Sketching and Drawing

Some advice on how to sketch and draw, put together over years of interest in the subject, volumes of reading about how the masters did it and some tips I picked up at art school.

The first thing to point out is that drawing and sketching isn't super simple, it is going to take some practice to go from absolute beginner to a level where you are starting to be satisfied with your output, but it is also a lot of fun.

The most important point to remember and learn are,

Learn by copying (all the great masters did)

Measure

Look at your work in the mirror

Find inspiration in abstract shapes

Faces are specially hard

When copying look at the subject and your drawing in equal measure

Use reference (but not too much)

Work out the composition in a thumbnail, better a series of thumbnails and pick the best

Be your own worst critic

Know when to stop