How To Get Started With Art

Malena Rose Features

Vol 27, Issue 26, 25 April 2025

If you ever wanted to create art or wanted to learn how to draw, but you get frustrated when trying, you’ve come to the right place.

This is a small but significant guide on how to get started with drawing anything from realistic to stylized things such as characters, objects, or environments.

I have been drawing and painting for my whole life, and I am by far not the greatest, since there is always room for improvement and different techniques that I would like to learn. BUT… I do know a bit about the progress of learning something new, and something as complex as drawing.

First things first, it’s important to understand that drawing and painting is not only about talent. Sure, if someone is excellent at drawing characters, it may seem that they were just born with a big talent. But mostly, that is not the case. Learning to draw properly takes years of practice and a never ending circle of failure.

So, if your drawing skills are “mid”… dont worry… you can learn it.

Step 1: Start simple

What you want to do in the very beginning goes as far in to the very basics as possible. Try drawing straight lines, circles, triancles and squares. A lot of them. It can even be your warm up task before you beginn any proper drawing to just fill one page with these basic shapes.

It will train your wrist and muscle memory to have an easier time drawing exactly what you’re imagining.

Step 2: Use references

If you want to draw something specific like, lets say… a car. You should use reference images while sketching it (or even better: Use real life references) . Drawing is not about doing everything from memory. Most people are not capable or memorizing all the details of a specific object from the top of their head, so dont be too ambitious. There is nothing wrong with looking up pictures of cars on the internet and drawing from that.

Step 3: Copy other artists

What helped me personally a lot throughout the years, was to copy other artists and just watch then paint or draw. Sometimes they will use a unique technique that you haven’t seen before, or you can try copying their style for drawing characters for instance.

Step 4: Have fun

It may seem weird to say this, but do remember to have fun. Take breaks, make the drawing time enjoyable and draw the things that you like and get inspired by. If you don’t feel like drawing anything… then dont. In my opinion, art is something that needs to be enjoyed while making it. (Yes, sometimes that part can loose its value if you’re a professional working artist), but essentially, if you are not enjoying the progress of creating art, then the art may not be as enjoyable.

Patience

This is just a general heads up. If you want to become good at art, you gotta have patience in yourself. Drawing, painting, or any artsy activity need skills that can only be acquired withing years and years of practise. So, be aware that you wont become a pro over night and it will feel frustrating at first. So, enjoy the little achievements that you will have, and keep your old drawings so that you can look back at them one day and say: “Wow I really have improved a lot”.

Malena Rose
Follow me
Latest posts by Malena Rose (see all)