Drawing Fundamentals: Why Starting with Stick People is OK.

You have to start somewhere and today the starting point is stick people. The whole stick person thing is something that really gets to me because it’s a common excuse when people sorta really want to learn how to draw but are trying to convince themselves that they haven’t got it in them so there’s no use in trying.

As far as I’m concerned if the words “I can’t even draw a stick person.” come out of someone’s mouth I see someone who is yearning to learn how to draw and they’re basically begging me to prove them wrong (and prove them wrong I can!).

There’s this misconception that comes along with having a certain level of skill in the Arts (drawing, painting, sculpture, whatever) and that misconception is that an artist’s skill is a gift. A natural-born ability bestowed at birth by a higher power to a lucky few who get to be artists. This is absolutely untrue and in fact, it devalues the amount of hard work and dedication that it takes to be a skilled artist.

Here’s an example of how backwards this thinking is. When we meet someone who is a doctor the assumption is that they have spent thousands of hours studying, practicing and working hard so that they could achieve the skill required to be a doctor. They weren’t born with the gift of healing, they worked for it. What they were born with though, was the desire, the passion, the drive (whatever you want to call it), to become a doctor and that drive propelled them through all the years of learning and practicing. This is absolutely the same when it comes to artists and indeed anyone who is good at anything. They put the time in to get where they are now

The only thing separating someone who can’t draw from someone who can is thousands of
hours of practice (sorry) ​and a thirst for
​ honing that skill.

Here’s the good news though, drawing is fun, regardless of what your skill level is and I promise that there are things I can teach you that will make you better at it which will, in turn, make it even more fun.

So! Here we go. This is your first step to improving (or indeed discovering) your ability to draw.

The first thing I want you to do is to relax. You definitely have enough stressful stuff going on in your life already, there’s no need to add to the list.

The second thing I want you to do is remember that art isn’t a competition, there is joy in putting a mark on the paper even if that mark isn’t perfect so, enjoy the process.

If you can shift your thinking and really embrace these two ideas they will sustain you through all the challenges of learning, all the peaks and valleys of getting good at something and the frustration that will surely arise while you’re creating.
 
So what’s the exercise, you might be asking?

Today it’s cute and funny and easy. Don’t worry, there are examples some you can go ahead and copy mine if you need to.

​You’re going to draw a classic stick person (circle for a head, stick body, stick arms, stick legs). Regardless of what anyone has ever said about the (in)ability to draw I don’t believe for a second that there is anyone out there who can’t draw a stick person. 

​I acknowledge, however, that there are differently-abled people out there and if that's something that you identify with and you're looking for strategies for your specific situation and abilities feel free to reach out. I have worked with many people with unique needs and have been able to help them adopt some strategies to improve their drawing.

Click here to download the PDF of the stick people activity.

DRAW THESE 6 STICK PEOPLE!

1. Draw that classic stick person.
2. Draw a second stick person but, this one’s wearing a hat. Draw any kind of hat you like, top hat, cowboy hat, one of those fancy ones that English ladies wear to weddings, whatever.
3. Draw another stick person, this one with lots of muscles.
4. This stick person will be an astronaut (don’t forget their rocket ship)
5. The last stick person in the assignment will be wearing your favourite outfit. So really, they’re you. It’s a stick-self-portrait!
6. BONUS* Draw a unicorn so your stick-self has some company.​

Now, you might be wondering what the heck I’m asking you to draw this army of random stick people for but, it isn’t random at all.  The logic here is simple, learning to draw is incremental. You learn one thing at a time and you build on what you know. Right now we are laying a foundation for the rest of your drawing knowledge to be built on. It would be nice if we could just jump ahead and be super good at it with the snap of a finger but, sadly that just isn’t possible in most cases.

Here is a list of the technical artsy stuff that those stick people are helping you with, in their own way:

• Human anatomy
• Proportions
• Volume
• Self-expression
• Drawing from memory
• Life-drawing
• Using your imagination

That’s a lot of learning from 5 little (but super chill) stick people!

We are mere mortals after all and learning any complex skill means that we have to master many smaller incremental skills that will eventually add up to being able to perform said complex skill. The most obvious analogy I can think of is driving. It’s a complex task that requires the learner to master all sorts of minor skills. The first thing we do when we learn how to drive isn’t to merge onto a highway (hopefully). First, you learned where the gas and brake pedal were, how to check your blind spots and adjust your mirrors...you get the point. Anyways, don’t get down on yourself for being at the stick person phase and don’t be embarrassed that you aren’t super great at drawing, it isn’t embarrassing to be in the process of learning something, it’s admirable. So don’t tell yourself you’re not good at drawing, tell yourself that you’re not good at drawing yet. 

That’s it, for now, my lovelies, keep drawing, stay strong, express yourself, and know that the world is a better place with you and your art in it. If you have any questions or you need any clarifications please don’t hesitate to comment, I’m more than happy to help any way that I can.

Keep growing,
Kristy
​xoxo

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