Contrary to popular opinion, drawing is something everyone can learn to do. With practice comes proficiency and with proficiency comes skill.
Drawing with Proportion
Whether you are drawing from an image or real life, measuring is key to an accurate and proportional drawing. Any measurement or angle can be related to another in the image and therefore in your drawing. If you want to scale your drawing proportionally, simply align the bottom right corner of your image and drawing; using a ruler, draw diagonal line that starts at the bottom left corner and ends at the top right of your image. With this diagonal line, the image can be infinitely scaled.
Value, Form, Edges
A large additive to a drawing's realism is its tone an accurate light and shadows. Pay close attention to the light and dark values and don't be afraid to push the shadows back!
So many ways to render!
When you are ready to fully render your drawing, you have so many ways to choose from. For a photo-realistic rendering, try smooth toning your drawing (bottom left). Quilling is a crafty way to render your line drawing (top left). Painting, whether acrylic, watercolor or oil, is a traditional and fun way to finish a portrait or still life (top right). Pen and ink is also a great way to render either a simple line drawing or a detailed a detailed one (bottom right)!
Lastly, the key to learning to draw well is to practice and practice and practice!
Credits:
Photos by Katelee Dugan