Part of the joy of being freelance is the huge variety of projects you can get involved with. The lucky draw of opportunities that land in your inbox provide the chance to nurture old and new skills. I love that writing lets me delve into research and learn new things. But some projects can foster doubt in your abilities, which can quickly spiral into imposter syndrome.
When I was first contacted with the offer to write a how to draw book for a beloved brand, I hesitated. I like to doodle and have always admired art, but I’ve never been a particularly strong artist. I fussed and fretted for a while before eventually reminding myself that it wasn’t my drawings that were going to be in the book, but my knowledge.
I might not be a talented artist but I know and understand the theory behind drawing. I know how you can achieve certain textures and styles, or what tricks and tools work best; I’ve just never been overly skilled at translating these techniques to the page.
I began to see my weakness as an advantage: as an amateur, I could identify sticking points that more experienced artists might overlook. What proves difficult for inexperienced artists? What needs clearer instruction? I eventually said yes, and now have three how to draw books under my belt, all for popular franchises, with a fourth on the way later this year.
To celebrate the release of my latest how to draw book, I wanted to share some of the most significant lessons I’ve learned while working on these projects. These tips aren’t for established artists. They’re for the proud amateurs; for fellow creators who might have packed away their pencils in favour of other hobbies; or anyone who has the itch to give drawing a try but finds their confidence is holding them back.
Everything is Made of Shapes
This sounds painfully obvious, I know. But hear me out.
One of the reasons I never seriously pursued art was my frustration at my efforts looking like … not much of anything. Obscure blobs which vaguely resembled a face or a house or a dog. That’s because I tried to put the final image on the page all at once. I was rushing to get to the end.
Every single drawing can be broken down into a series of core shapes, whether drawing an item, person, or animal. Mastering the cylinder, cube, and sphere will make drawing so much easier. Once you’ve built a simple framework from basic shapes, you can flesh out your drawing, giving it a firm form as a recognisable object. It’s why how to draw books take these step-by-step approaches: it helps artists break a completed image down into manageable shapes and sections.
The ultimate lesson is to take time and care with your creation. We wouldn’t slap a wad of clay onto a pottery wheel and expect to instantly form a beautiful sculpture. Drawings have to be nurtured in the same way. Start with the basics and get to know them well. Soon, you’ll be able to draw anything!
Erasers Exist for a Reason
Erasers are magical things. They remove unwanted lines, mistakes vanishing before our eyes. Most importantly, as an essential part of an artist’s kit, they’re a reminder that artists of all levels make mistakes. No one is born an outstanding artist: it takes practice. Rubbing out pencil marks isn’t a sign of failure, but of perseverance.
Speaking of supplies, let me share a little secret. You don’t need to buy all the tools to start drawing.
When writing how to draw books, I tend to sketch along to my written instructions to check they are clear and easy to follow. Some of my very best drawings have been done with an HB pencil from a Christmas cracker on a Post-It. Am I a little annoyed that my greatest artistic achievements are forever captured on lime green sticky notes? Sure. But I’m happier with the fact my drawing is improving, no matter what tools I’m using.
Start with any pencil you can get your hands on, whether it’s a professional pack from the art store or one you slipped in your pocket at IKEA. One pencil can make an entire range of tones depending on the pressure you apply and whether you use the point or edge of the lead.
It’s All About Perspective
You’ve mastered the basic shapes and can now sketch impressive drawings. The only problem is they look a bit flat. That’s where perspective comes in.
Perspective creates an optical illusion, producing a sense of space and depth in 3D drawings.
Drawing in perspective is a tricky skill to get the hang of, but it’s essential to give your sketch a 3D appearance. Looking at a person or an object from an angle makes artwork much more dynamic.
To draw in perspective, it’s important to begin by determining two key points: the horizon line and the vanishing point. The horizon line is simply the viewer’s eye level, where your own eye is drawn to when looking at an image. The placement of this line can draw attention to a particular area of your drawing, helping you visualise which body parts will appear larger/closer, and which will seem smaller/further away. Draw a dot in the centre of your horizon line. This is your vanishing point: the point where receding parallel lines come together as if vanishing upon the horizon.
It will take a lot of practice to figure out perspective and make sure proportions are correct in your drawings, but don’t give up! If you’d like to learn more about drawing in perspective, I found Stan Lee and John Buscema’s How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way to be the most beginner-friendly yet comprehensive guide when trying to wrap my head around angles, horizon lines, and vanishing points.
References Are Your Friend
One of the biggest misconceptions in the creative industries is that all creators pluck ideas out of thin air, struck by a sudden bolt of inspiration with an entirely original concept. It creates a barrier—one of our own making—suggesting that we can’t do something creative because we’re not constantly developing unique ideas. However, in drawing—as in most creative fields—references are your best friend.
For beginners, one of the simplest ways to start drawing is to use references. It could be a photograph, an object in front of you, drawing books, or even your face in the mirror: anything at all. Using references will help you build confidence while examining proportions and textures to create realistic drawings, capturing your desired subject at specific angles.
References aren’t only used by beginners: experienced artists use them too. Over my seven years of working in comics editorial, I have spent hours collecting a weird and wonderful variety of reference images for comic artists to use when drawing a script: everything from unicorns and tanks to benches and post boxes. While we can imagine how an object should look on in our heads, using a reference helps to ensure the drawing is lifelike—even in a cartoon world.
But, I hear you cry, what if I want to create something totally new? References are still helpful! You can build the basis of a new robot around household items: a hoover, the tangle of cables at the back of a TV, and a toaster could combine in Power Ranger Megazord fashion to create its mechanical framework. Or perhaps a mash of animals could create a monstrous creature. References don’t hold an artist back but act as a springboard for bigger ideas.
Learn the Rules, Then Break Them
There are a lot of steadfast rules in the art world. Mastering them will absolutely help build confidence and improve skills. But drawing is an art, and art tends to push boundaries. Once you’re comfortable with the basics, don’t be afraid to play with the techniques you’ve learned to create more interesting, experimental drawings. For example, playing with perspective can create a warped effect.
Picasso is a perfect example of mastering the rules, then morphing them into an entirely original concept, methodically exploring how to bend the rules he had spent years learning and developing to create some of the world’s most celebrated pieces of art.
But perhaps the most important lesson of all is that anyone can draw. It sounds clichéd, but it’s true. As someone who embarked on a career in comics, I have always found it quite funny (and, truthfully, a little embarrassing) at just how mediocre my art skills were. Sure, I could hold a pencil, but that didn’t mean I could guide it around the page in any meaningful way. I’d long since given up trying to learn how to draw, sticking to admiring artistic talent instead.
But writing step-by-step instructions for how to draw books and doing test sketches to ensure my guides make sense has shown me that drawing is an achievable skill. By breaking down each image into manageable steps, I quickly realised the little marks I was making with my pencil did, in fact, resemble something. All it takes is a little practice, persistence, a light hand, and a good eraser.