Ever wish you could draw well? Or that drawing was easy?
Alas, we know the work that goes into drawing.
How great would it be if we’d developed that drawing habit when we were younger! How nice it would be to pick up a pencil and doodle away a masterpiece on a nearby napkin.
(Or maybe it’s just me?)
For anyone that’s spent time on the internet, they know there’s a big community dedicated to building the habits which are the building blocks of creative progress.
Creative progress that could lead, say, to actually being able to draw.
In the good old days of the internet, it was said that it only took 21 days to build a habit. Now, that’s being called into question with a new average of 66 days - or just over two months (and realistically, between two to eight months, according to James Clear).
That’s a pretty serious commitment. But is it one that’s actually going to make me dramatically better at drawing?
We looked into it and found three examples of videos for aspiring artists who took a one-month drawing challenge to see how much they could improve with consistent daily practice.
Check out these three screenshots of their progress, with the videos linked below:
This is by Yannick, who set out to learn how to draw in 30 days and documented his one-month challenge on YouTube.
Here are the results from Scott Young’s Portrait Drawing Challenge: One Month of Progress...
And here is how Max did with his Max Hertan’s Learn Drawing in 1 Month video.
I don’t know about you, but I’m impressed (I’m also stuck on the warm-up exercises of drawing lots of circles and squares, so take that with a grain of salt). It’s clear there are significant, compounding results from daily practice.
So how do we kickstart our own daily drawing practice?
Keys To Improving Through Daily Drawing
Mastering drawing can take a lifetime. Getting somewhat decent at it? Well, if the above is any indication, you just need a solid month of commitment.
Below are some resources that can give you the planning and inspiration you need to kickstart your own drawing habit:
- Learn to Draw in 30 Days - This easy-to-follow guide includes three longer resources as reference works, a commitment to an hour a day, and a daily syllabus that takes you from basic shapes to portrait drawing - in under a month.
- 12 Keys To Practicing Drawing Right - For the beginners and not-so-beginners, one of the frustrating parts of learning to draw (or learning any new skill for that matter), is that uncomfortable plateau where nothing seems to go right or get better. This article dives into how to use your time well, how to vary your efforts between practicing and creating projects, and the benefits of both traditional and digital art.
- 18 Tips To Improve Your Drawing Skills - For those looking to level up, Ben Heine’s advice could be quite useful. This all-encompassing set of tips talks about using different mediums for inspiration, when to use reference photos, and how to find inspiration through different techniques.
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!
What about you? Have you taken on a drawing or art challenge like this before?
FAQs
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!
How much should I draw a day to improve? ›
It's possible to see improvements by drawing only 1-2 hours per day. But if you want to see significant improvements you should be aiming for 5-6 hours per day, or more if possible. Starting anywhere is better than never starting.
Does drawing every day improve? ›
Some of the benefits that are said to come from this practice are improved creativity, focus, confidence and relaxation. It also improves communication, as drawing is a visual language—developing the ability to translate what you see into an accurate two-dimensional depiction.
Is 1 hour of drawing practice enough? ›
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.
Can you learn to draw in 30 days? ›
You're right! Even if you have little or no previous drawing experience, and even if you don't believe you have natural talent, if you can find a few pencils and twenty minutes a day for thirty days, you can learn to draw amazing pictures.
How long does it take to draw really good? ›
The common misunderstanding is that after a couple of classes you will become a good artist. The reality is that it takes much longer than that. Commonly between 5 to 10 years of proper training to reach a level of proficiency.
Is it OK to not draw everyday? ›
You can draw every day if you want to, but it is not always necessary. But you should also learn to recognise that feeling motivated to draw is a fleeting emotion. And sometimes, it might require discipline to keep going. You should challenge yourself and see how far you can go, but don't overdo it.
Do you naturally get better at drawing? ›
If you want to become a great artist, you need to put in the practice. It's as simple as that. Practice makes perfect, and the more you practice the better you will become. Some people believe that you need to be born with talent in order to be a good artist, but this is not true.
Does drawing improve IQ? ›
So remember that mastering drawing can improve your cognitive skills, increase your emotional intelligence as well as help you to find a deeper meaning of self. Enjoy creating the best work that you can at that point in time and practice, practice, practice!
At what age do drawings become more realistic? ›
The development of drawings in 4- to 5-year-old children
At age 4, the child's drawings are a little more realistic and detailed. It is easier to recognize what a toddler has drawn since their skills have improved.
In some areas of learning, once you know how to do something in theory, then you can also do it in practice. Drawing is more like a sport, where the skill is quite slow to develop. Once you have a breakthrough with your practice, your skill level can suddenly increase rapidly.
Can I learn drawing in 1 month? ›
After that point, you may suddenly realize, to your utter amazement, that you still can't draw a thing from your imagination and can only copy stuff. Things may go a bit better with a teacher, but in general, one month is not enough. You'll need a few years or at least several months.
How many hours a day do professional artists draw? ›
probably 8-10 hours, minus whatever time is necessary for clerical work (bookkeeping, client responses, social media). most self-employed artists i know tend to work long hours (10+) with only one day or so a week away from their business, and they are constantly available/in contact via social media.
Is drawing 3 hours a day enough? ›
Is 1-3 hours of practice drawing every day enough? In the end, it depends on your goals and how productive you are during those 1–3 hours of drawing. I think in general, it is definitely enough, though! Any practice (even if it's as little as 10 minutes a day) is infinitely more valuable than 0 practice per day.
Can you get good at drawing fast? ›
Drawing faster simply takes knowledge and practice. Speed comes by practicing drawing with shapes, recognizing spacial relationships, drawing with a larger muscle group, using the right medium, and omitting unnecessary details.
