How to Draw Anything (my approach)

When I first started drawing, I would look up tutorials for the specific subject I wanted to draw - wanted to draw a face, great google "face drawing tutorials", wanted to draw a specific flower, I'd find an exact tutorial and try to recognise the shapes and patterns used to communicate that subject.

I thought of drawing, as building up a library of subjects I had mastered and could replicate, and truly that mindset left me feeling overwhelmed, because my ability would always be limited by what I had drawn before.

Then I noticed that each tutorial had one thing in common: the artist always started with big shapes and progressed to small, moving simple to complicated. I started not to think that I was drawing a petal, but rather just an oval or a teardrop. If I could draw a simple shape, I could refine and sculpt it into whatever my subject was.

Suddenly a world of possibilities opened up! I could draw anything if I could draw simple shapes. I also found that this approach helped me to find and resolve mistakes and errors early on, so I wasn't fighting my drawing in the later stages. Here's how I approach drawing now:

Step 1: Big, Loose Shapes First

Start with the most basic shapes that define your subject. If you're drawing a person, block in the head, torso, and limbs using simple ovals and rectangles. If it’s a landscape, rough in the biggest forms like mountains or large buildings. Keep it light and loose—these lines are just placeholders!

Step 2: Refining the Shapes

Once the big shapes feel right, begin breaking them down into smaller forms. A cylinder for an arm can start getting the subtle curves and bends that make it look natural. A big rectangle for a house can gain perspective lines, a roof, and windows. This step is all about gently nudging things toward accuracy without getting lost in the details.

Step 3: Adding the Details

Now that your framework is solid, it’s time for the fun part—details! This is where you can focus on textures, facial expressions, intricate patterns, and all those little elements that bring your drawing to life. Because you built up your drawing in layers, the details will sit comfortably in place rather than looking like they’re floating in the wrong spots.

Step 4: Refining and Finishing Touches

Take a step back and look at your drawing as a whole. Does everything still feel balanced? This is a great time to make subtle tweaks before finalizing with line weight, shading, or colour.

An extract from the handout we used in February's Monthly Ladies Art class

Anywho, thanks for stopping by - I hope this inspires you to go out and get creative!! As always, I'd love to know what you think and how you approach drawing - leave a comment below :)