Question Home

Position:Home>Visual Arts> How do I become a better artist?


Question: How do I become a better artist!?
I am in a drawing class and I'm not a very good drawer at all!. I want to learn and become good at it, but I just can't understand how to draw things!. Is there anything I can do!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Noone can get in a car for the first time in their life and win a a racing tournament lol!. It takes a long time to perfect, alot of practice, research and passion is all you need to become great!. Theres not much more you can do than keep practicing, try trace a few things just to feel and understand curves, proportion and general techniques you need to draw free hand!. Go for a look around some art galleries, do some research on famous artists like Picasso, Salvador Dali, Leonardo Da Vinci, Claude Monet,Van Gogh etc!.!. You might like one of their styles and adopt it into your artwork you may want to do!.!. So as I have done, and every other artist & art lover, just keep practicing, become familiar with art & its history, work your way up from general outlines to shading to painting!.!.!. If you truly love art than you will ace it in no time, just dont give up! !.!. or if you have had no progress in a few years than maybe look for a new love lol nahh just go for it! Good luck!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Practice is crucial!. There is no way around spending time working to improve your skills!.

There are also some simple techniques that will help immensely!.

If you are trying to "draw what you see", as opposed to drawing from your imagination, you need to spend as much time looking at what you are drawing as the paper!. If you are looking at your paper the entire time, you will be only drawing what you thought you saw!. If you don't ever practice drawing from life or from pictures, it is a good skill to have and will improve your general drawing skills!.

Start with simple shapes- never start with the details, yes I know we all want to but you just can't; it doesn't work!. Break what you are drawing into simplified shapes to place everything in the right place and make sure the proportions are correct (how big things are in compairison to each other)!.

You can check your proportions by measuring with you pencil!. If you want to know if the head is too big or small, using your pencil, measure how many time larger the head is to the body!. The make sure the proportions in you drawing match!. You don't have to make them the same size, just the same ratio!. If the cartoon head is twice the length of the body, make sure yours is also twice the size!.

The last piece of advise is so important- Draw lightly! Don't engrave a line on your paper!. You will be able to adjust you mistakes without ruining the paper!. It is also helpful to place marks that you later erase to lay out your drawing!. If you are having a hard time controling how hard you press, hold your pencil less firmly!. A good rule is that someone should always be able to steal your pencil from your hand when you are drawing!. It should never be so tight that you can't do that!.

Almost forgot!. Draw what you enjoy!.

If what i wrote is too difficult to get without seeing me demonstrate, there are dozens of art books that demonstrate these techniques!.

Good luck!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

If you have enough time to do so, attend local live model drop-ins!.!.!. Basically you pay approx!. $5 or a monthly membership and they provide you with a live model (nude model, any age!.!.!. someone with distinction, hopefully) as well as drawing stations!. You bring the paper, and the equipment (pencils, graphite, charcoal, paint - whatever medium you choose) and practice gesture drawing!.

When I was in ninth grade, my very first art teacher gave me two tips that ultimately allowed me to become an artist years later!.

1!. Draw upside down!. I know this sounds bizarre, but your eye somehow works better that way!. If you're drawing an image or a photograph, try flipping it upside-down and go at it!. You'll be amazed by the results!.

2!. When drawing an image, shade EXACTLY HOW YOU SEE IT!. If you see a dark grey or black, make it that shade on your piece!. I was always afraid of marking up my art by pressing too hard, etc!.!.!. I used to draw outlines and before I even shaded I would give up because I didn't think it looked "right"!.!.!.!.

Hope this helps!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I agree, you do have to practice a lot, but at the same time, you need to practice efficiently!. Make sure you're spending a good amount of time on each drawing!. I'm an artist, and it can take me weeks to finish a painting!.
When you're drawing, pay close attention to values!. Don't worry too much about lines, because if you're trying to make a drawing look realistic, shades are more important (etc!. good contrast)!. If you're ambitious enough (which it sounds like you are) I have no doubt you'll practice well and get better :)Www@QuestionHome@Com

I believe that you can learn it only from the greatest artists!. You should read books like the following:
1!."The Notebooks Of Leonardo Da Vinci"
2!.Wassily Kandinsky- "Concerning The Spiritual In Art"
(you can find them in www!.gutenberg!.org)
3!.Ferdinand Victor Eugene Delacroix` diary
4!.Vincent Van Gogh`s letters to his brother TeoWww@QuestionHome@Com

I suggest you take private lessons!. I do!. It helps a lot more than just in a class!. Your teacher will help you understand the concepts!. I understand what you mean!. I used to be the same way!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Practice makes perfect

I've found this to be especially true for drawing!. If you want to get better, you need to draw!. A lot!.

I like to sketch whenever I have free time (!.!.!.or in class when I'm bored!)Www@QuestionHome@Com

practice practice practiceWww@QuestionHome@Com