How to Grow Your Drawing Skill: How to Draw #5

Learn one of the most powerful tools to increase your ability to see like an artist: the "blind" contour.
This is part of the "How to Draw" Series. Watch them in order, or however you like!
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Your support and interaction mean the world to me. Let's embark on this creative journey together!

[@azbz1z2z75]

I've been watching you for a while. And I did not think I could draw. But I watched one of your videos about drawing something every single day. And no judgement if it was good or not, Sooooo the last 4 days I drew something in my sketch book. This has been the most freeing feeling in the world. And I actually was pretty proud of my accomplishment. The amazing thing is I learned a lot in this short period of time. Thank you. I have vowed to draw every single day in 2024.

[@vidyaagarwal6788]

More power to you

[@wanderingstar9322]

Have you drawn every day this year?

[@CentaurusRelax314]

@@wanderingstar9322He won’t answer you. He’s too busy… drawing.

[@olivierchamberland1633]

I'm 35 and fighting a cancer. I was looking for a hobby and fell on one your video about drawing freely without judgment. It happens you start drawing in your late 30's which rings a bell for me. So i start drawing! Now it's been a week i'm playing with my pencil (don't have the courage to use a pen yet haha) with your help and other youtube channels and i have done things i would never imagine doing when i thought start drawing. It also fullfill me with pride and zen vibes.. Want to thank you for that, helps a lot in those dark days!

[@Aritul]

Fight the good fight, Olivier. Wishing you lots of luck.

[@Thrushtheviking]

I watched the chaos unfold into a plant on a piece of paper. Dan is bonkers in the best of ways. I had forgotten how much fun blind contours are. Thanks again good sir!

[@melindareynolds7867]

I think you and drawing may be what I need to get through 2024. Turn off the TV/phone/news and draw with Dan. 😊 Thank you.

[@quinnkeilitz6249]

I've taken drawing classes before and have always been decent at drawing, but haven't taken the time to really commit to learning it in depth. But I have a dream to become a tattoo artist and I know that I have to hone my art skills in order to do that. I am so glad I found your videos! They are so fun and soothing and helpful. It feels really good to be learning again, and to be working towards a goal. Thank you for making these!

[@lenepedersen5506]

What a great abstract plant you got out of this. My tulips ended up very abstract too - this is a great exercise 🌷

[@SketchBookSkool]

It really is!

[@pragativasisht4432]

i drew my cup, glasses and pen and am just amazed at how much they resemble the real thing! thanks danny!

[@johnbryant_]

I just did two blind contour drawings, one a stack of books, and the other a book end with a Fleur de Lis decoration. As you can imagine, they were hideous. I showed them to my wife and got a kick out of watching her debate in her mind whether to be honest or to say they looked nice. This was also the first entry in my first sketch book.

[@garthalmunemuralias9101]

Ha i just did the same with the mug exercise and my partner did the same thing but keep going sir! you’re gonna be great

[@user-gt8oj1bc2z]

I remember when I did this for the first time about a year ago, and it DID blow my mind. What I drew actually looked like what I saw. It's a fun thing to do! :) I remember when I was relearning how to walk and had a horrible time. The Doc told me to stop thinking about it and just do it. It was hard, but when I did that, I was actually able to make steps that were almost normal.

[@debbieyoung4411]

The book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain explains this and gets into partial contour drawing, negative spaces, etc. It really does improve one's drawing skills.

[@season.appreciation8102]

Goodness!! I haven’t done ANY drawing for years but this takes me back to my college days when we did exercises like this. I remember two exercises that really helped me: using only a ballpoint pen and the other was to draw a subject without lifting the pen or pencil from the paper! Also drawing ONLY the spaces between objects. It’s about time I started drawing again! So glad I found you! Thank you so much 😊

[@SketchBookSkool]

You're describing a continuous line drawing and negative space. I cover them both in this series!

[@gg1gg2gg3gg4gg5]

Thank you! You are very generous ❤

[@marydaniel2142]

I have picked up and discarded drawing countless times. Each time I pick it up again, I'm reminded of how good it feels, though it's obvious my skills are non-existent. Your instruction is so compelling and fun, so here I am again. But also, I feel as if a good friend is speaking to me, which makes the experience all the better. Thank you for all the time you take to make us feel like something vital is about to happen. I'm ready to make this an integral part of my life, thanks to you.

[@bafanapeter4138]

i am working in the finance industry but i find your lessons and skills you give out informative and assisting to me too. I also want to start drawing. I am still skeptical but i want to go about t as well.

[@dr_davidmd2065]

LOVE it! Freedom & excitement.

[@keithbell4744]

Watching yr videos and really appreciate how simple and open minded ... and encouraging you are. From South Africa 🇿🇦. Thank you ...

[@greenjohn4567]

this video is really helpful,thank you sir.

[@danacoleman4007]

Great stuff!!!

[@allenwilbanks2687]

You are also teaching fantastic neuro psychology mini lectures,

[@AndyFunk24]

Loving this series, thank you! I started drawing at the end of October this year, my drawings are terrible but more importantly its a really fun way to spend time after work. Learning some great techniques following this series which is keeping things fun and lighthearted! Look forward to each new episode

[@SketchBookSkool]

Bad drawings are the fertilizer that feed your talent

[@puffedplays]

Blind contours are so good butI do it with sketch pens just that when you draw the various parts you actually change the colour of the pen, it may be a bit of cheating but just start at the place you ended. That seems quite nice for me.

[@e-k-2024]

I always said: I cannot draw. But then I watched your videos - and it was fun. Your way of teaching is fun. And I am proud of my first contures. It makes me happy. Thanks Dan.

[@mrs.stocky2445]

My mom and I had an artist in Maui draw us with some kind of oil medium and it turned out beautifully. The thing that amazed us the most was just that he did so much of his work while looking at us. We still can’t fully understand how he got so much on the page while studying is so closely.

[@IcsulX]

Tried this and managed to keep the vertical scale in check. The horizontal scale on the other hand was waaaay off. It did resemble my reference, but it looked squat. Fun exercise.

[@lintjulep]

I was a little nervous about hating what I drew with my blind contour but it actually turned out looking kind of cool! Makes me want to draw even more stuff like this! Thank you!

[@kristastewart8401]

Your explanation of why this skill is important, and what the hand, eye and brain are training to do was well done. I think the outcomes are fabulous. It would be fun to color it in like the previous lesson of starting with a big "scribble/loopy-de-do and coloring it in. Thanks!

[@realrawrah]

I just taught my daughter and little cousin's this exercise about 2 weeks ago ❤

[@SketchBookSkool]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@nordicview4837]

Wow, I was so impressed that I actually had recognizable results of my blind object drawings - the lines even ended very close to where I started, made the object contour complete. Big confidence boost 🎉

[@SketchBookSkool]

Thanks for sharing!

[@jmk1962]

Gosh I haven't done this since school.😊

[@evysavage]

I had some hesitance to this but it was actually pretty fun! I'm liking your tutorials alot! Thanks for doing them!

[@lisasremnant]

Thank you. I enjoyed this activity. The result was fun to see.

[@carolnelson9700]

I'm enjoying this, thank you for sharing your drawing talent and teaching talent.

[@doraklein7797]

Thank you so much for doing this series, Danny! You are a real inspiration and I look forward to every new lesson😎

[@SketchBookSkool]

More to come!

[@thejc.designer]

Thank you for all of your videos. This was interesting. And I find all of your other videos super inspiring and helpful for my art practice, and really life in general

[@carlaseaton9221]

Thank you so much for this series, I am having so much fun with these drawings and looking forward to your next video.

[@SketchBookSkool]

I'm so glad!

[@janetcrumley1217]

Danny, I am sure glad you told us in video 4, that you were going to ask us to do something’s that might sound a little crazy, because my brain was just crazy from this practice. It makes no sense to my brain, because it is just a scramble of something.

[@33Jenesis]

i have a room full of art and craft supplies mostly new in box. Now 2023 is about to end, I want to break these supplies out of boxes to put them in use. It does feel terrifying to burst my ego bubble (NOT being a creative person). But the control in line drawing and repeated patterns and shapes surely will get better with practice. Sullying pricey watercolor paper and mix media sketchbooks with terrible painting and drawing I have to get used to. Unused expensive art supplies and leave them to be discovered by those who have to clean out my place after I die is a thought that shames me to be honest.

[@SketchBookSkool]

If you need a rationale: Unused art supplies eventually go bad and you'll have to throw them out. Might as well use them.

[@taiinbar2679]

Great tutor 🙏🏼

[@jamesparks6663]

Thank you so much for this series.

[@SketchBookSkool]

So nice of you

[@auntyshakira747]

This is a great exercise. I am just newbie to drawing. I have been drawing my dogs (American Pitbull terriers) and I can definitely see improvement over Time and practice ❤

[@leahferrell3110]

Pretty happy with this series so far!!

[@SketchBookSkool]

Me too!

[@elenagandini387]

Thank you ...grazie mille!

[@celegleeson1767]

Hi. My favorite drawings are these. They are light and spontaneous. Or organic.

[@SketchBookSkool]

Mine too!

[@celegleeson1767]

I use this as a type of meditation. It's just relax and enjoy the process activity

[@Dibdib35]

Yay no5👏👏👏I cheated a bit and was doing this already. I know for me it’s being consistent and trusting you know what you’re doing as a great teacher and trusting the whole process. We might think this is crazy but just stick with it lol. It’s great fun and I’m loving learning this. I told someone today I’m doing my drawing exercises as I’m taking a course. So pleased with myself. Thank you so much Danny you are a fabulous teacher. ❤

[@SketchBookSkool]

Im so glad you're enjoying it!

[@jamesparks6663]

Danny, could you give some insight into how long we should practice one skill (what we learn in one video)? I did this one last night and realized I might be moving too quickly.

[@SketchBookSkool]

These are the basic tools of drawing. The more you practice the more you’ll learn to see. Give yourself assignments to practice using them with different subjects

[@dc-wp8oc]

Danny, any thoughts of a drawing tool like the Neo Lucida?

[@ABirdWoman]

Blind contour drawing trains your brain to trust your eyes… because a lot of times when you are looking at something to draw, your brain wants to get in the middle of it and create it, but blind contour gets the right side of the brain to take over from the left side.

[@michelleflick1937]

I was surprised when you started at the top of the plant as I was thinking it would be easy to start going down the left side of the pot.

[@SketchBookSkool]

I always draw from the upper left down no matter what I draw. I guess cause I’m right handed.

[@katherineroumiah8428]

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@pasival]

Una lástima que la planta de la fotografía no tenga nada que ver con el dibujo.

[@JenLvsJesus]

I must unsubscribe. You talk more than I do!

[@SketchBookSkool]

Great. Now you have more time to draw.

[@lisasremnant]

😂