Are you having trouble convincing yourself that you can draw?

I often mention that writing is a simpler form of drawing due to the fact that all the letters of the alphabet were originally pictures or symbols. The difference is that writing stops short with the forming of letters and words, and is seldom seen for its beauty or artistic qualities.

The printing of alphabet letters is good preliminary practice for your hand to get used to applying strokes while your eyes grow accustomed to good lines of simple constructive forms.

Once you master the art of printing, then you shift to the progressive nature of writing, gradually building up the forms of the letters.

And so it is with drawing. We start drawing with the simplest of outlines and once we learn how to put down an outline satisfactorily, we then feel confident enough to add details. An outline is just the same as printing a letter of the alphabet.

That's why you hear so many people say "If you can write, you can draw."

We all approach drawing in different ways because we each must look for a style of drawing that suits us the best. Some artists like to draw what they are seeing directly onto paper. Other artists might use regular shapes to help them break down complex forms. There are a multitude of ways to put your thoughts into drawings.

You ultimately decide:-

• what type of line you want to draw -- thick, thin, long or short.
• to use a lot of detail, or a minimum amount.
• to place more emphasis on a section of your drawing that you like best. You make a statement just with that little bit of emphasis, it's your way of saying this part intrigues you or speaks to you.

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