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Can anyone recommend a book for learning to draw
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Message
Posted
Hi Jan, welcome to the Forums :) As far as I know anyone can learn to draw - though obviously some people are better at it than others (e.g. I am never going to be able to do architectural drawings) - and, I know from experience, the more drawing you do the better you are likely to get. I can't recommend any books, but there is a video "easy drawing techniques" on this website which should help you get started https://www.painters-online.co.uk/tips-techniques/drawing/art-videos/easy-drawing-techniques/ - and a few other drawing videos too. The important thing is to enjoy it!
Posted
If you can write, you should be able to draw. There are one or two ideas in the Drawing thread which will give you a start. Think in terms of shapes, and masses - go out and look at things (if the landscape is what you want to draw) use materials that will allow you to make free, flowing lines, scribble, doodle, don't worry about accuracy to start with. One of our members here, whom we've not seen for a while, studied the Charles Bargue course - you'll find his comments under Daveyboiz (or similar - memory fade...): under Drawing, anyway. He learned a lot from that - basically drawing from plaster cast figures, or representations of same. Perhaps he'll come back and give you a few tips.
Posted
The classic method of drawing people, as taught by the Royal Academy led by Sir Joshua Reynolds, was to draw sculptures first, before progressing to a live model. However I went to an art college that taught you how to draw cardboard boxes first - using one eye and a pencil at arms length to measure distances and assess angles. It was franticly boring, but gave me a good grounding in a method which can be applied to anything. But if you pose questions here on any issue you have about drawing there are plenty of artists here who will try to help you.
Posted
Hi Jan and welcome. There are endless books on drawing available online. I can recommend a couple which will enthuse you and emphasise the need for regular practice if you are serious about it, though they are not necessarily for complete beginners. Having said that, they are both an easy and pleasant read , and they are
Sketchbook Secrets by Moira Huntley, and The Addictive Sketcher by Adebanji Aladi.
One book I am reading at present which does go from stage 1 is The Elements of Drawing by John Ruskin. I’m finding it a bit of a dry read (am I selling it to you?!) but it may well be what’s needed as it takes you through lessons and stages. All of these I bought online for around a tenner each.
Both Margaret and Robert have given you excellent advice and I would only add, keep it simple, draw what’s around you, eg your mug of tea, an apple, your book, table, a chair etc.. don’t copy photos! Your work will have more life if the subject with all its blemishes and shadows is a 3D object. Some of us here on the forum have been doing a sketch a day since January and you will see the variety of work and ideas there if you have a browse, and join us when you get going. Many of these sketches have been done in minutes, so are not complex and not intended to be but if you limit your time, you should pick out what’s most important.
Most of all persevere and enjoy it!
Edited
by Tessa Gwynne
Posted
Linda, your story about drawing boxes reminded me of a professional artist I know who told me that she studied art in Belgium where they drew a bust or busts every day for the first year, and nothing else! The bust got moved around slightly a couple of times a day so that they had a different angle to draw from. That would drive most of us mad, but I get the idea of drawing the same thing over and over (just maybe not every day for a year!).
Posted
The addictive sketcher would certainly be on my list, (but you wouldn't, even if you could, want to copy Adebanji's style), and start out by getting the right equipment. That may include a range of soft pencils, say from 2B to 6B, and a selection of various papers, including perhaps, a few tinted varieties. Then there's a whole range of pens available to experiment with - these have recently been discussed on this forum.
Start out by arranging a small group of objects, or even a single one, observe, and keep drawing as often as you can. You can also use coloured pencils and conte crayon, ink etc, but you need good basic drawing skills first, and that takes time! Finally, as Tessa has mentioned, join in on the daily challenges, post you efforts and don't be afraid to ask for advice. good luck.
Posted
I would agree with all the books and advice that has been recommended by the very experienced artists above. I think to join the daily sketch in the forum would be excellent, most of us are doing simple sketch most of the time. Use this as a means of development and gaining confidence, but do ask advice on any particular sketch that you want to do differently. Use the forum in addition to the other ways mentioned, above all practice everyday and have fun, it’s easier when you enjoy it.
Good luck and good sketching.
Posted
Linda, your story about drawing boxes reminded me of a professional artist I know who told me that she studied art in Belgium where they drew a bust or busts every day for the first year, and nothing else! The bust got moved around slightly a couple of times a day so that they had a different angle to draw from. That would drive most of us mad, but I get the idea of drawing the same thing over and over (just maybe not every day for a year!).We had 6 weeks of boxes. (21 hours per week) It seemed like a year. I was on a so called A level course, which meant going to all the drawing and painting classes for the 3 pre-diploma classes. So we got 3 times as much as they did.
