Is Drawing a Natural Talent?

We take a look at the question “Is Drawing a Natural Talent?” and help to understand what lies beyond the artist and their abilities. When it comes to drawing as a form of art, there are many facts and suggestions dealing with the power of this form of communication and also many books and tutorials, where every day we can see examples of excellent drawings and drawing techniques. Whether they are done with pencils, pen, ink, fiber-tip pens, chalk, charcoal, crayons, pastels, digital drawing or a combination of all these techniques, we look at them with much enthusiasm and admiration. Some of the drawings look so real that we can not even tell whether they are pictures or drawings. For those who are not sure how to overcome the overwhelming choices between all these drawing techniques and wonder whether can drawing be learned, we asked one question: Is drawing a natural talent? Are we are somehow predisposed to be great artists or architects from early childhood or must we work on ourselves to improve our drawing skills?

Every Artist Was First an Amateur

If we look back at the best artists of all time, we will find something in common; they were all people who learned drawing and practiced and practiced every day. From Leonardo da Vinci to Picasso and others, they all loved to draw

and spent a lot of time drawing. Some of them didn’t ̍t even like to go to school, preferring to dedicate more time to their drawings! They had talent, but without continual practice, today they would not be remembered as great artists. Leonardo da Vinci spent 12 years painting the Mona Lisa’s lips in order to lead his painting to perfection! Wow, this fact certainly speaks about the power of persistence in making extraordinary drawings.

Learning How to Draw

Everyone can draw, it’s true, but the question is; what really is the boundary between a “beautiful” drawing and a masterpiece? Can one masterpiece be explained and set with some standard of drawing? Many people think that the great artists were all born with supernatural talent. Yes, in relation to others, they maybe had some skills, like an eye for details, an innate sense of composition, an attenuated perception of objects being drawn, the ability to make good representational decisions, and the deft motor skills required for mark-making, but even they had to advance their talent with much practice and accumulation of knowledge. WATCH: Start Drawing: PART 1 – Outlines, Edges, Shading

Keep Calm And Draw

Every beginning is hard, but it should not be a problem if you really want to learn how to draw. When you know how much time you need for drawing, the main reason that inspires you, your own sources of creativity, and how to develop your intuitive impulses for drawing, you can start creating your own unique drawings.

The most important thing is that you know exactly why you draw. Before starting, you will need to be sure that you are dedicated to your drawing, to choose a technique and a subject or a landscape to draw. The beauty of a drawing will be revealed gradually, with every single line. You can watch tutorials, read books or find an ideal; someone whose work you consider great. You can also find inspiration in many of the great sketches in our Sketchy Saturday compilation. The many methods of instruction for drawing attest to the fact that drawing surely can be learned. Some great books for teaching how to draw are: “Freehand Drawing & Discovery” by James Richards, “Drawing for Landscape Architecture” by Edward Hutchison, “Drawing the Landscape” by Chip Sullivan and many more. If you think you need help with drawing, you can even enroll in a course or learn from one of many great video tutorials. This article can also help you: How to Draw Like an Artist, With These 7 YouTube Tutorials.

” Talent is good, practice is better, passion is best “

At what point you can call yourself an artist? When you make your drawings simple. When you make them with love. When you make them with passion. You don’t need to be the best of the best to produce great drawings. Over time, the results of practice will start to show and you will be able to enjoy your drawings. In his excellent book “Drawing the Landscape“, Chip Sullivan says: “I love to draw! I love to draw almost more than anything else in the world. It brings me solace, excitement, and the thrill of experimentation. When I am feeling low, drawing can make me happy. With a single piece of paper and a mark-making tool, I can create whole new worlds. Drawing allows you to design environments capable of

transporting the viewer. Learning to draw is a gift that brings a lifetime of creative excitement. Drawing is a form of personal freedom. The space around you becomes your possession. Once you have the ability to draw, it can’t be taken away from you, for drawing is the ultimate weapon of visual expression. It is also an inexpensive tool, accessible to everyone.” I think this is exactly the right way to describe the love for drawing and Chip’s words can inspire you to draw, whether you are an amateur or a pro. Drawing is a creative way of living and some studies even say that there are many benefits of drawing for our health. It teaches us to see things with more value, to study them and then shape them according to our sensibilities. So what’s stopping you from making your own drawing stories? Take your piece of paper and all the necessary accessories and start shaping your piece of art with your hands. Like everything else in life, drawing can be learned. To succeed, the only thing you need is motivation. Go to comments

Recommended Reading:

• Drawing and Designing with Confidence: A Step-by-Step Guide by Mike W. Lin
• Landscape Perspective Drawing by Nicholas T. Dines

Article by Amela Djurakovac Return to Homepage Featured image from Sketchy Saturday. By Tino Beck, self-employed artist, Germany.

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