Beginning Drawing: "Where do I start?"

I'm the kind of person who flips through art books incessantly but rarely sits down to read what the book actually says. (So no, the irony of me writing anything at all that I hope/expect others to read does not escape me.) I say this because whenever I find a promising book with how-to information, I want to skip the wording and just study the images to see if I can recreate them. I suppose I can sometimes get away with this since I've been drawing and painting intermittently for over 30 years, but in all honesty I'd be an even better artist if I were disciplined and paid attention to the books.

Now I've gotten to the point where I'm teaching others to paint and draw, and I am eternally grateful to every single student I've worked with. Not only do I have the pleasure of seeing their growth, I find they keep me energized, make me a better artist, and push me to articulate different aspects of the craft in ways that help the absolute beginner. There's nothing more satisfying to both student and teacher than seeing that light bulb go off and their artwork leap off the page with life and brilliance!

So to begin. What does a wannabe artist really need to start drawing?

The short answer: pencil, paper, eraser.

The longer answer: 

• Drawing pencils in H's and B's (2H, H, HB, 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B - or a box set with similar range)
• A drawing or sketch pad in a comfortable size. I like 9x12" because it's easily portable but gives you a large enough surface to draw on.
• People's opinions vary on erasers but the ones I use the most are a kneaded eraser, a white plastic eraser, and a Tuff Stuff eraser.

The other thing that you need is to understand that you do not need talent. Let me repeat that:

YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE "TALENTED" TO DRAW.

This is really important because if you've always believed you can't draw, then having a negative mindset like this is not going to help. It'll only be a crutch and an excuse for when the going gets tough. Drawing isn't about talent at all. If you've got it, fine. Great. I do, too. And you know what? It's been more of a hindrance than a help. It made me lazy when I was younger because I didn't have to work for it, and as I've gotten older I've realized that if I weren't so bloody cocky about my natural talent, I would have been a better student and gotten a lot further a lot earlier in my technical skills.

So drawing isn't about having talent. It is a skill that can be learned like reading music, driving a car, or keeping plants alive. Some people find somethings easier than others. I'm always struggling to keep my plants alive, but I keep trying! And just like learning to drive, learning to draw is about being observant. Look - really look - at the world around you. There's no shortage of inspiration, and together we're going to explore just how to capture that inspiration on paper.

Leave me a comment or question and tell me if anything I've said is helpful!