Drawing better may seem very difficult, but you can work to improve your drawing skills and become a better artist. Develop your fundamental drawing skills by concentrating on basic shapes and lines, and working with different media. You can also use training exercises to challenge yourself and improve your skills. In addition to practice, it is also important that you develop a discipline in such a way that you continually work and improve.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Focus on the basics
Step 1. Draw straight and curved lines to improve your basic skills
Use your pen or pencil to draw straight lines on a piece of paper. Practice over and over to improve your linework. Then practice drawing clean curves on the paper by rotating your hand as you draw to develop your control.
- Make long, flowing lines instead of short, broken lines.
- Also try drawing shapes, such as triangles and circles.
Tip:
Whenever you have a spare moment, take out a sketchbook and sketch lines and curves to develop your fundamental drawing skills.
Step 2. Sketch shapes with different line qualities to enhance your line work
Line quality refers to the thickness and fluidity of a line. Take a sheet of paper or a notebook and choose a simple design to draw such as a flower or a hexagon. Sketch the shape over and over on the paper and change the line quality each time so that you can practice and try different approaches.
Practicing drawing the same shape with different line qualities can reveal a personal style or drawing method that suits you
Step 3. Add shading to your sketches to practice adding depth
Shading is about adding dark areas to a drawing to make it more dimensional and realistic. When sketching the lines, curves, and shapes, add a little shading to give them a bit of depth. Improving your shading skills will help you when drawing larger works.
- Add short lines or fill in an area to add shading.
- Think about where the light shines on the object you have drawn in such a way that the shading appears natural.
- Use striped shading to add shadows and dimension to your drawings.
Step 4. Practice making solid lines to develop more fluid lines
Make up a simple drawing and use unbroken lines to draw the curves and shapes. Drawing long, unbroken lines, rather than short, broken lines, will improve your ability to draw smooth, fluid sketches.
- Make up the drawing as you go along and don't worry about how realistic it looks.
- For example, try drawing a picture of a streamlined car. Draw the curves of the body and the roundness of the wheels, but use single, unbroken lines to create a smooth image.
- Getting better at using solid lines will also improve your drawing speed.
- It also adds a bit of shading to the drawing.
Step 5. Use different drawing materials to find your preference
Practice drawing with pencils, gel pens, charcoal, markers, and any other type of drawing medium so that you can improve your drawing skills and begin to develop a personal style. Draw simple lines, curves, and shapes using different mediums to see which ones you prefer to use.
- Using different media can result in you using a specific and unique style of drawing.
- Also try different types of paper.
Method 2 of 3: Use Drawing Exercises
Step 1. Set a timer for 10 minutes and sketch a photo to force yourself to focus
Take a drawing such as a photograph or picture from a magazine and time yourself to see how quickly you can sketch it. The stress of time restriction will force you to focus on sketch details and improve your ability to draw quickly.
- Set a timer for 10 minutes, then draw the same picture with a time limit of 5 minutes. Then try to draw it for 2 minutes and finally 1 minute.
- To really challenge yourself, try giving yourself 10 seconds to sketch a reference image.
Step 2. Trace over the drawings of artists you admire to enhance your style
Print a copy of an artist drawing in a style you hope to emulate. Place a piece of tracing paper over the drawing and trace over it. When you're done, put another sheet of tracing paper on top of the image and redraw it to improve the line quality that the original artist achieved.
- Practice tracing over the image multiple times with new sheets of tracing paper and using different qualities and line weights to vary and challenge yourself.
- Trace over the entire drawing, not just a section, so that you can get an idea of how the lines are incorporated to form a larger piece.
Step 3. Draw something new to challenge yourself and find your weak points
Pick a theme that is something you've never tried to draw to make a change and give yourself something difficult to work on. Force yourself out of your element so that you can identify any weaknesses you have and improve your overall drawing skills.
- For example, if you like sketching country landscapes, try drawing a sketch of someone's face instead.
- Drawing something new can also help you break out of a rut if you're having trouble finding something to draw.
- If you notice that you are having trouble in a certain area, such as line work or capturing detail, make an effort to practice in order to improve in that area.
Tip:
it also uses different media and materials. For example, if you normally use charcoal on textured paper, try using a gel pen and sketchbook paper to draw something new.
Step 4. Try to draw a picture from memory to improve your attention to detail
Use a visual reference such as a photograph and draw the image to the best of your ability. Then save the image and sketch and try to recreate it on a new sheet of paper using only your memory. When you're done, compare the 2 images to see the details you forgot.
- The ability to notice and include details in a drawing is what makes a person a great artist.
- Set a timer for 5 minutes to force yourself to quickly sketch the picture from memory.
- Use something simple such as a picture of a shoe or a fruit.
Method 3 of 3: Develop Discipline
Step 1. Schedule time to draw so that you can practice every day
A simple way to improve your drawing skills and develop the discipline that it takes to be a gifted artist is to practice every day. Set aside time for a daily practice session where you avoid any distractions and focus on improving your drawing skills.
- Use a calendar app on your phone or write a time to draw on your calendar so that you commit to regular practice.
- Even if it's only for 10-15 minutes, make it a daily habit.
- Put your phone away and put on some relaxing music to help eliminate any distractions.
- Scheduling your drawing sessions will make it easier for you to plan ahead and set aside time to focus on drawing.
Step 2. Take a class to stay accountable
A drawing class will help improve your drawing skills by having a teacher who can reinforce your weaknesses. It will also allow you to work with other people and watch them draw, which will improve your observation skills. Also, you will have people to motivate you and hold you accountable to attend and do the work that is required to improve.
- Constructive criticism from teachers and other artists will help you improve your skill.
- Check with your local college or university to see if they offer drawing courses that you can take.
- Find online drawing instructors or classes near you that you can join.
Step 3. Keep a sketchbook with you and draw any spare time you have
Take out the sketchbook while on the bus or during lunch break and sketch a quick little drawing. The more often you draw, the more it will become a habit and the more your drawing skills will improve.
It takes a lot of practice to improve your drawing skill. Having a notebook and pen or pencil with you at all times allows you to practice practically anywhere
Tip:
draw a still life using the landscape around you so that you can work on your attention to detail. For example, if you are waiting for the subway, take out your sketchbook and draw the view in front of you.