# Trying to learn to draw



## Jino (Aug 17, 2016)

So I'm completely new to drawing and I wanted to give it a shot, I was wondering what I should do to get better because what I'm currently doing is watching youtube art tutorials and working off of that but I feel like I'm copying people too much doing that, I want to make my own style and not use other peoples styles.


----------



## Casey Fluffbat (Aug 17, 2016)

You learn by example and principles set before you. That is how the world works. Whether you want to figure it out alone or acquire help is all up to you.

Developing your own style would often be a more personal thing. Take what you draw right now for instance, and how you draw it. That is the fundamental basis, that is your style. Add things to it, don't change it. Refine it, add elements you see in similar works and try it yourself. You won't see difference immediately until you've repeated this cycle enough times.


----------



## Grruelty (Aug 17, 2016)

Hey I'm doing the same thing. Something I have been doing is watch speedpaints from different artists. I examine which techniques resonate the most with me, and attempt to emulate them. Sometimes a bad attempt at emulation can lead to discovery of techniques that add to the uniqueness of your art.


----------



## Jino (Aug 17, 2016)

MadKiyo said:


> You learn by example and principles set before you. That is how the world works. Whether you want to figure it out alone or acquire help is all up to you.
> 
> Developing your own style would often be a more personal thing. Take what you draw right now for instance, and how you draw it. That is the fundamental basis, that is your style. Add things to it, don't change it. Refine it, add elements you see in similar works and try it yourself. You won't see difference immediately until you've repeated this cycle enough times.


thanks for the help! I was just worried that I would mess up my style by copying other people while so early in the learning stages, I guess not


----------



## Komms (Aug 17, 2016)

You have to know the basics first to be frank. It takes time to even do the basics down [anatomy, coloring, painting] 
When I first started I was too impatient for the final product, now I focus on simplifying everything into simple shapes and guide lines to help me out as well as picking small quirky things I kept in my own art.

It's fine if you use another artist's method for practice as long as you keep it to yourself and you don't sell their technique for profit imo :>
It took me 10 years to get to where I am today, and I'm STILL focusing on trying to improve as an artist :> 
Go at your own pace and persevere instead of giving up! 

You develop into your own style eventually from artist you look up to, and take influence from. 

For recommendations for basic art tutorials, I highly recommend these channels:
www.youtube.com: Sycra
www.youtube.com: Proko
www.youtube.com: onairvideo

As well as these reference websites to assist you for figure drawing [Drawing faster and creating poses on your own]

http://pose-emporium.deviantart.com/gallery/
artists.pixelovely.com: Gesture Drawing Tools for Artists


----------



## Jino (Aug 17, 2016)

Grruelty said:


> Hey I'm doing the same thing. Something I have been doing is watch speedpaints from different artists. I examine which techniques resonate the most with me, and attempt to emulate them. Sometimes a bad attempt at emulation can lead to discovery of techniques that add to the uniqueness of your art.


I would've never thought of speed paints! I was just using tutorials this whole time and there aren't very many of those, btw your ram looks really cool!


----------



## Jino (Aug 17, 2016)

Komms said:


> You have to know the basics first to be frank. It takes time to even do the basics down [anatomy, coloring, painting]
> When I first started I was too impatient for the final product, now I focus on simplifying everything into simple shapes and guide lines to help me out as well as picking small quirky things I kept in my own art.
> 
> It's fine if you use another artist's method for practice as long as you keep it to yourself and you don't sell their technique for profit imo :>
> ...



wow, I didn't even know there were websites for that, I can't wait to start using them! thanks a lot for this awesome answer and good luck on your art!


----------



## hinckley (Aug 22, 2016)

Jino said:


> wow, I didn't even know there were websites for that, I can't wait to start using them! thanks a lot for this awesome answer and good luck on your art!


Drawabox is an online resource where you can actually get (free!!!!!) feedback from the instructor.


----------



## quoting_mungo (Aug 22, 2016)

Honestly, until it happens on its own (which it will!), "style" is a trap, not something to strive for. What you want when you're learning to draw is to do a lot of life drawing and exercises that help you learn anatomy. Using tutorials is fine; it helps teach you how to break things down into simpler shapes/steps without forcing you to figure out which those shapes/steps should be right away. Often seeing how other artists simplify/approach certain features may also help develop your understanding of those shapes.

If you start worrying about "my style" before you have solid underpinnings, you'll only end up screwing yourself over in the long run.


----------



## Os (Aug 22, 2016)

If you're still into youtube tutorials, definitely check out Proko www.youtube.com: Proko if you're on the more human end of the spectrum, anatomically. I know I like to toss on one of his videos for noise when I'm brushing up on the basics again.


----------



## JCobalt (Aug 23, 2016)

The best advice I can give after 4 years of art school and then 4 more years of figuring out what to do with what 4 years of art school has taught me is that there really isn't a 'wrong' way to do art.  
It's your expression of your feelings and innermost thoughts.  I consistently forget to stop doing what I think other people want to see and just draw the things I like to draw because that's why I started drawing in the first place!  Don't let the technical quality of your work overshadow your enjoyment of drawing.  

In other words, get better, but have fun, too~.

If you want to feel like you're more accurately rendering that which you wanted to draw anyway, it helps to study and try to draw whatever it is you are interested in from life (if possible).  I personally work off of photographs because I am lazy and antisocial, but like, you do you, man.


----------

