Give Me 7min, and I’ll improve your drawing skills by 176%

Summary

This video emphasizes the importance of learning to draw the right way by focusing on four key blocks. The first block involves unlearning the symbols we associate with objects and seeing them as simple 3D shapes. The second block focuses on understanding volume and structure to create dynamic, lifelike figures. The third block stresses the significance of learning to rotate a box in your mind to strengthen drawing skills. The final block is about using imagination to combine simple shapes into complex forms. The video encourages practicing these foundational steps to improve drawing abilities.

Takeaways

• 😀 Most people learn to draw the wrong way, relying on time and practice or endlessly watching tutorials.
• 😀 Real improvement in drawing comes from removing mental blocks and understanding the basics, rather than just practicing mindlessly.
• 😀 Drawing is not just about putting down lines but learning to see and think in 3D forms and shapes.
• 😀 An artist's eye is the ability to unlearn symbols and start seeing the world in simple, basic shapes.
• 😀 The first step in developing an artist’s eye is learning to translate the world around you into 3D forms.
• 😀 To draw lifelike figures, it’s essential to see beyond anatomy and focus on the underlying shapes and volumes.
• 😀 Volume and structure are key concepts that can dramatically improve how you approach figure drawing.
• 😀 Skillshare offers classes like 'Dynamic 3D Figure Drawing' by Brent E., which can help artists improve their drawing skills.
• 😀 Before mastering anatomy or characters, it’s crucial to be able to rotate and visualize basic shapes, like boxes, in your mind.
• 😀 Boring practice, like learning to rotate a box, is essential for building the mental skills needed for complex drawing.
• 😀 Once you learn to see and simplify shapes, you can create from imagination by combining and transforming those shapes into complex forms.

Q & A

Why do most people struggle with learning how to draw?

Most people struggle because they approach drawing by simply picking up a pencil and hoping practice will improve their skills. They often watch tutorials but remain stuck in a loop, expecting one video to suddenly make them better without addressing the deeper aspects of drawing.

What is the first mistake many people make when they start drawing?

The first mistake is assuming that drawing is just about observing and putting down lines. This view doesn't account for the complexity of translating what we see into accurate 3D forms and shapes on a 2D surface.

Why is drawing a simple object like a chair challenging?

Drawing a chair is challenging because what we see visually doesn't directly translate to what we can draw. In perspective, the chair’s parts may look different, such as one leg being longer or the seat not appearing square. This discrepancy highlights the difficulty in translating 3D objects to 2D.

What is meant by 'seeing with an artist’s eye'?

Seeing with an artist’s eye means unlearning the symbols and simple representations we associate with objects and instead learning to translate the world around us into basic, simplified shapes that can be manipulated in drawing.

How does thinking in 3D help with drawing?

Thinking in 3D helps because it allows artists to visualize and create the illusion of three-dimensional forms on a two-dimensional surface. This shift from flat lines to considering shapes and volume is essential in producing realistic drawings.

What struggle did the author face when learning to draw figures?

The author struggled with making figures look lifelike because their arms, torsos, and faces appeared flat, lacking depth. They couldn't understand why some artists' works looked so realistic.

What’s the solution to drawing figures more realistically?

The solution is to stop focusing on anatomy and start thinking in simple 3D shapes. By breaking down the figure into basic forms, it becomes easier to understand and represent the body in a dynamic, lifelike way.

How does learning about volume and structure improve drawing skills?

Learning about volume and structure, especially in figure drawing, helps artists understand the 3D nature of the human form. This knowledge allows them to draw more dynamic and realistic figures by visualizing and building them from basic shapes.

Why is learning to rotate a box in your mind important for drawing?

Learning to rotate a box in your mind is crucial because it teaches you how to think about and represent 3D objects on a 2D surface. If you can mentally rotate a box, you can apply the same thinking to more complex objects, improving your overall drawing skills.

How does mastering simple shapes lead to drawing from imagination?

Once you master simplifying complex forms into basic shapes, you can use those shapes to construct more complex objects from your imagination. By stacking and arranging shapes, you gain the ability to create diverse and detailed drawings without relying on reference material.