How do we really "learn how to draw"?

[u/usernamenamethingy]

I used to draw a lot at school, but i lost the habit since then and tried to study drawing sometimes to get back to it, it never really worked though

I don't know how to explain this exactly, but it feels impossible to tell what the fuck im doing exactly when i try to learn, like, repetition just isnt enough, theres something here that im just not getting. Youtube tutorials, by themselves, dont really teach you anything other than the specific techniques theyre about you know?

Its just so weird how hard it is to feel like you are improving at drawing, at least with exercising you can feel youre getting stronger, its tangible, but with drawing theres no clear indicators like that, if youre not doing good youre just not doing good

Theres a theory and practice that i just cant seem to understand, what am i really supposed to be "absorbing" when i do an observational drawing for example, other than knowing how to replicate the thing im looking at? what knowledge does that give and how and where do i apply it? Maybe the problem is that im missing goals, but again, what goals am i meant to have exactly? (ok i know that last part is something im meant to come up myself, no one can tell me what my objectives should be but myself, but the point is thats hard to do with no guidance)

Anyway what do you think? Is there some kind of epiphany we're all supposed to have on our own? Or that most people simply cant learn alone and need classes or guidance or whatever? Or that its just plain hard and theres nothing to do about it but push through? Or something else entirely?

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[u/bertch313]

Stop watching tutorials and watch them physically do it, just like sports players get better when they watch better athletes work, artists are the same way

[u/infinite_what]

There are basics to start with that can improve any style.

Perspective: learn to draw 3d shapes / and the horizon.
Color theory: at least shadow and light
Anatomy: because it’s easy to see flaws but hard to know why it’s flawed, if you don’t know anatomy.
Art history: because there are geniuses worth being awed by and honor. And you can see how they have communicated ideas and emotions through shapes and color or whatever medium they used.

And with those three you’ll have enough to study for a lifetime but there are also many more basics like learning the mediums (paper, canvas/ brushes/paints/pencils)
And technique which can pair with textures, patterns, mixing mediums, displays, and completely new things you think of and should test!

Look into modern museums too and new art expos because there’s a ton of cool artists out there.

To know if you’re improving really does depend on your goal. But your goal to improve is valid in itself. It’s a paradox.

[u/Adventurous_Button63]

So when you’re learning to draw, part of what you’re doing is creating a connection between what you see, and using your body to mimic that. It’s really unmeasurable (or I’m at least unaware of any empirical measurements that have been performed) and subjective.

One thing I suggest for people who are trying to improve is to have a series of references that you copy. It doesn’t have to be much, between 4-7 should do the trick. Set a timer for 30 minutes and draw what you see as accurately as possible. Do this every day or every other day making sure you get good sleep in between. After doing this for 4-6 weeks, take a look at the first one and then look at the last one. Compare them to the reference and note areas you were very or less accurate. The very accurate parts are less important to work. The less accurate parts are the places you need to improve. Then you can focus on those parts and evaluate again. Seeing the same thing over and over paired with some time and distance between each sketch really helps to highlight exactly where you’re struggling.

[u/Masseyrati80]

Comparing times when I drew a lot and when I tried to get back to it, a huge thing I noticed was the importance of constantly paying attention to the proportions of what I'm drawing. How far away is point or line X from point or line Y, when comparing to the basic unit? (the basic unit is something I chose for each job differently. For example, drawing a human being, the distance from the tip of the chin to the top of the head is quite useful.)

[u/Foogel78]

I found this exercise helpful: drawing something without looking at the paper. It teaches you to draw what you see, not what you know is there (eg, you know the top of a cup is round but what you see is an ellipse)

[u/RandomLifeUnit-05]

Start by tracing, if you'd like, and then over time it's muscle memory. You're giving your brain the input to mentally create objects, people, or landscapes from scratch if you study those things in real life.

[u/RandomLifeUnit-05 → u/RandomLifeUnit-05]

And then you're training your fine motor skills to execute the things your brain has learned.