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Drawing, innate or learnable?

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madara

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What you think? A few of us were discussing the subject this morning as I was thinking of getting my feet wet and releasing some of this extra creative juice I have stored up, but I dont know were to start. Most felt by the time your in high school if someone has not commented on how well or creative you are that basicly you should give it up. If I remember right I think my art teach laughed at my work in middle school but nor was I exposed to any tools to bring the best out of me either. So I would think there is some potential in all of us if we are exposed to it and work at it. Honestly odds are good you never been a Keith Parkinson but you could be competent I would think. Anyone gone down this road and surprised themselves?
On this note anyone have any tips on where to start in this digital age? Do you buy a book on basic human form or buy software now? Recommendations appreciated.
 
I'm certain its inate. I've always been a crap drawer since 2nd grade, where as one of my friends back then had noticeable artistic talent, even then--hes just graduated form art school last year where as if I were to draw something for you now, it wouldn't that far beyond my work in 2nd grade.

Other forms of art such as say, photoshop work is learnable, but actual free hand drawing is something that you just have IMO.
 
Could be both...my father is an excellent artist, but all he has done for the past 20 years is trace pictures out of comics, so I didn't learn anything from him. Instead, I taught myself how to draw by attempting to replicate newspaper strips, and once I got enough skill (or educational training) I started making my own designs. So you can say that everyone is born with a certain amount of artistic talent but it must be nurtured
 
Entirely learnable.

Sure, some people pick it up on their own, but anyone can do it with instruction.
Take a course. You will surprise the shit out of yourself.
 
Definitely learnable.

I'm a faily decent artist, and I always like it how people say, "Wow, that's great, you've got quite a bit of talent!" Talent nuthin', just practice, dedication, repitition, and hard work.
 
I used to think it was innate. Whenever I tried to draw (which was always some half-assed attempt), I would suck horribly. But a while ago I checked out a few "learn how to draw" books and put some real effort into it, and I surprised the hell out of myself.
 
If you are in the least bit 'artistic' (no matter how good you draw), then it's definitely learnable. Get the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. It's helping my sister to draw a LOT better.

Just this past week, I'm finished up 2 facial portraits (copied from photos) for some friends, each done in about 5 hours- they looked damn realistic, like a photo themselves. I surprised myself too since the last real portrait I did was about 4 years ago.

The key to drawing well is to look at things well. You have to notice the proportions and every line and difference between areas. best hint I can give you is to draw every face that you see - magazine, online, whatever. Get some anatomy books. Practice drawing bodies from them. "Drawing the Human Head" and "Complete Guide to Facial Expression" are other good ones if you want to study faces.
 
Plus there's the matter of pure technical skill vs. artistic talent and creativity. The latter is certainly far more innate.
 
i'd have to say that it's a little bit of both. a lot of us are born being talented through inherited qualities...yet, at the same time i believe that if someone practices enough they can teach themselves the skills to be just as great. the only consequence being that it may take someone without the innate talent longer to reach that greatness than someone who was born with it.
 
yeah anyone can learn to draw pretty pictures. if you practice something you're gonna get better at it technically. what demon said is right, your creativity is what's innate, but that can be greatly influenced by intellectual forces you can exert upon it. also creativity is not something that some people have and others don't, it's just that some people have the type of ideas make the masses go wow and others just have ideas.
 
Im inclined to say learnable. You sure can improve your drawing skills with the right direction. Still, there is an innate element in artistic expression, that to me is undeniable.
 
It's both. Realistic drawing is a lot about seeing, and a lot about divorcing yourself from iconography. Some people are inherently better than others, but it's learnable. What's less learnable is the actual artistic side of things: creativity, style, etc.
 
I made a deal with the Devil, and all I got were these stupid sketchbooks filled with nudie pictures! >:(

If I remember right I think my art teach laughed at my work in middle school but nor was I exposed to any tools to bring the best out of me either.
Click to expand...

All my art teachers were douchebags. As were my parents. So regardless of earning numerous artistic achievement awards in grade school and high school, these twats constantly drilled it into my head that what I was doing was "not art".

And like a sucker I fell for it.

Now I'm miserable.

So if your teacher, parents, or The Man tries to keep you down - BURN THAT MOTHERF'R DOWN! With fire.

I'd like to think anybody could learn to draw with enough practice, unlike say mathematics - where you have to have been born with a robot brain.

Nurturing also has something to do with it obviously, so if you're a parent - be good to your children, or else I'll get you - like bad Van Damme in Replicant! :lol

Books? There are the George Bridgeman guides to drawing the human figure. Drawing with the Right Side of the Brain, and How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way if you're totally ghetto.

I can post more later.
 
The Take Out Bandit said:
I made a deal with the Devil, and all I got were these stupid sketchbooks filled with nudie pictures! >:(



All my art teachers were douchebags. As were my parents. So regardless of earning numerous artistic achievement awards in grade school and high school, these twats constantly drilled it into my head that what I was doing was "not art".

And like a sucker I fell for it.

Now I'm miserable.

So if your teacher, parents, or The Man tries to keep you down - BURN THAT MOTHERF'R DOWN! With fire.

I'd like to think anybody could learn to draw with enough practice, unlike say mathematics - where you have to have been born with a robot brain.

Nurturing also has something to do with it obviously, so if you're a parent - be good to your children, or else I'll get you - like bad Van Damme in Replicant! :lol

Books? There are the George Bridgeman guides to drawing the human figure. Drawing with the Right Side of the Brain, and How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way if you're totally ghetto.

I can post more later.
Click to expand...

Your parents told you that drawing nudes wasn't 'art'?(Good thing nobody told this to the artists of the Renaissance) Or were you more into cartooning/comic illustrations? Either way, art is art.

Sheesh, all I did in high school was draw nudie pictures, and my art teacher(and mother, awkwardly enough) loved them.
 
I think it's a bit of both, but certainly leaning more to the learnable side. Not only that, but you have to practice or you lose a bit of your skill (at least that's what happens to me). I actually love drawing, but I find it energy draining.
 
I agree with Demon and APF. The ability to draw is definitely a skill - of course some have the natural ability to pick it up very quickly - after all, it's just moving a pencil or brush around. Realistic drawing is the ability to 'see' more than anything.

But the side of actual creativity, like choosing your subject, composition, or evoking emotion from your work is probably more innate - that is art.

A lot of people attribute innate talent to art, and even design, but there are often rules that make things a lot bettter, depending on what your aim is. Their are actually design theory (I think) that dictates what is pleasant to teh human eye, for example how curved a squares corners should be to look nice - appropriate ratios of a rectangle, or maybe where something is positioned on your screen.
 
Why do you think a lot of great artists have artistic upbringings in their father or mother? Is it genetic or innate? No, arguably a touch but it's all learned. Trust me, you learn it through a lot of studying. Kids meanwhile are known from a young age to learn quicker so it's no wonder if they're surrounded by art at a young age, they'll turn out artistic or have a head start on others. And from there it's all practice and repitition.

GOOD BOOK ANYONE? www.saveloomis.org
 
I noticed my mother could draw art, but only after I started drawing on my own. So, mostly it's innate, but if you don't practice, then you'll dissolve into someone that has to learn how to draw. Either way, practice practice practice.
 
Your parents told you that drawing nudes wasn't 'art'?(Good thing nobody told this to the artists of the Renaissance) Or were you more into cartooning/comic illustrations? Either way, art is art.

Sheesh, all I did in high school was draw nudie pictures, and my art teacher(and mother, awkwardly enough) loved them.
Click to expand...

Haha - no actually I didn't get into drawing porn until much, much, later. Like after graduation. In my formative years I was one of those silly cunts that whiled away the days drawing Spiderman, Batman, Ninjas, and all sorts of rubbish on any free paper I could find. :P

So far as nekkidness is concerned in art, pound for pound Tantric and Eastern Indian art has it all over the fuckin' Renaissance period. Dare I say, it was ancient Azuki Kurenai. BAM! Hooter out to here, hips all over, and dongs, man! Dongs! Those Indians had it goin' on.

The art of the culture also speaks volumes for the repressed citizen there-in. :P

The moral of this story is - don't let people get you down if you want to draw. Punch them in the face if need be, or else you'll turn out like me. What a waste. ^_^
 
I think it's like everything else in life as far as skills are concerned. Some people have the innate ability to pick up certain skills faster than others. That doesn't mean it's impossible for one who is slow to pick up, to be as good as one who picks up quickly.
 
SonicMegaDrive said:
Your parents told you that drawing nudes wasn't 'art'?(Good thing nobody told this to the artists of the Renaissance) Or were you more into cartooning/comic illustrations? Either way, art is art.
Click to expand...

Most art teachers (especially in specialized schools and college) tend to hate comic art and especially Japanese comic styles. Never understood why since you have to have pretty fucking good figure drawing skills to make a passable human in animation styles
 
belgurdo said:
Most art teachers (especially in specialized schools and college) tend to hate comic art and especially Japanese comic styles. Never understood why since you have to have pretty fucking good figure drawing skills to make a passable human in animation styles
Click to expand...

Yeah, nothing gets my goad more than an art teacher who thinks all anime and comic book art looks the same. You'd think being an art teacher, they'd know better.
 
Learnable, it just depends on you mostly. I honed my skills for 4 years and the results are pretty amazing. Looking back it's pretty embarassing seeing how I started off. That's about the level of difference self-training can do if you really want to draw well. Same goes for many other things too obviously. :lol
 
I think it can be both actually.

I think for some people it's innate, that is they didn't need to learn they could just do it.

Others can learn it. I think a person who is naturally gifted at drawing can go further by enhancing their skills through practice/learning however.
 
Come on. if you can learn to perform surgery, play instruments, or tango why the fuck wouldn't you be able to learn to draw? You can do damn near anything as long as you put the time into it.
 
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