r/learntodraw • u/Cautious_Cut_4680 • 12h ago
Zero progress
I don’t know how to improve, and have considered quitting at times (or at least taking a break)
I’ve been drawing for around a year or two and I’ve made some progress since I started I think but I just feel like Im not yet good enough to make anything “good” or at least something I think is cool. Pretty much everything I’ve drawn has been these kinds of figure drawings and almost all of them are from reference. I feel like I know nothing bro.
Even if I am able to somewhat accurately copy a reference, I just feel like it doesn’t matter if I don’t know what I’m looking at and I’m just copying it line for line.
I feel like the only reason I’ve drawn for as long as I have is just the mindset of “be ok with being bad” which has been a pretty useful mindset for me most times, but sometimes improving feels impossible when I just know nothing. Especially when I see people who have been drawing for less time than I have and are literally three times better than me. Don’t get me wrong I love appreciating other people’s art, but there’s always the part of me inside that’s like “there’s literally no way I’d be able to draw something like that, how the frick do they do this.” And it’s so discouraging. I’m also just have such low motivation do draw a lot of times, and drawing for me recently really feels like kind of a burden.
If anybody has anything to say that might help with anything at all I’d really appreciate it, or if anyone just has similar experiences to share. Thank guys :]
7
u/DefiantStomach775 12h ago
As the other commenter said, you have good construction, so you really are not starting from scratch
In addition: is these figures all you draw? You have to challenge yourself to improve: try bringing one of these figures to completion, take it slow, all the time you need, have references (manuals, pictures, models) on hand and see what blocks you
Had problem drawing a head? That’s your next step. Shading? Study a bit, then next time you draw a figure take extra time to add shades
I myself had been stuck for a long time on basic gesture drawings, which in hindsight made a lot of sense because that was all I did.
Happy to help more if you need