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Should I give up or keep trying to draw?
12 years ago
Never underestimate the power of the scout's code! I've felt really down lately about my drawing skills, and I'm not sure what to do about it. I never drew in my life before finding this fandom, and I don't really know how. With some practice I can now copy others' work to a fair bit of good (I'm a perfectionist, so...) but I can't create anything on my own, or I can but it's really, really hard. I'm not sure I want to dedicate the time to getting better when it's already so late and I have other things I could be putting my time to and improving (ie my writing, my guitar playing skills, etc).
I want to draw, I really do, but it just seems so difficult and I'm afraid to jump into it again, because knowing myself, I won't stop. If I can say anything it's that I'm dedicated. I will devote all my energy into trying to teach myself how to draw (I don't even know where to begin! I want to take an art class but right now that's not really possible. That would make it so much easier, though), and everything else will fall to the wayside.
Again, if I had a means for teaching me to draw that would be ideal, but I just don't know where to begin on my own. I've heard I should just draw in my free time, doodle, etc, but what do I draw! And how? I can't copy other people's stuff anymore. I heard that will not help me improve in the slightest and I need to work from my imagination. But then I also heard the references are good. Now I'm just confused. The other problem is that it's hard to make up a picture by imagination. Again, I heard that with practice that will improve, but I still don't know where to start the practice. Grrr!
What should I do?
I want to draw, I really do, but it just seems so difficult and I'm afraid to jump into it again, because knowing myself, I won't stop. If I can say anything it's that I'm dedicated. I will devote all my energy into trying to teach myself how to draw (I don't even know where to begin! I want to take an art class but right now that's not really possible. That would make it so much easier, though), and everything else will fall to the wayside.
Again, if I had a means for teaching me to draw that would be ideal, but I just don't know where to begin on my own. I've heard I should just draw in my free time, doodle, etc, but what do I draw! And how? I can't copy other people's stuff anymore. I heard that will not help me improve in the slightest and I need to work from my imagination. But then I also heard the references are good. Now I'm just confused. The other problem is that it's hard to make up a picture by imagination. Again, I heard that with practice that will improve, but I still don't know where to start the practice. Grrr!
What should I do?
Also, whoever said copying other art won't help you improve is ridiculously wrong (and probably a little biased). By copying or tracing over another piece of art, you can learn how certain things flow together. You may also notice little tricks the artist used to get something to work, which you can incorporate into your own skill set. It can also help you gain a sense of shape and balance. A lot of the things you learn from tracing an artwork are more subconscious, or they aren't exactly huge epiphanies. However, what you do learn can be very significant, whether you realize it or not.
Now, you obviously can't go around tracing everyone's art and claiming it as your own brilliance. Though if it is simply for the sake of study, it's all good. c: