Help any tips on where to start to learn to draw?

[Houzor]

I really want to learn how to draw, but I have absolutely 0 drawing experience (my parents never let me draw as a kid) and I can't even do the basic stuff so every time I want to start learning I just see things im doing and feel down instantly. is there a good starting point or something like that?

 

[TBONTB]

I looked this up...hope you find something.





Free Courses & Lessons

• Drawabox.com — Legendary free curriculum for beginners, especially focused on foundational perspective, line control, and form.
  • Tough but structured. No fluff.
• 
  
• Ctrl+Paint — Free video library focusing on both digital and traditional drawing concepts.
• Proko YouTube Channel (link) — Great anatomy and figure drawing tutorials, especially for intermediate learners.
• LoveLifeDrawing (link) — Kind, clear figure drawing tutorials for all levels.
• Art Prof (link) — Free art school content from a former RISD professor.

 

[Forveleth]

I do not know any resources for learning to draw, however, I do have some general advice about learning a new skill:

Remember not to look at where you are now. Remember to look at where you are now versus where you were three to six months ago. The goal is to recognize how much you have improved and/or figuring out what you still need to work on.

 

[niceday]

As an option, you can watch live streams of artists you like. Observe how they draw objects and color their work.
Also, the academic art course (bootcamp?) really gave me a strong boost. My teacher told me that I should sketch everything I see (vases, people, etc.) (ideally not from photo). The main thing is not to get caught up in perfectionism: just sketch quickly and move on. Afterwards, you can analyze what didn't work and do better next time.
Mostly draw what you like.
Learning takes time, and that's perfectly normal.

 

[angelsrevolver]

Starting with the fundamentals (colour, anatomy, form, etc.), there should be numerous tutorials and videos available when searching for any of these topics. Also... this is not really pro advice, I guess? But being able to make confident strokes has helped me get a good grasp on some of these concepts. Oh, and first and foremost, draw what you like, and please enjoy the process, otherwise you will easily get burnt out.

 

[Hvergelmir]

Two independent professionals have recommended 'Drawing on the right side of the brain' by B. Edwards, when I asked the same question.
Other than that you really need to enjoy the process and stick with it.

I think a book like that is much more thorough and complete than a collection of free Internet tutorials.

 

[FoxSauce]

I think pinterest and yt may help.also is depending on the person.

Takes a lot of patience and trial and error

 

[badkarma4618]

feeling discouraged when you start drawing is honestly so normal, especially when your taste is already strong but your hand has not caught up yet. that just means you have a good eye, and now you are just slowly building the bridge to meet it.

when i used to volunteer at an art camp for kiddos i always told them the same thing i tell myself now. just draw badly on purpose. take a pen or a crayon, set a timer for ten minutes, and let it be messy and weird and full of joy. no erasing, no pressure, just movement. once that starts to feel lighter you can play with simple forms like cubes and spheres and cylinders, and slowly start drawing things around you by breaking them into those shapes. tracing is also super helpful. there is no shame in tracing when you are starting out, and dont let people convince you otherwise. whether it is from artists you love or scenes from movies or anime. it teaches your hand how to move and your brain how to see. even professional artists do that. the goal is not to be perfect right away, it is just to keep showing up, and to fall in love with the way drawing makes you see the world a little differently. ten minutes a day really does add up and the more you let go of being good or trying to have a "style", the more you will surprise yourself.

good luck!!

 

[DBD Trapper]

You need to understand how perspective works, there are plenty of videos online. making your drawing look more 3D certainly helps.

https://archive.org/details/Scott_Robertson_How_To_Draw/page/19/mode/2up
great for drawing backgrounds and vehicles, when you search whats on the pages from yt there are often demonstrations

https://archive.org/details/michael-hampton-figure-drawing-design-an/page/102/mode/2up
great for drawing people

To draw human heads you have to learn the proportions, how to simplify, perspective and anatomy of the head. Pinterest will be your friend.

Human Male Skull for drawing reference - Download Free 3D model by Mathieu Vaillancourt (@mvart)

This modelisation of a male human skull is based on the Proko Skull that I brought a few months ago. .This model is perfect to practice drawing skulls when you don’t have a physical Reference. - Human Male Skull for drawing reference - Download Free 3D model by Mathieu Vaillancourt (@mvart)

sketchfab.com

Learn how to shade and draw drapery. Learn how to texture stuff in a way you want.

learning how to draw is a long process, draw something you're passionate about and makes you want more of it when learning so it won't become boring.

(i dont own this image) when drawing heads the nose and the eyebrows are great landmarks, notice the 3d shape of the nose and how the eyes are placed around it, all of these shapes can also be simplified into geometric shapes
The lines that are against the background or in front of something as 3d shape are usually thicker, details are usually thinner lighter lines.