Author: Renjith Ravindran

Drawing Tips: Why you should use solvent with shading

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Shading is one of the major parts of drawing. When you are using color pencils in layers, a grainy texture might appear on the surface of the paper.

This is especially a big problem when you are applying progressive colors on top of each other or even when you are shading uneven surfaces.

To avoid this, you can use a universal solvent in liquid form. All you have to do is brush the solution with a clean brush over the surface. This will allow the colors to blend together properly and will reduce the irritating surface texture.

Drawing: 3 Tips that beginners can use

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When you are just starting to draw, there will be a lot of hurdles in front of you. You won’t probably get the output that you are expecting and you might get easily demotivated as well.

While these issues need to be overcome, there are certain tips that you can follow to get the best out of you.

  • Hold your pencil loosely and make faint lines to create an overall shape of your object. You can then darken the lines you want to keep.
  • You need to let go of perfection. You need to avoid making thoughts that demotivate you and understand that you are learning with each drawing.
  • Observe the subject more. Most of us tend to stare longer at our drawings rather than focusing on the subject at hand.

3 Tips for drawing realistic humans

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Making realistic drawings is not a cake walk. It requires some effort and at the same time, some keen observation.

While we might not need a realistic approach on all the case, most of the times, it is required. And there are some tips you can follow to make your drawings of humans look more realistic.

  1. The three heads: When drawing shoulders, make sure that the length of your shoulder is enough to accommodate three heads.
  2. The length of the legs: The legs usually have the same length as the torso and the head together.
  3. Position of the eyes: The position of the eyes is somewhere near the middle of the head. This leaves space for forehead and in turn, space for emotions.

Drawing Tips: What to keep in mind when drawing a car

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Just like drawing portraits, it is equally important to know how to draw non-living objects. Cars, in particular, are quite important when it comes to an artist. And to make matters easier, we are going to list down few tips which can help you get the best output while drawing a car.

Proportions: it is important to have the right proportions when drawing a car. It heavily depends on the view from which you are planning to draw but if you do not keep the right proportions, it can easily ruining your drawing.

Perspective: Before you start drawing, it is important to figure out the perspective from which you want the car to be visible. You can draw from front; you can draw from the side, or even a slanted front view. No matter which perspective you use, make sure that you have it planned before starting.

Shades: Shading is important when it comes to drawing cars. This goes hand in hand with perspective. The portion which requires shading depends on your perspective. Ignoring shades can make your image look less realistic.

3 Tips for Drawing Daily

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One important way to improve your drawing ability is to draw daily. While it might seem like a simple gesture, on the long run, it will have a huge impact on your drawing skills.

There are some tips which you can follow to develop the habit of daily drawing and we are going to list them down below.

Get a cheap drawing book: To avoid the guilt of ruining a good paper, it is recommended to get a cheap drawing book so that you can use it daily.

Set a timer: Choose an amount of time that you want to draw and set a timer. Make sure that you do nothing else in this time frame.

Create a list: Create a list of things that you would love to draw. This can ease and fasten up the process of drawing.

A tip to overcome the fear of drawing

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Fear of drawing is a real thing. When we start out, most of us are bombarded with millions of thoughts that will try to hold us back. And this can easily derail the whole process.

The idea is to have a mind shift.

When you are starting out, you need not show your drawings to anyone. In fact, you don’t even have to save them. Here’s what an expert Illustrator Saskia Wariner had to say about the situation.

“Don’t show your drawings to anyone but your dog. I’ve found that when I [draw] by myself, I am more free, and a lot more good things happen when I am calm and relaxed. I feel less afraid of failing. I could just rip out some pages of my sketchbook if I want[ed] to, but honestly I’d rather never do that, because those are the most funny and interesting drawings.”

Drawing Tips: How to look at the figure before drawing

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Looking at the figure is one of the most important things before one starts drawing. And there are some tips that you can follow to make the process easier.

Firstly, it is important to take into consideration the reclining pose of the figure, horizontal lines, cropping of the photo and even format of the monitor when looking at the figure.

Secondly, notice how the figure is supporting its own weight. It is important to notice this as it will help you get a better output. Lastly, hold your pencil up to the figure and visualize three lines, one each through shoulders, hips and knees. The relation between these lines should be kept in mind when you draw your figure.

Drawing Tips: Why you should use varied lines

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When someone starts drawing, they rarely make use of varied lines even though they are a powerful took to impart originality.

The idea is: Not all lines are equal. Small changes in the width and darkness of your lines can create a dynamic impact on the picture and make it more visually interesting. However, this is easier said than done. Changing the lines requires a lot of practice.

Experiment with different pencils ranging from 3H to 6B and holding the pencil in different angles to get the desired results. With some practice, you will be able to figure out how changing the depth of one line can impact your whole drawing.

Drawing Hair: Here are some tips you should know

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Hair is one of the most important body parts when it comes to drawing. Ruining the hair can in turn ruin the whole picture that you are drawing.

Since hair holds high importance in making a picture look good, we will be listing down few tips which you can follow when you are drawing hair.

  1. Always start by laying the overall shape of the hairstyle with pencil.
  2. Dark pencil strokes create the illusion of length. The band of lights creates the idea of curves.
  3. The color of the hair is determined by the darkness of your pencil.
  4. The pencil strokes always replicate the hair’s direction and length.

4 Drawing Tips that a Beginner should know

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Being a beginner is always good as it allows you to learn. This applies to drawing as well. When starting, there are some tips that you can follow and we will be listing down four such tips below.

  1. Start with the object that is in front of you
  2. When you are start drawing, draw from a point of focus, like an eye or a door of a building.
  3. Tracing is not a good idea and it doesn’t make you learn. So better to avoid tracing.
  4. Color the light areas first then overlay dark color on top when you are using markers or paint.

Following these tips can drastically improve your drawing and could set you up a good foundation which you can build.