Drawings don’t have to be perfect. They are more vessels of meaning than vessels of beauty. After all, not all worth sharing is beautiful to behold. In fact, much that is worth sharing peels back layers to reveal ugly truths we strive to hide from ourselves. So draw for you, place an imprint of your soul and mind on the page.
Pens. Pencils. String. Sand. Markers. Water. Crayons. Anything that can leave a mark on anything is a tool you can use. Traditionally pencil on paper, but don’t let the lack of a certain tool stop you. Today, many people turn to digital illustration as their preferred toolset but that can feel daunting it it may be inaccessible.
These are some of the tools I use:
- Apple pencil and iPad (I bought mine used from a coworker so an older model)
- Black ink and white ink
- Watercolors, palette case and water brush (one of those you fill up with water)
- Watercolor postcards
- Most pens, especially from Japanese stationary stores (I love doing black/white pieces)
Mastering any skill is a matter of practice and familiarity. It takes knowing how to read music first before one can write their own symphony. Or knowing the flow of their limbs before dancing a choreographed solo. Building the fundamentals of drawing is a matter of training the mind’s eye to trace a vision in the real world. First via rudimentary lines and shapes, eventually with finesse on composition, pressure, color and texture.
As is the case with most disciplines, learning from a more experienced human being is essential to advancing at a quicker pace. I recommend watching artists draw and then practicing what they do or say.
I bought these books and courses to learn more:
- Pen and Ink Drawing Vol 1 and Vol 2 by Alphonso Dunn (also watch his videos!)
- Illustration from Imagination (This one is a bit pricey, recommended for those who want to do illustration professionally or serious hobbyists)
- Introduction to Children’s Illustration offered on Domestika (marketplace for art education)
Nobody becomes a master overnight. People with incredible art have honed their work over years of practice, trial and error, or style changes. Those who quit may never see who they were meant to become.
Go forth and reap the therapeutic benefits of drawing <3,
Meli
Illustrated by Meli 
Bob Ross is also worth watching
1000% agreed! I love Bob Ross