Should You Learn To Draw Before Learning To Paint?

Should You Learn To Draw Before Learning To Paint?

Whatever you think about learning to paint as an artist there is one thing you cannot forget – the need to be able to draw. Ultimately it doesn’t matter what you want to do an ability to control line and shape is a definite must.

You can have fun learning to paint watercolors by allowing water to naturally assist in color movement and color mixing…

“As a beginner this is perhaps the easiest way to get a fast fundamental understanding of how paints work”

Without doubt it is the surest way to overcome the fear of things going wrong because that is exactly what you are trying to discover. The advantages of taking this approach to learning to paint are invaluable. You quickly understand that great results can be achieved without needing 10 years of painting experience before you get something resembling a decent result.

That is fine but somewhere, sooner or later, you will want to take control…

This is where the ability to draw becomes important. And, as with removing the painting fear factor as soon as possible, it is a good idea to get started as early as you can with basic drawing skills.

There is no reason to be afraid of drawing, whether you believe it or not you can learn. Not only that but, like discovering that watercolors can be left to paint themselves, there are simple and easy lessons that quickly grow your drawing skills. In less than 4 weeks you can develop drawing techniques that give you plenty of artistic scope. Of course it takes longer than a month to be proficient with drawing or painting but there is no reason why you can’t develop both skills at the same time.

Although it sounds as if it makes sense to separate learning streams you might find that you gain more encouragement from running drawing lessons alongside a painting course. The benefits are that the times where your access to painting materials are restricted (ie. when you are at work doing the day job) you can steal a few minutes to scribble a sketch on a piece of scrap paper.

Maybe you already doodle on note paper while you taking phone calls or make random marks on the puzzle page of a newspaper…

“This is an ideal way of developing a natural drawing style which builds great confidence without pain”

So, if you are sensible in choosing to start with the simplest and easiest watercolor painting course available you can develop your drawing skills alongside. If you are particularly ambitious and determined to work hard you could be reading about and preparing for the next stage even before fully mastering the elementary stages. But then…

“It may be better to learn to walk before trying to run”

Also, even if you are already following a course that concentrates upon specific specialist subject matter, like portrait sketching or painting wildlife in nature you occasionally need a break. This kind of art can be hard work for the expert and, as a beginner, maybe feels too much to cope with.

Yet, if you have talent and are determined to succeed, wouldn’t it be a shame to fail?

And why should you fail if you allow yourself to relax and have fun. You never know if splashing paint around and light-heartedly scribbling on scrap might not accidentally show you better ways to reach your artistic goals… That is unless you try. There is nobody else can tell you what is right for you, it is up to you to find out for yourself.

And, when you do try what do you think the result will be?