Step by Step Art Lessons – Do They Actually Work?

Step by step art is often the answer for artists that have had less practice than others. It helps with the basics of something that you have always wanted to be able to draw.

When I was younger, my mother bought me a very small book that had step by steps that taught you how to draw horses.

I was thrilled, and immediately began drawing. Many years later, I have moved on from horses. However I still remember how the book went. In fact, I still own it. It lurks somewhere in the back of my wardrobe.
Just as the ability to draw good horses still lurks in the back of my mind.

Many step by step programs are only based on teaching you one pose, of one creature. This is how I viewed my horse book for many years.

Just the other day I suddenly decided that I wanted to create my own horse step by step. I did this, and you can find it on my website. However when looking at the finished product, I realised that I hadn’t just created a lesson on one pose.

My horse could be changed to many different poses by whom ever used it. All they needed was a picture of a horse to work from.

This is because the lesson taught the artist to find the basic shapes in the horse. For example the hip and shoulder are represented by two big circles. All the leg joints are smaller circles and the cheek and muzzle are two more circles.

This means that when ever the budding artist that has completed and understood the lesson, looks at a picture of a side on horse, they can see the circles that will transfer the image to a drawing.

So to wrap this up, all I really wanted to say, was that in step by steps, don’t take the circles and lines literally. They are there to represent bits on a horse, or cow, or cat. They are there to help you do it on your own. They are a way of practicing creating your own drawings from life or photos.

So get out there and do step by steps. Because if you view them in the right way, they will help you drawing skills grow.

Cheers
Meg