Can You Learn To Draw?
From the time we were able to pick up a pencil or crayon, we began making lines and scribbles. As we progress through the years of drawing we may notice that we can produce various forms, shapes and textures by just using lines.
When you begin a line drawing, you are basically beginning with nothing. A blank sheet of paper staring back at you. So, where do you begin? This depends on what you would like to achieve for the end result. Are you a sketcher? Comic strip artist? Realist or abstract artist? Or a doodler?
I believe everyone is capable of learning how to draw only if they have the mindset and passion to do so. I have taught many children and adults in classroom environments who either have a passion for drawing or they don’t.
For those who don’t really have an interest in drawing tend to struggle and complain as they try to get through the drawing, while those who really want to learn are eager to know more.
Doodling
Doodling is calming and relaxing. I have been a doodler all of my life. You don’t have to really think when doodling like you would when drawing. Doodling is not critiqued by others, and we all tend to be on the same level. It’s not something to be learned but a mental state between daydreaming and awareness. With doodling, you can create things that may not make sense and are totally aimless when we step back to look at them. Our imaginations flow as our brains slow down and our hand wanders with creating a rhythm of lines, patterns or an assortment of weighted lines.
According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology, doodlers find it easier to recall information as it aids cognitive performance than non-doodlers who were more likely to daydream.
Try doodling yourself.
Remember that you are using your imagination. Relax and allow your brain to unwind. Distract yourself from any noise around you and just doodle.
Sketching
Sketching is a bit different from doodling as we become more focused on what we are drawing while working out the placement of subjects and ideas. I always refer to sketching as having a ‘hairy look’ when the lines are loose and less tight, and not well defined. Sketching can be less intimidating than drawing as we can play with ideas in our heads and place them on paper. When coming up with a composition, it’s natural to sketch out a few ideas before deciding on the final one before moving on to a final drawing. Sketching can bring out the best idea and be a timesaver before making a painting or a large detailed drawing.
I studied Advertising in college. We had to sketch out several advertisement ideas before coming up with our final decision. Also, when producing television commercials, we had to sketch out our storyboard first to present it. In this way, we could make any final changes without too much work or time spent.
Sketching can trigger discoveries and enhance creativity that you can only create through drawing and cannot be possible through words alone.
Everyone can sketch. You don’t have to be an expert or take a drawing class to be able to sketch. It’s not about making perfect drawings. It’s about bringing out ideas and having fun while doing it.
When looking for paper to sketch on, typically, the paper is lighter weight, less expensive, and contains many sheets to practice on.
So grab your sketchbook, relax, go to a park or the comfort of your own home and do some sketches. All kinds of things surround you to sketch – chairs, trees, houses, people, animals, objects, food, and so much more. Use your imagination too!
Drawing
A drawing is more intended as being a finished piece of artwork with more precise details. It is generally well-thought-out and planned and will take longer to do. Drawing will usually entail implementing various tools such as stumps, erasing, tortillons and other materials and may contain the use of colour by adding pen & ink, markers etc.
My drawings are well planned. Whether I am drawing landscape scenery or drawing animals, I need to plan out my composition and maintain absolute control of where I place things. A drawing can take several hours, days, weeks or even months to do, depending on the size and details that I am adding. I need to know my details and reference them to photographs as I cannot fudge an animal’s anatomy or a specific person I am drawing. My goal is to create a likeness so that it is not only recognizable but realistic to the subject I am drawing. When looking for drawing paper, this will typically be heavier in weight to stand up to more erasing and fine details, more expensive and contain fewer sheets.
Realistic Drawing
Realistic Drawing is the attempt to portray subject matter as to how you would view it in real life with no exaggerating or supernatural elements.
Drawing subjects in a realistic style will show precise details and accurate representation of that subject matter. So to put it merely, realism is representing a subject matter truthfully.
To achieve realism, we need to have references to allow us to observe what the subject looks like in real life. We tend to think we know everything about a certain subject, but references provide us with intricate details that we would otherwise not think of.
Creating a piece of artwork that is true to life is very difficult and takes patience and attention to detail. However, if you know what drawing tools to use and how to use them, it becomes much easier to understand. I believe anyone can learn how to draw if they have the desire to learn.
Remember these three P’s: Patience, Practice and Persistence!
Positioning Your Pencil
While the two positions below are the most common in drawing, many students have used different ways of grasping their pencils. It doesn’t matter how you hold your pencil, but rather the position you have your pencil in that makes the difference in your shading to the paper’s texture.
The Sketch Artist – Underhand Method

- Finger and thumb hold the pencil
- The pencil lays flat on the paper
- It tends to skim over the texture of the paper
- It uses the entire arm
- More freedom – looser
- Uses the side of the pencil
- Recommended for sketching out the preliminary drawing
- Creates a more rough shade
The Realist Artist – Writing Method

- Uses Fingers and thumb to control the pencil
- The same way you would hold a pencil when writing
- Gets into the texture of the paper, tend to use the wrist more
- Provide more control of the pencil with placing details
- More comfortable – detailed lines
- The hand rests on the page.
- The most popular methods for drawing
- It creates a much smoother shade
Hand Pressure & Consistency
You want to keep your hand pressure consistent when shading. When you want to shade lighter, try relaxing the grip and pressure on the pencil. Also, move your hand back on the pencil, so it’s not too close to the tip of it. Clutching your pencil too tight and close to the tip will result in darker strokes. Some people are naturally heavy-handed, meaning they shade and draw too dark. This is when you may want to step down the pencil value to a lower one. For example, if you are using a 2B pencil, try using an HB pencil. Practice relaxing your grip more with shading too. When shading or drawing small details, I will use my wrist, but I will use my entire arm and shoulder when shading larger areas.
Leave a comment