where do you actualy start?

[terranox]

I want to draw but when it comes down to it I can not draw what I want, not enough knowledge it would seem, but when I use a reference to draw what I want the drawing still doesn't look alot better...

There isn't a good book out there for beginners(or I didn't find one), everyone seems to start there book presuming the reader can draw good lines, that there sync between the hand and the eye its made and that there just completing some gaps. They seem to always skip a few steps, and seems to me the most important steps of every drawing are overlooked, most books seem to go whit 3 steps, lets get a basic shape, put some more basic shape and then add details(shape, contour and details)... how about the size of the shapes, how do establish that, how do I try to control that, and basic shapes are easily cut when you draw good lines and your not a beginner and make a mess whit your lines, trying to get the right line by making 10 more... anyone ever done that?
You get good drawing lines and improve your hand-eye coordination when you draw alot... draw alot of what? Draw from real life? probably the scariest thing for a beginner is to draw from real life specially cause I can't seem to find some good reference where to tell you how to start on the paper. I get lost on the paper and can't seem to do a good construction, they might say use this construction but that's something they made up for them self and they know to read there construction because they made it for them self, and again a construction whit bad eye-hand coordination its a mess..

Whit what did other people start exercising to improve there line and eye-hand coordination? or what do you actually need start drawing?

hopefully the above makes sense so I can get some advice.

[MiniGoth]

Drawing on the right side of the brain.

Anything by Andrew Loomis(and these are currently available as legal free downloads).

It's not about coordination - if it was, I'd throw in the towel right now :). It's about drawing what's really there, vs what the brain THINKS is there.

Just start. With anything that's sitting in front of you. Suck it up, put pencil to paper, and spend more time observing the object than the page. (This is a basic beginner issue - take one glance at the object, and then bury nose in page. It won't work, because you're no longer looking at the object.)

[terranox]

I was kinda hoping for something more specific...
Like an exact book that you think its the best or a technique/exercise you find very useful.

Draw anything you seen in front of you might not help as much since everything has his own level of difficulty, and so what's exactly that something a beginner might manage his brain around?

When starting to draw human body you should study every part individually or start whit the hole thing from the start?

[Craig D]

read the book MiniGoth suggested
"Drawing on the right side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards.
Will answer the vast majority of your questions. most importantly is do the excercises in the book.

The other thing is to not get too worried about it. You're going to screw up a lot in the beginning but that's OK. You don't have to show anyone.

[CCThrom]

MiniGoth didn't mention that "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" is a book which many people find useful for the beginner's kickstart.

These are some of the classic beginner exercises in drawing stuff when you have no idea what to draw... a coffee cup or bottle, a piece of fruit, a shoe. If you can, use strong directional light (light coming from one source) so you can see the shadows.

Don't worry about where to start on the paper... if you run out of room, try again. Work on cheap paper you don't mind crumpling up and throwing away. Don't be afraid to make mistakes and try again. That's how artists learn. Seriously! Some of us got an early start and all those mistakes masquerade as little kid work, but it doesn't matter... everyone goes through that regardless of when they start.

Ultimately the only way to get over these hurdles is to just start drawing anything (pick something off my list if you need an "assignment") and if you hate your results, try again.

[aesir]

Draw from life a lot. Doesnt even matter what you draw. Just look around and choose something. If you want to shade, put a light on it so get some defined shadows. After you fill up a sketchbook with random still lifes like that. Try drawing people. Drawing live models is best, but you could always draw from photos or anatomy or art books. After that, try copying some famous master drawings. And of course during all of this, feel free to sprinkle in some drawings from your imagination for fun.

[Musselfarmstudios]

Try these . . .

Instead of actually trying to draw from life or from imagination . . . try working strictly non-objective . . . using basic shapes and learn the basic design elements that make up good composition.

If you can't make a composition work using basic squares, triangles, spheres and so on . . . then you won't be able to conceptualize the veiwing area in objective terms.

Or if you insist on working with life and from imagination on obejctive images -

Work with Thumbnails to get the basic idea of the image nailed out before starting on the actual full size image

A thumbnail is a small drawing that blocks out elements . . . mine are usually 1in x 2.35in. while other artists would draw theirs to suit what they are more comfortable working with . . . possibly try drawing yours at 2in x 3in but try to keep 'em small.

One thing I like to do when I'm working on thumbnails is to basically take what I see in front of me, from life, or the space that is described from scripts or notes and break it down into said basic shapes. I try to first break it down monochromatically into 3 values and then maybe in colors if I'm working in color.

After I draw a few thumbnails and I find a composition and value structure that I like . . . I then move up to a bigger rough or possibly to the actual drawing depending on how big I'm working.

The thing about thumbnails is that you don't want to get to detailed because the entire concept of the thumbnail is to block out the image into its most important elements. They are like outlines helping to map out where the drawing needs to go and focus.

The other great thing about a thumbnail is that if the image doesn't seem to work at that small scale then you've only lost a few minutes versus 3 - 20 hours on a bad drawing!

Hope this helps!

[terranox]

Thanks all for your ideas, really appreciate it :)

So here's what I'm planing on doing, draw from real life as much as possible, not draw from any book that has the construction already made since you kinda given all the lines, you don't have to find your own, might look like its helping but its not since it kinda forces you to look where they want...
For progressing more and finding out what I'm missing over other artists might just need to study/study a classing painting, but never draw something the construction already made.
Have to find my own construction which kinda sounds scary and seem I'll have to hit my head a lot of times... ouch

Books are then gone be good to feel out the gaps. Seems I was reading books to get ahead and only got lost in all the knowledge that you don't know what to do whit.

Gone try to get "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" since it doesn't have construction, and just exercises to see as an artist...

[res01ve]

I had that problem too, but I found I couldn't relate to Betty Edwards (Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain).
Bert Dodson's Keys to Drawing (http://www.amazon.com/Keys-Drawing-Bert-Dodson/dp/0891343377/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228411298&sr=8-1)was quite helpful in both giving me exercises and breaking those psychological holds on my progress/beginning

[Black Spot]

Musselfarmstudios is right in saying try to work on the basics. Also you have to train your eyes to see what is there, not what you think is there – there’s a big difference. The rest is just practice, practice etc.

[Junck]

Draw from life a lot. Doesnt even matter what you draw. Just look around and choose something. If you want to shade, put a light on it so get some defined shadows. After you fill up a sketchbook with random still lifes like that. Try drawing people. Drawing live models is best, but you could always draw from photos or anatomy or art books. After that, try copying some famous master drawings. And of course during all of this, feel free to sprinkle in some drawings from your imagination for fun.

The worst mistaken of all, I think: neglecting the things around you. Simple, sometimes "boring," but boy do they keep you regular in terms of practice!

[TASmith]

where to start depends on where you are. If you're a total beginner, I'd suggest getting some children's blocks, arranging them into neat constructions and drawing that - it's creative and you're working with basic geometric shapes - blocks, cylinders, and cones. Once you can see everything in terms of that, you're a step ahead.