Well, for me, I usually sketch the basic shapes first, then start going in with finer lines. And I never colour in my drawings that are on paper (because I suck at colouring lol). It also depends on what you want to draw. For example, learning to be good at drawing cartoons is much different from learning to draw landscapes.
And, don’t forget to want to draw! If you don’t want to get good at something, chances are you won’t! If you feel burnt out, take a break. Nothing is worse than a burnt out learner.
I know everyone else says to practice, but it’s really true. I would definitely make sure to practice with references and study the shapes and values you see. And don’t just draw what you expect, but actually copy the shapes and shadows the way they are, if that makes sense. If you want to draw people, study each facial feature individually and learn how they are put together. Drawing skulls from different angles is really helpful for learning that. You can also look up videos about the loomis method. And also, try making art in different styles. If you’re in school and have any choice for classes, take whatever art classes you can. Keep a sketchbook and work in it a little bit every day. Even if it’s just cartoon characters or something. I used to draw Pokemon every day lol. And for motivation, follow artists whose styles you like so you can learn from them. Once you get a really good foundational understanding of shapes and colors, it’s easier to draw from imagination. That’s a lot but hopefully it’s helpful in some way.
I practice with anatomy first. Being able to get proportions correct and body angles is the number one thing for success imo.
This is a recent drawing I made that I am actually quite proud of. But you notice how the calf part of my leg is too short? Noticing little things like that is a great way to start.
My style is more of a dystopian kind where i.make everyone look like they’ve been in some sort of fight while also being futurist (hence the cyberpunk logo)
I saw a lot of people said Pinterest which is a.reallu great source but for me, watch cartoons or anime, look how the animators draw the character in different angles, truly try to analyze what you are seeing and pause it once in a while to try and do a touch sketch of a scene to understand the angles and how a body truly looks and moves.
Everyone else said practice so I’ma add to that and say watch youtube videos.
Before you start drawing you have to know what you’re doing. Like for example you’re studying for a test but you studied all the wrong topics. Drawing bad anatomy or stiff poses or whatever isn’t going to help you, and you’ll have to relearn everything. And be careful if you see drawing tips or tutorials online because they might not help you or apply to you because of art style/preferences. Or they don’t know what they’re doing. So if you find tutorials on how to draw anatomy or something on, let’s say pinterest, ask if the result is something you want and check the comments. If they agree or disagree they usually add a reason which can be useful.
Also, if you want to get better at a specific thing (anatomy, poses, composition, values, form, etc) there are drawing exercises to get you better at it. Watch several videos on the drawing exercise you want to do, see which parts are consistent and which aren’t and why. And then do the exercise! Specifically in your sketchbook and not digitally. Your sketchbook is simpler with less distractions and there’s no undo button, so you can see your mistakes clearer. And always use references. (Especially for anatomy or poses or composition.)
And kinda random, but have favorite artists. (Preferably on youtube.) Your art is going to be a mix of all the information that you take in, so look at an artist whose work you like, and analyze WHY. And if they’re on youtube, there’s like a 99% chance that they either have tutorials or speedpaints so you can study HOW they make their art.
Some artists on youtube I recommend:
samdoesart - his art is sort of semi-realistic and a little bit painterly. He has a lot of videos where he rates tik tok art tutorials and says why they’re good or bad and I know he has a video on coloring. https://youtube.com/@samdoesarts?si=ZQP0OABTEEanEu13
bluebiscuits - her art is this really cool messy painterly vibe (I don’t really know how to describe it). She has a lot of tutorials on the basics and how she renders. https://youtube.com/@bluebescuits?si=E4zUYJsa1-STFP4N
And most importantly, have fun! Art is a hobby first, a profession second. I draw for the fun of it. I know a lot of people say to draw everyday, but don’t force yourself to draw. You might burn yourself out. If you don’t feel like drawing, then don’t. But if you want to get better at art and not just have fun with it, you have to practice, even if you don’t want to.
It all comes down to practice (so many people have said this already lol) but you could start off with anatomy, whether its tree, animal or person.
Then comes hair volume, the folds in clothes, etc. I think clip art studio has a lot of tutorials if you’re starting digital art, so you can use that too!
