How I’d Learn to Draw if I Was Starting Over (2026)

Psst! Want the TL;DR?

- Always use reference photos

- Buy plenty of art books for tips and inspiration

- Respectfully and honestly copy other artists artwork as practice

- Keep a designated sketchbook for all your drawing, and nothing else

- Don’t put off learning the basics of light and shading

You want to learn how to draw? I gotchu. 

Drawing was and is my first love, and I am so excited to share all my tips and recommendations with you. 

First off, let me get something straight: This post isn’t about how to draw (although I can write about that, if you want me to), it’s about how to learn how to draw. 

If you go on Youtube and google ‘how to draw,’ you’re going to get so. Many. Answers. As a beginner, you don’t need so many answers, you need just a few, actionable tips to set yourself on the right path, build good habits, good practice, and master the drawing basics - not cheap hacks that maybe help in one situation, but not any others. 

So let’s go!

Tip #1

I have nought but two words for you: Reference. Photos. 

Reference photos are your best friends when learning how to draw (except for your sketchbook), because here’s the thing: the absolute biggest issue beginner artists have with drawing accurately is that they draw what they think they know, not what they actually see. This means that instead of getting a reference photo of a human eye, people draw what they already think a human eye looks like. I mean, we see eyeballs every day, surely we don’t need a photo, right? 

 

Well… no. You definitely need a photo, because unless you have a photographic memory, your brain just doesn’t store clear pictures - it stores enough for you to recognize something if you see it again, not enough for you to recall something completely from memory. 

Also, I’d recommend  trying to save photos whenever one strikes you, even if you don't plan on drawing it that second. It’s a good back-up plan for when you inevitably feel stuck on what to draw. 

Tip #2

Buy art books!

‘But Lydia, I have the internet!’ I know. And I’m not disagreeing with the fact that the internet is helpful. But do you know what else is helpful? 

Physical, tangible references, resources, traceable pages (yes, it’s okay to trace sometimes), and something you can mark up! 

Scribble notes in the margins of the text, highlight, underline, all the things, and trust me - when you become a drawing master, revisiting your old, marked-up art books will feel like coming home. They’re an excellent way to document your steps as an artist, and having the drawing basics and fundamentals sitting on your shelf 24/7 is always a good thing. 

 

Plus, staring at a screen for too long, at least in my experience, always leaves me feeling lethargic and not particularly motivated. Staring at the exact same information and art pictures in a book, on the other hand, makes me feel motivated, and ready to add something to the world, if only in my sketchbook. 

Tip #3

Look at other peoples’ artwork. 

Sometimes I hear folks talk about this idea that if you look at too much of someone else’s art, then you’ll start to draw like them and won’t have your own style. This is true. But when you’re a beginner still trying to learn…

It’s not really a problem. 

Look at it this way - Your goal as a beginner is to get better at drawing, right? So if you go from your, quite frankly, bad drawing to drawing like a really good artist you admire, then you’ve improved, have you not? 

 

The advantage to starting out this way is that a) you  improve in less time and probably enjoy the process more, and b) once you master the basics like this, finding your own style will be far easier because you can begin focusing on the drawing as a whole and not get distracted by fixing that arm, or why doesn't the hair look right? 

The only thing I’ll say is this - don’t claim your copy of someone else’s work as your own. While I’m sure you’re already well aware of this, it’s still a good reminder. You did draw it after all, so the fact that you drew it from someone else’s art could easily slip your mind. Remember: You’re copying to learn to improve to create your own stuff. Rant over. 

Tip #4

Keep a designated ~ sketchbook! ~

Now, you don’t have to go out and buy a swanky sketchbook before you start learning. You don’t even have to buy a cheap sketchbook. You could use an empty notebook, or a diary your grandparents got you when you were eight but you never used. The important thing is that it is for drawing and sketching only. 

This tip is a lot like not working on homework while you’re in bed, or not having your workspace in your home - you end up sending your brain mixed messages. If your sketchbook also happens to be your math notebook, then your brain is getting cues to draw and do math, so you really end up doing neither. (side note- my math notebook could also be considered my sketchbook, but for a totally different reason.) 

 

Keep a completely separate sketchbook just for drawing so that when you open it up, you immediately feel compelled to draw. There are gonna be days when drawing feels more like a slog, but your sketchbook is always there to help. 

The farther along you get into this whole drawing thing, the more you’re going to understand why so many of your artsy friends are reluctant to share their sketchbook pages with you. It’s a surprisingly personal thing, which is all the more reason to keep it separate from anything else. 

Tip #5

Don’t forget the shading!

Light is how we see literally everything (shapes, colors, depth, etc), so shading your drawing and understanding how light plays on different shapes and textures is really important. 

This doesn’t only mean drawing a little circle in the corner of your paper so you can remember where the light source is coming from - it means learning about hard shadows versus soft shadows, and really understanding the shapes making up what you’re drawing. You can’t draw accurate shadows if you don’t understand what it is you’re drawing in the first place (you see, it’s all coming together…).

The reason I put this tip here in a post meant for beginners is that light and shading are just as much part of the fundamentals as shapes and proportions are. Don’t discount it. You have been warned. 

In Conclusion

So, there you have it! My most important tips for learning how to draw. If you would like one that jumps into my tips for learning how to paint with watercolor, or want some drawing exercises, leave a comment below!

 

Until next time, 

Lydia