Now that you have more time to explore your creative side, you might be finding it difficult to put your ideas onto paper or canvas. No matter what your experience level, you can benefit from returning to the basics and improving your technical skills. Here are a few ideas to help you develop your art and express your ideas in just the way you envision.

5 Drawing Exercises That Will Make You a Better Artist

1. Continuous Contour Drawing

Choose a subject such as a photo or a small, detailed object. Try to draw it using one continuous line, without lifting your pencil from the paper, and while looking at your subject as much as possible. To improve the unity between your hand and eye, try performing this exercise while only looking at the subject.

2. Negative Space

In this case, you’ll want a subject like a plant or a bicycle with many gaps between its parts. Carefully outline only the spaces between the object. You can block these areas in with solid color, or try to draw them realistically—the important part is that you draw the space, not the object.

3. Gestures

Gather your drawing supplies and set a timer for 20 seconds. In that time, get as much information as possible about the shape and feeling of your subject onto the paper. Then try a 40-second and then a two-minute drawing, trying to draw at the same speed as before. Resist the urge to erase or obsess over mistakes.

4. Doodling

This is a way to experiment with different drawing supplies and techniques. Draw whatever you feel like, without a reference, concentrating only on what is interesting and enjoyable. It’s not important to create quality results during this exercise; instead, you are processing and pursuing ideas. It’s playful exercise that may lead you to new techniques, effects and styles that you wouldn’t have discovered in tight, formal or rigid style of work.

5. Prompts & Themes

Find a list of themes online, or choose a type of object or idea on which you have not focused previously. Spend a day on that one subject or theme, practicing and experimenting, then move on the next day to a new theme. This will help you increase your familiarity with a range of different subjects.

You also probably have loads of photos, picture and video files or journals stored away.  Get inspired to use your life as a resource to be personal in your art expression and make meaningful projects and pieces for yourself, family and friends to share.

Hawaiian Graphics in Honolulu, HI, is the area’s expert in quality art supplies. This arts and crafts store has everything you need for drawing, painting, and a range of other projects. For advice on drawing supplies, call them at (808) 973-7171 or send a message online once we reopen in May.