How to be better at Art?

Answer 1

Practice, practice, practice. I would recommend looking up some artists on Youtube to get an idea of their process. Use references when you draw. You don't want to trace or copy completely, but you need a reference to get proportions right. How would you draw a bicycle without seeing one first? How would you draw your dog without looking at it?

You can study some basics of art theory, like proportion, perspective, color theory, etc. Art is a journey. You may not become an amazing artist overnight. But it's really nice to look back on your old art after a month/year/years and see the progress you've made.

Hope that helps! :)

Answer 2

Try experimenting different techniques, and practice.

Answer 3

Perfect practice makes perfect:

Musicians have a saying, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” I don’t agree with that. I believe that perfect practice makes better. But no amount of practice will make you perfect. But the meaning behind the saying is if you just practice with no goal, then you are just wandering around in circles and probably retracing your steps.

Pick a concentration:

This might be harder than it sounds. It could take a long time to pick a concentration. Sometimes the concentration picks you. But, the sooner you can pick a concentration the faster you can get to the other steps.

Browse various methods of drawing On YouTube.

Once you have chosen a concentration, then you can browse YouTube for “How to draw in _____________ style”. You will find many videos. Then you will probably find many different artists that draw in that style. Subscribe to those artists. Don’t subscribe or follow an artist unless they are better than you are. Its not likely that you will be able to learn from an artist that isn’t better than you. Learn the methods that they use.

Combine the methods that work for you

After you have learned the methods that they use, then you can borrow from each of those methods. Not all of the masters will draw the same way. I have personally found a video series with 20 ways to draw the figure. And I am sure there are more ways than that.

Create a completely new method based on that information.

Once you have filled up your tool box with all of that useful knowledge, then you can decide which method or methods work for you. Throw what doesn’t work out the window.

For example: I wanted to draw in the comic style. Comic style is my concentration. I found a bunch of new artists, methods, combined the things I liked. I combined the Reilly head abstraction along with the simplified shapes method of figure drawing. I also needed to learn some drapery studies in order to know how fabric works. When I look at my drawings from last year they are not as good as my drawings from this year.

Find a like-minded Facebook group:

Finding a friend group to encourage and also be encouraged by is invaluable. They can tell you what is working for you and what is not working for you. Critiques don’t need to be harsh. Find a group who will be honest without being harsh.

Repeat:

I am predicting that if you are like most artists, you will not want to remain at the same level for long. Artists are all constantly evolving, learning, improving, innovating... So you will need to do more research and learn new artists and new methods and choose whether or not to use THOSE methods in your work. Art is a journey, not a destination.

Hope that helps.

Answer 4

This is something I hear very very often. And there is no way to "get better" but instead there is a way to feel proud of what you have created. Art does not have rules or qualifications. No matter what those Art Schools say. If you feel your piece has conveyed the message then it is good. I know that feeling of your art not feeling good enough, my main tip is to experiment. Follow artists you like on Instagram, create an inspo board on Pinterest. Those methods have helped me greatly. Good luck on your art journey <3

Answer 5

Practice as much as you can. This could be 15 min a day to several hours a day, but the most important thing is that you are practicing. Make sure you especially practice the basics. For example: lines, shapes, shading and lighting, and perspective.

Draw things that catches your eye, or if you want to get more abstract - draw what you are feeling. If you have an art block, it's important just to pick up the pencil or pen, or whatever you prefer and just start putting something down. A dot will lead to a line, then to a shape, then to texture and definition, and then you will get something you never expected - maybe uncovering a new style.

Use references for inspiration. You can do this by using pictures or maybe real life examples as well.

Answer 6

To be a good artist, you really need to observe the world and see things the way they are and then use your own style to express yourself. I recommend starting to draw with basic graphite pencils, and experiment with how each type of pencil HB, H 2H, 4H, 2B, 4B, 6B, etc. makes different types of marks. Learn about the various erasers, blenders, paper types. I'd start by sketching something sitting in front of you from observation; maybe a coffee mug, a vase, or a toothbrush. Try to observe the contours, and notice all the details. Having formal drawing lessons will help you see things in a new light, and get you to focus on line, contour, shadow, forms, and design. Copying other drawings or trying to draw from photographs are good practice to try out techniques. But creating art is often times more than just drawing or painting what you see. It's about creating something that you as the artist want other people to see, feel, or experience. So, first practice on your realism and techniques, and then use your imagination and pair it with the technique to create something new that the world has never seen before! Happy to help you on your artistic journey.

Best,

Eddie

Answer 7

This is a question that every artist is answering every day of their lives! Is not any easy one to answer either. To say practice is accurate, but isn't quite that easy. Every artist is practicing all of the time. As student you have to start making the distinction between good practice, and bad practice. Practicing drawing the basic geometric forms correctly, over and over until you can do them convincingly without thinking is good practice, because you will begin incorporating these forms into your work without much conscious thought. Drawing a human head, for example, without understanding the basic geometric forms first, is bad practice, because you are doing something incorrectly over and over again. Another method to help young artists get better is to find a good mentor. Find someone that will teach, be objective, and guide you in developing your won artistic "voice". Oh, one thing more; get used to critiques. A necessary evil when one is starting out.

Answer 8

I agree with Ashley. Practice is the most important part of the equation. With practice, you will develop your own style, and become confident in your chosen medium. I would also identify what kind of art personally moves you, and perhaps go outside your comfort zone into looking at other art styles. Pinterest is great for browsing art pieces similar to ones you've liked. I would also agree that YouTube tutorials can put you further ahead than if you had blindly worked with a medium to draw a certain subject for years. While you will eventually learn the mistakes you are making and tricks to improve, it will happen quicker if you watch YouTube tutorials. The benefit of getting a private tutor or taking a small class would be to look at your specific talents and interests, and guide you in the direction of making more raw and enjoyable art from yourself.

Hope that helps.