Three ways to start a drawing

And one way to avoid

I have a new online course starting this weekend. There are still a few spots available. Wonky buildings in pen and watercolour.

Starting is the hardest part of any creative work.

I think it’s because you’re making something from nothing; as soon as the thing is started, you’ve got something to work with.

Before you start, the materials are pristine, untouched. If you don’t start anything, that blank page will still be perfect.

Starting can lead to mistakes, but it’s also the only way to make anything.

Here are three ways I start a drawing - little tricks that make the first thing easier.

Draw the thing really fast, then slow down

But don’t use your main pen; use a really light and broad tool - a wide marker or a big brush.

Move quickly so you can outrun your judging brain.

Zoom along the page as your eye darts around your subject. Don’t worry about how it looks too much, because we’re gonna come back in the main pen later, for a much slower drawing.

The fast drawing provides the energy. And the slow drawing provides some accuracy.

This idea is called “fast and slow,” and it’s not mine—I stole it from Danny Gregory ages ago. I did a demo of fast and slow for sketchbook club, and you can watch it.

To join sketchbook club, upgrade to a paid subscription.

Draw the opposite of the thing

Another way to start is to not draw the thing at all.

Instead, draw all the space around the thing you’re gonna draw. You can do this with a light and bright marker, watercolour, or even with collage.

This gives you a container to fill in with details, which is much easier than starting from nothing.

As a bonus, it introduces a lot of colour into the picture early, which always makes a drawing look appealing.

Go for the throat

Three, two, one… Go! Dive right in.

Like jumping from a cliff, counting down helps. It gives you a little ritual that makes beginning easier. I have rituals for starting a sketchbook too.

Do this to stop letting blank sketchbooks scare you

On a page, I often start a drawing by circumnavigating a car in the foreground, then gradually work my way back into the picture. You can also start with the focal point and spiral gradually outwards.

---

There’s no right or wrong way to start, but if you’re a perfectionist, avoid starting with a really detailed pencil drawing. You’ll inevitably end up re-drawing it a million times. I know you’re trying to get it “just right”, but its mostly procrastinating the real start.

Be bold and brave; give one of these methods a shot instead.

Happy drawing,
Andrew

PS. I uploaded some digital versions of zines, handouts and sketchbooks to gumroad this week. Have a look.

PPS. My online course starts this weekend. I used the “fast and slow” idea in this drawing.