I'm terrible at drawing but want to become good, any tips?

[bleedoutlove]

I'm absolutely terrible at drawing, you guys would probably want to kill the paper if you saw it haha :p But nah i'm terrible, does anyone have any advice? Thanks

[Magus]

Look at this picture, and tell me what you see.

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx144/deadlydreamerx/Drawings/Difference-Old-and-New.png

[bleedoutlove]

I see a bald man, about 30 or so, looking at a floating cut off head with straw-like hair on lined paper? But he has a jawline and stuff?

[Magus]

I see a bald man, about 30 or so, looking at a floating cut off head with straw-like hair on lined paper? But he has a jawline and stuff?Facepalm.

Ok, do you see any significant difference between the "cut off head" and the a "bald man"?

[bleedoutlove]

Oh right :p
The cut off head has no distinct facial features or shadowing, or definition, the man has his neck and upper body showing, and his ears etc :)

[Magus]

Oh right :p
The cut off head has no distinct facial features or shadowing, or definition, the man has his neck and upper body showing, and his ears etc :)I will give you the butter: You practise. Practise and Practise. Practise drawing your room, different thing, different faces, bodies and etc.

There are many techniques, but one should stick to line-art at first to get the basic concepts right to move on to other techniques(or try them while learning the basics).

That's what I am saying. I am sure people with keen eyes will realise the drawing on the left doesn't look good, but on the right, they can spot small bit of basic drawing skill and little anatomical knowledge. The difference are 3 years apart.

It's all about practising, and gaining knowledge while doing it. It's like reading or learning to drive - the more you do it, the better you get at it.

And to become a professional, also follow the 10, 000 hour rule. The more you engage in an activity, the better you get at it, no matter what it is.

[bleedoutlove]

Okay, thank you - but what about the actual technique? I have really bad handwriting and shake a bit when I draw so any tips on that? Thanks alot :)

[Blujay]

ElectricNomad said most of it. Practice is how you get to be good. I think tracing pictures you like can help build muscle memory and train your eye. (just don't try and take credit for them)
Referencing pictures is even better. Draw whenever you have spare time. And do it for fun, not because you think you NEED to be good or whatever. It should be enjoyable. =]
Oh and about the hand shaking/bad handwriting thing. I can't draw a straight line to save my life. I have terrible handwriting. It doesn't really affect my art, as far as I can tell. If you practice enough, you'll get used to it.
~Hope that helped.

[darkwoon]

Okay, thank you - but what about the actual technique? I have really bad handwriting and shake a bit when I draw so any tips on that? Thanks alot :)
The quality of your handwriting is unrelated to how you draw, so no worries about that.

Regarding the hand shaking:
1- Practice definitely help with that.
2- Don't push too strongly on the paper, and don't hold your pencil too firmly. If you need to draw darker lines, switch for a "softer" pencil instead of pushing more on paper.
3- Hold your pencil properly. Remember that you are drawing, not writing, so you may get better results by changing the way you hold the tool. The longer your lines, the further from the tip of your pencil your hand should be.
4- Erasers are friends, not enemies, so always have a sharp one nearby, and if one of your line is too shaky, don't hesitate to call them to the rescue.
5- Draw on larger surfaces. The bigger the drawing, the less obvious small shakes will be.

Now, don't forget that when you are drawing, you are usually very close to the sheet, and are thus able to see even the smallest mistakes - the finished picture is normally meant to be seen from further, so sometimes, what you would consider shaky will in fact easily go unnoticed.

[Spook]

Here is more help on the hand shaking- If you need to draw straight lines, use a ruler and draw along the edge, or use a protractor for both straight and curved lines. This helps me.

EDIT: Also, rest your hand on a surface and angle the pencil to minimize shaking.

:D

[bleedoutlove]

Thank you all so much :)

[Magus]

Thank you all so much :)Actually, you don't want to draw the "a line" slowly, you want to do it in a quick swift motion.

Artist's of all background use this exercise before initiating practice - it's like a warm up.

http://www.sketchmyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/how-to-draw-straight-lines-1.jpg

If you continue with that exercise, you will eventually draw 100% straight lines easily.

[bleedoutlove]

Is it just kind of, drawing a random grid with overcrossing straight lines?

[Magus]

Is it just kind of, drawing a random grid with overcrossing straight lines?facepalm/ You are not quick to grasp abstract tips.

Go here: Click me (http://www.ehow.com/how_2277142_draw-straight-lines-ruler.html)

[Weeping]

practice!

[Saosin]

To get better you should practice.
It can be frustrating at times so take breaks.
Draw what inspires you. Let your art express your feelings, mood or interests.

There are drawing books out there that will help with developing the form of an object whether it be a person, animal or nature.