Starting to Draw Help?

[Gone Airbourne 21,969]

I've been really wanting to learn how to draw but I don't necessarily know where to begin with practicing. For those of you who can draw or have started to practice drawing yourself. What things did you practice or try to do to begin with? I just don't know where to start and I've been wanting to learn how for a long time now but constantly putting it off. 

 

 

[SFyr 1,982]

Hello. I've honestly started drawing quite a long time ago, and while I am firmly an amateur still, I think I've picked up a good bit thus far. First off, I wanna ask, why are you wanting to get into drawing precisely, or what you do you plan to keep it is?

Like, is it a talent you want to develop to a semi-professional level, or just something you wanna play around with a bit?

[Guest]

Just something else as a hobby. Something to do to simply pass the time or to do when I've got a lot going through my mind. So I suppose just to do it for the fun of it.

[Xenomorphic 362]

Watch A Video on youtube Of It thats how I drew Semi Good FLuttershy on my wall

[SFyr 1,982]

Well... In my experience, drawing is learning two main abilities: precision/control of your pencil or pen or whatever, and a mental vision/plan that can be used to create an image. Basically, train your hand, and train your mind, as both come together to create great art.

 

If you were going for a more professional route, I would restate the general advice of draw from life. Every deviated or invented style tends to be based on realistic proportions. Anime and ponies have a similar structure to RL counterparts, however the proportions, overall look, or more subtle effects are heavily modified, downplayed, and/or exaggerated. My old art teacher used to stress that regardless of what style you attempt to develop, a solid foundation in life drawings will help a ton. --This is even more true when 'life' is rich in light/shadow, texture, detail, and spacial arrangements.

I would still recommend some of that, but if you'd rather keep it as something 'fun' rather than something akin to 'studying', I wouldn't go too heavily into it. If you're just interested in drawing ponies, for example, I would instead suggest looking into basic structure, joints, and proportions. That kind of stuff is lovely to know well. For example, I would suggest looking for resources such as: http://fav.me/d8cf1pc
I would also pay close attention to the show itself, and maybe pause the characters while they're in motion or standing still, and look for these unnoted joints/lines that govern what is 'natural' for them.

Also, I would also recommend training yourself to see/create depth in a 2D space. Attempting drawings of geometric shapes (from reference, with shading), and spacial perspectives (even very simplistic landscapes and such), I think would help a lot to think of each character as something with form and dimension.

 

Either way, as you've said, it's more about fun though, right?

In the end, you're probably gonna not want to stress out too much about the negative points of your work--there's going to be a TON when you're starting out, and for a long time after--instead, try to focus on what you like, what you did right, and acknowledge things to work on or improve without beating yourself up over them.

Also, the more you draw, the better your chances of getting better. This is even more true when you challenge yourself, experiment, and make a point of trying things you're unsure if you can do, or simply find interesting.

 

Also, if you find a style you enjoy, I wouldn't hesitate to study why you enjoy them, or even play with working in some of those qualities to your own work. I'm not saying to copy any person's art, but maybe use their work for inspiration and motivation to push yourself even further.

Edited June 22, 2015 by SFyr