Last updated on July 13, 2026
In this blog or article you will get to know how to actually start drawing. Most people think to start drawing something needs skills and talent. It’s nothing like that with proper practice and right technique anyone can start drawing. You are a beginner or an intermediate doesn’t matter.
To begin with, first you have to understand that by only knowing the techniques you can’t draw anything. Everything needs practice and constant efforts to master and so do drawing. So keep practising these techniques to be better at it.
Steps to start drawing- beginners guide
Hand, Wrist and finger movement practice
To make the drawing look more accurate and precise, hand, wrist and finger movement plays an important role. It allows you to draw a smooth and clear shape, lines and circles. This movement practice helps the beginners to draw the basic shapes effortlessly.
For the effective hand, wrist and finger movement you just have to take your pencil and start making continuous circles. Make them one over another and gradually start making the circles bigger and bigger. It’s important that you don’t focus on to make perfect circle. Once it done try to make the infinity sign using your wrist and hand. Again the goal is not perfection, just let your finger, wrist and hand move in their full range.
Once the movement feels smooth, try making some lines horizontally from top to bottom and from bottom to top. Similarly as vertically from left to right and right to left. Practice these steps to start drawing anything.
Start making basic shapes.
After practicing the movement drills now, we are ready to actually start drawing things. But before we jump on hard and complex shapes lets practice some basic shapes. The shapes that are the basis of every possible design and structure you see or imagine. These are circles , triangles and rectangles.
The reason these shapes are called the basis of drawing. When we observe our surroundings we find that each and every thing is made up of these basic shapes. For instance the doors of the houses are rectangles, the shape of flowers seems to be a circle and the shape of the mountains appears to be a triangle.
By practicing these basic shapes you are half way there to be good at drawing. Just make sure to practice making these shapes regularly.
Observe the basic shapes in your references
The next step is quite interesting, as in it we actually don’t start drawing things but first we observe. As i said earlier each and every shape, figure, structure is made of the basic shape which we practiced. Now we have to observe the basic shape of the reference which we are going to draw. Again we don’t chase perfection, just let your imagination and observation do the work and try to find the basic shape hidden in the figure or your reference.
Once you figure out the basic shape try to draw it with the pencil on a clean paper. Remember, don’t try to match the details, just try to draw the basic shape and add more similarity to it.
Start adding the details- angles, curves, edges
Now comes the part where your drawing starts looking like the actual figure. It is time to add the major details in our drawing to make it look more like the actual one. Again observe the details like the angle at the corners, the curves or the semi-circles or the edges. Remember to make these details with a little pressure on the pencil so that they become slightly dark.
Once we are done with the details now we can remove the basic shapes with the help of eraser. Now move on to other details. You can also know the essential tools every artist must own here.
After we remove the basic shapes, you will notice that your drawing start looking like your reference image or figure. If not, try to correct the details until you feel convinced with the drawing.
Complete the drawing-add background, surrounding
Always remember, make sure to finish what you started. Once our drawing look similar, most of us thinks that its done but, no!. Even if there is moon in the sky at night but its incomplete without the stars. Similarly even if our figure is done the drawing is incomplete without the surrounding or the background. They add realism and naturality to our drawing and make it complete.
Always complete your drawing by adding the surrounding and background. To do that use the same steps which used so far to make it. It may take time but it is always worth it. Once the drawing is fully completed we can move the final step of this process.
Practice more and more to draw
The information given so far can help you start drawing. There is a factor that makes your drawing even more beautiful and realistic that is continuous and regular practicing. Most of us usually get demotivated after one or two attempts. The actual progress starts after that, so just keep practicing and your drawing will improve gradually.
When you follow these steps properly and regular your drawing will improve. These steps will help you improve you artwork. Drawing is just one part of art there are many more you have to learn and understand. Keep in mind one-step at a time practice this and we are always there to level you up.
You can also more than drawing:
Basic sketching techniques for beginners
Pencil shading techniques every artist should learn
and much more.
