The Artist's Complete Guide To Figure Drawing

This article will provide a comprehensive guide that teaches you how to draw, including the materials that you'll need, the techniques you can use, and some exercises to practice.

Contents

• 1 Introduction: The First Sketch
• 2 Why Is Drawing a Fun Skill to Learn?
  • 2.1 A positive effect on mental health
  • 2.2 Improves your communication skills
  • 2.3 Helps with memory retention
  • 2.4 Improves Bilateral and Fine Motor Coordination
  • 2.5 The Economic Benefits of Drawing
• 3 What Will You Need To Succeed At Drawing?
  • 3.1 The Basics
    • 3.1.1 Drawing Pencils
    • 3.1.2 A Sketchbook
    • 3.1.3 Sharpener and Eraser
    • 3.1.4 Additional Tools
    • 3.1.5 Colored Pencils
    • 3.1.6 Paints
    • 3.1.7 Charcoal
• 4 How To Learn How To Draw: The Steps
  • 4.1 Master Pencil Strokes and Grip
    • 4.1.1 Straight lines
    • 4.1.2 Circular
    • 4.1.3 Cross Hatching
    • 4.1.4 Directional
    • 4.1.5 Tapping
  • 4.2 Learn to Draw a Straight Line
    • 4.2.1 Start With Simple Objects and Build Your Way Up
  • 4.3 How to Draw a Circle in a Square: Step-by-Step
  • 4.4 Learn to master light and shadows
    • 4.4.1 The Light
    • 4.4.2 The Cast Shadow
    • 4.4.3 The Shadow Line
  • 4.5 Creating Depth With Texture
  • 4.6 Discover Your Unique Style
    • 4.6.1 Step one
    • 4.6.2 Step two
    • 4.6.3 Step three
• 5 Conclusion: You Can Learn To Draw!
• 6 RELATED ARTICLES:

Introduction: The First Sketch

Back when we were children, a big portion of our spare time was spent drawing, coloring, and letting our imaginations run wild.

It was fun, simple, and required almost no technical skills, so it didn't matter if you made a mistake or happened to accidentally color out of the lines.

As we got older, though, those stick families and crayon-colored houses that took center-stage on our family fridge soon turned to doodles in the back of a study book during class, or absentminded scribbles on a notebook while taking that really important call. Sounding like you? Well, you're in the right place.

Let's face it: life gets in the way, but that doesn't mean we have to let our imaginations or spirit for creation go by the wayside.

On the contrary, drawing is a hobby that can be enjoyed all throughout your life and is an art form that has stood the test of time – just think of all those cave paintings.

However, though we all love to do it, there's no denying that there's a strongly upheld belief that there's a 'right' way to draw and a defeatist idea that many of us do not have the talent to do it.

Sure, though drawing is a skill, as long as you can hold a pencil, you're on the right track to learning how to sketch your way to success, and we're here to help you.

In this article, we're going to be walking you through the different reasons as to why drawing is a skill worth learning, the benefits it will bring you, as well as what tools you'll need as you begin this new venture.

Towards the end, you'll also find a few starter exercises that will help you to get your creative juices flowing. Pencil and paper at the ready? Let's begin.

Why Is Drawing a Fun Skill to Learn?

Many years ago, Picasso famously remarked that, though it took him four years to paint like Raphael, it took him an entire lifetime to learn how to draw like a child.

Over the years, forward-thinking artists have taken this quote and ran with it, arguing that drawing is an art form made to be enjoyed rather than perfected. Just think about it, did you draw for recognition when you were a kid?

No, you drew because it felt good, because it was a way to pass time, and because it was, well, fun.

Despite what some might claim, you don't have to be a budding Michaelangelo in order to take fulfillment from drawing, the only factor required is a desire to do it and, as long as you have the basics covered, you'll find your drawing skills getting better and better.

In fact, you might be surprised to learn that taking up drawing can offer you a multitude of benefits that will extend themselves to your life as a whole, as well as the greater society. Let's explore them below.

A positive effect on mental health

It's no secret that everyday life is hectic, and many people turn to numerous activities in order to ease stress, the most common being:

• Going to the gym
• Taking a hot bath
• Practicing meditation

But, if you've tried and tested those types of activities and they've left you feeling less than rejuvenated, another way to unwind at the end of a long day is by unleashing your inner artist!

Just like with anything else worth doing, drawing should be a labor of love that isn't defined by what might be deemed 'conventionally' correct but rather, how authentic it feels to you, and how it makes you feel while creating it.

In a world dominated by social media and our phones, learning to draw will offer you opportunities to relax and unwind throughout your busy schedule.

Whenever inspiration strikes and you feel like taking pen to paper, the drawing will allow you to take a moment to yourself, have fun and go at your own pace.

At the end of a long day in the office, or a busy schedule looking after the kids, picking up your pencils and drawing book can melt away the stress from everyday life.

There's also plenty of research that suggests that drawing, as well as other types of art activities, can have a positive impact on mental health.

As you learn to develop your sketching skills, you'll start to find a sense of 'achievement' from the artwork that you create, and this sense of accomplishment will spill over into other areas of your life, and help you to feel happier.

Besides that, drawing can also help to benefit your mental health because it:

• Helps to create a sense of community
• Alleviates psychological tension
• Provides the opportunity to release pent up emotions through creative expression
• Helps to lower cortisol levels

In addition to this, a healthy mind can help to lower the risk of any physical illnesses from developing, and the reason for this is simple. Happier people have lower levels of cortisol, which is known as our 'fight or flight' hormone.

Cortisol levels can start to creep up for a number of reasons such as oversleeping an alarm, or while preparing for a big work meeting.

Whatever the reason, one way to help regulate this hormone and bring it down to a healthy amount is by, you guessed it, drawing!

Drawing will offer you a chance to escape from the hustle and bustle of life and go inwards for an hour, allowing you to release any pent up stress and tension that you've been holding, and breathe a much-needed sigh of relief. Aaah.

Plus, lower levels of cortisol can also help to decrease the chances of certain physical ailments from developing .

As you go about your daily life feeling more calm and collected, you will help to lower the chances of heart issues, mental health illnesses, and high blood pressure from developing.

Who would have thought that drawing could offer some health benefits? It's a win-win.

Improves your communication skills

Believe it or not, drawing (as well as other forms of art) is able to help improve your verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

This is because, as drawing does not require the use of words, you'll have to think out of the box in order to discover new ways to communicate your thoughts and feelings to the viewers.

Just think about it: in many ways, drawing is a form of communication. When you draw a picture, you comprise color, texture, and depth in order to convey a feeling, thought, or action.

Perhaps you want to express sadness while drawing a portrait, so you use varying pencil pressure while drawing facial expressions in order to convey the feeling to the audience.

On the other hand, maybe you want to capture the feeling of a summer's day, so you use a vibrant yellow to color in the sun.

When words are taken out of the equation, you as the artist will be forced to find new ways to express yourself, which will help you to become more expressive and open with your thoughts and emotions in everyday life.

Drawing can help you to improve upon your communication skills, because it offers you an opportunity to understand your own feelings, without uttering a single word. Pretty cool, right?

Helps with memory retention

Did you know that drawing can help you improve your memory?

Well, it can! If you find that you frequently struggle to remember certain things, spending an hour or two drawings during the day can help you to boost your memory capacity.

In fact, many studies have shown that people that regularly write, paint, and draw are more likely to have a better memory in older age.

One study in particular, undertaken by the University of Waterloo, found that people of all drawing abilities were able to better retain information by using drawing as a memorization method over other exercises, such as writing down notes.

Their findings concluded that the visuospatial processing areas of the brain remain intact with normal aging and even in cases of dementia, which in turn makes it an ideal exercise for memory recall improvement.

Improves Bilateral and Fine Motor Coordination

Another way that drawing can benefit you is through the improvement of bilateral coordination, which is the ability to coordinate both sides of your body in order to efficiently complete everyday tasks.

Most of us already have pretty well-developed bilateral coordination skills, which is why we do not struggle to complete tasks that require the use of both sides of our bodies, such as typing, or swimming.

However, for children who are still developing and adults who want to try and strengthen their own, drawing is a wonderful way to do so.

This is because art exercises such as drawing, coloring, and painting require us to use our hands at the same time, which can help to build upon our coordination.

In addition to that,  drawing is also able to improve our fine motor coordination, which is the ability to use the smaller muscles in our hands and wrists to carry out tasks such as:

• Writing
• Buttoning up a coat
• Holding a pair of scissors
• Sewing
• Drawing

So, with that being said, if you decide to spend an hour drawing, sketching, and coloring, you'll have to utilize your fine motor skills in order to hold and use the pencils.

By doing this regularly throughout the weeks, you'll help to improve your motor skills, all the while improving your hand and eye coordination.

In other words, incorporating drawing into your everyday life can help to make you feel more focused and mentally agile.

The Economic Benefits of Drawing

Besides contributing to our mental and physical wellbeing, there's also lots of evidence to suggest that the art industry majorly contributes to the growth of the cultural economy here in the USA.

In recent years, there has been a rise in the number of art galleries and fairs, which has in turn helped to create economic growth.

So much so, in fact, that the US Bureau of Economic Analysis and the National Endowment for the Arts released a figure this year that found that the Arts economy contributed $877.8 billion in 2017, which is more than warehousing and even transportation.

They also estimate that this type of revenue is enough to create more than 30 million jobs a year, a figure which displays the weight that the art industry holds, and the benefits that it provides to society as a whole.

You can discover more about the economic benefits of art here.

It has also been suggested that, as art activities such as drawing can help to alleviate mental health problems, that it can help to lower health service and social care expenses, therefore contributing to the health economy.

What Will You Need To Succeed At Drawing?

Regardless of whether you want to take up drawing simply as a hobby, or you want to pursue a career in it, you'll need to start off with the correct tools.

The Basics

Drawing Pencils

If you don't want to spend too much money, a good place to start is with a set of drawing pencils.

Most are super affordable and usually come with additional tools like a smudging brush, eraser, and sharpener.

Though you can certainly draw with a standard pencil, we recommend purchasing a set of specialized drawing pencils, as they will allow you to create texture, add depth, and make your drawings more realistic.

You can check out the different types of pencils here.

A Sketchbook

By far, a sketchbook is going to be one of the most important tools that you'll have as part of your drawing collection.

There's a range of different sketchbooks out there, and you'll likely find that you need to do a little trial and error before you find a sketchbook that you like.

Here's an idea of what you can expect to find on the market:

• Acid-free paper
• Drawing paper
• Charcoal paper

Sharpener and Eraser

Mistakes are inevitable, and so are blunt pencils! Therefore, it's a good idea to purchase a sharpener and eraser, so that you can erase any mistakes and keep your pencils nice and sharp. Interestingly enough, there's a specific type of eraser used by artists known as a 'kneaded' eraser.

This type of eraser can be molded into any shape you like, which will allow you to remove any mistakes or marks without disrupting the rest of the image.

Kneaded erasers can also be used to add highlights to an image, and can also be used to remove the charcoal.

Some other types of erasers that artists use are plastic erasers, gum erasers, and vinyl erasers, which you can learn more about here.

Additional Tools

As you become a more experienced drawer, you'll likely find that your drawing arsenal begins to grow. Let's take a look at some of the additional tools available to you.

Colored Pencils

Colored pencils are so much fun to use, and the easiest way to add vibrancy to your art. You'll be able to bring your images to life with color and even layer different colors together to create different effects.

Try and make sure that you go for a set of colored pencils that have plenty of pigment and density so that your picture really stands out.

The best part about colored pencils is that you can use them to fill in the objects you have drawn with your drawing pencils.

Beware, once you start using colored pencils, you'll find yourself wanting to use them every time you decide to draw….don't say we didn't warn you!

Paints

As your confidence grows, why not branch out and try working with paint? We suggest starting off with a paint set, as they are usually the most cost-effective option and include all of the primary colors.

They also take the hassle out of trying to guess what colors to buy, and you'll be able to make up additional colors by blending two together.

It's also a good idea to start with water-based paints (like acrylic) as they are much easier to work with and are usually more forgiving when it comes to stain removal.

However, there's a variety of different paints you can work with, and you can learn more about the different types here.

Charcoal

If you prefer to stick to a white and black color palette, another drawing tool available to you is charcoal . The great thing about charcoal is that it is made in both the form of a pencil and a square-shaped stick.

The sticks are usually very pigmented as they usually go through a pressing process to make the charcoal 'stick' together, while the pencil charcoal has a similar effect to a drawing pencil.

How To Learn How To Draw: The Steps

Master Pencil Strokes and Grip

So, now that you have your tools and you're armed and ready to start, the next part is to begin drawing!

Regardless of whether you're a beginner or just want to brush up on your skills, you're going to need to make sure that you know the differences between the types of pencil strokes and grips .

Generally, the basic strokes that you'll want to get familiar with are:

• Straight lines
• Circular
• Cross Hatching (crossing over more than one line to create texture)
• Directional
• Tapping

Straight lines

This is the most basic of all strokes, and the easiest to work with.

By drawing in straight lines, you can achieve a wide range of different cool and eye-catching effects by gently applying varying pressure in order to add variety to the color intensity and thickness of the line.

In addition, the space between this type of stroke can also be used to create either a more subtle or intense finish, depending on what it is that you're looking to achieve.

Circular

The next type of pencil stroke is what is known as circular strokes. These types of strokes are ideal for when you want to fill in color, but you don't want it to look perfect, or to follow a set structure.

Just like with straight lines, circular strokes provide you with the opportunity to add depth and texture by varying the pressure you apply, as well as switching up the size of the circular strokes.

Cross Hatching

Now that you've got straight and circular sketching nailed, the next type of stroke you should put to practice is a type of stroke called 'Cross Hatching.'

Just like the name suggests, cross-hatching is a type of stroke that requires you to crossover multiple strokes in order to create texture.

You can use either a sharp or blunt pencil for this type of stroke (including multiple colors) to create layers to your drawing, and fill in big areas of your piece with color quickly.

Directional

Directional strokes are very similar to straight strokes, except the movement is somewhat different. Directional strokes follow a set 'path' on the page in order to create a pattern, an example being to draw human hair.

So, if you were to draw hair onto your drawing, the idea would be that you would start close to the head, and slowly move away from the starting point in a flowing movement.

Then, you would go back and forth, following the same direction until you've completed the head of hair.

Tapping

Ok, so tapping strokes are not so many strokes but dots on your page. We've included them because they're a great way to add depth to your art, and it's super easy too, so it's a great style for beginners to try out.

This particular method will require you to hold the pencil directly above the page, and then make small, little taps and strokes to the area you are filling to create a unique texture.

For a more detailed appearance, you can apply the marks evenly. However, if you want it to be less defined and free-flowing, you could take a blunt pencil in order to create more color density.

Remember, there are no set rules, so feel free to mix and match the different types of pencil stroke methods as you see fit.

You'll find that all of your best drawings and sketches will incorporate a variety of different stroke styles because, when combined will:

• Help to achieve lifelike texture
• Add depth to your drawing
• Create eye-catching details

After you've practiced the different styles of strokes and you feel confident enough to, why not try out some line stroke exercises? Check a few out here.

Learn to Draw a Straight Line

One of the most important steps in learning to draw is mastering the dreaded straight line . You can use a ruler if you like, though many people prefer to do it freehand.

The trick? Drawing a long straight line is practically impossible, but short lines aren't.

It's no fun drawing things in the same way every time you pick up a pen, so make sure that you keep your hand relaxed and allow yourself to 'feel' your way through what it is your drawing.

Here's some tips to follow while drawing a line:

• Move the pen intuitively, with a free-flowing action
• Try to keep a light pressure, so that the pen/pencil is only lightly touching the paper
• Draw short lines, you can connect them to each other

The point here is that, though you will be following a technical method, by drawing the lines effortlessly in a relaxed style, you'll be able to incorporate some of your own styles into the drawing.

Try to remember that the less perfect the drawing, the more natural it will appear, not to mention being way more enjoyable.

Start With Simple Objects and Build Your Way Up

Like with everything, it's a good idea to start with the basics and then build your way up as your skills and confidence grow.

To keep things simple and straightforward, we're going to provide you with a step-by-step exercise on how to correctly draw a circle via the square technique, as drawing freehand is super difficult.

Don't panic! The most important thing to remember here is that technique is half the battle, so if you follow our instructions below, we'll bet you'll be happy with the result.

How to Draw a Circle in a Square: Step-by-Step

• Step one: Taking your pencil, gently sketch a line that is the same size as the width you would like your completed circle to be.

• Step two: With a ruler, carefully measure the line and then use that measurement to create an additional three sides so that you have a square.

• Step three: After you have drawn out your square and it is the correct width that you would like your circle to be, go ahead and carefully draw diagonal lines from each corner, so that you have a cross-section.

• Step four: Then, draw a vertical and horizontal cross through the center of the diagonal cross, so that you are left with a star-like shape.
• Step five: Take your pencil and ruler, precisely measure the length of one of the lines from the center, working your way outwards until you reach the edge of the square. Once you have taken the measurement, then go ahead and use that same measurement to make a mark on all of the horizontal lines, as these are the marks that will help you to draw a circle.
• Step Six: At this stage, you'll nearly be ready to draw your circle. First, though, you're going to need to draw in little curves around the four ends of the guides you have marked. You don't need to measure these, an approximation will be fine as you can tidy it up in the next step.
• Step Seven: All you'll need to do now is draw in your circle by carefully connecting each of the little curves together. Be sure to follow the marks you made, so that the circle looks perfect.
• Step Eight: You should now have a perfect circle drawn, and all that will be left to do is rub out the square and lines until you're left with just the circle.

Drawing different objects can seem like a daunting task (especially if you're a beginner) but just try to remember that, more often than not, you'll be able to find a simple and easy tutorial you can follow online that will help you to achieve the desired result.

If you want to spend some more time sketching, here are a few more simple object exercises that you can try out, just press here.

Learn to master light and shadows

As your skills grow and you begin to find yourself drawing shapes and objects with more precision and ease, the next step will be to try your hand at mastering light and shadows.

One of the most common complaints of professional artists and hobbyists alike is that they're drawings have a flat appearance, and the easiest way to create depth is by understanding how light and shadow work.

Regardless of what it is that you're drawing, in order to make it lifelike, you'll need to get your head around three-dimensional logic, which consists of:

• Light
• Cast shadow
• Shadow line

The best part about mastering light and shadow is that, once it has 'clicked' and you understand how it works, the basic fundamentals of using them in a drawing will never change.

To help you understand this a little better, we'll break the three principles into sections below.

The Light

Capturing light can certainly be a tricky one to get your head around, especially if it's coming from multiple angles, and from a variety of sources.

To start off, we recommend working with one single light source, as this will make it significantly easier to add lighting composition to your piece.

You can use your pencil to create highlights by working with it very gently so that it only lightly touches the areas you want to add light.

The easiest way to determine where you need to add light is by figuring out beforehand where the angle of light is coming from so that you don't make any mistakes.

After that, you can then decide whether or not you'd like to add reflection.

It's a little trickier than normal highlight, but as your confidence builds and you begin to draw more complicated images, you will need to incorporate it sooner or later.

The easiest way to add reflection is by keeping it subtle and getting your angles right.

The Cast Shadow

To effectively complement the light areas of the drawing, you'll need to get your head around the cast shadow.

The cast shadow will be situated on the darker side of the object, located in the area where the light cannot hit it.

The cast shadow is one of the easiest parts for beginners to do, as it only requires blurry blending away from the object in order to create the illusion of a shadow.

The Shadow Line

The shadow line is another important aspect of creating the shadow and is the transitional shade between the light and the cast shadow.

The trick here is to keep the lighter tones within the light area, and the shadow tones within the shadow area. This sounds pretty easy on paper, but the reality can be a little different.

Many beginners can find themselves struggling to correctly blend, especially as the light area often tends to take up a much smaller portion of the drawing than the shadow side.

To correctly achieve a transitional shadow line that looks lifelike, practice softly blending on a piece of paper until you can confidently apply varying degrees of pressure to your pencil without causing any unevenness.

Creating Depth With Texture

One of the easiest ways to add diversity and detail to your drawings is by working with texture and depth .

Like we mentioned above, shadow and light are one way to add dimension to a drawing, but there are other ways you can do it.

The texture is the easiest way to add the perfect finishing touch that'll really set your drawing apart from the rest.

In the art world, there are three common types of texture:

• Actual – This is a type of texture that is real. You can touch and feel it, an example of this is an additional fabric placed on top of the drawing.
• Invented – This type of texture refers to a way of adding alternative materials in order to create a totally unique and original type of texture.
• Implied – This type of texture is created to resemble a texture that it is not.

As a drawer, you'll likely find yourself commonly using invented and implied texture more than actual texture – unless you feel like getting really creative!

To familiarize yourself with texture in general, we recommend trying this simple exercise below:

1. With a piece of paper and pencils or charcoal, begin gently adding strokes to the paper with your chosen drawing utensil.
2. Play around with pressure so that you can capture multiple different kinds of textures.
3. After you have created a variety of textures, take another piece of paper and try to draw the exact same textures. This will help you to figure out how to create texture with patience, all the while improving your touch.

Discover Your Unique Style

As a drawer, you'll have to develop your unique art style .

An important step to always remember is that you don't have to compare your art to others or feel as though you have to copy another person's drawing style for yours to be considered 'good'.

After you've figured out how to draw straight lines and circles, it's important that you don't find yourself getting trapped in technicalities.

Though all of the advice we've given you above will help get you started on the journey of drawing, it's important to keep in mind that your best drawings will come from your own creativity and originality.

It's important to make sure that you allow yourself to relax and focus more on what you're trying to express, rather than how precise you're doing it!

To help you loosen up, let's try this quick exercise:

Step one

Take a piece of paper and any pencil. Relax, roll your shoulders, and begin to draw random shapes on the page.

Pretend as though you are nervous, and purposefully shake your hand so that the drawings you make are wobbly, uneven, and far from perfect.

Step two

Pick an easy object that you would like to draw, such as a flower head with petals. Draw the first one with precision, starting with a circle and then breaking off into the petals, trying your hardest to make each part perfect.

Immediately after, draw the same flower again, making sure to follow the same drawing pattern you followed for the first.

The only difference this time, however, is to allow your hand to draw with less precision and with a more intuitive feeling.

Step three

Take a look at both flowers. Are you surprised by the difference? Though you used the same methodical style to draw the circle and petal-shapes, they should both look entirely different.

This principle is very similar to the way that you write, each of us has our own writing style that feels most natural to us, and it's the same idea for a drawing.

If you try and copy another person's style, or try and make sure each line is perfect, you'll never feel fulfilled from your art.

No matter what, it's imperative that you put creativity to the forefront, and allow yourself to make mistakes, go with your intuition and create the image that you see in your mind's eye.

Conclusion: You Can Learn To Draw!

So, there you have it! Regardless of whether you're a complete beginner or you're a seasoned artist looking to brush up on your skills, we hope that this guide has helped you along on the road to draw.

Remember, you don't have to be the best artist in the world in order to gain happiness from drawing. As long as you enjoy it, that's all that matters.

Why not bookmark this guide so you can come back and refresh your knowledge whenever you need to? Happy sketching!

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Source: https://mstrsktch.com/drawing-for-beginners-guide/

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