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Ask HN: Anyone here have good material for learning how to sketch from scratch?

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Re: Ask HN: Anyone here have good material for learning how to sketch from scratch?

#41

Post by karaterobot »

rg111 wrote: post #30

Draw a Box [0] comes highly recommended. All lessons are free and are taught from scratch. Everything from absolute basics is thoroughly explained and demonstrated. Paid courses by Proko [1] are also said to be of very high quality. I have never bought one, though. I would also suggest that you look into digital art. Sketching/painting/drawing paraphernalia is expensive with time-consuming upkeep and hard to carry if…

As someone who "can draw" by most people's standards, but who never had a formal art education, I benefited a lot from Draw a Box. I liked that it focused so much on the actual, literal mechanics of drawing a good line with your body, which is not something I had ever focused on.

I think it builds sort of slowly, and you need commitment to get through to the part where you're drawing "the rest of the owl" so to speak, aka the fun parts that aren't just endless pages of boxes in perspective.

But, there really isn't a shortcut anyway, and it's worth it, and this course is presented really well, for no money.

Re: Ask HN: Anyone here have good material for learning how to sketch from scratch?

#42

Post by autotune »

rococode wrote: post #39

Charles Bargue's Drawing Course ("cours de dessin" - it's a book) is a classic from the 1800s. It's also in the public domain! https://archive.org/details/C.BargueDrawingCourse/page/n23/m... The idea is to slowly progress through the book by copying each plate accurately (the sizes are scaled down in book form, so zoom in!). I found it very effective for practicing lines, tones, and form. It's nice to pick up fundame…

Went ahead and purchased the book used. Thanks!

Re: Ask HN: Anyone here have good material for learning how to sketch from scratch?

#43

Post by schrectacular »

protonimitate wrote: post #18

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is the holy grail. I don't think you'll find a much better single "diy" resource. I don't think you need to follow it cover to cover, but it's a great reference resource to have and contains a lot of super valuable exercises and resources for drawing "the right way". Honestly, I wouldn't spend money on instruction unless it's in person - drawing is ultimately about seeing and it…

Came to say this too. Had so much fun going through that book. Definitely check it out.

Re: Ask HN: Anyone here have good material for learning how to sketch from scratch?

#44

Post by autotune »

noahbradley wrote: post #31

There are a lot of decent books out there and obviously a million good online resources, but I think if you're looking for a starting point, I'd suggest you look for classes at a local community college or atelier. Avoid anything that looks too "artsy". Self expression is great but find somebody who will teach you how to draw. An atelier would be an ideal option as they tend to have very good technical instruction an…

I have been looking but coming up short. If anyone knows such schools or artists in Austin, Texas that they'd recommend feel free to reply in a comment.

Re: Ask HN: Anyone here have good material for learning how to sketch from scratch?

#45

Post by drums8787 »

drums8787 wrote: post #27

You may not be into comics but I still recommend Lynda Berry’s Making Comics for the aspiring draftsman. Depending on how you best learn, it may be a good fit. Playful, yet structured. So much in the early stages is about overcoming inhibitions and “just do it”, and this book helps with that. Also recommend Gary Panter’s 10 “rules” for keeping a sketchbook. Have fun! Oh, and look up the urban sketchers community, mig…

https://web.archive.org/web/20160201220407/http://unbored.ne...

Re: Ask HN: Anyone here have good material for learning how to sketch from scratch?

#46

Post by mvaliente2001 »

Copying an old comment: "The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: A Course in Enhancing Creativity and Artistic Confidence" by Betty Edwars.

She taught drawing classes and discovered that one reason why people is bad at drawing is that they symbolize what they see before drawing it. For example, when we see a face, we tend to focus on the eyes and mouth and ignore other features like the front. That contributes to a distorted representation that is reflected in the drawing.

She devised a series of exercises to avoid that problem. For example, try to draw a picture upside down, or try to draw an object shape using negative space (you focus on the shapes outside the object).

Re: Ask HN: Anyone here have good material for learning how to sketch from scratch?

#47

Post by noahbradley »

autotune wrote: post #44
noahbradley wrote: post #31

There are a lot of decent books out there and obviously a million good online resources, but I think if you're looking for a starting point, I'd suggest you look for classes at a local community college or atelier. Avoid anything that looks too "artsy". Self expression is great but find somebody who will teach you how to draw. An atelier would be an ideal option as they tend to have very good technical instruction an…

I have been looking but coming up short. If anyone knows such schools or artists in Austin, Texas that they'd recommend feel free to reply in a comment.

Just took a quick look and this one looks very good: https://www.atelierdojo.com/

Re: Ask HN: Anyone here have good material for learning how to sketch from scratch?

#48

Post by brudgers »

Take a sketching class in a formal academic setting.

Through a community college art department for example.

Not at a local recreation center for counter example.

More fleshed out take a sketching class for a grade. A class where you will be told whether you are failing or successful. Where there is homework.

A setting where there is accountability will force the habit of multi-hour blocks of sketching.

And a setting where it becomes socially safe to spend time sketching. Safe to take sketching seriously.

Most importantly safe to take sketching seriously for a few months even though you are terrible at it.

The only way to get better at sketching is to sketch badly and be ok with yourself about it.

Good luck. You have decades to get better.

Re: Ask HN: Anyone here have good material for learning how to sketch from scratch?

#49

Post by noahbradley »

woolion wrote: post #36
noahbradley wrote: post #31

There are a lot of decent books out there and obviously a million good online resources, but I think if you're looking for a starting point, I'd suggest you look for classes at a local community college or atelier. Avoid anything that looks too "artsy". Self expression is great but find somebody who will teach you how to draw. An atelier would be an ideal option as they tend to have very good technical instruction an…

Oh, I never imagined you'd have a hn profile. When I started learning your "Don’t go to art school" post was also quite an inspiration to learn diligently. I had spent one year in art school which was the most useless I ever had and disgusted me of art for quite a few years (and made me switch permanently to math/CS).

Art school can really suck the joy out of art. Not always, of course, but it's so sad when it does.

Hope you found a way to still do art on your own!

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