DIY Drawing Tutorial

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Here is how you can practice contour drawing--first, select a simple object such as a tea kettle. Choose a point on the edge of the object as a starting point. Allow your eyes to follow the edge of the object all the way around the object until you reach your starting point. As your eyes follow the edges of the subject, your pencil or pen should move in harmony with your eyes, tracing the outline of the subject on paper. You can start by periodically looking at the paper to make sure that you have not gotten too far off track. But as soon as possible, stop looking at the paper all together.

Keep in mind that the purpose of contour drawing is not to produce a finished work of art. Don't worry about the result--contour drawing is simply an exercise to improve your hand-eye coordination, and will be effective when practiced regularly.

Drawing from memory is a challenging skill, but immensely useful to the artist. A well-developed visual memory is one the most important faculties for the artist. There is no doubt that great masters such as Rubens and Michelangelo had extraordinary memories, able to recall how the human figure appeared in any position. The most basic memory exercise is to simply study a stationary subject for a period of time, then remove the subject or turn your back to it before drawing it. As you improve your skill, you should reduce the amount of time spent studying the subject.

Action sketching is another valuable skill for the artist to develop. Sketching a moving subject, such as a person or an animal, forces the artist to study and understand the subject matter better than any other method. Moving subjects require the artist to quickly analyze the subject and determine the most distinctive features. It also forces you to quickly determine the basic proportions, weight distribution and lines of movement for the subject.

Sketching a moving figure is largely a matter of memory. You should spend a period of time studying the subject, then quickly sketch it. Do a series of quick sketches if necessary, correcting and refining the drawing until a satisfactory result is attained. At first it may be necessary to break down the subject into simple geometric shapes to establish the basic form.

The beginner should avoid sketching moving subjects until he has gained proficiency rendering stationary subjects. But once skill has been developed, action sketches can be rich source material for more finished works. I have found that action sketching and contour drawing, along with regular drawing, have been the most beneficial exercises for improving my drawing skills. But whatever you do, just draw! As often as possible.

A word about using photographs--the beginning artist should avoid using photos, as the camera lens distorts proportion and perspective. This is particularly evident in portrait photos. Photos can be invaluable to the experienced artist, who uses them as a guide only, and understands how to compensate for distortion. The beginning artist should always draw from life whenever possible.

I started to draw as a child by copying the drawings of Michelangelo, one of the great masters of the human form. In the beginning I even traced these drawings, an excellent practice for the rank beginner. I then learned how to break the human figure into geometric shapes, thus learning about three-dimensional form, light and shadow, measurement and proportion. Only many years later did I begin to work seriously in color. I feel that if you can render the human body accurately, then you have all the skills necessary for all other subject matter. For most people, however, it would be wiser to start off with simpler subjects, such as still-lifes and landscape scenes, as the human figure can be an intimidating subject.