How to Improve Your Drawing Skills in 5 Easy Steps

1. Keep it Light & Loose
When you begin a drawing, always keep your initial line work light and the lines relatively thin (so that it is easier to make adjustments later). This way you don't have to keep erasing. When you spend time erasing, you aren't spending time seeing and drawing.

2. Guidelines
By keeping your line work light and leaving the "incorrect" ones it in place, you give yourself guidelines for where your correct lines should be placed. (Later, you can darken the correct lines and the lighter lines will seem to disappear to the viewer - trust me on this!)

Study your subject and decide where each element will be placed. Begin by lightly laying down general contour lines.

3. DO NOT ERASE!
Adjust the lines lightly by adding other lines next to them. This will make the contours more pleasing to the eye.

4. Think in Layers
The first layer of your drawing should be light and loose. Cover "each area" of your subject but, (now this is important) LEAVE OUT THE DETAILS - for now.

With the second layer, begin to focus on those lines you wish to emphasize (still drawing lightly, go over the lines you like and ignore the ones you don't).

On the third layer, continue to adjust and "tighten-up" your drawing to more accurately reflect the image. You will find yourself naturally darkening the lines you wish to keep (this is why the lines you don't wish to emphasize seem to disappear).

5. To the Details
Yipee! Now you finally get to start adding those delicious details! Waiting to add details until you get all of the basic structure of your drawing down, allows you to add all this lusciousness in the correct places!

FEAR FACTOR
There isn't so much a fear factor here as there is the urgent desire to get right to the details. Oh how we LOVE those details! However.....

SOLUTION
As stated above, waiting until you have your structure in place will allow you a GREAT FEELING of FREEDOM when you do get to those details. It is really painful to have spent an hour creating wonderful details and then realize that all that work was placed in the wrong area or is crooked! (Who can relate to this? Raise your hands - hey! Mine is up!)

AIM FOR
Working the entire drawing within each layer before moving to the next layer. By keeping your lines light, you will eliminate the need to erase which will save you time and give the drawing a more 3-dimensional look.

You can do this, and when you do - it's FUN!

ENJOY!

9 Ways to Improve Your Art Without LIfting a Finger

"Beach Path" ©Froshay

Practice Seeing
As you go about your day, practice seeing.

You practice seeing when you draw and paint anyway, now do it all the time and with purpose. 

1. Observe the movement of nature, of people and animals.
2. Study how the changing light affects and defines the objects around you.
3. Trace the outline shapes of different types of trees with your eyes.
4. Squint to simplify shapes and to limit the values that you see.
5. Notice the many subtle differences of color within just one leaf, a worn shoe, a shadow or that 'white' cloud overhead.
6. Let your eyes follow the contours of a pile of fabric, the face of a child or the car stopped in front of you at the light.
7. Close your eyes and become aware of the fragrances, aromas and scents around you. Describe them in your mind using only color and shape.
8. Listen. To wind chimes, a cat's purr, the breeze rustling through leaves and ask yourself, "How would I create that sound into a work of art?"
9. Touch textures and really FEEL them. Notice the difference between the bark of a tree and the soft fur of the cat. How can you recreate that feeling?

The more that you do this, the better your art skills will become, honest ... and all without lifting a finger - okay well, maybe you'll have to pet the cat!

Side Effects include a calming feeling, a closeness to nature and often, a gentle successful euphoria!