Thanks so much for this video. I’m 70 and started drawing on an iPad 1.5 years ago. I have always been a paper person - paper planner, paper journal, legal pads for notes. Partly due to my age but also because I simply like drawing on paper not glass. I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 9 years ago and refuse to give in to this disease. So - I found that drawing calms my hand tremors and does wonders for my racing, sometimes raging brain. Your advice is such a help to me. Thanks again
With all due respect sir, you are a hero. Started a year ago, six pages to finish my first 100 sheet notebook. Mostly use a set of mechanical pencils (I have a 2.0 mm that has served me particularly well) and at this moment I am using a fountain pen. Simple tools
@@FGBFGB-vt7tc I’m no hero, but I thank you for your support and kind words. I tried graphite at first. I ended each session looking like a coal miner. So now I use fine-liners and a fountain pen. After filling the fountain pen I once again look like a coal miner. Oh well. Thanks again for your comment. I wish you all the best ! Jim in Oregon
@@jimcoon At this moment I have inked a venerable Elysee Fountain Pen model 70 with a convertor. I am using Parker Washable Blue as ink. I haven't found that problem with my mechanical pencils... but some older drawings have lost clarity as the pages rubbed against each other and the graphite got dispersed. Bought also a set of 12 cheap oil pastels and a set of 36 cheap colored pencils that I use sometimes. They usually end up in my niece's stash and I don't mind. My materials are really cheap so I don't mind using them (the FP I got from 3 USD in a flea market). Also because my country became very poor so I have to be very frugal. Regrettably our freedoms are not the best, so I must keep calling myself FGB, and I am in my mid 40's. It is a pleasure to know you though, Mr. Jim. Greetings from Caracas, Venezuela.
@@FGBFGB-vt7tc FGB...I feel a hero in you, as well. Late night here, three months after you wrote this, and my heart sends so much gratitude for you and your spirit in this world. I hope you are well into your next sketchbook. Glad to think of a sketching companion such as you, and glad to know you recommend a 2.0 mm mechanical pencil, as I am just now choosing one, and my first journal, to get started with this scary, wonderful process myself. 🙏
One big secret about art school, not going to art school, and coming to art as an adult is that a lot of what we learn in art school is stuff most of us learn in life: work ethic, attention to craft, and tuning out distractions. Often, people who are new to art after adulthood already have a lot of the tools to help get great results and enjoy the experience!
1. Consistency in drawing frequently, put the sketchbook nearby 2.Patience-learning drawing us a, slow process 3. Make friends in drawing 4. Authenticity-make it yours 5 Focus on your technique in depth
I belong to the people who always said: I cannot draw. Well, but I wanted to. And now - I am 71 - I found your marvelous videos. Thanks for all your motivation and for all your hints and help. After watching your 4th video, I drew a plate with cristals in different shapes in it, my pencil sharpener box and a mug with some patterns on it. A teenage friend of mine could recognize what I had drawn. I am so very happy. Many thanks again and God bless you.
It's funny how I know so many things in theory since I've watched a lot of tutorials and read books but when it comes to actually applying those techniques in drawing, it's like if I knew nothing. This is why practicing what you're reading or watching is so important.
Would you settle for reading books on driving or playing basketball or cooking? No, you gotta roll up your sleeves and DO it. Its called "Draw-ing" because it's an active verb.
I’m continually impressed with your degree of self awareness. Me? I just do stuff. You on the other hand seem to understand the process and express it so well, thank you! You are a great motivator
Good points, all. An artist friend also advised reminding yourself of what you loved most as a child. Remember what inspired your childhood inner artist. That can help when you feel overwhelmed by outside influences - for instance, when one glance at Instagram shows you 40 examples of eye-catching artwork by 40 different artists, you might be inspired; but it can can also make you feel like you're losing sight of yourself, if you know what I mean.
I have drawn my entire life. I remember wanting a horse when I was very small, and because my parents wouldn't get me a horse, I started drawing them a lot. I went to art school as a university student, and have had many blank spots in my life where I did not draw. All the points you made are so very important. If I were going to pick out a single point you made, it would be consistency, and as we age, it is never to late to start drawing, or get back into it. The one thing I would add to your list is repetition. draw something you like, draw it again and again and again. The more you draw the same thing, the better you will get at it, and the better your fundamental skills will become, like drawing a circle and drawing a straight line. I will never be a famous artist, and never sell my work, but this has become something I really enjoy in my life, now that I am retired. Your video inspires me to draw even more!
I am in my mid 30s now and just getting into drawing after many years of interest. I think the pursuit of perfection and fear of failure kept me from being all in before. Lack of self confidence made me overly judgmental when I tried to start drawing in the past.
This was great. Thank you Danny! Also, the way you stop - just ever so briefly - to think about the pleasure of cake ("oh, cake!") two-thirds of the way through made me smile. You're a brilliant and inspiring mentor and I thoroughly enjoy your videos. 👍🏻
I had to smile when you said stop buying new art supplies, as I have a lot of pencils and other stuff too, learning for myself I had no idea what to do or buy, it was trial and error. I started with graphite and a few color pencils then just went round the houses trying to find the best medium for my work and now I have quite a stash of materials, but graphite and a little water colour are really my thing. The hardest thing for me was to not be so hard on myself and now it's the doing that matters to me, it's a bonus if I actually like it or someone else does.
What?! I thought joining Sketchbook School would make me an artist immediately!! OH, I cannot draw with my thumbs up… but I know that drawing SOMETHING, ANYTHING every day has made a difference and The Lesson I’ve learned is: the pen or pencil or paintbrush needs my hand to guide it to make marks and once I get them moving, something gets moving with in me as well. Thanks, Danny! (From Annie)
I needed to be reminded by somebody that drawing / painting abstract counts… I prefer representational drawing but sometimes I can’t motivate myself, and that’s when playing with color and line helps me stay on track.
I was drawing/sketching until my 17 where I quit. At my 41 I realised, that quiting drawing,is the biggest mistake I've done in my life!.I begun again 8 months ago. . That's the only thing,I 've really regretted
First. Another artist myself. I pick up digital drawing at 2021. Self learning, self taught. Or maybe i started digital at Dec 2020, i bought a Samsung Tab S6 Lite. No money to buy ipad. Your 5 points are great and spot on, good advice.
Since March I have had the opportunity to change how I work. This has meant being able to structure my days pretty much however I want and whilst this is liberating its been interesting to note that during a busy day I find I may not have drawn anything. I remember hearing previously from you about how important it is to make art-making a habit. I consistently read for 1 hour every morning and exercise daily. Like a lot of people I enjoy watching a drama and I limit my drama screen time to an hour a night. I have a book about A5 size that looks like an old family bible, with a black cover and gold edged pages made of thin cream paper that I keep my the side of my bed along with a biro. Sometimes I’m mid way through Watching Poirot (with David Suchet) when I remember I’ve not drawn anything. So I draw stills from the drama. I now have an interesting collection of biro drawings and find drawing from that particular drama fascinating because the buildings used are all Art Deco with huge sweeping curves, and there are plenty of unusual views both inside buildings and without so that I find myself thinking, ‘blimy! The cameraman must have been on his belly to take that shot!’
I draw and write about what I love, my house, my animal friends, beautiful things, nature, this keeps me motivated, it might sound a bit boastful but I hope that by drawing my loved ones it will make them live beyond their earthly life, and allow others to remember them, think about them or get to know them. I have tried different techniques but now I stick to b/w pencil drawings, sometimes in colour, imo they're the most flexible, the can be coloured in later, digitalised if I want to, licensed to reproduce them on everything from fabrics to china to t-shirts. Brilliant advice as usual, thank you Danny, I've been recommending your channel to other people in my art class which is no longer running due to people not enrolling.
for someone who gets bored easily like me i find it exciting to shift mediums from time to time just like reading different type of books or cooking diffrant food !
I feel getting going is the first step. If ya never get pen to paper well.....nothing happens. And the sketchbook gets dusty. Thank you for your inspiration ❤
Great, thanks Danny. Will check out your essay. Each needs to define what is "being a dilettante" and what is just being a journalist of phenomena. For me, my "trinity" (writing, playing, drawing) fills my days just fine. I currently have the greatest luxury of all - time. Each of these compliments the other, and gives a gravity assist in motivation. They provide infinite commentary on each other, invite endless comparison. When I'm bumming about drawing, I find improvising a slow sequence of unexpected chords including jazzy and dissonant ones (I'm a beginner, minimum skill is involved), instantly relieves me, comforts me, frees me almost always from anxiety, adds flow. Perhaps the effect is even greater going the other way - from drawing to guitar. The pathways stimulated by drawing, enormously improve your improvisational skill and expressivity! It's no bull. (advice to guitarists - draw, you will see most definitely what I am talking about) Then to bring in writing, like I'm doing here is easy. Just write about words, art, playing.and from personal experience. There are no right answers.. If you bounce around between these three, it's magic. Each furthers the other, they give variety, and again comfort.
Thanks Danny, I love your channel. I discovered you during lockdown. I particularly love Draw with Me, it feels like having a companion in my studio 😊 Love from Alsace France ❤️
Love the tips. Will try to follow them every day. Something I do to get inspire and grow my visual culture is to visit art activities, such as the theatre, art galleries, photography exhibition, ballet, etc.
Good to hear from you again. I’m slowing getting back into drawing. I’ve been working hard at trying to grow a garden. I do go to the gym about three times a week. I’m getting older so that’s important to me as well. So I need to take the time to draw again. I look at my sketchbook and think I was doing awful and actually like some of them. I’ve loved it since I was very young so it always been there. I guess I just got lazy. So here we go again. I’ve always like your encouraging talks. Perhaps I’ll stay with it awhile longer this time. Thanks
Thank you for this video, it has inspired me to keep going. I've been self teaching myself off and on for years and felt like I wasn't a good enough to call myself an artist. I too bounced around and collected supplies and froze when I wanted to apply to paper. An then i stop, because I expect too much of myself when I'm just doing this for fun. Even when I stop, it keeps calling me to come back. Your 5 tip ring true to me, especially consistency and using it to measure my progress. ❤
Thank you so much for this helpful video.. I've tried many times to have a drawing habit but I keep breaking it .. what I love about your videos they bring me back on track
I find using sketchbooks just end up stressing me out. I feel like I have to make every drawing be amazing unless it's a sketchbook that is so terribly cheap that I can just toss it if I don't like any of the drawings. Any thoughts on that?
I drew in an old (but unused) book calendar that somebody gave me for free instead of throwing it away, and on cardboard food packages. Or try loose sheets of cheap copy paper.
That's called perfectionism and it's a huge waste of time and energy. And besides sketchbooks are cheap. Even the good ones. Each one will bring you months of pleasure if you let it. Just open the book in the middle and do a quick (and possibly lousy) drawing and then get on with it. Remember you are human. Which means delightfully imperfect.
I have no idea how to find community on a full working schedule. :( I have tried joining urban sketching groups but they don’t meet regularly enough. I even tried opening my own nature art journaling club but it fizzled out in a few weeks.
Good to hear from you again. I’m slowing getting back into drawing. I’ve been working hard at trying to grow a garden. I do go to the gym about three times a week. I’m getting older so that’s important to me as well. So I need to take the time to draw again. I look at my sketchbook and think I was doing awful and actually like some of them. I’ve loved it since I was very young so it always been there. I guess I just got lazy. So here we go again. I’ve always like your encouraging talks. Perhaps I’ll stay with it awhile longer this time. Thanks
Thanks so much for this video. I’m 70 and started drawing on an iPad 1.5 years ago. I have always been a paper person - paper planner, paper journal, legal pads for notes. Partly due to my age but also because I simply like drawing on paper not glass. I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 9 years ago and refuse to give in to this disease. So - I found that drawing calms my hand tremors and does wonders for my racing, sometimes raging brain. Your advice is such a help to me. Thanks again
With all due respect sir, you are a hero. Started a year ago, six pages to finish my first 100 sheet notebook. Mostly use a set of mechanical pencils (I have a 2.0 mm that has served me particularly well) and at this moment I am using a fountain pen. Simple tools
@@FGBFGB-vt7tc I’m no hero, but I thank you for your support and kind words. I tried graphite at first. I ended each session looking like a coal miner. So now I use fine-liners and a fountain pen. After filling the fountain pen I once again look like a coal miner. Oh well. Thanks again for your comment. I wish you all the best ! Jim in Oregon
@@jimcoon At this moment I have inked a venerable Elysee Fountain Pen model 70 with a convertor. I am using Parker Washable Blue as ink.
I haven't found that problem with my mechanical pencils... but some older drawings have lost clarity as the pages rubbed against each other and the graphite got dispersed.
Bought also a set of 12 cheap oil pastels and a set of 36 cheap colored pencils that I use sometimes. They usually end up in my niece's stash and I don't mind.
My materials are really cheap so I don't mind using them (the FP I got from 3 USD in a flea market). Also because my country became very poor so I have to be very frugal.
Regrettably our freedoms are not the best, so I must keep calling myself FGB, and I am in my mid 40's. It is a pleasure to know you though, Mr. Jim.
Greetings from Caracas, Venezuela.
@@FGBFGB-vt7tc FGB...I feel a hero in you, as well. Late night here, three months after you wrote this, and my heart sends so much gratitude for you and your spirit in this world. I hope you are well into your next sketchbook. Glad to think of a sketching companion such as you, and glad to know you recommend a 2.0 mm mechanical pencil, as I am just now choosing one, and my first journal, to get started with this scary, wonderful process myself. 🙏
One big secret about art school, not going to art school, and coming to art as an adult is that a lot of what we learn in art school is stuff most of us learn in life: work ethic, attention to craft, and tuning out distractions. Often, people who are new to art after adulthood already have a lot of the tools to help get great results and enjoy the experience!
Great point!
1. Consistency in drawing frequently, put the sketchbook nearby
2.Patience-learning drawing us a, slow process
3. Make friends in drawing
4. Authenticity-make it yours
5 Focus on your technique in depth
number 5 has been a challenge for me at times - collecting classes and amassing art supplies are hobbies unto themselves 🙂
😂😂😂😂😂 same!
I belong to the people who always said: I cannot draw. Well, but I wanted to. And now - I am 71 - I found your marvelous videos. Thanks for all your motivation and for all your hints and help. After watching your 4th video, I drew a plate with cristals in different shapes in it, my pencil sharpener box and a mug with some patterns on it. A teenage friend of mine could recognize what I had drawn. I am so very happy. Many thanks again and God bless you.
i started too at 69....when i was 7 i wanted to be an artist
It's funny how I know so many things in theory since I've watched a lot of tutorials and read books but when it comes to actually applying those techniques in drawing, it's like if I knew nothing. This is why practicing what you're reading or watching is so important.
Would you settle for reading books on driving or playing basketball or cooking? No, you gotta roll up your sleeves and DO it. Its called "Draw-ing" because it's an active verb.
That first step in to the world of drawing is hardest. I need being shoved like this. You’re gentle, yet resolute, thanks!
I’m continually impressed with your degree of self awareness. Me? I just do stuff. You on the other hand seem to understand the process and express it so well, thank you! You are a great motivator
I appreciate that!
I'm with you! I just do stuff! 😂
Good points, all. An artist friend also advised reminding yourself of what you loved most as a child. Remember what inspired your childhood inner artist. That can help when you feel overwhelmed by outside influences - for instance, when one glance at Instagram shows you 40 examples of eye-catching artwork by 40 different artists, you might be inspired; but it can can also make you feel like you're losing sight of yourself, if you know what I mean.
Yes! I often think I was so much smarter as a child than in adulthood. It's good to remember that child.
I have drawn my entire life. I remember wanting a horse when I was very small, and because my parents wouldn't get me a horse, I started drawing them a lot. I went to art school as a university student, and have had many blank spots in my life where I did not draw. All the points you made are so very important. If I were going to pick out a single point you made, it would be consistency, and as we age, it is never to late to start drawing, or get back into it. The one thing I would add to your list is repetition. draw something you like, draw it again and again and again. The more you draw the same thing, the better you will get at it, and the better your fundamental skills will become, like drawing a circle and drawing a straight line. I will never be a famous artist, and never sell my work, but this has become something I really enjoy in my life, now that I am retired. Your video inspires me to draw even more!
I am in my mid 30s now and just getting into drawing after many years of interest. I think the pursuit of perfection and fear of failure kept me from being all in before. Lack of self confidence made me overly judgmental when I tried to start drawing in the past.
This was great. Thank you Danny! Also, the way you stop - just ever so briefly - to think about the pleasure of cake ("oh, cake!") two-thirds of the way through made me smile. You're a brilliant and inspiring mentor and I thoroughly enjoy your videos. 👍🏻
I had to smile when you said stop buying new art supplies, as I have a lot of pencils and other stuff too, learning for myself I had no idea what to do or buy, it was trial and error.
I started with graphite and a few color pencils then just went round the houses trying to find the best medium for my work and now I have quite a stash of materials, but graphite and a little water colour are really my thing. The hardest thing for me was to not be so hard on myself and now it's the doing that matters to me, it's a bonus if I actually like it or someone else does.
What?! I thought joining Sketchbook School would make me an artist immediately!! OH, I cannot draw with my thumbs up… but I know that drawing SOMETHING, ANYTHING every day has made a difference and The Lesson I’ve learned is: the pen or pencil or paintbrush needs my hand to guide it to make marks and once I get them moving, something gets moving with in me as well. Thanks, Danny! (From Annie)
I needed to be reminded by somebody that drawing / painting abstract counts… I prefer representational drawing but sometimes I can’t motivate myself, and that’s when playing with color and line helps me stay on track.
I was drawing/sketching until my 17 where I quit. At my 41 I realised, that quiting drawing,is the biggest mistake I've done in my life!.I begun again 8 months ago. . That's the only thing,I 've really regretted
First. Another artist myself. I pick up digital drawing at 2021. Self learning, self taught. Or maybe i started digital at Dec 2020, i bought a Samsung Tab S6 Lite. No money to buy ipad. Your 5 points are great and spot on, good advice.
Since March I have had the opportunity to change how I work. This has meant being able to structure my days pretty much however I want and whilst this is liberating its been interesting to note that during a busy day I find I may not have drawn anything. I remember hearing previously from you about how important it is to make art-making a habit. I consistently read for 1 hour every morning and exercise daily. Like a lot of people I enjoy watching a drama and I limit my drama screen time to an hour a night. I have a book about A5 size that looks like an old family bible, with a black cover and gold edged pages made of thin cream paper that I keep my the side of my bed along with a biro. Sometimes I’m mid way through Watching Poirot (with David Suchet) when I remember I’ve not drawn anything. So I draw stills from the drama. I now have an interesting collection of biro drawings and find drawing from that particular drama fascinating because the buildings used are all Art Deco with huge sweeping curves, and there are plenty of unusual views both inside buildings and without so that I find myself thinking, ‘blimy! The cameraman must have been on his belly to take that shot!’
Judge your consistency... Powerful stuff!!!!
I draw and write about what I love, my house, my animal friends, beautiful things, nature, this keeps me motivated, it might sound a bit boastful but I hope that by drawing my loved ones it will make them live beyond their earthly life, and allow others to remember them, think about them or get to know them. I have tried different techniques but now I stick to b/w pencil drawings, sometimes in colour, imo they're the most flexible, the can be coloured in later, digitalised if I want to, licensed to reproduce them on everything from fabrics to china to t-shirts. Brilliant advice as usual, thank you Danny, I've been recommending your channel to other people in my art class which is no longer running due to people not enrolling.
for someone who gets bored easily like me i find it exciting to shift mediums from time to time just like reading different type of books or cooking diffrant food !
I feel getting going is the first step. If ya never get pen to paper well.....nothing happens. And the sketchbook gets dusty. Thank you for your inspiration ❤
Way to call me out with the new supplies 😂
And thanks for the SwedishDC tips. I always thought it didnt apply to crafts ❤
Just found you and already love your calming voice. I'm listening while I work and while I draw. Very calming and grounding for sure. Thanks.
You are so welcome
Obrigada pelo incentivo e pelas dicas. Thank you!
Great, thanks Danny. Will check out your essay. Each needs to define what is "being a dilettante" and what is just being a journalist of phenomena. For me, my "trinity" (writing, playing, drawing) fills my days just fine. I currently have the greatest luxury of all - time. Each of these compliments the other, and gives a gravity assist in motivation. They provide infinite commentary on each other, invite endless comparison. When I'm bumming about drawing, I find improvising a slow sequence of unexpected chords including jazzy and dissonant ones (I'm a beginner, minimum skill is involved), instantly relieves me, comforts me, frees me almost always from anxiety, adds flow. Perhaps the effect is even greater going the other way - from drawing to guitar. The pathways stimulated by drawing, enormously improve your improvisational skill and expressivity! It's no bull. (advice to guitarists - draw, you will see most definitely what I am talking about) Then to bring in writing, like I'm doing here is easy. Just write about words, art, playing.and from personal experience. There are no right answers.. If you bounce around between these three, it's magic. Each furthers the other, they give variety, and again comfort.
Thank you! Your videos inspired me to get back into drawing and sketching.
Thanks Danny, I love your channel. I discovered you during lockdown. I particularly love Draw with Me, it feels like having a companion in my studio 😊 Love from Alsace France ❤️
All good points, thank you Danny.
Thanks for the advice. 👏👏👏👏
Love the tips. Will try to follow them every day. Something I do to get inspire and grow my visual culture is to visit art activities, such as the theatre, art galleries, photography exhibition, ballet, etc.
Your essays touch my heart. Thank you. ❤
Good to hear from you again. I’m slowing getting back into drawing. I’ve been working hard at trying to grow a garden. I do go to the gym about three times a week. I’m getting older so that’s important to me as well. So I need to take the time to draw again. I look at my sketchbook and think I was doing awful and actually like some of them. I’ve loved it since I was very young so it always been there. I guess I just got lazy. So here we go again. I’ve always like your encouraging talks. Perhaps I’ll stay with it awhile longer this time.
Thanks
Thank you for this video, it has inspired me to keep going. I've been self teaching myself off and on for years and felt like I wasn't a good enough to call myself an artist. I too bounced around and collected supplies and froze when I wanted to apply to paper. An then i stop, because I expect too much of myself when I'm just doing this for fun. Even when I stop, it keeps calling me to come back. Your 5 tip ring true to me, especially consistency and using it to measure my progress. ❤
Excellent advice
So needed to hear this right now. I will keep this list to refer to often.
Thank you so much for this helpful video.. I've tried many times to have a drawing habit but I keep breaking it .. what I love about your videos they bring me back on track
Thank you Danny!!
Thank you
Great advice Danny 😊 thank you
I need to share with a few students
Learning how to draw doesn't have to be a long process at all. Check out the book "Drawing on the right side of the brain" by Betty Edwards
That’s right
Thank you, you are inspiring me11
I find using sketchbooks just end up stressing me out. I feel like I have to make every drawing be amazing unless it's a sketchbook that is so terribly cheap that I can just toss it if I don't like any of the drawings.
Any thoughts on that?
I drew in an old (but unused) book calendar that somebody gave me for free instead of throwing it away, and on cardboard food packages. Or try loose sheets of cheap copy paper.
That's called perfectionism and it's a huge waste of time and energy. And besides sketchbooks are cheap. Even the good ones. Each one will bring you months of pleasure if you let it. Just open the book in the middle and do a quick (and possibly lousy) drawing and then get on with it. Remember you are human. Which means delightfully imperfect.
how to draw without talent. that would be my thing 😂
Then take my class!
I have no idea how to find community on a full working schedule. :( I have tried joining urban sketching groups but they don’t meet regularly enough. I even tried opening my own nature art journaling club but it fizzled out in a few weeks.
At the risk of sounding self-serving, have you considered the SkoolYard at Sketchbook Skool?
!!
Good to hear from you again. I’m slowing getting back into drawing. I’ve been working hard at trying to grow a garden. I do go to the gym about three times a week. I’m getting older so that’s important to me as well. So I need to take the time to draw again. I look at my sketchbook and think I was doing awful and actually like some of them. I’ve loved it since I was very young so it always been there. I guess I just got lazy. So here we go again. I’ve always like your encouraging talks. Perhaps I’ll stay with it awhile longer this time.
Thanks