You Can't Draw? I Don't Believe You.

Small steps will take you far.
Getting Started with Sketchnoting (Free Download): geni.us/Wo6w
My name is Doug Neill and I'm passionate about helping others reach their full creative potential. I teach a skill called sketchnoting (also known as visual note-taking and graphic recording), which for me is a gateway to doing better work. Check out the resources below for more info.
** Resources **
Getting Started with Sketchnoting (Free Download): geni.us/Wo6w
An Introduction To Visual Note-Taking: geni.us/DFJw0
Sketchnoting In The Classroom: geni.us/0jlmV
Digital Sketchnoting: geni.us/bwYtg
How To Make Sketchnote Videos: geni.us/uzXlBq
Learn a New Language with Sketchnotes: geni.us/iuAFK
Build an Online Course with Sketchnotes: geni.us/4zfvYA
Learn In Public: geni.us/SdNM9
The Verbal To Visual Community: geni.us/tyI2N8a
*Our Website*
www.verbaltovisual.com/
I've chosen to not be on any social media platforms other than KZbin.
To stay in touch via email, subscribe to my newsletter: geni.us/nwHp

[@verbaltovisual]

New follow-up video! Drawing Basics for Sketchnoters: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqCTeniPmrGfp5Y

[@vmd20t62]

Artists: It takes years to develop your abilities at art Art teachers: oNe wEek

[@ughman5001]

No. I can't draw, I can't swim, I don't have neat writing and I'm 23. I can't.

I'm gonna be 28 soon, and I really wish I had your age. You can try as many things as you want for the next 5 years and yet you'll be so damn young... just get out of your bed and start doing stuff! :)

[@di24jj69]

i am 14 and literally feel like i can’t do anything. i can’t swim either

[@operator6438]

Same here, My brain wmcan imagine drawing but my hand cannot make it😂😂

[@RapidVidsProductions]

me too mate. me too

[@SeriesKJ]

1st answer- I have no idea 2nd answer- a basketball 3rd answer- no idea 4th answer- a chef hat 5th- a scribble You can't fix what's eternally broken......

[@samegawa_sharkskin]

also this guy seems really full of himself :/

[@xXStolenSmilesXx]

well today i learnt tht despite what i thought my entire life...i can actually draw. thank you

[@verbaltovisual]

+sunny s. So glad to hear that Sunny!

[@SeriesKJ]

Verbal To Visual I got 0 out of 5....

[@jameskastepher9174]

@@verbaltovisual well i have an actual problem i messed up everything he told me to do in this video i need SERIOUS help

[@jameskastepher9174]

Also most ppl only identified like 1 "drawing" The sun wich was also really bad

[@respectdawind]

Okay okay... when (most) people say "I can't draw," they don't mean "I can't draw PERIOD." Often times it means "I can't draw what I want to draw." Some people may have put in no work to get better, but there are people who try and try but cannot draw what they want to draw. I appreciate the video, but ultimately, it isn't solving the problem.

[@mattiabaccolo3846]

Exatly what i just commented

[@gamingrepublic9869]

same :(

[@justicebaker6265]

Well, I asked someone, and they said the first one was a jug, the second was a sun, the third was a cigarette, the fourth was a chef hat, and the fifth was a shirt. Is 2/5 good?

[@mustanaamiotto3812]

No

[@damianv6979]

That's 3/5

[@damianv6979]

@Brett Simonis The jug, the sun and the shirt.

[@damianv6979]

@Brett Simonis oops, english is not my first language. What is the fourth one supposed to be? Light bulb?

[@zenu8507]

My Advice: For those will believing that they can't draw or you need to quit if you can't or some people are not meant to draw. Please stop, you don't learn to draw in one month. It takes years of dedication and time to create something or a style you are proud of. And at first you wont like the way you draw, thats okay. Use references use real life, use anything and just draw! No matter what anyone tells you, you can improve and you can draw!

[@DelayRGC]

"you can improve and you can draw!" 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 1- Sorry. I'm just counting the number of years I attempted exactly what you wrote. It's like telling a depressed person to "be happy". That's NOT how it works! There are some things that you actually can learn. Programming for instance - anyone can pick up a book on the essentials of programming in any language, find out how it works and make their own things with it that weren't part of the book. Drawing? Not so much. It's not something you can simply read up on. It's not learnable. No matter what you multiply 0 by, it will still be 0. You need some sort of non-zero starting value to get anywhere.

[@kobeskastle6473]

Lance Rothman same the shits discouraging

[@captainm3822]

When I was younger my drawings were soooooo bad but when I practiced I got better and better and now I am pretty decent at drawing

[@zoevicioso8133]

Your Noob senpai same for me

[@sukiratgrewal]

I still cant draw.... the bulb i made... the people thought it was something inappropriate

[@jesssfym]

Still doesn’t change the fact that when I draw my eyes they look like a 1 year old drew it.

[@l.ftshoe]

I used to really love drawing. I used to think that I was really good, too, because thats what people told me. I've been drawing for 5 years now, and over time my skill got pretty good. But um, this kid started to bully me. Now, I've never been one to yknow believe any words that bullies say. And at the time, I didn't realize how much of an impact his words had on me. I um, I started to hate everything I drew. I'd crumple the papers, scribble out everything. And over time, I started to believe that I couldn't draw. If this had just been a normal kid, I would have just brushed it off and not cared. But he was like me. He loved to draw and do art. I wanted to be friends with him, and I think thats why what he had said to me affected me so much. He even got one of my friends to start with it, too. And now, I barely even draw anymore. I hate it. It feels like a chore. I get frustrated and upset. Most of the time I break down and cry over it. I constantly compare my art to other peoples. To make things worse, I get criticism wherever I go to share something I made. Friends, family, you name it. So I don't even have a reason to want to draw anymore.

[@llamathing3259]

For some reason when I try to draw a human body or anything normal like water or something it’s super ugly but whenever I make something stupid, for example I drew a pop tart fighting an Oreo I really like how it turns out

[@bobwelch8317]

and if you want to get good at drawing something draw 1 picture of it every time you get home from work/school

[@taylorfireflame]

What if you work for a hentai company?

[@pabie9080]

Well i dont have a good hand writing,why bother draw them

[@bearabaoya]

People are not saying that they cannot draw. They're saying that they either don't know what to draw or don't think that their particular style is considered "good." And your artwork doesn't have to be identifiable. A lot of my art is weird things that I make up in my head and do not exist, but even though people can't identify what I've drawn, it doesn't make it less of a drawing.

[@nottrapnation7183]

omfg, THANK YOU. I have realized that this whole time I can draw, I just need to get better : D

[@mattiabaccolo3846]

It's obvious that if you say "I can't draw" it doesn't mean there's a force field preventing you from doing that or something. When I say "I can't draw" I don't mean "I can't do stylized mini drawings", but "I can't do a nice drawing with my style" This video is nice but it doesn't make a lot of sense.

[@motivationquotes21st]

Hi, i'm a teacher in VietNam, I want to learn drawing to help me anh my students remember better, love ur video

[@verbaltovisual]

Thanks, and good luck with your drawing skills!

[@bobwelch8317]

simple everyone should draw their own way

[@ImTash]

interesting perspective! I've been an artist/designer for the last decade and I never made that link! You can definitely learn something new every day!

[@emmakearney894]

Well I learned something today.... that I actually can’t draw. My brother could not identify the things I drew. But hey, that’s just me. And 2 months of trying to draw something cool.😐

[@meowdy6922]

I still cant draw and im already 16 i cant even draw a tree

[@mefukimikito6431]

Love the last message.I got motivated now

[@olagornass]

This is fun got me really excited to learn a new skill >> sketching :)

[@user-sz4df7kp3t]

جميل جميل جميل جداً , شكراَ لك > تم الرسم , نعم أنا أستطيع الرسم :)

[@thiagoecb]

Buuuttt...what if your 'writing words' are bad? C: My calligraphy sucks :P

[@teaartist6455]

That doesn't matter, my writing is bad enough to make my teacher lower my grade but I am the best, along with another girl in my class in art, and we are on an art school.

[@thiagoecb]

Yeeep,and i suck at both art and writing ;~;

[@teaartist6455]

What I'm trying to say is, being good at one doesn't equal being good at the other, if you want to you can just start practising drawing and get good at it, there's nothing stopping you.

[@informatom]

The sun is totally missing the smiley face :-) In more seriousness: Meanwhile, you have developed a solid video style. I.e. one I haven't seen before and a very authentic one. Congrats!

[@ezekielwong7771]

I really can't. My hands don't coordinate with my hands and I can't even draw stickmen properly. Sorry I cannot draw even though I try my absolute best

[@x_b5259]

Keep practicing you can do it

[@eiserneskreuz8408]

@@x_b5259 Practice isn't always helpful.

[@clokki8378]

@@eiserneskreuz8408 Practice has never been helpful in my case.

[@eiserneskreuz8408]

@@clokki8378 Same. I think that being unable to learn something is really a thing. I'm a good example to show that, since I have practiced for years in many things, but still unable to do them well. Not even speaking of being able to do stuff, but not being a master in it - I suck at them completely and I could say that my skills are below average.

[@theumpireofthebottomlesspit]

@@eiserneskreuz8408 My god that is why everyone here thinks they can't draw. The fact that you people are pessmistic and don't even bother to try is annoying to me. If you don't try or continue to try then of course you aren't going to be good at it. You don't just become good at something when you're born.

[@kathybui1918]

This is what I want to learn.

[@cecilly59]

I can draw if I'm looking at something and copying it (like your images here). But when drawing off the top of my head...failure!! Thanks for the video tho. I wish you would make a printable filled with little drawings like this for those like me who need a visual first!

[@haleylackey7345]

when he said "follow along with me" I died

[@vaybe1326]

1st - cup 2nd - sun 3rd - pencil 4th - no idea 5th - t-shirt verbal good or bad

[@zhara596]

Can't get my self motivated but I'm trying

[@Kat-n-Ollie]

Huh! I’ll be darned. Maybe someday I can play Pictionary again. Oh, and journal too. 😊. 👍🏻

[@SusanCSmith-ik3jy]

Been scrolling through all the comments here (and I’ve read them ALL) - Anyone notice that the word “draw” begins to look (and sound) quite stupid the more you read it over and over? Kind of similar to the way your name starts to look stupid when you have to write it over & over again & you get writer’s cramp? “Draw”... it’s a funny-looking, funny-sounding word if you really think about it. I think there ought to be a better word in the English language to describe this thing that all of you say you 1. can’t do or, 2. want to do better. By the way - I can’t draw a straight line with a ruler!!! And that’s no joke. The guy in this video assumes that if your hands aren’t broken and you have good handwriting (which I do) - then you’ll be able to draw ( which I can’t). Oh well... take everything he says with a grain of salt I guess. He’s no expert.

[@BroHaajeeTheCyberGuy]

Succint video on sketchnoting for beginners like myself. Thanks for making things easy for the people Mr Doug Neill :)

[@verbaltovisual]

+Bro Haajee-007 My pleasure!

[@osmangonichowdhury6089]

YOU MADE YOU DAY!!!! THANKSSS!

[@69cressyp]

Brilliant - simple stuff

[@senurijayawickrama6295]

Thank you soooooo much for thisssss

[@tintintran5465]

charitable drawing style...

[@llothar68]

I failed on the shirt, dimension of arms vs. body. I can't draw .... and i can barley write, just type.

[@snowycca]

The problem is idk where to place the line...

[@deadpandan3585]

Wtf do i do if my hands constantly shake?

[@yamahadx7synthesiser]

Me, learning how to draw though I'm already good at drawing...

[@glitchyaceofficial]

me who can't write or draw: I see this as an absolute win

[@daniarahal4749]

If I don't now how to draw realistic, is it ok?

[@saleemsherdil]

Sour Cat does stuff OF COURSE!!!!I suck at realism but I'm good at drawing cartoon characters and all that..I mean some people r better at drawing realism than cartoon it just depends what ur comfortable with :)

[@irisleason4210]

Yeah, but this didn't help. Just cause I drew a coffee mug and a t shirt doesn't mean I can draw!!

[@verbaltovisual]

+Iris Leason I'm a fan of building up your drawings skills over time - learn how to draw just one new thing each day, and soon enough you'll feel like you CAN draw :)

[@gpamanuel9798]

Good advice, we crawl then we walk, then we draw. Tnx Doug.

[@slipperyslimeysodomite1739]

Just because your not amazing at art art doesn't mean you can't draw, if you drew a random shape on a piece of paper, that is still a drawing, you still drew something.

[@Deflexts]

Verbal To Visual any advice on writing. My writing can be read, by I’ve been trying to write neater for months and have pages and pages of letters and numbers, but nothing working.

[@PotatoGamingIsBest]

true

[@diane-s3391]

Can you do an office tour?

[@DelayRGC]

It's a simple statement of fact that I cannot draw. No matter how hard I try, no matter how many times I try. I just doesn't work. The remaining conclusion for me is that you purposefully try to misrepresent, probably because of your distorted view ("I can draw, therefore everyone can draw").

[@FullMetalElric]

Everyone can draw, it's just some were born blessed with the right type of brain. Drawing is about translating visuals from a 3d image to your brain, and then from your brain into a 2d image on paper. The reason why people like you and me can't draw is because our brain doesn't translate those images properly whereas some other people have a perfect translation. It's why you might draw a face and have it seem... odd. Your brain isn't properly translating the face, instead it transmits faulty symbols ie Ovals/triangles/curves/lines. Trying to put those symbols together always comes out stilted. The lucky people can start off learning fancy shamncy stuff like composition/color theory/value/shading/anatomy, but we need configure our brains and learn to look at things properly before we can even begin to learn any higher concepts. For an example of what I'm talking about, go check this post out and scroll down till you get to the response from Raphael www.quora.com/Why-cant-an-amateur-artist-draw-a-face-accurately-What-are-the-things-an-artist-glosses-over-such-that-the-face-ends-up-looking-different-because-of-it. In any case, I have like 30 different hobbies (basketball, boxing, mountain climbing, scuba, snowboarding, photography etc etc...) and art is easily the hardest to learn. It's not hard because of difficult techniques, it's hard because until you learn to see things you feel like your going in circles. There is no positive feedback, like for example learning to shoot a basketball and seeing your shot percentage incrementally go up. Or gradually learning to stay balanced on a snowboard, then learning to carve. With art it feels like you draw the same damn thing a hundred times and your hundredth attempt feels no different from your first. Makes me want skewer my eyeballs with a pencil. Especially when you see someone sneeze on a canvas and come out with a photorealistic painting. But I made it. I'm still trash, however I'm getting better bit by bit. I was, without question, one of the worst artists in the world when I started. So if I can do it, then I'm positive anyone (that is physically able to lift a brush and has years to spare) can do it.

[@wing9s263]

@@@FullMetalElric Jesus Christ. Whats with the long discussion? Not everybody can draw... I've been drawing for a couple of years now, and I'm still terrible. I'm so dumb enough to waste $10 on a stupid pen and dumb sketchbook. This is why I left drawing, and nobody can change my mind.

[@theumpireofthebottomlesspit]

@@wing9s263 Why exactly do you think you're terrible? Do YOU just think your drawing looks terrible or do a lot people tell it is terrible? Maybe think about that for a minute. Because what really annoys me is that everyone I know says they can't draw but I honestly question if most peole even try drawing or even continue drawing if it doesn't look right the first time because most people tend to be are negative at everything nowadays. It's true, it is not something anyone can try overnight it takes time. I mean, I draw a lot and I used to thought that I wasn't an artist too but everyone, however, said otherwise. So...IDK unless OTHER people (and not just one or two) are telling you cant draw then fine I will believe you but I don't think you were "stupid" for trying. If fact I feel it makes you more smart to try then to just give up and quit. Just saying.

[@malapplesperzon9535]

I have horrible hand writing but everyone I asked answered all of the correctly( I draw better than I write)

[@stillboothefirst1656]

Clever!

[@centipedekid9824]

I now know how to draw five things. Yet I still cant draw, I still don't know how to make new things or how to create something from my mind. So while I can draw 5 things I cant make anything original so I still cant draw.

[@echoshinecreativityxd4408]

I'm gonna be honest, I'm not good at drawing. However, it DOES annoy me when people say they CAN'T draw, because everyone can draw at least a little.

[@Tbone9344]

I still suck at drawing but cool video 👍

[@Erowens98]

Its not that simple, you need to be able to put those lines in the right places to make it look right.

[@kaitlinvanaarle4530]

I cant draw wright pretty or draw a straight line

[@Domo-ei4dj]

INSTRUCTIONS WERENT CLEAR DREW A CAT

[@breadfdx]

I still dont believe i can draw Why i have the worst handwritong ever

[@unaura43]

"You can draw" I can't even draw a dot. I tried, but others thought it as a line Not to mention, I got 0/5 on the drawings

[@raingirl4307]

TYSM now i can brag about my skills to everyone lolz

[@menma9092]

Why wouldnt u believe ? What if someone has no arms

[@odenpetersen6028]

but i have bad handwriting... :(

[@verbaltovisual]

+Oden Petersen Try googling "handwriting worksheets" and then print some out to practice!

[@vaybe1326]

1st - cup 2nd - sun 3rd - pencil 4th - no idea 5th - t-shirt is something

[@saltinehyena6632]

Okay hol up, theres a difference between little sketches and drawings of simple things vs being able to actually draw

[@savanahculbertson5240]

I did this, showed some one they only where able to figure out the sun

[@AriCrybabyMMD]

I can't draw the mug

[@verbaltovisual]

+Bunnyfuntime344 AJ I don't believe you.

[@jasminesmith8650]

My sister said the sun I drew looks like petals falling off and flower 😔😂

[@callumdavies5922]

I can't draw 😢

[@mira0183]

I can draw really good but i write ugly. Its kinda weird

[@Fuktupratbag]

Draw ? ya right ! I can barely scratch out my name nevermind do anything else with a pen or pencil. only 1 was even REMOTELY close and it wasn't even that close was the shirt. The 4th one... I have NO idea wtf that turned into. this was no help. the ONLY creativity I have left is making myself a cup of coffee in the morning and that's not even that good ! I watched this vid on Y/T over and over a couple weeks ago about cutting your own hair. holy fuck ! THAT was a total mistake. I can't do shit that I can't do shit with ... or.... something like that knope, still can't draw. this is the 2nd vid I've watched on drawing simple objects with just lines. those didn't resemble anything like cartoons when I was done.

[@anthonyc1515]

Are you writing/drawing with your dominate hand?

[@cassmanansala1900]

the thing is, I can draw- just not well lmaooo

[@karara5532]

I can't write, or draw, or play any instruments or really do anything. So um your wrong.

[@slurp661]

Well today i learn hes betther then me and i still can't draw

[@abhisheksree9802]

hahaha that was nice mann

[@bmw9animates710]

I CANT EVEN DRAW ANYTHING I FEEL LIKE I WANNA KILL MYSELF I HAVE BEEN DRAWING FOR MORE THAN 2 HOURS A DAY FOR 1 MONTH AND NO IMPROVEMENT JUST GIVE UP SOME PEOPLE JUST CANT DRAW

[@moniquehodgson2049]

Bmw9 Animates I've been drawing for 4 years no improvement

[@mimi-dy8uc]

Bmw9 Animates can u give me ur insta or something? i just wanna see how good u are. also i may or may not be able to help you depending on what style you have

[@ughman5001]

I feel you

[@MrSnoopy100]

Bmw9 Animates me too

[@rayeeeee2780]

Bmw9 Animates me too :( my teacher at school give F for drawing so stpuid-,-

[@AriCrybabyMMD]

I can't draw the pencil

[@verbaltovisual]

+Bunnyfuntime344 AJ I don't believe you.

[@izumi4188]

Sorry let me correct my self *ehem* I cant draw WELL

[@ChannelODaLlama]

yeah this didn't help at all actually, my drawings still looked like shit

[@_J4vy]

I cant draw now idk why its making me mad now ;-;

[@AriCrybabyMMD]

I can't draw the sun

[@verbaltovisual]

+Bunnyfuntime344 AJ I don't believe you.

[@zorpilps3804]

I'm sorry but I still cant draw I can draw those things but I still can't draw I think your just being a smart Alec

[@marshallkeninitz405]

I cant draw, neither of my parents knew what the third and fourth objects were

[@Da_cocobong]

i have technical calligraphy as a goddam subject and i have nearly flawless caligraphy, yet, two years of practice have ammounted to absoluteley no progress, therefore i believe this is fake.

[@syneydesign]

i just see symbols.. tho not drawings

[@viie5725]

Do you want to see my handwriting?? because i cant even understand it.

[@XanderXero]

For real I cant I cant even make a proper fucking circle

[@danielnassi1481]

... im bad ok? just stop trying to fix it... i cant draw srick men and i think i have a disability because how bad i am at drawing

[@lev1tated]

yea i cant draw

[@yanadoodle6065]

13th feb 2018???

[@feb388]

Title : You can't draw ? I don't believe you . A person without arms who cannot do things with their legs : Seriously?!?

[@naughtsmiling9257]

..................yea I still can’t draw but cool video though

[@rhysdouglas2863]

6 years of the same stuff. i give up

[@deadpandan3585]

Well not even 30 fucking seconds and i already failed without doing anything.. shit

[@bruhkan]

Eh... My writing is ugly, so... Shit out the luck

[@pennnyy4104]

I can't draw they don't know what they are I came here for help now I have more self Dwight XD

[@pennnyy4104]

Doubt

[@johnmajor4271]

i can only draw stick people

[@AriCrybabyMMD]

I can't draw the shirt

[@verbaltovisual]

+Bunnyfuntime344 AJ I don't believe you.

[@AriCrybabyMMD]

yes u can

[@bouncy372]

I can draw but everything i draw will look like a deformed sausage

[@stop8576]

No no you don't understand, I can't even draw a stick figure.. that's how bad it is

[@asheeshal7959]

See, but myhandwriting sucsk cause i dont know how to make nice limes