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Ask HN: How do I learn drawing?
91–100 of 127 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do I learn drawing?
#92To learn to draw, you first need to learn to see. So copy things. Try this project: Take a sheet of paper and divide the space into 2 equal halves. In one half make a collage of black and white images. No color - this is important. Try to fill the space if you can. Once done, get a pencil, eraser and ruler. Your job is to copy the collage into the other half as accurately as possible. To do this, measure where every…
This is the worst way to learn how to draw. It is a short term satisfying thing to do and produces great result. The litmus test for someone who knows truly how to draw is to ask them to redraw whatever object they drew but from a different angle or perspective. Most people to learned by measuring and training their eye won't be able to do it. In order to draw, you need to internalize the 3d shape. Start from basic s…
But op didn't ask for the ultimate drawing test, asked for starting practice.
Parent advice is spot on: the initial exercises need to focus on arranging lines and spaces maintaining arbitrary proportions, and copying existing things is great for that. The other foundational stkill is shading, but that's easy enough to learn by doing.
Then you move into figure study, and maybe begin to develop your own style, but it's not really needed at this phase. You know shapes by now, so drawing cats, animals, persons outlines works great in putting harmony into shapes.
Once one can reliably put down shapes and proportions and shading, it's time to move up to scenes. Object interactions, shadows, relative positioning are the skill to master here, perspective lines can help at the beginning, copying architecture and placing figures on it a great exercise.
Once this skillset is built then you've the tools to test yourself, and the litmus test is not drawing figures, that is foundational. The litmus test is to draw a figure out a scene in various styles so that it's clear in each different production both that the character and which style does it fit.
Re: Ask HN: How do I learn drawing?
#93[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: How do I learn drawing?
#94I can’t claim anything universal, so I’ll only speak for my own experience. I developed a bit as a teen, but stopped drawing entirely until my mid-late 30s, and it was a huge challenge to start again.
0. I prepared myself emotionally for failure. Knowing I might not get where I wanted to be let me get comfortable with the winding path of progress, and less likely to give up when a piece or practice didn’t go the way I wanted.
1. I got somewhere comfortable that I could spend a lot of time. At the time this was a neighborhood bar, now (when the weather improves) I’d probably choose my porch.
2. I drew. A lot. A lot a lot. I drew stuff I didn’t want to draw until I felt comfortable with the act, even if I didn’t like the outcome. And I threw away a lot. I know it’s common advice not to, but for me it was freeing to not get too invested in any one piece.
3. I drew portraits of people I cared about, as a gift for them. Another comment mentioned the importance of learning to see. Knowing the recipients may be hurt or unflattered by a poor portrayal of their person helped me take the time to “correct” my vision and how it corresponds to what I draw, and helped me really see where I could improve.
4. I shared anything and everything without hesitation—work in progress, “finished” pieces, really finished pieces—and explicitly welcomed feedback. This helped me see what other people saw in my work.
5. I prepared myself for disappointment. I’m somewhat repeating the first point because it was important for me to know my friends (and portrait gift recipients) might not always see the work from my eyes.
6. I took a sober, critical look at my work, to identify where I could improve, and kept drawing.
Re: Ask HN: How do I learn drawing?
#95One fun (free!) resource is DrawABox. Despite the humble name, you'll learn a lot more :) Well structured, exercise-based, it takes you all the way from the absolute fundamentals. https://drawabox.com/lessons
I've heard great things about DrawABox and the works of Andrew Loomis: https://www.amazon.com/Fun-Pencil-Everybody-Easily-Learn/dp/...
Re: Ask HN: How do I learn drawing?
#96Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't know why its hostile to say something is bad. No personal animosity intended. The problem is that your method is an easy way to get great results and probably good enough for hobbyists. But if you really want to seriously learn how to draw, I implore you to explore the formal way of learning how to draw. It's hard and long haul task, takes years but it is damn satisfying.
I didn’t downvote but I object to this part, especially for beginner learners: > The litmus test for someone who knows truly how to draw is to ask them to redraw whatever object they drew but from a different angle or perspective. Most people to learned by measuring and training their eye won't be able to do it. How many of us, when we encounter a piece of artwork we appreciate, really care if the artist is able to r…
I think its underrated - being able to draw whatever you want without a reference except an object you have in the mind in any angle, any perspective distortion and have light falling on it from any vantage point.
It is so powerful! You can draw comic strips to serious fine art almost effortlessly after understanding the construction of the form.
I just think that it is the only way to learn how to draw because it is a superset of everything else.
Re: Ask HN: How do I learn drawing?
#97Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't know why its hostile to say something is bad. No personal animosity intended. The problem is that your method is an easy way to get great results and probably good enough for hobbyists. But if you really want to seriously learn how to draw, I implore you to explore the formal way of learning how to draw. It's hard and long haul task, takes years but it is damn satisfying.
I didn’t downvote but I object to this part, especially for beginner learners: > The litmus test for someone who knows truly how to draw is to ask them to redraw whatever object they drew but from a different angle or perspective. Most people to learned by measuring and training their eye won't be able to do it. How many of us, when we encounter a piece of artwork we appreciate, really care if the artist is able to r…
I also object to the part you object to:
> ask them to redraw whatever object they drew but from a different angle or perspective.
since the context presented in the original article is the question of how to learn to draw.
It is asking too much to expect a student to redraw an object from a different perspective before they have even learned how to render anything.
Learning takes place in steps. Roberthahn was being far more constructive with his comment that offered the exercise of copying a black and white drawing in order to learn how to see light vs shade. That's the first two steps in learning how to draw - learning how to see light vs shade, and translating that perception into your fingers.
Re: Ask HN: How do I learn drawing?
#98To learn to draw, you first need to learn to see. So copy things. Try this project: Take a sheet of paper and divide the space into 2 equal halves. In one half make a collage of black and white images. No color - this is important. Try to fill the space if you can. Once done, get a pencil, eraser and ruler. Your job is to copy the collage into the other half as accurately as possible. To do this, measure where every…
This is the worst way to learn how to draw. It is a short term satisfying thing to do and produces great result. The litmus test for someone who knows truly how to draw is to ask them to redraw whatever object they drew but from a different angle or perspective. Most people to learned by measuring and training their eye won't be able to do it. In order to draw, you need to internalize the 3d shape. Start from basic s…
Many people draw very well by using models. Even some of the best known artist used models to make their master pieces. I understand what you are pointing out but keep in mind that there are many styles of learning to draw. It all comes down to what works for you.
Re: Ask HN: How do I learn drawing?
#99Years ago there was a thread like this one, and people suggested "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain", just like they do here. So I tried that. Here's my account; I hope it will be useful to whoever reads it now that the topic has fallen off of the front page. * * * I worked through all the exercises in the book, and to be honest it was elevating: in a few (two?) weeks I was able to draw still life in a way I nev…
You found yourself a great teacher! I have to say something similar after using and enjoying several resources mentioned in this thread, what sticks out to me most in memory are the lessons I learned from artists in two adult learning classes on drawing and design at local workshops. Very similar stuff to what you listed above.
Re: Ask HN: How do I learn drawing?
#100Earlier quoted context omitted.
I didn’t downvote but I object to this part, especially for beginner learners: > The litmus test for someone who knows truly how to draw is to ask them to redraw whatever object they drew but from a different angle or perspective. Most people to learned by measuring and training their eye won't be able to do it. How many of us, when we encounter a piece of artwork we appreciate, really care if the artist is able to r…
I also object to the part you object to: > ask them to redraw whatever object they drew but from a different angle or perspective. since the context presented in the original article is the question of how to learn to draw. It is asking too much to expect a student to redraw an object from a different perspective before they have even learned how to render anything. Learning takes place in steps. Roberthahn was being…
Nicely put. I’d stress the importance of the (allegedly, I’m yet to try it myself) faster payoff from the copy technique. You have to start somewhere, and without basic practice of visual perception/fine motor skill coordination the insurmountable upfront investment of drawing uninteresting objects from different angles over and over again looks like a great way to kill own motivation and declare yourself lacking some inborn talent.
In my view, the only valid critique of the copy method (or any other way of learning) could be if it doesn’t work, otherwise I see no reason to declare that method of learning as unequivocally “bad” except to heighten the barrier to entry.