Leading artists share their sketching tips to help you get started, then take things further.

Sketching tips
If a lack of sketching tips are holding you back from beginning your sketching journey, then we’ve got you covered. We’ve asked experienced artists to share their best sketching advice to help you get going with confidence.

On the current page, there are tips for how to get started. But if you are already one step ahead you can jump to page 2 to find ways you can build on your existing skill set. Whether you want technical pointers or techniques for getting inspired, there will be something to help you.

So, do you have your pencils ready? If you need some help with choosing which ones you should buy, see our post on the best pencils – and get ready to learn all you need to know about sketching.

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Big eyes, exaggerated expressions and cute little chibi characters are only some of the appeal of drawing anime. But before you launch into a manga drawing tutorial , it helps to have a few words of wisdom from a manga pro. To be a better artist, here are some essential, actionable tips — and some pointers on avoiding beginner mistakes.

1. Study Real Anatomy

Just like with any figure drawing, knowing a body’s anatomy is vital. You need to know how a real body is put together and how it functions — even though the shapes and proportions of manga characters are often exaggerated.

2. Use Reference Images

It’s tempting to skip this time-consuming step, but if there’s something you don’t know how to draw, go online and look up a reference. Look up poses, props, environments — your art will look so much better for it. Don’t try to …

When we first picked up a pen or pencil and started making marks on paper, we began with line. Whether self-taught, through trial and error, or guided by others, we learned how line defines form, creates structure, divides a frame, traces contour, creates tonal variation (cross-hatching, for example) and leads the eye from one part of a work to another. Initially a mechanism for getting outlines onto paper – identifying edges – we begin to applaud lines for their own merit: celebrate their presence…whether a quiet flick of charcoal on paper or a streak of graphite.

line drawing – a student guide
This article contains exercises for Art students who wish to produce contour line drawings, cross contour drawings, blind drawings and other types of line drawings. It is a teaching aid for high school Art students and includes classroom activities, a free downloadable PDF worksheet and inspirational artist drawings.…