How to Draw

Are you interested in drawing and painting but don't know where to start? While drawing is a talent, there are certain techniques and exercises that anyone can do to learn how to draw better. Follow these steps to learn how to express your creativity on paper.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Eraser
• Still objects to draw
• A drawing instruction book
• Drawing paper
• Pencil (B, 2B or 4B)

1. Get the things you will need for drawing, including a pencil, eraser, pencil sharpener, rough paper or a drawing pad. Also, you'll need a few objects that have simple lines and details, for example, a coin that can be kept on the drawing paper.

2. Place the paper on a hard surface on the floor or on the table. Hold the pencil firmly but not so tight that your hand gets cramped.

3. Scribble a few lines on the rough paper. See how pressing harder or lightening your grip changes the look of the pencil marks. Playing with textures, shades and patterns this way can help you become familiar with what kinds of marks your pencil is capable of making.

4. Begin by sketching the coin or other object you've chosen to draw. Start sketching the object's outline first, lightly. As you come up with an outline you like, you can go over it again a little darker.

5. Draw any details that the object has. For example, with a coin, you should put in the little details on the face of the coin. Take note of subtle lines and textures on the object and try to recreate it on paper.

6. Add shading effects to the drawing. The area where shadow effect is seen will require a darker tone. Observe how the light falls on the object and try to capture the light and dark hues on paper.

7. Use the eraser as necessary, but avoid scrubbing out a lot of pencil marks. You'll just smudge your picture. Remember, sketching and drawing is made of light, fluid motions that you can make darker when you've drawn something well.

8. When you've finished drawing the object, try it again from a different point of view. When you practice drawing, you'll get better at controlling the pencil and creating the subtle shades and textures you need to draw well.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose a well-lit area when drawing.

• Draw objects that you see around you every day. After you become comfortable drawing still objects, such as flowers or a house, you can move on to live subjects, such as animals or children.

• There are many drawing instruction books on the market that can guide beginning artists in drawing exercises. Look for one to get you started.

• Never feel discouraged in the early stages. Have patience and keep on practicing.