I love to draw cartoons. I've been drawing cartoons since I was a child. I never took any lessons but I've always known that the secret to becoming a better artist was to learn how to draw cartoons from a professional. That and some serious practice. But I didn't want to invest a lot of time and money into learning how to become a better artist. I just wanted to be able to draw better. Maybe I'll invest in some lessons when I retire.
Sometime told me about a book called, "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Dr. Betty Edwards. I checked out her website and there were some pretty amazing before and after drawings created by some of her students; many of whom believed they had little or no artistic ability when they signed up for her class.
I was not able to attend a live class in NYC but I was able to check out a copy of her book at my local library. Early on in the book there is an exercise designed to show you one thing; that almost anyone has the ability to draw. My instructions were to turn the picture (a reproduction of Pablo Picasso’s Portrait of Igor Stravinsky) upside down and then copy all the lines without trying to figure out what I was looking at. I was told to focus on the shapes and not on what those shapes represented. For example I was instructed to forget that I was drawings hands and eyes and just focus on the fact that I was copying lines and shapes.
"I can confidently predict that you will be pleased with your drawing, especially if you have thought in the past that you would never be able to draw." - Betty Edwards.
That's a pretty bold statement and it shows how confident Dr. Edwards is in belief that anyone can learn how to draw.
I completed the assignment which took about an hour and when I analyzed my results I was amazed.
The secret to drawing (if you want to call it a secret) is to draw not what you think you see but to draw what you truly see. I know that sounds like something right out of the Matrix or something your Zen Master might say but it is an accurate statement. What it means is you have to shut off the analytical left side of your brain and allow the creative right side of your brain do the work. Betty explains in great detail how this is accomplished.
I knew right away that I had to have this book on my book shelf so I ordered a copy on Amazon and as I learned more of the techniques and as I learned more about how the two sides of the brain work I became a much better artist almost instantly.
This book has showed me how to quickly and almost effortlessly draw cartoon characters, kids, people, and cartoon animals.
Here is my drawing of Frank Sinatra I created after reading the book.
P.S. I've gotten to the point that I am able to earn $50 - $100 per assignment in the form of artwork for t-shirts, posters, logos, magazine advertisements, greeting cards, children's books, and a comic strip. My plan is to continue doing this as a way of supplementing my income when I retire. I will show you exactly how you can too in future blog posts so please return often.
If you have a question or comment about this subject I'd love to hear from you and thanks for stopping by.
About the Author
RC Bonay is an engineer with a passion for writing and drawing. He started reading comic books at an early age and soon discovered he had a flair for telling stories of his own. As he grew, he dreamed of following in the footsteps of comic book legend, Stan Lee. His passion ebbed and his dream faded as it became necessary to pursue a more traditional lifestyle in order to raise his growing family. The dream was rekindled as the youngest of his four children blossomed into young adulthood.
RC’s vision is best summed up by his mottos;
“The world would be a better place if we all just learned to draw.”
“Learn from the best, forget it all, and just write.”
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