need rec for learning to draw dvd program

[hornblower]

For teens / adults who have zero skill and want to learn to make basic sketches for nature journals, biology courses etc. or perhaps even basic drafting skills. 

Is there anything like that that actually works?  We've got some learning to draw books and they took a few art classes during childhood but nothing really stuck & the rest of the instructions in our house always go like this : link is a joke image and contains a swear word so pls click at your own discretion...  :)  ) 
 

[JanetC]

I would look for a class with an encouraging teacher. It sounds like you guys get frustrated and give up. It takes a lot of practice to make some of the beautiful nature journals you see in books and on the web. Don't look at them and be happy with what you can produce. It will get better with practice.

 

If you don't even like to draw, there's no reason you can't nature journal electronically these days - take pictures and notes on your smartphone and print them and put them together into a notebook when you get home.

 

 

[Penguin]

I found Virtual Instructor through another thread. The drawing videos have been just the right thing for my 15 year old, whose drawing skills were similar to what you described.

 

http://thevirtualinstructor.com

[Another Lynn]

:lol:

[hornblower]

I would look for a class with an encouraging teacher. It sounds like you guys get frustrated and give up. It takes a lot of practice to make some of the beautiful nature journals you see in books and on the web. Don't look at them and be happy with what you can produce. It will get better with practice.

 

If you don't even like to draw, there's no reason you can't nature journal electronically these days - take pictures and notes on your smartphone and print them and put them together into a notebook when you get home.

We think we WOULD like it if we actually could, kwim? :) 

 

And my kids actually feel they need to. Paleontology, archaeology, biology are all college classes dd recently took which she felt a bit hampered by an inability to draw a coherent and accurate sketch of something.... 

[Cosmos]

That comic. :lol:

 

[Cosmos]

I was pretty amazed at how much Draw Squad helped my ds. It really gives FULL instructions on going from two circles to the end picture. But the drawing style is cartoon/comic style, not nature sketching. However, it took a basic non-drawer and showed him that he could produce actual drawings so was a big confidence boost. Next year he wants to work on learning "real drawing" (his words).

[Jaz]

My dd started this course recently: https://allinonehighschool.com/drawing-professionally/

 

I'm seeing improvement in her drawing.

[bluejay]

All drawing books will teach you the same fundamentals over and over again.  Line, curve, shade, perspective, composition, human body proportions, etc.  Any good drawing book will have these. 

 

I found "The Complete Sketching Book" by John Hamilton not intimidating.  It takes an easygoing approach to drawing.  You sit at home or in the yard, and start to draw.  There are no challenging exercises there.  Just look around and start drawing.  But please read the Amazon reviews.  Some people think it's too much for a beginner.  I don't.  If you can borrow it from the library, do try it!

 

Oh, sorry.  You said you want a DVD program.  You know, I've spent money on this stuff.  If you are starting from scratch, you're better off with cheap books than a pricey DVD set.  Like I said, the basics are the same.

Edited April 29, 2016 by bluejay

[bluejay]

Also there are some online courses out there.  But to be honest, they aren't worth the money unless you simply MUST have video tutorials to demonstrate techniques.  They will tell you they can teach you the secrets to drawing, but there's nothing they can teach you that books won't.  I'm not saying skip them; just DO what's in the books first before you pay hundreds of dollars for an annual subscription to some art site. 

 

On second thought.  Go to udemy.com.  Sign up and you'll be surprised how often they have a sale or a coupon there.  There's some drawing courses there you can buy for $15 if you catch it on sale.  Udemy has sitewide sales very often. 

 

You ask what really works.  The only thing that works is: keep doing it. 

 

P.S.  Avoid books with titles like "how to draw animals," "how to draw trucks," "how to draw plants," etc.  The only thing those will teach you is how to draw a specific object; they won't teach you universal principles to draw anything you want.

[SkateLeft]

I've been trying to find stuff myself. I really want to learn to draw as part of this mid-life "all my kids are getting older and I need a hobby" thing.

 

I have a child that's an art major. She's amazing. I homeschooled her all the way through, but I have no idea how she learned to draw. All I remember is that it involved buying many boxes of paper at Costco.

 

Right now, I'm mainly doing the thing where I buy a bunch of books and supplies, and do lots of research, but don't actually try to do anything yet.

 

I recently signed up to do the trial of Great Courses Plus, and their "How to Draw" course is on there. I added it to my watchlist. Our local art center has an adult beginner drawing class that I'm thinking about signing up for this summer, but my worry is that I'll go in there and everyone else will already be decent at drawing, while I can make stick figures and that's about it.

 

I'll have to check out some of the resources that other folks have listed!

[PentecostalMom]

Lifepacs used to have a Thomas Kinkade one. I think we still have the DVD, but not the books. My artistic daughter loved it.

[Melissa B]

You could try Phonics of Drawing.