Hey, guys. I just wanted to know if anyone asks you if you could teach them how to draw, and if so, how often/how many times.

And if they do contact you, what do you do about it? Do you just ignore it?

Also, does anyone you know want you to teach them?

i got that all the time in highschool and then even now in college.

even if i wanted to teach them, i couldn't.

i simply told them: make little lines with your pencil, and put them with other little lines. do that thousands of times. then you'll draw well.

I've had many people ask me but nobody really stuck with it. I think that they wanted some immediate insight that would make "all the pieces fall together," only I didn't do that. I started by explaining basic structuring and gesture, most people got bored at that point.

Leonardo da Vinci told someone who approached him asking how to be a great artist.
Da Vinci said "Paint a thousand canvases, then return to me".
Translation: "Practice a hell of a lot".

Yeah, I've bored a few people with my art sermons, and that's a practice I intend to continue.

Once there was this art show that involved cutting Styrofoam. It sounded fun, so about 50 people showed up for it. However, rather than immediately going into the cutting, the guy starts talking about tools and techniques. By the time it was done, we were down to seven people and we had a BALL with all that Styrofoam all to ourselves!

Lectures filter out those who aren't serious, and I've realized that I shouldn't mind if some people get bored. Art probably isn't their cup of tea, in that case.

I've held one manga workshop in a con... But other than that it's usually people asking me to draw FOR them. Or they want me to draw a picture and then they try to trace it. "Look what I drew!"

Things I mention, if someone asks:
- you gotta enjoy it
- variete the thickness of the lines
- don't be too serious, explore and have a blast
- try different methods and gear
- use those sceleton poses; they help a lot
- start with the bigger picture; details afterwards
- shade

I have received such comments quite frequently before. But not much nowadays. It's no longer a "can you teach me how to draw". It's more of like "Can you draw for me...". Curse those kids who intend to take advantage of my drawing skill instead of making effort to improve themselves.

Eunice P
I have received such comments quite frequently before. But not much nowadays. It's no longer a "can you teach me how to draw". It's more of like "Can you draw for me...". Curse those kids who intend to take advantage of my drawing skill instead of making effort to improve themselves.

i always loved your tutorials.
=D

Eunice P
I have received such comments quite frequently before. But not much nowadays. It's no longer a "can you teach me how to draw". It's more of like "Can you draw for me...". Curse those kids who intend to take advantage of my drawing skill instead of making effort to improve themselves.

Yeah, heh, I get that sometimes at my school.

I'm actually beginning to make them pay. No pay, no picture! And I usually follow that by a small smile of satisfaction.

But, yeah. You should make them pay, Eunice! Your stuff is just too nice :)

mechanical_lullaby
i always loved your tutorials.
=D

Thanks. :) Glad to hear that you get to learn something from the tuts.

DancingChaos
But, yeah. You should make them pay, Eunice! Your stuff is just too nice :)

I wanted to... but they'll get teary-eyed. That would be like having my comics not published online and everybody will have to pay to view it.

Many have. A few have taken some of my pointers. Most just ask me to draw things for them. Students receive a sketch as reward for good work. heheh! That is always fun. They get starry eyed at a doodle.

Eunice has tutorials? Where?

mlai
Eunice has tutorials? Where?

http://www.drunkduck.com/Comic_Tutorials/

How do I apply to contribute to that there tutorial? It looks like there are some areas of my relative expertise that no one has covered yet. :)

Tantz Aerine
Many have. A few have taken some of my pointers. Most just ask me to draw things for them. Students receive a sketch as reward for good work. heheh! That is always fun. They get starry eyed at a doodle.

You wouldn't happen to be an art teacher would you? Because if you're not, then you're the only teacher of anything other than art that can draw.

I (not being the greatest artist out there) don't get either of these questions. The one I get the most is "What are you drawing?" then I have to go into detailed explanation of what it is I'm drawing.

I've had people ask for pointers about computer coloring before, and I'm always happy to help with reasonably specific questions if I can, but that's it. Nobody's ever asked me "can you teach me how to draw", and as others have already said, the only correct answer to that one is "practice until your hand falls off, then practice some more with your teeth."

Rusty Knight
You wouldn't happen to be an art teacher would you? Because if you're not, then you're the only teacher of anything other than art that can draw.

hey, my mom's a spanish teacher, and she's a brilliant artist!! my uncle is a math professor and he minored in art, and even though he's colorblind, his charcoal stuff is kickass!!!!!

when people ask me to help them, I do... I give them little tips and tricks, and tell them what to fix in their pictures! I drew a few tutorials for my little brother, but god knows it didn't help him. one of them was "how to draw king from misfit assassins!" heh!

mlai
How do I apply to contribute to that there tutorial? It looks like there are some areas of my relative expertise that no one has covered yet. :)

Just email me at ephanmy(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

Feel free to contribute anything you desire.

A lot of people at school ask me how to draw. I always say that I can't teach them, then they get mad. But really, I can't. I think that if you want to learn how to do certain things, you just have to teach yourself. I couldn't draw a thing 6 years ago, but I kept drawing and drawing and I got to where I am now. I just tell them that they have to keep practicing until they get better.

However, if someone asked me for tips or something, I always try to help. I think it's more worth while to help someone who's already trying rather then someone who's never drawn a thing asking me to teach them how to draw just like that. To be honest, that's kind of annoying. D:

Rusty Knight
You wouldn't happen to be an art teacher would you? Because if you're not, then you're the only teacher of anything other than art that can draw.

I gotta disagree. My dad teaches Physics and Astronomy -- and it is his life, but he was an artist first. His major was art but he changed it because his professors were terrible (and he thought physics majors were less likely to be drafted). Many biologists are good at drawing -- at least detailed drawings for field guides or text books. Some are VERY good, IMO.

Nicotine
I think that if you want to learn how to do certain things, you just have to teach yourself. I couldn't draw a thing 6 years ago, but I kept drawing and drawing and I got to where I am now. I just tell them that they have to keep practicing until they get better.

hm, I have to disagree, from experience. if you practice and practice, but you keep making the same mistakes, you're really not going to improve. that's why instruction, while not always necessary, is quite helpful to artists of any skill level.
check out this website (it's for Betty Edwards' seminal "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" which is a really good place to start, if you dig realism!) http://www.drawright.com/gallery.htm
also, in college I took a painting class and I wasn't BAD at art per se when I entered, but I emerged about a thousand times better (and more confident, XD!) than before. of course, I painted like six hours or more a day, every day; but that was coupled with a kickass professor and classmates who were willing to give really nitpicky, helpful criticism. that's basically why when anyone asks for me to help them, I try as best as I can, because it worked for me!

I've sketched up quick tutorials and notes for people who've asked me to teach them, as well as loned them my drawing books. Some people though dont really listen to what I say and I try to explain it in detail, but when they dont listen and I have to explain it more than 4 or 5 times it frustraites me x_x

Nobody has ever asked me to teach them to draw. Ever. But if they did, I would direct them to here .

In real life, most people I know don't know I even draw, much less have a webcomic. I rarely draw with pencil and paper, usually doing everything in Photoshop, so they never see me do anything.

people have asked me how to draw.

The simple answer is:

1) Take drawing instrument

2) Put into contact position with paper

3) Move hand.

People asked me this a lot when I was in high school. So I asked one of my art teachers about what to say. she said: "Tell them to sit upside down, and then draw." Wtf?
She told me that, the biggest problem people who just start out to draw have, (apart from low drawing-self-esteem) is that they look at something, say a chair, and have a idea in their head of how that chair looks (4 legs,...) So even if they would only SEE 3 legs, they will try and draw it as 4 (crude example, most people aren't that stupid hut hey, you get the idea) By standing on you head, you are forced to look at things the way they really are, and not be blinded by how you THINK something looks. That and it's funny.

A couple of people online and in RL have asked me before and I normally just ignore them. I don't like it when people watch me when I draw... mainly 'cause I'm not very proud of what I draw.

But, of course, I'm just a jerk.

Although nobody ever asked me to give him/her drawing lessons (and I doubt anybody will) there is a basic truth in trying to teach any art or craft.

Some things just cannot be explained with words.

Sure, chuck in a few basics, on shadows, proportion, etc. But the rest must come with time and practice.

i have been drawing for years, and totally suck, i mean not just oh you cant cut it pro with that stuff, like my five year old daughter can draw as good as i can. fortunatly my brother can draw , so he is the artist in my comic. i think that 75% of drawing is like something that is naturally ingrained into atheletes, talent. the other 25% is skill that you get through practice and such. thats been my take on it, ive had my brother try and teach me along with others, and there isnt about anything id rather be able to do in the world than draw, but alas, i think if i aint got it at 28 i shall never. so anyway thats my take and if anyone should like to give me advice, i am all ears!!! :)

It's always weird to be asked this.

I usually tell the person to draw from life. No one sat there and taught -me- to draw, so I got away with learning on my own. I feel if you can't sit there and translate what you see onto paper- whether it's Dragonball Z or a person sitting in front of you- you may not have the base talent needed to draw very well.

Then again, I'm not so sure about my assumption.

Rusty Knight

Tantz Aerine
Many have. A few have taken some of my pointers. Most just ask me to draw things for them. Students receive a sketch as reward for good work. heheh! That is always fun. They get starry eyed at a doodle.

You wouldn't happen to be an art teacher would you? Because if you're not, then you're the only teacher of anything other than art that can draw.

Actually I am an education specialist and a foreign languages professor (also I'm a full time author. Don't ask how I juggle all that)- I've taught mainly English, some French, but also Literature and History. Heh. I never taught art. Only Art History.

I taught my xgf how to draw and color.

I could just imagine. Everytime she draws, she WILL remember me whether she likes it or not. HAHAHA.