You grab a piece of paper, a pencil, and a rubber. You close your eyes and imagine the perfect, beautiful landscape or maybe that fairy tale character you dreamt of last night.
You draw it like there’s no tomorrow, only to find out your drawing is not good. It’s average. Worse, it’s… bad? You get demotivated, but don’t worry!
Painting and drawing are like any other skill: you’ll master them as you practice. Hopefully, these drawing tips for beginners you’re about to read will guide you through the journey.
1) Use References
One of the biggest misconceptions in the world of art is that great painters and drawers don’t use references. Sure, we all have an idea of what an object looks like in our minds, but to put it on paper is a different story.
Don’t get caught up in “how to be a pro” tips, and use references. Carefully observe the shapes, the colors, and the light, and try to capture them. To draw, especially at early levels, is 80% looking and 20% drawing!
2) Don’t Use Much Force on the Pencil
You might be nervous and want to shape the perfect strokes, but using too much force will be counter-effective. Instead, be gentle with your drawing materials! Besides, the thinner your outlines, the easier to erase them.
3) Draw Everyday Things
You may think that it’s no fun to draw a glass of water or a tree, but these skills will come in so handy in your journey. As you notice the shapes and colors of the world around you, you’ll get excited to put them down on paper.
Look around you and choose an item you never really think of. Maybe that lamp on the desk. And draw it, play with it. Imagine it in different angles and colors, or think of how it works on the inside. Everyday items can be so much more interesting than you think.
4) Draw Circles
Yes, you read that right. Circles are trickier than you think. We have all struggled at some point trying to draw one. And they’re present everywhere: faces, wheels, the sun and moon, glasses, etc.
Try sketching circles in your notebook without judging the results. Draw circles over and over like there’s no tomorrow. You can draw concentric ones too to master the skill even more. Eventually, it’ll pay off!
5) Play Around with Drawing Tools
You can’t imagine how many types of pens, markers, pencils, and watercolors there are, not to mention charcoal and other materials. You can play around until you find the tool you enjoy the most – art is supposed to be fun after all!
(You can read my personal recommendations on choosing your drawing pens and markers here).
And don’t get caught up in fancy, expensive supplies. While you’re a beginner, almost anything will do. The important part is to discover what suits you best. Do you like watercolors, or maybe acrylic paint? You’ll find out as you go.
6) Zen Doodle
Zen doodle drawing consists of creating shapes and lines following a pattern invented on the spot until you completely fill the piece of paper.
These repetitive drawings have gained popularity, to the point of becoming a real passion. In fact, zen doodle does not require a great technique, it is very easy to do! And it can serve as a creative basis for other techniques such as collage, scrapbooking, lining covers of personal journals, notebooks, etc.
We have complete Zen Doodle like a PRO resource to fill you with amazing zen doodle ideas! Check it our here.
7) The Eyes, Chico
Again, some people love to draw eyes. There are Instagram accounts that only post eyes drawings. And they’re really good at it. But neither one extreme nor the other. Draw eyes occasionally, at least.
By forcing yourself to learn different eye shapes and expressions, you’ll get the hang of paying attention to details: the iris, light, pupil, lashes, and much more. To bring them all together, you need shading skills as well.
8) Give Life to Inanimate Objects
This is a great way to enhance your creativity. As humans, we have a tendency for finding humanoid figures and traits everywhere, and you can leverage that for your amusement.
Give your phone cute hands, add eyes to a watermelon, or place wings on your laptop. It doesn’t really matter what you do, as the point is to get creative. Mundane objects can be so much more fun than you think.
You might want to make them cute too! If so, you can learn more here.
9) What About Mandalas?
Mandalas are a great way to practice your circles, your sense of symmetry, and of course, your creativity. They are also a very relaxing exercise – they even sell books with mandalas to color and unwind. If you like to color, add a touch of color after drawing them.
Want to learn more? Find out more here.
10) Animals Too…
Horses, dogs, cats, cows, and birds are five examples of somewhat common animals. The anatomy of each species is entirely different from what you’re used to. After you master the art of drawing cats, you’ll have to face dogs, and then birds, and then… Focus on your favorite animals and learn their skeleton, moves, etc. Take it easy!
11) Close Your Eyes and Draw
I told you to use references every time, but this is a fun activity to do from time to time. If you can do it with friends, it’s even better!
Decide together a character, object, or anything you enjoy. Then close your eyes and draw it without seeing. I did this with my friends months ago, and it’s one of the most fun things we ever did.
It helps you focus on the lines you’re drawing, although you don’t see them. You think you have it all together, only to open your eyes and say: what is this?
12) Have Fun
No matter how many tips you read and try. If you don’t enjoy the process, you’ll eventually give up. Have fun while you draw: track your progress, paint things you love, share them with friends, and go to art galleries!
Whatever you do, ensure it’s rewarding and good for you, so you’ll want to do it forever, whether as a hobby or something more professional!
Hopefully, these painting tricks and drawing tips for beginners helped you see things clearer. Happy drawing!
