Drawing is a skill that many people wish they had. And for those of us who were lucky to be born with a talent and love of drawing, it’s important to make sure that these skills are honed and practiced in order to become better.
But many people want a short answer to a seemingly simple question: how long does it take to get good at drawing.
It typically takes between 5,000 to 10,000 hours of practicing to become a master at any skill, whether it be drawing, painting, or anything else. There are many ways in which you can practice becoming a better drawer and there are ways to make this process go faster. Improvements can be seen way quicker.
If you are someone with the desire to get better at drawing quickly, keep on reading. We will explain the answer to this question in more detail and give you some advice on different things you can do to become a better artist very quickly.
Time It Takes to Hone Skills
According to a study published by K. Anders Ericsson and popularized by Malcolm Gladwell, it is possible to master a skill with approximately 10,000 hours of practice.
Ericsson then went on to explain that 10,000 hours should not be used as a concrete number; the best way to determine how quickly someone will become a master at something depends on the quality of the practice they take part in.
Do I need to have talent to be a good artist?
A lot of people believe that they will never be able to draw well because they don’t have the talent. It is true that there are some people who seem to be born with the ability to draw and are better at it naturally than others.
However, remember when you were a child and enjoyed drawing? Remember when your class would frequently draw their favorite toys and other things?
This seems to be a skill that most children enjoy, but they shy away from drawing as they get older and start to think that they will be criticized for what they drew.
The fact of the matter is, in order to get better at any skill, you need to practice. Drawing, among many other skills, is something that you have to learn and practice in order to become better at.
Can I learn how to draw at any age?
Yes! It doesn’t matter whether you’re 20 or 70. Drawing is a skill that can easily be picked up by anyone at any age. It is easy to see people in their adolescent years with a vast portfolio and become discouraged; however, remember that everyone has their own time frame in life.
Not everyone graduates college at 22 and not everyone gets married by 30. The same goes for drawing and just about everything else. You can start to learn how to draw whenever you want to.
Do I need to spend a lot of money in order to become a good artist?
Of course, if you want to become a better artist, you will need to spend some money. What you spend your money on and how much you spend will depend on what kind of art you intend on doing. Perhaps you will need to buy a sketchbook, some pencils, erasers, or paint.
You might want to purchase some canvases and an easel. In addition, you may also need to pay for art classes so you can have an expert teach you. We will go into this in more detail in the next section.
But generally, it is expected that you should make some sort of investment in order to become better at any skill- including drawing.
Can I make good money as an artist?
A lot of people want to become artists for different reasons. Some people want to use art as a side gig. Others simply love drawing and wish to become better at it.
It is difficult to say whether or not you will make good money as an artist because it all depends on how you market yourself and how much time you invest in honing your skills.
Of course, if you truly have a passion for art and can be patient, it is indeed possible that you will become successful.
When Can I Expect to See Improvements?
This is an important question. There is no specific time range in which one is guaranteed to become better at a task. While we said before that plenty of people believe the number of hours you need to dedicate is between 5,000 and 10,000, this could certainly be different for you.
If you’re willing to put in the time, effort, and energy, and if you’re willing to make an investment in quality art education and materials, you could easily see improvement in as little as 30 days.
The video below shows you what improvements are possible within 30 days. After that, we will show you how you can improve quickly.
How to Become a Better Artist Quickly
If you follow this advice, then you are sure to become a better artist in 10,000 hours- or even less.
Draw as often as possible
Most of us believe that it takes 21 days to form a habit. So start drawing today. Buy a sketchbook and draw anything you want to in it. Then practice drawing every single day. Of course, the only way to get better at anything is to practice as often as possible.
And be sure to start with the basics and don’t get too discouraged. It is easy to see your first drawing and feel discouraged about your skills or whether or not you’ll ever get better. But remember that nobody picks up a pencil and draws perfectly the first time.
Buy high-quality materials
As we mentioned above, in order to become a better artist, you will need to make sure that you have the right materials. Try out some drawing paper- it doesn’t have to be anything too fancy- and get a wide selection of drawing pencils, such as b’s and k’s.
Some people prefer to use regular pencils, but having this variety will allow you to experiment more with softness and hardness. You can always ask local artists about brands or products that they recommend, too.
Make sure you observe
One of the best ways to become a better artist is to observe the area around you. Look at all the small indentations and lines in your hands. Examine the tiny patterns on your wallpaper. Check out the intricate patterns in your cat’s fur.
It’s important to make sure that you have a large “visual library,” so to speak. This will help you to draw in much more detail and make your drawings a lot better as a whole.
When you’re out and about and you see something that you’d like to draw, draw a rough sketch of it in your sketchbook and practice it when you have free time. Speaking of which…
Dedicate some of your time to practicing
It’s impossible to get better at any skill if you don’t take some time out of your day to practice it. This also goes for drawing.
While we’re not saying that you should keep track of how close you are to the 10,000-hour goal, you also should at least take an hour out of your day to practice this skill. It doesn’t matter when or where just make sure that you dedicate time every day to practice drawing.
If you want the process to go faster, take some art lessons
Some people argue that art lessons aren’t really necessary, but they are a great way for you to have an expert teach you everything you need to know. You won’t be able to learn as fast if you try to teach yourself.
An expert artist will teach you everything about body structure, lighting, shadowing, different styles, and important techniques to help hone your skills. You can learn how to draw specifics, such as flowers, cartoons, or still life, or you can take general art courses.
There are even courses for complete beginners, so don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of experience drawing. This is a guaranteed way for you to become a better artist in a fraction of the time.
Use references
It’s totally fine to use the work of other artists as inspiration when you’re on the path to practicing your own art. This doesn’t mean that you should copy their drawings exactly, but observing how other people draw or paint is a great way for you to become better at your own skills.
Or, for example, if you want to draw nature, you could sit outside and examine nature and draw what you see.
And most importantly…
Don’t give up! You’re not going to be Michaelangelo the first time you take a pencil to paper, and that’s totally fine. But half the struggle is staying strong. Many people see that they’re not the perfect artist when they first begin to draw and they give up right there.
Make sure that you don’t get discouraged and practice as often as you can. Taking art lessons is a great way for you to get better at your skills even faster. Being confident in yourself, your passion, and your ability is the hardest part of becoming an artist.
Once you’ve conquered that, the rest is all practice.