“What is stopping you drawing?”
Tell me…
“What is stopping you from drawing anything you want?”
Look at the introduction above…
- Do you want to draw people… To draw your son or daughter?
- Do you want to draw animals… a cat or dog, lion or wolf?
- Do you want to draw cool cars?
- Do you want to draw dragons with flames?
- Do you want to draw a garden of roses?
Let’s choose one example…
“So, you want to learn to draw a picture of your child… your young son or daughter”
Why don’t you just get a clean sheet of white drawing paper and a pencil and draw a portrait?
Surely it can’t be too hard… a few lines here and a little shading there… where's the problem?
But you know better.
Yes, it really is hard to make your drawing look like the child you’ve known and loved from the very day they were born.
The best you can manage with your drawing looks nothing like your baby.
Is this what is stopping you draw?
Does this mean that you are rubbish at drawing?
Does this mean that you are a bad artist, who will never draw anything?
Listen! Its okay!
Let me tell you a secret… many of the biggest names in art couldn’t draw a decent portrait of beloved child. So why would you be disheartened?
There is nothing to be ashamed of.
Portrait drawing and painting have been considered the highest levels of art that only the best will ever succeed.
The reason why most people can’t draw is that they give up too easily. They give up trying too soon.
The reason they give up can be that they are too ambitious. They attempt subjects that are too difficult.
Portraits and figure drawing is hard to do because of all those curves. It is hard to get a likeness. It is hard to get character. It is hard to capture real life with a drawing.
Technical studies are another difficult subject field. How many people do you know who can draw a car? Who do you know can draw a sailing ship complete with all the rigging?
I used to specialize in painting and drawing steam trains. There aren’t too many people who can do it well. There aren’t too many who care to try. I know that I can do a fair job of trains and cars but I wouldn’t know where to start with sailing ships.
As dumb as you like, I started my art career with a difficult subject. Fortunately, you are far cleverer than that. You are going to start with easy stuff.
You know that you want to have some fun. So, you will begin with simple drawing and build your drawing skills.
You know the benefits of being comfortable with what you know. And you understand that you know the skills and expertise you gain and are comfortable with makes it easy for you to draw well.
Of course, it is up to you. It is your choice whether you make it hard or easy. You are welcome to make a fool of yourself, as I did.
You are welcome to try drawing family portraits that make your husband look like a well known farmyard animal. You might draw a smile when you recognize that the drawing of your wife looks remarkably like a hippo.
Seriously, this isn’t what you want. Start simple and easy and you will get it right.
And the first step is to draw a straight line. It is not as easy as you think. Here’s a challenge for you before the next posting…
“Make a list of as many different ways you can draw a straight line”
See you soon
Michael
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