A tutorial on drawing with a pencil. Free drawing and painting lessons

Every person needs to have an outlet in life. Even if a hobby is a job, it is still impossible to devote 24 hours a day to it. In a great way relax is drawing. How to learn to draw from scratch? It will take a lot of patience, a good eye and, of course, a lot of practice.

Choosing material

Certainly, professional artist can draw a masterpiece with a simple pencil on a regular napkin, but people who are wondering how to learn to draw from scratch should not try such experiments. Otherwise, you can be disappointed in your abilities, never knowing what Mother Nature really put into you.

For the first lesson, you need to purchase an album with thick paper or buy a sheet of Whatman paper. Of course, you can draw on the “Snegurochka”, but the sheets intended for printing are so thin that the pencil will “stumble” on the backing, which is a table or easel. By the way, about the backing: you should not draw on the table; it is advisable to purchase (or make your own) an art tablet. Drawing at an angle is always more convenient, as the viewing angle becomes larger. And, of course, answering the question of how to learn to draw from scratch at home, one cannot help but mention pencils. The artist must have at least 5 of them. It is advisable to have 2 pencils of different hardness, 2 of different softness and one hard-soft.

There should also be 2 washing machines: one is standard soft, the other is kneaded.

Basics: learning the stroke

How to learn to draw from scratch? The first thing you need to do is train your hand. There are a lot of different exercises for this, for example, drawing eights, zigzags or straight lines. These simple exercises, if you do them 3-5 minutes before the start of class, they will be able to loosen your hand, it will obey you better.

The next exercise is to study shading. It can be straight, inclined or crosswise. In the process of work, each artist develops his own unique style, but at the first stage it is too early to think about style, you need to get better at it, which means trying different stylistic solutions.

Once the shading has been studied, you can move on to the form. But you don't need to draw it contour lines, namely strokes. This way a person will better perceive the volume, and at the same time perfect his stroke.

Sketches

Sketch books are very popular today. Moreover, both beginning artists and professional illustrators draw in them. Why do you need such a notepad? Everything ingenious is simple. The purpose of a sketch book is to always be at hand. You never know where you might meet interesting topics for sketches. Beginning artists who are tormented by the question of how to learn to draw from scratch just need to get a sketchbook. Here you can throw fantastic images or sketch surrounding objects. It doesn’t matter what will be depicted there, the main thing is daily drawing. And since in the modern rhythm it is difficult to find a free minute, if you always have a sketch book at hand, the task becomes much easier.

Geometric bodies

Anyone can learn to draw from scratch with a pencil. You should start your creative attempts with the image of geometric objects. After all, everything that surrounds us can be divided into cubes, spheres or pyramids. And if you have experience in drawing a base, then drawing, for example, a portrait will be much easier.

The first step is to learn how to draw a cube.

It is advisable to draw from life, and not from the monitor screen. After all, the image on a computer is two-dimensional, and it will not fully convey reality. It should be remembered that it is worth constructing the geometry, and not sketching the outer shell, otherwise it will be simply impossible to achieve an understanding of the form. After the cube you need to learn how to build a ball, then there should be a cone, a pyramid and all the others geometric bodies that exist.

Bodies of revolution

How to learn to draw from scratch? By working step by step first on geometric objects and then on a body of rotation, you can achieve significant results.

First of all, try to depict teapots and mugs. Most of these objects have a simple shape that will be easy to depict even for a novice artist.

The next stage is drawing vases and glasses. But you need to choose not elegant crystal objects, but rough clay products. Their form is easy to read, so drawing them graphically is much easier.

Having mastered fairly simple subjects, you can move on to more complex objects. For example, depict a still life. This task is given so that the novice artist understands how objects interact with each other. After staged still lifes, you can move directly to more lively drawings. For example, sketch before or after breakfast.

Landscapes

Having learned to draw well all the space in the house, you can go outside to paint. Drawing architecture and landscapes is a rather complex and time-consuming process. How to learn to draw landscapes for beginners from scratch? Swipe preparatory work at home, look at similar drawings in textbooks. Many artists post on the Internet not only ready-made sketches, but also step-by-step storyboards. Analyzing their work it is quite easy to imagine what simple shapes you can break this or that bush. As a workout, you can walk around the park from time to time and imagine how you can draw a tree, pond or bench. Before the image leaves your head, immediately upon returning home, draw from memory the object that interests you.

Animals and people

We figured out how to learn to draw with a pencil from scratch step by step, and now you need to understand where to start drawing a person or animal. Of course, the first thing you should do is sit down with an anatomy textbook. Only by understanding the structure human face and body, the artist will be able to create a realistic figure or portrait.

Of course, you can draw the contours of the body, but in order to accurately depict the figure, you need to build. The first thing to do is to redraw as many sketches as possible from an anatomy textbook and, of course, carefully study and master the proportions. It is necessary to have an idea of ​​how many times the head fits into the body, on which line the tips of the fingers end, etc.

To learn how to draw portraits, you need to do some preparatory work. A cut-off will help here - a plaster cast of a human head, the face of which is laid out on planes. Any artist, when drawing a portrait, must keep in mind the trimming scheme.

And of course, the same goes for animals and birds. To draw any four-legged or feathered creature, you need to look at what it looks like without fur and feathers. It is by knowing anatomy that an artist will be able to professionally draw any living creature.

First, a little theory. It may probably seem that theory is not very important, but studying theory is one of the main stages in the development of artists. To learn how to draw realistic sketches, you need to know the nine basic laws of drawing:

1. Perspective: those figures that are closer seem large, and those that are far away seem small.

2. Position: those figures that are located lower on the sheet, they visually seem closer.

3. Dimensions: the larger the figure is drawn, the closer it will appear.

4. Overlap: the object that is drawn in front of another object visually appears closer

5. Shadow: the plane on which the figure is located should be darker on the opposite side than the light source.

6. Fill: that part of the figure that will be located on the other side of the source from which the light will come, this part should be the darkest in order to produce the effect of depth.

7. Contour lines: in order to draw round shapes, you need to draw contour lines.

8. Horizon line: you need to draw a horizon line to draw a three-dimensional image.

9. Distance: to create an imitation of the distance between figures, distant figures need to be depicted a little lighter and drawn less clearly.

Without following these laws, you will not be able to draw a picture. Knowledge of the nine basic laws of drawing is the basis for successful learning to draw. The more often you draw and apply these laws, the sooner you will begin to remember them, and it will become increasingly easier to use them and apply them in practice.

Important Principles

The next step after learning the basic laws of drawing is to know the three tricks that you should always remember: attitude, detail and practice.

1. Mood: in order to tune in to positive work, you need to convince yourself that you are ready and say that everything is within your power! Only with positive thoughts can you learn and apply new artistic skills.

2. Details: adding different details makes the drawing more alive, and if you try to add something new, perhaps the drawing will turn out much more unusual.

3. Practice: in order to master perfectly the skills that you have learned, these skills must be used every day at work to consolidate them.

Training these principles is very important for developing artistic skills.

Tools

The next stage is choice necessary tools for drawing, they should be convenient and practical:

1. You will need a notebook or album. Although any paper can be used to start drawing, it can be plain white or it can be tinted, thin or thick. If you decide to take special paper You will certainly be able to achieve much better results than with plain paper. It is important to know what raw materials the drawing paper is made from. Paper tester, test grain size has
greater value.

There are two types of paper, fine grain paper and coarse grain paper. If you take fine-grained paper, then this type of paper will be suitable for any type of drawing, but coarse-grained paper is suitable for writing on it with watercolors. The artist himself chooses to draw on coarse-grained or fine-grained paper. Premium grade paper is marked with a watermark in the corner.

2. School pencils, which have four degrees of hardness: No. 1 - 2B, No. 2-B, No. 3-H, and No. 4 - 2H, are perfect for drawing sketches. In order to succeed good drawings, it is better to use pencils numbered 2 and 3. If you are serious about learning, it would be better to buy a complete set of drawing pencils highest quality. There are 19 degrees of hardness: H - hard, HB and F - medium hard, B - soft.

3. Calendar and planning – one of the most important stages. In order to achieve in the future good results, you need to draw for at least twenty minutes every day. So for this you will need to create an action plan and constantly monitor the implementation of the plan.

Drawing stages

First step

First, you will need to take your pencil and calendar - now you will need to create a schedule for the lessons that you will do throughout the week. Of course, you need to take into account that there are other activities besides drawing, so even these twenty minutes can be divided and made into two 10-minute classes.

To achieve success, you need to work hard every day, acquire new skills, study techniques, review work famous artists for inspiration. After just a month of hard work, results will be visible.

Second step

The most important thing is to just sit down at the table and start drawing! When you sit down at the table, you will need to take a deep breath, and then you need to smile. Then take a piece of paper and put it in front of you and now try to draw.

Now you need to check yourself. First you will need to draw several objects. You need to relax! You must also understand that you are doing this for yourself, and only you can draw this picture. It is necessary that you now draw just such a drawing, which will then help you improve your skills in the future. But even if you feel lazy or just don’t want to draw this part of the picture, you will definitely have to force yourself to draw this moment of the picture. Then, by the end of the month, you yourself will understand that this was not done in vain!

Third step

Don't forget to show your work more experienced artists, ask them for advice and listen carefully to them criticisms and then correct your mistakes. If you don't know any artists, there are many sites on the Internet where you can post your work and ask for advice.

Fourth step

Try it different techniques drawing and choose the most suitable one for yourself. If something doesn’t work out for you, don’t despair and try again, because you’re just learning and the skill will come with time.

Video lesson

If you want to learn something new interesting activity and learn to draw with a pencil from scratch, there are special methods for beginners. They make the process of creating an image easier. Even if you have never gone to an art studio or art school, with desire, patience and perseverance, it is quite possible to master this technique.

Choosing the main tool

If you decide to learn how to draw with a pencil from scratch, first of all, you will need leads of various hardnesses. Most often, HB or TM in the Russian version is used, but it is also necessary to have H (T), B (M), 2B (M). The marking indicates softness, and the number corresponds to its degree. The number is 2H (2T) the hardest that is usually used. It leaves a very thin, barely noticeable line. If you press hard with a well-sharpened pencil, it may even leave a scratch on the paper. The designation HB corresponds to medium hard-soft. The larger the number of the marking B (M), the darker and wider the line on the sheet will be.

To learn, three different styluses are enough. It is worth noting that graphite can be sold both in a wooden frame and in the form of rods for mechanical tool. They also produce sticks with a diameter of regular pencil, which are covered on the outside with a special non-staining layer. In this case it is convenient to use lateral surface sharpened part for shading large surfaces. They are often purchased for quick sketches. You can choose any option.

What else is needed?

If you're trying to learn how to draw with a pencil from scratch, be sure to have a good eraser. It should be soft so as not to further injure the layer of paper.

For the same purpose, draw contours with thin lines. Keep in mind that pencils should always be kept sharp. It is acceptable for a beginner to use a sharpener, but professionals only use a knife. This is due to the resulting shape of the pointed part. For execution correct shading It is recommended to sharpen the tool hollowly, that is, the lead is freed from the wood by one or even two centimeters, making a gradual transition of the cut to the sides of the pencil cylinder. A beginner should know this only for general information. Do what is easier and more convenient for you.

Possible execution techniques

The easiest way to learn how to draw with a pencil from scratch is linear. easier to do than with tonal elaboration.

Sometimes an inexperienced artist thinks that he has made a portrait very similar to the original, but during the shading process his opinion changes. For training, you can perform several works exactly linearly, applying only light shadows in some places. It will give the impression of a quick sketch. After all, you don’t have to tell everyone that you just don’t have enough experience yet.

As you practice, your hand will gain confidence, and you will be able to move on to working out the form in light and shadow. In the manuals “How to learn to draw with a pencil for beginners,” they often suggest using shading. It involves rubbing graphite over a sheet.

In this option, you will not see individual lines, and the transitions between tones will be very smooth. Hatching is more difficult to master. Each individual element must be located very tightly next to the neighboring one, otherwise the integrity of the object will not be obtained, but the impression will be striped, hairy - anything but a single shape.

So, at the first stage, use shading. You can rub the pencil mark using a soft piece of paper or even your finger, but it is worth remembering that professionals do not do this. If you are planning to study at an art school, you will have to forget about this method of drawing. If you have serious intentions, it is better to immediately master the technique of shading, gradually developing your hand. This will come in handy in the future.

How to do shading correctly?

If you decide to take action professional method, it is better to practice first on regular sheets.

Try pencils of different softness in action. Try to make tonal transitions using the same lead. The main thing is to try to ensure that the strokes fit tightly to each other, do not use lines crossed at right angles. It is better to apply them according to the shape, that is, if you have a cube in front of you, then the shading should be done either in a vertical direction or parallel to the lines of the edges. Do more exercise. Remember, mastery comes with experience.

How to fix errors?

If during work you are not satisfied with the quality of something, the pencil is easily erased.

However, in order not to remove excess, it makes sense to make a cut on the eraser with a knife, forming a thin edge. If you start to actively erase the shading, you can smear too much of the work done or seriously injure the paper. A new layer of graphite does not fit well on a damaged surface. For removing large quantity shading or partial weakening of the tone, if the object is too dark, use a special erasing mass. It resembles plasticine or is called a nag in professional slang. It easily absorbs excess graphite. A lump of ordinary bread crumb has the same property. So, even if you overdid something in your first experience, mistakes can always be corrected. The main thing is to try not to repeat them next time.

What is better to draw for beginners?

If you are interested in how to learn how to draw with a pencil step by step, everything is simple - the work should always be done from simple to complex and from general to detail.

Whatever plot you choose, the sequence of steps will be similar. Of course, it is better for beginners not to use too complex motifs with big amount constituent elements. This can only be done by having a clear visual step by step instructions. For independent drawing, choose simple objects and compositions from them, for example, a still life of household items, fruits, vegetables lying on a table or in a basket.

It's worth being patient if you decide to learn how to learn how to draw portraits with a pencil.

This is one of the most difficult tasks even for a professional. It is very difficult for a beginner to master it. Of course, everyone has objects that, regardless of skill level and experience, they want to depict. Choose your favorite subjects, just try to find and study as many tips and tricks for drawing them as possible. It's about about such complex objects as animals, flowers, architecture, cars, motorcycles, boats, people.

How to learn to draw cars with a pencil? You can copy them from a photograph (for example, by cells; the technique is described in more detail in the next section). It will be easiest for novice artists to depict a car from the side.

pencil?

Making a person's face is one of the most difficult tasks. A beginner can be offered a method of creating an image using cells from a photograph.

It allows you to more accurately convey proportions. To do this, take the following steps:

1. Draw a cellular structure on a transparent film.

2. Place it on the photo and secure it so that it does not accidentally move.

3. On your sheet of paper prepared for the portrait, also make an auxiliary construction in the form of cells.

4. Compare how the lines on the original intersect the cells, try to repeat them as accurately as possible with a pencil.

So, you have learned how to learn to draw with a pencil. It's quite easy step by step. The most important thing is to follow the sequence of work from the general to the details, and also try to choose first simple objects for execution.

“Life is too short to spend it on things that don’t bring you pleasure,” says Richard Branson. And if you have always wanted to learn how to draw, but never found the time or opportunity to attend an art school, then explore our new selection of useful online courses and programs. They will help you find a new hobby - drawing.

Websites for learning to draw

The online platform has a course “The ABCs of Drawing”, where both adults and children can learn all about the basics of drawing. What tools does the artist use, what concepts does he use, what is form and texture, contrast and nuance... The course contains 43 lectures and 8 modules. Upon completion, you must complete your homework.

An educational site that talks about drawing from life and human anatomy. True, the videos on English language, but this is a great reason to improve your English.

Website art school for adults by Mila Naumova. Mila Naumova is the author of the “Everyone Can Draw!” project, as well as a teacher of master classes and drawing lessons. The site has paid and free courses, such as “Learning to see and draw like an artist.”

English-language drawing resource. There are a lot of courses on the site that are built on the principle of “from simple to complex.” The courses offered are “Secrets of Drawing”, “Colored Pencil”, “Oil Painting”, “Watercolor Workshop”, “Pen and Ink”, “Creative Mix- media." Each module includes HD video and related literature.

Lessons are given on the project step by step drawing animals, birds, favorite cartoon characters, people. Simple pencil technique.

Website by pencil drawing. Everything you wanted to know about drawing with a pencil is explained step by step. On the project pages you will find materials on completely various topics: lessons in drawing people, animals, flowers, trees, etc.

A free drawing academy, where everyone will find something that will inspire them and something that they didn’t know yet. All videos are in English.

- free video lessons through which you can learn to draw with pencil, watercolors, portraits and landscapes. There are lessons for adults and separately for children. A whole channel from the school of Veronica Kalacheva. The school has its own website, but it mainly offers paid drawing courses. There are video tutorials available for free on YouTube. These are rich and interesting programs

teaching drawing, watercolor, pastel and painting. The channel was created for those who are not indifferent to and really wants to start drawing himself. If you don’t know where and how to start, you think you don’t have talent, then open the video, pick up a brush and paint. The video tutorials are very clear and simple. The channel contains lessons on watercolors, gouache, oils and pastels. - many detailed video tutorials on cartoon character

and everything connected with them. The channel is updated frequently, so you will always find something useful and new.