Hey guys, so I need to have a portfolio ready for college in a month or two and I am not that good of a drawer. I am going to college for computer animation and 3d modeling, but you need a drawing ability base for it. The portfolio should be from direct observation and not from drawing from a reference picture or anything. I was just wondering what's the best way to get good at this, I want an impressive portfolio because the college is competitive to get into. I know people tell me to just draw stuff that I see, but its hard/discouraging when you decide to draw something, and then you don't know how to draw it, like grass, or a rug texture, or fur etc. Anyways, I was just wondering what the quickest and most effective way to learn to draw from observation is, I also need to learn charcoal and acrylic oil painting and such. I know its a short amount of time to learn but it all just came at me at once and Im just like whoa. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Hi JMusto0223,

I would start with the Charcoal It's as tool for doing quit sketchs. it easy to use for bleading and shadeing but it really messy. For you to start drawing what see . I would start with small simple objects , and also maybe do planes . I would use charcoal to those skatches cause it will shade faster . I hope this will a bit

Thanks for the advice, yeah Ill start with small objects I guess, like a pencil or fruit or stuff. By plane do you mean like a flat object like a piece of paper, or do you mean an airplane?

Sorry I’m a bad speller I meant to say plants like a leaf or something. But drawing paper crumpled up is a good idea too. Draw the shadow of your objects. drawing is most shadows.

Drawing from life is such a good skill to develop. I can't emphasize enough how useful it is and how it will help you to draw more quickly and help you see much more than a reference photo ever could.

How to start? Yes, do draw what is in front of you. Everyday items turn into works of art. Draw your breakfast, your cup, your shoes, the kitchen sink, the cat asleep, fruit, vegetables, draw while you wait in the doctors, draw other people in the coffee shop.

Expand some of these sketches into full drawings. Art schools want to see how you analyse life and the full 3 dimensional view is much more important.

So start with a sketch book and you'll find that some of those drawings will evolve into main drawings, with colour perhaps and you'll move on from there. Use a range of subjects as art schools want to what you can produce across the board, not in just one area.

Start drawing today!

i understand how it feels composing a portfolio. i've done one but the material wasn't impressive... mostly photo manips and photography with an occasional drawing or too. a friend of mine's learn to draw extremely well in several months time but he put in lots of his free time towards learning it. i think that's the best way to do and also to enjoy the practice of it.

hope you get your work done in time; putting a portfolio together can be very stressing. good luck!