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Drawing is a way to convey your ideas. You must learn to draw if you want to express yourself artistically in which ever medium you choose to focus. There is a lot to learn, but it doesn't have to be tedious.

There are artists who have gotten away with mediocrity in their skills, and who are able to hide their lack of abilities with beautiful color. But, not many of us are naturally gifted with an eye for color.

The best way of learning how to draw is by constantly sketching and observing your surroundings, paying close attention to your tonal values and breaking everything up into small and simple shapes. Using basic forms such as triangles circles, squares etc. to break down larger, more complex subjects will allow you to focus on proportions and scale. Don't sweat the small stuff. Leave details for finished drawings.

You can sketch things around you: kitchen utensils, furniture, the view from a window, people at work and at play, pets, etc.

Vary your sketching, working sometimes in outline, stressing the contour aspect of drawing; at other times concentrate on light and shade. The main thing is to keep drawing. I will touch the subject of perspective in a later post.