When I draw, I can only draw good if I am copying a picture in front of me, how

Position:Home>Visual Arts> When I draw, I can only draw good if I am copying a picture in front of me, how

Question:

By using my own imagination!?
I can envision the picture in my mind but never get it on paper!. When I leave school, I want to become a manga writer!. Because I love drawing and writing, but how am I to do that when the only good stuff I draw is stuff I copy!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

The best thing you can do for yourself ( aside from classes ) is to draw what you see, and I mean really SEE them!. If you can't decide what to draw, put something in front of you, and draw it from the perspective that you are looking at it with!.
Depict every highlight, every shadow, every contour, etc as accurately as you can!. These are the basics of drawing!. It's going to take a little time and patience, but if you keep at it, you'll see results very quickly!.
I saw your edit, and I thought I'd respond!. I'm saying don't just copy other pictures!. Basically you're drawing something that somebody else has already drawn!. Draw real items, and capture every subtle nuance, and detail as accurately as you possibly can!. If you choose an apple, don't just draw it's shape, and shade it!. Capture all the little changes in it's contours, which will affect shading, and highlights!. Capture the texture, or color changes, the shadow it casts where it's sitting, and how that shadow is affected by what its cast upon!. Art is about capturing, and depicting the essence of your subject!. This is how you become better!. Granted, manga drawing isn't as detailed as all that, but having the familiarity really helps when you want to simplify things!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You must make Sketches daily, put any still object infront of you and try to draw balancly!.!.and catch pencil with straight your arm in front of that object, direction of you thumb should be upside and try to take size of object by that pencil and top edge of thumb put same size on paper!.!.by routine you will practise and later you dont need these sizesWww@QuestionHome@Com

ok when your gonna copy a picture of the computer or a book look at it turn off or shut the book or the computer and try to remember the picture you were looking at and draw it!.hope this answer helpedWww@QuestionHome@Com

I'm in your situation!. I'm writing a manga but my drawing sucks! But I'm good at copying!.!.!.and so are you!. So what I'd do is copy!.

Take a few pictures you like and combine them to make a unique character!.Www@QuestionHome@Com