I keep trying to learn to draw but I simply suck at it no matter what. I’d love to learn how to draw all kinds of things like architectural drawings, or cute designs, etc. But I can barely even copy something if I have the picture right in front of me.

I’d like to take a class that teaches the basics of drawing that I could follow along with using Procreate or something. Does anyone have good recommendations for someone who seems unable to gain any proficiency at drawing?

  • naught101@lemmy.world
    311·
    4 days ago

    Get yourself a copy of Betty Edwards’ Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain. Her main point is that drawing isn’t your problem, seeing is, because the logical component of the brain gets in the way of the visual cortex, and wants to draw symbols for things, instead of the actual shapes and shades. The book is packed with exercises that will flip your brain into understanding how to see. Then it’s just a matter of practice, but it feels a lot less daunting then, because it also gives you the tools to better critique your own drawings constructively.

      • naught101@lemmy.world
        9·
        4 days ago

        I’ll be honest, I didn’t make it all the way through, but the core concepts are explained well on the first few chapters, and some of the early exercises are good enough to give a pretty deep understanding of how it works. The two exercises that really hit home for me were the one where you re-draw the line drawing of the man, and then do it again upside down;, and the excerise where you draw the empty shapes between and around a chair.

    • Brewchin@lemmy.worldEnglish
      5·
      4 days ago

      I really tried with that book, after a similar recommendation on pigboy’s site years ago - and it does have some useful techniques and ideas - but I just couldn’t get past her magical thinking proselytism. Every other paragraph, or so it seemed at the time.

      Without wishing to put everyone off it: her “why” is (demonstrably and unequivocally) bollocks, but her “how” is good.

      • naught101@lemmy.world
        1·
        4 days ago

        I don’t really remember, I guess that wasn’t a problem for me. Do you mean the left brain/right brain thing? I think I just treated that as metaphorical…

      • barneypiccolo@lemm.eeEnglish
        3·
        3 days ago

        It’s the combination of that, and lots and lots of practice.

        We use to draw all the time as kids, and then we stopped, and thats why our adult drawings look like kid’s drawings - that’s the last time we drew anything.

        Civilians don’t understand how many times an artist will draw the same things over and over, before they start to get good at it. They don’t really question repetition for musicians, so why would they for art? Nobody picks up their artistic tools (pencils or a musical instrument) and starts creating like a pro, it takes lots of “rehearsal.”

        The musician takes years to train their ears, and an artist requires years to train their eyes. Then it takes years to train your hands to perfect your technique in response to that ear or that eye.

        Books or courses may guide you, but ultimately, it’s sheer repetition that makes the progress possible.

      • naught101@lemmy.world
        2·
        4 days ago

        Good to find out you’re right, huh? 😁

        Of course there are still lots of technique related skills to learn too, but this is by far the biggest boost I ever got.