Steal this strategy to create better art.

Article Title: Steal this strategy to create better art Published: 17/12/2023 Author: Samantha Badrock (This post contains affiliate links and I my be compensated if you choose to purchase a product from the links in this page. I only provide links to product that I either personally use or that are in alignment with my values and that are actually useful) If you ever thought about starting art, I mean giving drawing a crack, then perhaps a few simple tips to get you started might help. there is nothing worse, than embarking on a new creative journey (no matter what the medium is) only to see it fail.

I've been there...

One day, you're scrolling on your phone and you come across some really funky art that seems eay enough to do. You're all exicted! All you need are the tools just like th artist in the video. So off to the shops to buy every single thing you THINK you need....

You get home, replay that one 10 second video about a thousand times... Pausing... Replaying... Pausing again... replaying again.... You give up! Maybe you're not artistic? You like numbers anyway, and you can only be one or the other... right? So there goes hundreds of dollars down the drain... You slump back in your couch, defeated and deflated...

But what if you just took a deep breath, and read about a few tips and tricks to get you started?

When I first started to learn how to draw for my self, I read so many books. Books, for me were the best resource. I could take my time with them, read each page, try out each new tecnique and go back to them whenever I liked. I could learn at my own pace. Youtube videos and reels are great, but if you loose the video or if they gatekeep the information that you actually need, then you're just wishing you could be an artist. Instead of actually DOING art and practising and learning and growing your skills set.

For me personally, if i learn off youtube, I end up getting sucked back into the world of doom scrolling instead of growing my skills. I have a plethora of art books that I personally use, and I want to share them with you today. (If you read right to the end of this blog article, I'll share with you my 3 key observation tips for better drawing)

Books that I use:

The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds Paperback – Illustrated, 8 July 2015

Learn more here: https://amzn.to/3tuIxaF John Muir Laws’s guide to drawing birds is itself winged, soaring between a devotion not only to art but also to the lives, forms, and postures of the birds themselves.

Here, artistic technique and the exquisite details of natural history intertwine, and drawing becomes the vehicle for seeing. As Laws writes, "To draw feathers, you must understand how feathers grow, overlap, and insert into the body. To create the body, you must have an understanding of the bird’s skeletal structure. To pose this skeleton, you must be able to perceive the energy, intention, and life of the bird."

This how-to guide will perfect the technique of serious artists but also, perhaps more importantly, it will provide guidance for those who insist they can’t draw. Leading the mind and hand through a series of detailed exercises, Laws delivers what he promises: that "drawing birds opens you to the beauty of the world." An Audubon Book.

Faces & Features (Drawing): Learn to draw step by step Paperback – 6 May 2019 You can learn more here: https://amzn.to/3NwWmMy

I personally love this series. The books in this series of learning how to draw was my go to back in 2019 when I wanted to go from drawing for myself to making commissions off my work. I frothed at every page, the book had a tremendous amount of information that I could understand and implement.

With drawing tips, techniques, and 16 step-by-step projects, Faces & Features is the perfect resource for beginning artists ready to enhance their drawing skills.

Learn to create detailed, realistic portraits in graphite pencil from basic shapes. Successfully drawing the human face is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, artistic experiences. Faces & Features shows you how to capture the unique characteristics of the human face in graphite pencil, with tips on choosing materials, building with basic shapes, placing proportionate features, defining facial expression, and shading to develop form and realism. With a wealth of detailed step-by-step projects to both re-create and admire,

Practical Tips for Aspiring Artists

1. Start with Still Life: Begin your observational journey by sketching everyday objects. Notice their shapes, shadows, and textures.

2. Master Anatomy: Just as Leonardo da Vinci dissected bodies to understand anatomy, study the human form to create realistic figures.

3. Experiment with Light: Play with lighting conditions to see how they affect your subjects. Explore chiaroscuro, the interplay of light and shadow.

Questions to Ponder

- How does heightened observation enhance your ability to convey emotions in art?

- How can the academic approach coexist with more abstract or conceptual forms of art?