- Understanding the Role of Failure in Learning to Draw
- Why Failing Means Progress and Growth
- Persistence: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
- Accepting Frustration as Normal in the Creative Journey
- Recommended Inspiration: Scott Robertson’s Concept Art Techniques
- How to Draw Using Abstract Shapes: A Free-Form Technique
- Building a Strong Memory of Shapes to Improve Drawing
Understanding the Role of Failure in Learning to Draw
Last night, I felt stuck—I couldn’t draw anything that felt right. No matter what stroke I made on the canvas, it just didn’t seem correct. This frustration is common when trying new techniques and often tempts me to give up. But I’ve realized that failing is actually a vital part of the learning process.
Why Failing Means Progress and Growth
Failing means you are trying, learning, and pushing forward. Many beginners quit too soon or procrastinate for weeks, months, or even years. During that time, nothing changes.
My advice: make a deal with yourself to sit down and draw for just 10 minutes. If you still feel unmotivated afterward, you can stop. But if you do get into the flow, keep going and enjoy it.
Persistence: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
Learning to draw demands persistence and stepping out of your comfort zone.
Despite feeling down yesterday, I took a deep breath and kept working. I transformed my frustration into determination. I tried multiple new sketches, failed again and again, but I didn’t stop. The results are still amateur, but I went to sleep feeling happy because I had taken a step forward—one that will lead to the next.
Accepting Frustration as Normal in the Creative Journey
Whether you’re a beginner, amateur, or pro, frustration is part of the journey. Remember, you’re the one who decides whether to keep going. Dream big but accept that progress is made step-by-step.
Recommended Inspiration: Scott Robertson’s Concept Art Techniques
I recommend checking out Scott Robertson, an inspiring concept artist who influences many product, car, and game designers. While sketching, I watched his video with Neville Page (concept artist for Avatar).
How to Draw Using Abstract Shapes: A Free-Form Technique
This technique is about seeing things in abstract shapes. 
1- You start drawing an abstract shape with a brush. Best is that you already have a rough idea of what you want. Do you want dinosaur, a soldier, a tank, and so on… You will roughly build it accordingly.
2- Use a pen to draw the outlines.
3- Refine
This method is very free-form. You start without a clear final idea and let the sketch evolve. Reference photos can help.
Building a Strong Memory of Shapes to Improve Drawing
The key skill here is building a strong memory of shapes. The bigger your mental library, the easier it is to recognize and construct from abstract shapes. But just seeing isn’t enough—you need to draw repeatedly to train your hand and memory.
I feel my shape memory still needs improvement, so I’m planning to take photos to build my own personal shape library.
See you next time for another drawing tip!
Feel free to comment and share your thoughts.
Cheers,
Chou-Tac
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“Think big, act small, fail fast; learn rapidly” !!
Hey Vincent ! Good to see you here ! :))
Well said ! Thank you.