Learn to Draw in 30 Days | The Hobbyist Challenge

Summary

In this 30-day drawing challenge, the creator sets out to improve their drawing skills by following a structured guide that introduces basic techniques like shading, perspective, and depth. Initially relying on copying reference images, they gradually develop a deeper understanding of the principles behind drawing. With daily exercises, they tackle challenges like curved lines, shading, and portrait drawing, making significant progress over the month. The final day culminates in drawing a hand without guidelines, showcasing their newfound confidence and technical ability. The journey proves that learning to draw is more about mastering techniques than perfecting individual images.

Takeaways

• 😀 Drawing is a skill that can be learned with practice, and natural talent plays a smaller role than people often think.
• 😀 The 30-day challenge is designed to improve drawing skills through daily exercises, with a focus on fundamental techniques.
• 😀 Initial drawings were basic and largely based on copying reference images, lacking a deep understanding of drawing principles.
• 😀 Shading, depth, and perspective are key areas of focus, and basic concepts like light sources and shadows are important to learn early on.
• 😀 Day 1 included learning how to draw a circle with proper shading, and this simple exercise helped build foundational skills.
• 😀 Over time, the exercises got progressively harder, helping to reinforce and introduce new techniques for more complex drawings.
• 😀 Using proper tools like specialized pencils and erasers can help improve the drawing process and enhance shading.
• 😀 By the end of the challenge, the artist's confidence and skills improved, particularly in understanding proportions, depth, and perspective.
• 😀 Despite improvement, the artist noted a specific weakness in drawing realistic human faces, which remains a challenge.
• 😀 The challenge was a fun, engaging way to revisit creativity and improve as a beginner, while also focusing on specific techniques for future improvement.
• 😀 The 30-day challenge gave the artist a better grasp of techniques, and they now feel more confident in drawing and shading, with plans to focus more on portraits in the future.

Q & A

What motivated the creator to start the 30-day drawing challenge?

The creator wanted to improve their drawing skills quickly and test if drawing is something that can be learned in a short period, rather than relying solely on natural talent.

What was the creator's experience with drawing before starting the challenge?

The creator had some basic, intuitive drawing skills, mostly from copying reference images, but lacked a deeper understanding of the techniques and rules behind drawing.

How did the creator approach learning drawing for this challenge?

The creator followed a book that provided daily exercises, each focusing on specific techniques like shading, perspective, and size placement, with each day building on previous skills.

Did the creator find any drawing tools particularly helpful during the challenge?

Yes, the creator found a set of drawing tools, including different pencils and an eraser, particularly helpful. These tools helped improve their shading and overall technique.

What was the most challenging part of the 30-day challenge for the creator?

The creator found drawing human faces particularly difficult, as even small errors in symmetry or line placement could affect the overall look, making it challenging to achieve realism.

What did the creator learn about drawing through the daily exercises?

The creator learned key drawing techniques such as shading, perspective, and size placement, and also gained a better understanding of how to draw from reference rather than just copying images.

What did the creator mean when they said drawing is more about learning techniques than copying?

The creator emphasized that while the exercises involved drawing specific objects like cups and hands, the real value was in mastering the techniques behind those drawings, such as shading and perspective, which can be applied to other drawings.

How did the creator track their progress throughout the challenge?

The creator took pictures of their daily drawings and compared their progress at the start and end of the challenge, noting improvements in skills like shading and overall confidence in drawing.

What areas of drawing does the creator still feel need improvement?

The creator acknowledged that portraits, especially human faces, were their biggest weakness and expressed interest in focusing more on improving these skills in the future.

What is the creator's perspective on whether drawing is a skill that can be learned?

The creator believes that drawing is a skill that can be learned through consistent practice and mastering techniques, rather than being purely reliant on natural talent.