gets...

 

basically the very best way to learn to draw is just draw. alot. all the time. literally. More you draw, better you get. Like any new skill, it takes alot of time to master it.

 

 

 

well said

[Sharcoth]

 

 

 

 

 

 

remember rome was not built in a day.

 

 

 

Since when are the eyes on the forehead? The eyes are smack dab in the middle.

[Maduga1]

to really make something look realistic I think is mainly shading, catching the light perfect will make anybody look good. I for one am a terrible artist, but in art class we had to draw and outstretched hand and shade it. I looked like a pretty good artist just because of the shading. So what im trying to say is, just make the outline(easy part) then shade.

 

 

 

Also start out with easy stuff, such as a hand because you have to start small.

[lazy_cat]

Keep trying Tigra! Drawing takes commitment so don't give up if it is what you love to do. And don't be intimidated or discouraged by others better than you.

 

 

 

It's not too late to learn how to draw realistically. Anyways, here's a small guide I made not so long ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is the most basic yet very crucial exercise you need to be familiar with. Btw, this was wiped up through memory so if you can't do that then just give up. (joking!)

 

 

 

Start practicing on the facial features (nose, mouth, eyes, etc.) I recommend that you borrow some books ('Drawing the Human Head' - hogarth burne) from libraries or elsewhere to excel your learning. But most importantly - draw from real life! There are more examples in real-life than what books/movies/animations/tutorials can offer you. : (Side note : I personally prefer books over online resources because books provide more in depth materials; stuff that you would never consider in a drawing).

 

 

 

For shading exercises, I think it would help alot if you get familar with the human muscles (skinless nudes) and even the skeleton, especially the skull. I haven't tried full body studies yet but for the head - I just familiarize myself with a skull. Drive it into your head and think 3D - apply the shades where you can imagine light does not touch.

 

 

 

Quick example i just wiped up: (tehee elf-man :3> )

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do not know how useful a life-drawing class (outside class) is because I've never attended one before but if you have a chance to join then do it! I myself, would like to know what it is like if there's anyone who have or is a member of such a class.

 

 

 

Anyways, good luck and most importantly, have fun drawing.

[misterxman]

Lazy Cat posted some excellent CC right there. Observation of real life is key - learn to recognize proportions in real life objects so you can replicate the proportions on paper. Once you got proportions down, the lineart becomes much easier.

[jak722]

Copying and tracing doesn't hurt either.

 

 

 

If you see something that you would like to try yourself, then try imitating it!

 

 

 

 

 

So long as its only for practice and you don't claim it as your original piece of work of course. :-k

[xxxShade]

Lazy Cat= Hawt