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Question: How to learn to draw!?
How can I draw half-decently!? I can't draw anything, especially people!. I can't even draw using the upside down drawing excersise!.

What books or websites can I use for BEGINNERS (BEGINNER) drawings!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
This is a really long question!. There are lots and lots of different things that can improve your drawing!. despite what many people say natural talent is only a tiny percentage of learning to draw!. Alot of it is study and practice!. Drawing is like problem solving!. You just need to learn the basic skills to solve the problems of creating 3d Images from 2D shapes!. Here are a few things to start out with!.

1!. Get a sketch book and some pens (various types to see what you like) Go somewhere, (anywhere, park, mall, subway, soccer field) Sketch from LIFE!!! This is the best exercise you can do by far!. Do quick sketches of what people are doing, Don't worry about details or outlines, heck, use a crayon!. Draw lots of gestures, are they sitting, standing, leaning!. What leg are they resting their weight on, what way are their shoulders tilted, are they tall and thin, are they short and fat!.
you want to work quickly, while trying to incorporate as many things you know as you can!. This will help with showing movement, proportions, mood, and general drawing!.
Don't worry if everything looks terrible at first, gotta start somewhere right!!.
2!. Practice Proportions
just spending time practicing proportions is a good way to put them in your mind and eventually your sub-conscious!.
Find as much info as you can about proportions, there are 2 main systems, the head-system (a person is 8 heads high) and the 5 eye box system {(the one I prefer), the head is 5 eyes wide, from the top of the head to the pit of the neck is 2, 5 eye boxes) Find these and practice drawing from them!. Memorize important land marks, the half way point of the body , how long are the arms, legs etc!.!.!. There's lots of stuff out there to look up!.

3!. Learn perspective, 1,2,3 point, curvilinear and atmospheric!. Start with 1 and work your way up!. Perspective is essential to drawing anything!. It helps create depth and realism in any image!. Start out by drawing cubes cylinders and various other simple forms, and then start breaking more complex objects down, a bike is just a series of cylinders!. A hand is a box with cylinders for fingers!.

4!. Anatomy!. this one's kind of advanced but is essential!. Practice drawing skeletons, this will help with your posing, and proportions!. Then move onto drawing the muscles!. If you know your bones and muscles you can draw a person doing absolutely anything!.

I always recommend life drawing to people because it's very challenging and you will learn so much!. A wise woman once said to me there is no problem in drawing you will face, that you wont face in life drawing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Drawing is not a talent you are born with!. You can definitely learn how to draw!. I started by studying Andrew Loomis!. Google him and I am sure you can find tons of websites!. Maybe even find a book of his in a library!?

Good luck to ya! the more you practice, the better you'll get!. also, if you have access to a local college or community college, start taking life drawing classes!. A few hours of life drawing a week and you'll improve dramatically!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Actually, you can start by simply tracing things for a while!. This allows your hand to become accustomed to the smooth and steady movements your hand needs to be able to draw!. You can just look at pictures and attempt to draw them, when you're ready!.

As for websites and books, they can never really help you!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think the easiest way to learn is by practicing!. I'm a college art student and they always teach us that practice is the most important part of being an artist!. If you feel comfortable, grab a pencil and paper and start to draw what you see around you little by little!. Try not to think too much of it, because after all it is practice but after you're done with a few sheets, look back at them and critique your own work asking yourself questions and comparing them to what you have around you!.

try not to be too hard on yourself, that never works!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Don't trace!. Practice practice practice! Tracing is lame!.Www@QuestionHome@Com