How Long Does it Take to Learn How to Draw? — The Beginner Drawing Course (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to learn the basics of drawing? ›

That all depends on your natural abilities, how well you adapt to drawing techniques, and much more. Learning to draw is complex, and while you might pick up on basic skills fairly quickly, it could take several years or longer before you're a fully capable artist.

In his book Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell popularized the idea that, in order to master anything, you'll need to invest in 10,000 hours of practice. This equates to approximately five years' worth of full-time effort. I think this idea is a good place to start when thinking about learning to draw.

Let me explain: it takes a person hours of practice to become a master of anything. Assuming you have little or no prior drawing experience, mastering drawing in three months would be like mastering a sport like soccer or basketball in three months.

Through daily, concentrated practice and with an eye on what you can accomplish in a month, there's no doubt your drawings will get better. And that's an achievement worth celebrating!

Drawing is both a talent and a skill. Some people may have a natural aptitude or talent for drawing, which can give them a head start in learning. However, talent is not a requirement to become proficient at drawing. Drawing skills can be developed through practice, learning, and dedication.

Of course, don't expect to become an expert in just under a week, but you should notice a clear improvement in your drawings after this time. Devote an hour or two a day to get the most out out of this experience.

Tiring: Too tiring to be done sustainably over the long run for more than a few hours a day. Beginners should start drawing with one hour and gradually work up to more. At the peak of their abilities, expert performers only do about four hours of practice a day.

You will probably learn a ton in the first 6 months and that will change what you want to do in the second 6 months. I would also suggest you keep your goals really reasonable because things don't change in a matter of weeks.

Is 30 too old to start drawing? ›

Or, maybe you tried it when you were younger but didn't stick with it. Whatever the case may be, it's never too late to start drawing. And even if you think that you'll never turn pro or become a good artist, read this article to the end.

I've had people that have had success that have been 72 and 83 years old and they started drawing from some of my tutorials and they're so happy they started. They never thought they could learn at such an old age. They're finding peace and joy at such an older age. I think this could happen at any stage in your life.

So in the short-term, from practice session to session, your skill level is slowly going up. But the drawings don't gradually get better. They go up and down when you're learning.

You don't have to be 70 or 80 and you don't have to be 14 or 15. You can be 30 years old or 55 years old and start learning animation or start learning something new. There's no time limit on any of these skills or passions. As long as you have a passion for it and the willingness to learn it and put energy into it.

If you stick to pencils and learn, structure, tone, perspective, proportion and relationship, you can learn a decent amount if you are serious. This is a serious goal, five months is pretty tight.

Or, maybe you tried it when you were younger but didn't stick with it. Whatever the case may be, it's never too late to start drawing. And even if you think that you'll never turn pro or become a good artist, read this article to the end.