Drawing Exercises for Learning to Draw

Drawing Exercises for Learning to Draw Practice Drawing in Between your Drawing lessons ChaptersSharpen Your Visual Memory to Improve Your Drawing TechniqueWork on Your Concentration and PatienceDraw Whenever You CanDon’t Stagnate in Your ArtGo to Museums and Art GalleriesShow People What You Have Drawn and PaintedSome people seem to think that the best way to improve your drawing technique is to just keep drawing as much as possible until divine inspiration rains down from heaven.You couldn’t be more wrong.To be sure, drawing as much as possible will help you progress as an artist, but it is not sufficient unto itself to learning how to draw well.During art lessons, drawing instructors will ensure that certain things become second nature to their students to help them develop their hand-eye co-ordination. But drawing lessons cost money, so you can't necessarily take one every day.So what can you do to improve your craft outside of drawing lessons?Drawing is above all, a passion. There is no fixed “sketching hour”- you should be free to draw whenever you like.Bu t how can you improve your technique without a drawing teacher breathing down your neck?Here are a few to tips to help you become the next Picasso.Go to Museums and Art GalleriesThe British Museum, the Tate Modern, the National Gallery… even if your drawing lessons are outside of London, there is sure to be some sort of museum near you!Take advantage and go visit - learn from the masters or from local artists. Your art teacher is certain to approve! It will help you find inspiration and improve your techniques.Though a lot of wonderful paintings are in private collections, some have escaped this fate and are now housed in the world’s most amazing museums, giving you an incredible window on art.Many museums in Britain are still free, though government cuts are forcing more and more to introduce entrance fees. They are usually easily accessible by public transportation.Looking at art helps you develop a critical eye. Whether you choose a guided tour or not, don’t hesitate to sto p for a few minutes in front of a piece to look at details - especially since a lot of paintings are very large.Take advantage of special exhibitions to broaden you artistic horizons.As you wander through the exhibit halls, you will discover the different artistic periods. Over the course of art history, various styles emerged. Painters took inspiration from their masters, then gave it their own personal twist.This created artistic currents such as:Constable’s RomanticismThe Dada movement with DuchampDewhurst’s Impressionismthe Cubism of William Roberts orMatisse and Fauvism.There are so many radically different styles that one of them is sure to strike a chord.The techniques they used also vary greatly depending on the pieces. Though oil painting is the technique most often associated with art museums, you will find other techniques as well, such as gouache or acrylic painting, and many have galleries and study groups with dry mediums. Study the strokes, their use of layering a nd highlights, the play of light and shadow, their composition and use of negative space.Other artists are inspired by museums, too. Take art lessons from the masters and visit art galleries! Photo on VisualHunt.comBut what is the point of all these paintings?Every one of them has a narrative behind the picture’s simple beauty. Love, violence, war, family, solitude… If you are lacking in inspiration, a little stroll through a museum will do you good.Don’t hesitate to go to special exhibitions and artist’s workshops, watch art films or take art books out of the library. Art is becoming ever more present in our lives - take advantage of it!Culture is an important part of the creative process. It lets you realize what has already been done and expand your horizons.Show People What You Have Drawn and PaintedThe best way to make progress is to meet critics head on!Take your drawings out of their pouches and show them to your friends and family to get their reactions. They will us ually be honest with you and won’t hesitate to tell you when something isn’t working.Critique will improve your drawing fast. But careful: don’t confuse negative critique with constructive critique. Tune out those who wish they could draw like you, telling you everything they would have done differently, and listen to those who actually tell you what parts of your drawing don't work and why. A too-large nose, disproportionate figure, problems of plane or perspective….That way, you will know what to be careful of in your next drawing!But positive feedback is important, too. It tells you what you are doing right - and what you should keep doing.You can also ask other participants in a drawing class to give their advice. Just like your materials exchange sessions, why not organise critique sessions in which everyone presents a work of art for feedback. They will have a more informed eye than someone who doesn’t draw.If you feel up to it, you can also organise your own little exhibition. And if that isn’t in the stars yet, be sure to keep your ears open for critiques during your end-of-year exhibition.Superprof has a range of private tutors to give you drawing lessons throughout the UK:drawing lessons Londondrawing lessons Sheffielddrawing lessons Glasgow