Anyone learn how to draw or sketch?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Is it possible to learn how to draw or sketch? I know there are classes but do they work? Anyone learned? I'm not an artist and don't draw well but do have an eye and have automotive design ideas I need to put down on paper.

[70SATMan]

Shaun, even those with tons of natural talent "study".

I would encourage anyone to take art classes regardless of their "endgame".

I've dabbled in more mediums than I care to list and I wish that I had more time
At the moment to do more. Looking forward to taking up some of them again when I retire.

DO IT. There is a lot that can be learned. Here's a couple of books off my shelves that I find myself going back to every couple of years. Don't know if they can still be found.

[stomachmonkey]

Like anything else it's a skill that can be learned and improved on.

Certainly if you have a natural affinity for it that makes things easier.

Practice is critical.

All the phenomenal artists I know draw every single day.

They get up in the morning and "warm up" by sketching something while having breakfast.

They do it for a living, these guys work for studios like WETA, ILM, Lucas, etc...

You certainly don't need to dedicate that kind of time but like most things, the more you do it regularly the better you get.

[Sarc]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Like anything else it's a skill that can be learned and improved on.

Certainly if you have a natural affinity for it that makes things easier.

Practice is critical.

All the phenomenal artists I know draw every single day.

They get up in the morning and "warm up" by sketching something while having breakfast.

They do it for a living, these guys work for studios like WETA, ILM, Lucas, etc...

You certainly don't need to dedicate that kind of time but like most things, the more you do it regularly the better you get.

What he said.

[Rickysa]

The "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" book shown above is the bomb....

The creative side of my brain is the size of a shriveled up pea under my grandmothers front porch that was shucked 50 years ago...and it worked for me. (plus it's really a lot fun)

[sammyg2]

[epbrown]

Ditto - it's all about practice. I've taken classes and I've got my own copy of "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" and some others. It really is like any other skill - put in the work and you can get quite good; I've seen quality drawing in classes done by people that haven't a lick of talent, my own work included. The problem, of course, is putting your work up against people that do have talent - it's what makes most people quit, or never see how good their stuff is.

[70SATMan]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Like anything else it's a skill that can be learned and improved on.

Certainly if you have a natural affinity for it that makes things easier.

Practice is critical.

All the phenomenal artists I know draw every single day.

They get up in the morning and "warm up" by sketching something while having breakfast.

They do it for a living, these guys work for studios like WETA, ILM, Lucas, etc...

You certainly don't need to dedicate that kind of time but like most things, the more you do it regularly the better you get.

For some like my eldest daughter it's something that she's constantly doing, almost as a need to release the creative buildup.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

I'm not an artist and don't draw well but do have an eye ...

This raises a question that has perplexed me for most of my life.
Are you not an artist because you don't have the skill to express your creative thoughts, or does just being creative make you an artist, whether you express it or not?

My area of skill is writing, but I have a "feel" for creatively visualizing. I see cool stuff in my mind.

Music - no. I've never imagined a creative sound in my head.

I have a friend with an incredible imagination. He can tell fascinating, engrossing stories right off the top of his head. But he can't write a coherent sentence. To me he is an artist.

I feel blessed that I have an imagination and one skill that lets me express it, but I wish I could draw. I do play around with drawing from the right side of your brain now and then. It provides a different way of looking at the world than most of us left brain engineering types look at it.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by 70SATMan

Shaun, even those with tons of natural talent "study".

I would encourage anyone to take art classes regardless of their "endgame".

I've dabbled in more mediums than I care to list and I wish that I had more time
At the moment to do more. Looking forward to taking up some of them again when I retire.

DO IT. There is a lot that can be learned. Here's a couple of books off my shelves that I find myself going back to every couple of years. Don't know if they can still be found.

Thank you Michael, would be a good start but...

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Like anything else it's a skill that can be learned and improved on.

Certainly if you have a natural affinity for it that makes things easier.

Practice is critical.

All the phenomenal artists I know draw every single day.

They get up in the morning and "warm up" by sketching something while having breakfast.

They do it for a living, these guys work for studios like WETA, ILM, Lucas, etc...

You certainly don't need to dedicate that kind of time but like most things, the more you do it regularly the better you get.

OK, thanks Scott, I'll hire an artist or do some work in Photoshop.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

This raises a question that has perplexed me for most of my life.
Are you not an artist because you don't have the skill to express your creative thoughts, or does just being creative make you an artist, whether you express it or not?

My area of skill is writing, but I have a "feel" for creatively visualizing. I see cool stuff in my mind.

Music - no. I've never imagined a creative sound in my head.

I have a friend with an incredible imagination. He can tell fascinating, engrossing stories right off the top of his head. But he can't write a coherent sentence. To me he is an artist.

I feel blessed that I have an imagination and one skill that lets me express it, but I wish I could draw. I do play around with drawing from the right side of your brain now and then. It provides a different way of looking at the world than most of us left brain engineering types look at it.

Great questions.

I've always felt art required skill, otherwise it's just a manifestation of imagination. So when, some day, I get the chance to create some sculpture on the scale of Richard Serra using carbon fiber instead of steel, it certainly won't just be some large bolts of fabric set with epoxy.

But then this painting I did years ago using no skill at all, is it art? Or the study in blue? What is that?

[Otter74]

Regardless of one's level of innate talent, you cannot help but get better if you do, do, do. So yes, you can learn. I do not know what your starting point is and I cannot speak to pedagogies, but I think you will be happy with your results, whatever they are.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to do, do, do. Draw, draw, draw.

[70SATMan]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

Great questions.

I've always felt art required skill, otherwise it's just a manifestation of imagination. So when, some day, I get the chance to create some sculpture on the scale of Richard Serra using carbon fiber instead of steel, it certainly won't just be some large bolts of fabric set with epoxy.

But then this painting I did years ago using no skill at all, is it art? Or the study in blue? What is that?

Shaun,

Art is only one thing and you touched upon it, the manifestation of imagination. One does not need to necessarily have the physical skill. Take a writer for instance, are the hands necessary?

I'd call your study in red art because it created an interest and emotion when I look at it. And no, it's not hate or distaste, lol.

[70SATMan]

I even had a name that popped in my head when I first looked at the study in red. Had you named it as you created it or even afterwards?

Sol.

[Nostril Cheese]

You just do it. And keep doing it... keep learning different styles and look at all kinds of art.

Some people are just naturals.. and it's amazing to watch them. My father sketched his whole life. Made sense he was an architect/builder, and a painter (water, oils.. you name it) and also a tattoist.. He never stopped getting better... His father was a draftsman, but never did anything outside of work. I never understood that.

I was lucky to gain some of his skills, but never to the level he did. He could draw upside down to explain an idea to a client.. blew me away... I put together a binder of all his stuff last year.

One of the coolest things I remember was when he taught me perspective drawing. That opened up a whole world for me. I still sketch every day.

Some of his stuff.. Mine doesnt even compare...

[Nostril Cheese]

This is awesome, btw.

Check out a movie called The Tree of Life.. it makes me think of that.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by 70SATMan

Shaun,

Art is only one thing and you touched upon it, the manifestation of imagination. One does not need to necessarily have the physical skill. Take a writer for instance, are the hands necessary?

I'd call your study in red art because it created an interest and emotion when I look at it. And no, it's not hate or distaste, lol.

Now we to have define what works can be considered art! Writing, to me, isn't art. It's writing. Yet a play, acted, is art in my book, which is merely a book of scraps, certainly not art.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by 70SATMan

I even had a name that popped in my head when I first looked at the study in red. Had you named it as you created it or even afterwards?

Sol.

Sol? Really? Sol? Sol is the old Jewish guy who owns the diner on W79th, makes a great reuben.

No name for it. And it's gone forever, to a girl.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Now that's talent!

I would love to do this but I don't have the time to practice, I seriously don't. From a time-value perspective, I should focus on things I already do well to pay for the artist to render what I need.

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

You just do it. And keep doing it... keep learning different styles and look at all kinds of art.

Some people are just naturals.. and it's amazing to watch them. My father sketched his whole life. Made sense he was an architect/builder, and a painter (water, oils.. you name it) and also a tattoist.. He never stopped getting better... His father was a draftsman, but never did anything outside of work. I never understood that.

I was lucky to gain some of his skills, but never to the level he did. He could draw upside down to explain an idea to a client.. blew me away... I put together a binder of all his stuff last year.

One of the coolest things I remember was when he taught me perspective drawing. That opened up a whole world for me. I still sketch every day.

Some of his stuff.. Mine doesnt even compare...

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

This is awesome, btw.

Check out a movie called The Tree of Life.. it makes me think of that.

Just saw the trailer, that looks like my kind of movie! can't wait to netflix it.

thanks!