I’m surprised that there are so few websites concentrating upon giving enthusiastic basic advice to interested amateur artists.
In the last posting How Can I Draw What I See - And Make It Look Real I gave you a link to Learning How To Draw with basic perspective drawing. This is a super introduction to perspectives.
What I found difficult was that Part 2 isn’t as good for me.
This isn’t a criticism…
“How can you expect a simple 2 part series of lessons to give you all there is to know about learning how to draw?”
You can’t, but you can see what is possible to you… take a good look at the Portrait of Einstein and see the possibilities with drawing eyes, nose and mouth.
The website is a site aimed at teaching. Teachers will already have their own artistic skill that they are going to pass on to their students. The site is aimed at opening eyes of children to the possibilities in art and design.
You are different…
“You are already interested in art and design and want to find resources that quickly improve you drawing skills”
I guess there are many answers to why I can’t find many other drawing websites…
- Perhaps, I haven’t been looking hard enough (I’ll keep looking)
- Artists with the skills are too busy producing finished drawings and paintings
- Artists have forgotten the basics
- Artists don’t think they can teach
Or, dread the thought; the professional artists think drawing isn’t important enough to waste time thinking about…
If you are a painter, you can use the paint to define shape, form and texture. If so, drawing using pencils, charcoal and pens seems unimportant… and thinking about how to draw unnecessary.
For instance, when I paint, I rarely draw more than a simple outline before starting to paint. Even the most technical paintings of steam trains had very simple lines and arcs drawn to define position and mechanical outline…
“I prefer to paint”
In fact, I rarely draw sketches to prepare to paint… I just draw a few lines and start to paint.
I think that to many artists…
“It is easier to paint than it is to draw”
Is this just good fortune? Or is it that an artist already presumes, without thinking, they have expert drawing skills.
Ask any artist if drawing skills are important to them and they will say “Yes!”
In representational paintings, good drawing skills are vitally important. Great design also uses superior drawing technique.
Whether your interest is in design or fine art, you are drawing.
When you paint you paint, you are drawing with color. To make a realistic looking painting you use color to give form and depth… you mold the color with the same skills you use to control a drawn line.
- Yet, with painting, you have an advantage…
- You have huge advantage over drawing
- You have hundreds of colors to choose from, to play with, and to create vibrant realism.
Compare this to drawing…
When you draw, you use just a single color… the color of the pencil, charcoal or pen.
In many ways, drawing needs higher skill levels than painting.
It’s a little like the old black and white movies…
“Could you see the color of the hero’s eyes?”
No, but you still felt the atmosphere and action, the mood and temper, the love and romance… silliness and humor…
Using only black, white and a mixture of grays.
“Drawing still works… it is the foundation of good art”
Over the next few postings, I will try to bring you a selection of ‘learning how to draw’ resources…
- Some you will find are good and some not so great
- Some will be free and some you will have to pay for
- Some you will find useful and others just won’t interest you
See you soon
Michael
p.s. the best sources for learning how to draw are still good old fashioned books. In the next posting, I’ll be reviewing a typical drawing instruction book that cost just a few pence.
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