How does an artist become "self-taught?" and teach himself how to draw when he doesn't know how?

Question

If I don't know how to draw and can't find a good teacher, how do I become "self-taught" and teach myself? Is it all just a time-consuming trial and error method? I have read many books on "how to draw", but they are too general and don't give a good system.

Answer 1

Good question. I can only go by what helped me. Betty Edwards' books (several editions, and a few spin off books) about "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" are excellent if "realistic" rendering is your goal. Drawing from the model and from setups of household objects that have different and interesting shapes, like toasters, coffee cups, bottles, old shoes, draperies, etc, are great to help you learn. You can use yourself as a model, especially if you have a large mirror around.

In terms of concrete goals, when you have a pad in your lap and are ready to go at it, I would say drawing dark shapes as a foundation is a good way to begin. Look at a scene, and squint a little. If it is well lit, you will see the darkest parts most clearly. Start by drawing that, and slowly developing the surrounding, less dark shapes, through phases. What happens eventually is, you have an illusion of solidity and mass and shape, without once having resorted to a hard bounding outline. Some teachers like you to use a hard outline, but the best teachers I have had, in design classes and anatomy and life drawing classes, used a softer, more impressionistic, light-and-dark separating approach like the one I just described.

Answer 2

As an Art teacher I can tell you that self taught artists were famous throughout history. The best way to teach yourself is by studying the art of the "masters". Go to your Public Library and check out Art books on famous artists. For learning composition study the art of Richard Diebenkorn, Morandi, Picasso, and Braque. To learn about colors & how they work together in a painting you should study Matisse (also he was a master of using pattern), Van Gogh, Mark Rothko, Chagall, etc. I used to pick an artist of the month for myself. I would check out as many books on that artist as available. I would read about each painting that attracted me and how they went about creating it. I would then lay down tracing paper over it & try & plot out all possible breaks in the plane or compositional schemes of the painting. After I had figured all of that out I would be able to reproduce it. I learned ssoooooo much and now use this technique in my teaching. Good luck and remember....there are so many different styles of art out there. Don't become discouraged if you can't pick up on it all...especially realism ( I suck at pottery). Just keep trying until you find your niche. In fact, Monet was hated upon by all the Salons & painters of his time. He just had a new approach. Keep on truckin!

Answer 3

First of all, draw everyday. And, a second way to learn is to Copy copy copy master artists works or artists that you appreciate. Figure out how they made marks and look at how they drew the figure or the object they drew. Where's the light source coming from and what shapes are the shadows that are being cast? etc. etc. etc. Just do this more often and then try drawing everyday objects using their style of drawing and then branch out on your own with your own style.

Answer 4

There is a wonderful book by Betty Edwards called Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Many people have used this book to help them "see" things and be able to get out of your fears of drawing. I tell my studens to just keep at it - practice.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, I do think it's just that tedious trial and error method. I would practice basic things first, like shading and contour lines.. and then move on to advanced stuff. There are always online tutorials and drawing galleries for inspiration (amateurillustration.com)...

Answer 6

Good question. You can buy books about the different ways of art and you can practice and study them over and over again until you understand. And that's when you bring out the pencils,markers,paper,ect. Hope I could help.

Answer 7

the method that worked for me was buying books of artists who's styles i wanted to emulate.. then i just used them as inspiration to different body positions or illustration type things. its good to learn the different types of shading and all that different media stuff but just find a artist you like and study their style

Answer 8

Tiral and error. Keep drawing a picture over and over again untill you get the results you want.

Answer 9

Studying other artists, reading the books, and practice. Lots and lots of practice.

Answer 10

Self taught people have a good eye... they don't need teaching like other people... its mostly how you perceive things