Can anyone learn to draw well?
- Thread starter Time Waster
- Start date
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ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
When I started teaching my Head of Department (i.e. Head of IT) was married to the Head of Art
He reckoned she was the only person he had ever met that could teach anyone to draw well
One day he was at home and his wife came over and asked how a computer worked - it was a long time ago - and what use it was
as a starter he got Paint loaded and showed her how to use a mouse
she had never even touched a computer before and in 30 minutes had drawn a portrait of him using the mouse
When she retired she won several National awards - nothing massive but the sort that you don't get if you are not seriously good
and she could teach as well!!
He reckoned she was the only person he had ever met that could teach anyone to draw well
One day he was at home and his wife came over and asked how a computer worked - it was a long time ago - and what use it was
as a starter he got Paint loaded and showed her how to use a mouse
she had never even touched a computer before and in 30 minutes had drawn a portrait of him using the mouse
When she retired she won several National awards - nothing massive but the sort that you don't get if you are not seriously good
and she could teach as well!!
Fastpedaller
Senior Member
What's been said above about schooling years ago is very true. I had my first French lesson in big school. The primary school I attended didn't have any French tuition (it did have basket weaving though - which was a good skill); any way, kids from another school had learnt some French. We were all seated and asked to write the numbers from one to 10 which the teacher read out. I, knowing no French of course, just wrote them phonetically. I never did catch up, and furthermore was given no encouragement. The teacher stated I was deliberately failing when I got 3% in the exam - this wasn't the case. I was glad to give up French when the option was available. Fast forward to when I went to Italy at 39 years old, and I learnt enough from the phrasebook to make myself understood most of the time we were there and enjoyed the challenge. So maybe i'd have been competent at languages if I'd got some encouragement all those years ago?
Thankfully we live in more enlightened times...... At the senior school our Daughter attended, they had a hair salon and other facilities which gave a good start to some who maybe didn't have academic leanings, but could progress along other routes to attain a useful career. Our daughter had no idea of what career she intended to follow but showed an aptitude for finance. On a 6th form visit to the local Hospital she decided to become an Occupational Therapist and 3 years later graduated with a 1st class honours as one of the youngest students in the Country. She now trains others and also gives lectures at several Universities. She is about to progress to a Masters.
The confidence, instilling the ability to enquire and try many and varied subjects at the schools she attended was critical to the outcome.
Thankfully we live in more enlightened times...... At the senior school our Daughter attended, they had a hair salon and other facilities which gave a good start to some who maybe didn't have academic leanings, but could progress along other routes to attain a useful career. Our daughter had no idea of what career she intended to follow but showed an aptitude for finance. On a 6th form visit to the local Hospital she decided to become an Occupational Therapist and 3 years later graduated with a 1st class honours as one of the youngest students in the Country. She now trains others and also gives lectures at several Universities. She is about to progress to a Masters.
The confidence, instilling the ability to enquire and try many and varied subjects at the schools she attended was critical to the outcome.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
I'm a self-taught artist as the parentals wouldn't let me take art once it became elective in senior school, and the bottom line is, I learned by doing, and learned from my mistakes. The Alwyn Crawshaw books are really good, btw.
Most of what I do is motor racing based (racing cars) and working from photos, and a technique that *really* helps is called squaring up, where you use a grid to help you see what goes where. It's also good for architecture, because if one angle is out, the whole drawing is out.
You still have to draw the subject though. Mind you, most of the big names in motorsport art use a pantograph or a projector to do stuff, so what's a valid method, really?
My own style is relatively loose, I find I draw much better if I try not to reproduce photographically. Using techniques such as lost edges and just suggesting shapes and forms rather than copying slavishly have made a big difference. I did a lot of painting and drawing during the Covid lockdowns, far more so than usual, and I noticed my work improving markedly. So as with anything, practice, practice, practice. But you need to enjoy it as well, so only work when you're in the mood for it.
Here's a piece I did last summer to illustrate what I mean - a combo of ink pen and black water colour on an A5-sized piece of Bockingford.
Most of what I do is motor racing based (racing cars) and working from photos, and a technique that *really* helps is called squaring up, where you use a grid to help you see what goes where. It's also good for architecture, because if one angle is out, the whole drawing is out.
You still have to draw the subject though. Mind you, most of the big names in motorsport art use a pantograph or a projector to do stuff, so what's a valid method, really?
My own style is relatively loose, I find I draw much better if I try not to reproduce photographically. Using techniques such as lost edges and just suggesting shapes and forms rather than copying slavishly have made a big difference. I did a lot of painting and drawing during the Covid lockdowns, far more so than usual, and I noticed my work improving markedly. So as with anything, practice, practice, practice. But you need to enjoy it as well, so only work when you're in the mood for it.
Here's a piece I did last summer to illustrate what I mean - a combo of ink pen and black water colour on an A5-sized piece of Bockingford.
Fastpedaller
Senior Member
One word... WOW
steveinnorthants
Veteran
I have drawn on and off all my life, but only started doing it commercially, as in taking commissions, in lockdown. I do think you need a bit of talent but you can earn a lot, as I have done, via You Tube etc.
One of the amazing artists I follow online did a video where he coached one of his studio assistances and enabled him to produce a very respectable dog drawing. Worth a look if you are interested Beginner vs Professional: How To Level Up Your Drawing
This is the sort of thing I do
(coloured pencil on bristol board paper)
One of the amazing artists I follow online did a video where he coached one of his studio assistances and enabled him to produce a very respectable dog drawing. Worth a look if you are interested Beginner vs Professional: How To Level Up Your Drawing
This is the sort of thing I do
(coloured pencil on bristol board paper)Attachments
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Now I can draw racing cars and portraits, but don't ask me to draw a cat or a dog because I just can't get my head around the subject matter. So the other thing to add is that you need to "find" a subject that speaks to you, as it were.
We're all good at different things when it comes to painting and drawing, because we all see the world differently.
We're all good at different things when it comes to painting and drawing, because we all see the world differently.
presta
Guru
This was the beginning and end of my drawing career at the age of 13, I never had the knack of making curved surfaces look round:
This is what became of the kid who was good at art at my school.
I can draw all the right lines, but not necessarily in the right place.
I had a head start, I was the only one who'd done two years French at primary school, and by the end of the first year my natural talent for languages had lost me all of that.
Being as engineering maths uses a lot of the Greek alphabet, I found myself above average at reading and pronouncing road signs in Corfu...
AndyRM
XOXO
- Location
- North Shields
Anyone can draw. All you need is an implement and something to draw on. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, if you're happy, it's all good.
Time Waster
Veteran
Seriously, doubt the theory that everyone can draw. By draw I mean such that what you draw can be identified as what you thought you were drawing!
At primary school we did the usual stuff that's more crafty like sticking bits of magazine to create an image. Back then magazines were the only common print media with colour. Newspapers were black and white. I never got that collage thing. It looked like a page of colour.
We also drew things but it was not very good for me. I used to draw military planes, boats and tanks blowing each other up and soldiers that were barely recognisable. They were not in proportion and often carried oversized guns with dashes for bullets and blood flying out of bodies. OK I'm a psychopath I know but all the boys were back then.
School never taught art. Secondary school was a grammar so art was really for those who were good and interested. It was not a main subject for everyone else. We might do 6 weeks a year at it then for CDT instead. CDT was metalwork and woodwork. We made bottle opener and wooden plant pot holder. Also, made a pottery beaker. Not really a main subject neither. They were more interested in science, maths, English, modern language and classics including Latin and ancient Greek.
My mum was interested in art and did classes n later in life. My niece is so talented but has gone more into science. In her art gcse class her teacher said she was glad my niece was there as she brought the standard of the whole class up for that year! The class would watch what my niece did then try to copy it to their standard. A very bright kid with a high work ethic.
I think my gran said something about my musical ability that applies to art as well. She was a talented pianist and teacher. All us cousins had lessons and got taught on visits by our gran. She told my parents that if we lived near she could do something with my sister but I had no talent. She said i simply had no coordination or ability. Never told me but my mum did, with too much glee, a few months back. I was the odd one out in my dad's side of the family. Most cousins got to grade 8, my dad was natural talent but did nothing, uncle n played in orchestras as did one cousin. Aunt was also music teacher. I was the odd one out.
I think my issue is poor coordination, no artistic creativity (I do have creativity in science, technology and maths to some degree) and I can't translate what I see to the page. That last one isn't coordination and creativity issues but translational issues. By that I mean scale, perspective and shape doesn't work for me between what I see and the page. I am very good at scale, and stuff but it's the page layout to start. I can judge distance and horizontal/ vertical alignment very well by eye. If that makes sense.
At primary school we did the usual stuff that's more crafty like sticking bits of magazine to create an image. Back then magazines were the only common print media with colour. Newspapers were black and white. I never got that collage thing. It looked like a page of colour.
We also drew things but it was not very good for me. I used to draw military planes, boats and tanks blowing each other up and soldiers that were barely recognisable. They were not in proportion and often carried oversized guns with dashes for bullets and blood flying out of bodies. OK I'm a psychopath I know but all the boys were back then.
School never taught art. Secondary school was a grammar so art was really for those who were good and interested. It was not a main subject for everyone else. We might do 6 weeks a year at it then for CDT instead. CDT was metalwork and woodwork. We made bottle opener and wooden plant pot holder. Also, made a pottery beaker. Not really a main subject neither. They were more interested in science, maths, English, modern language and classics including Latin and ancient Greek.
My mum was interested in art and did classes n later in life. My niece is so talented but has gone more into science. In her art gcse class her teacher said she was glad my niece was there as she brought the standard of the whole class up for that year! The class would watch what my niece did then try to copy it to their standard. A very bright kid with a high work ethic.
I think my gran said something about my musical ability that applies to art as well. She was a talented pianist and teacher. All us cousins had lessons and got taught on visits by our gran. She told my parents that if we lived near she could do something with my sister but I had no talent. She said i simply had no coordination or ability. Never told me but my mum did, with too much glee, a few months back. I was the odd one out in my dad's side of the family. Most cousins got to grade 8, my dad was natural talent but did nothing, uncle n played in orchestras as did one cousin. Aunt was also music teacher. I was the odd one out.
I think my issue is poor coordination, no artistic creativity (I do have creativity in science, technology and maths to some degree) and I can't translate what I see to the page. That last one isn't coordination and creativity issues but translational issues. By that I mean scale, perspective and shape doesn't work for me between what I see and the page. I am very good at scale, and stuff but it's the page layout to start. I can judge distance and horizontal/ vertical alignment very well by eye. If that makes sense.
AndyRM
XOXO
- Location
- North Shields
It's all about interpretation I guess. Most of what I draw is seen in different ways by people and I think that's pretty cool.
annedonnelly
Girl from the North Country
- Location
- Blyth, Northumberland
I'd be pleased if I could do that! It's really nice.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
No idea how you draw well. My daughter is very good, and studying Animation at Uni.
Threevok
Growing old disgracefully
- Location
- South Wales
Not sure if it's hereditary, but It's something my mother was good at, I'm good at, and my oldest daughter is good at.
Fastpedaller
Senior Member
It certainly could be hereditary, or of course, the environment and skills copied early in life. My Father had no fear of heights, but I'm certainly the opposite!
