How can I learn to draw better? Do lessons really help, or can I learn on my own?

Answer 1

Lesson + lots of practice.

Answer 2

You can learn on your own but you have to be dedicated to it. There are a lot of good books out there that you can find in the library. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is a good one. I don't know what you plan on focusing on but that book is a good place to start. With lessons your instructor can point you in the right direction and teach you things you may not have realized on your own. I am a mostly self taught artist and I didn't take an art class until I was in my junior year of high school. I read a lot of books on art. A lot of the stuff that the instructor went over was stuff I learned on my own but a lot was new to me.

Basically you should draw and do it a lot, observe the world around you and discover how things are put together. Break down objects into basic shapes. Observation is key in drawing as is practice, practice, practice.
Regardless of whether you choose to teach yourself or take lessons you have to practice.

Answer 3

You can learn a lot from lessons and yes they will help. The thing is if it's a weekly deal it may not fit into your schedule and you may end up feeling rushed. If that happens you could half *** the lessons and waste time and money.

On the other hand you can learn on your own. There are a ton of rescources on the net, libraries, art supply stores and bookstores that can help you out. If you go this route I suggest you get some books on basic skills and go from there. If you don't have the basics your improvement will be limited. Also you can work on things as time allows instead of being under the gun. Learn at your own pace.

Either way you go you have to remember one thing. You'll only get out of it what you put into it. If you want to get better you'll have to put in the time and it won't happen over night.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Hi,
For some people drawing comes naturally. But when I was 7 I took art classes over the summer and I was really good then when I quit taking them I quit drawing so well. So yes lessons do help. You can usually find them really cheap to mine were only $25 For 2 weeks I think!

Answer 5

Both.

There is a good book out called "Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain", by Betty Edwards. I used it in college when I was taking art. My professor taught from that book. If you follow the techniques you should find your drawings improve greatly. There is also a workbook by the same name. Our drawing skills come from the right side of the brain, but most of the right handed people aren't using it because the left side controls the right hand. This book teaches you techniques that will help access that part.
http://amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-3957129-5389710?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=drawing+on+the+right+side+of+the+brain

Give your local Parks And Recreation a call, YMCA, or Michaels and see if they offer drawing classes. Some universities will offer classes as well to the open public.

Also, look online at google.com there are loads of places teaching how to draw.

Good luck.

Answer 6

you can learn on your own. Start setting up still life displays and draw from them. Have a can, a box, something triangle shaped.

Don't draw from photographs. A camera already makes a lot of decisions for you and turns a 3-D into a 2-D. You will be much better off learning from real objects yourself. It teaches you how to really see.

Answer 7

I have a fine art degree from the university of colorado, and a graphic design business that thrives in Aspen. My advice to learning to draw better: if you have an image you're copying, for example: a picture of a woman torn from a magazine, try turning the image upside down, and instead of seeing the line of her face, try just visualizing and copying the line. If you draw the lines you see on the page, and not actually visualize the outcome, you'll see what looks like random lines will come together to form a face. People get bogged down because what they see on the paper doesn't look like what they're drawing. Break it down into parts, and finish the part.

Answer 8

If you are disciplined and can follow directions, then learning on your own may be an option.

Taking courses really help sand there is a trained artist who could help you with any difficulties.

Try a Continuing Education course through the local community college or community center. They usually meet a couple of nights a week for 6 weeks. Michael's may have an afternoon or evening course.

Answer 9

Drawing takes constant practice to build up your skill. Classes and formal lessons can help because they expose you to the other styles and techniques of other artist which you can blend with your own style to improve your skills. I've mainly been self-taught and read alot of art books to learn the basics and just kept practicing.

If you're new to drawing or don't like how your progressing you might want to pick a style (still life, anime, cartoon, real life, comics, chibi, etc.), learn and practice with it for a while until you get good with it. Once you get the knack of it switch to another style. By learning things one style at a time you might get a better feeling of accompilshment in improving your skills.

Also, keep it up, you have to keep drawing to maintain your skill. I used to be pretty good, but I haven't drawn much in a few years. I'm so out of practice that my recent stuff looks worse that my old stuff. I don't have my books here with me so I can't provide you the authors, but these are some of the books I used to teach myself. You might want to check them out.

How to Draw the Marvel Way
(teaches basic comicbook style drawing and perspective)

Picture Drawing with Color Pencils
(teaches how to make photo-like drawings with color pencils)

Drawing the Female Nude, Drawing the Male Nude, and Drawing Figures in Motion
(these are 3 books from the same series that teach how to draw real life people. Teaches some basic anatomy of musculature and bones, facial features, and foreshortening perspectives.)

Answer 10

Check at the bookstore or library for a book on drawing - what ever type you are most interested in, comic, life, illustration - then follow the directions and see if you improve. Even tracing will help you get the hang of it. Once you catch on to how it is done you will develop your own style. Maybe the Egyptians wouldn't have every ones feet going sideways if they had a book to follow.

Answer 11

lessons always help. even a few can give you new ideas and new perspectives; you don't have to take away everything they teach you but for sure it will help you grow as an artist. there are books too. there's Drawing for the Right Side of the Brain, i believe, which is excellent. and then sure, there's practice.