How to start to draw on a blank piece of paper
Do you find it hard to start to draw on a blank piece of paper? Do you have trouble coming up with ideas of what to draw? I’ve found that it’s a common thing amongst creatives to just start. Maybe you procrastinate, constantly change your mind on where that first brush stroke should go OR you might have a hard time to figure out ideas of what to draw. If this is you, then read on for my personal tips and tricks on how to start to draw.
Have you ever found yourself starring at a blank piece of paper not knowing what to draw? To start to draw can feel intimidating. But why does it feel like that? What is the problem with that blank page and why can’t you just get to it and begin?
My guess is that the fear of the blank paper often has its root in either some sort of perfectionism OR the fact that you’re just out of ideas on what to draw. So what can you do about it? How can you overcome the fear of the blank piece of paper?
Use a reference image
If you get stuck when you try to start to draw, go online and find a reference image and just draw what you see. You can draw this however you like and the idea is to use a reference image to loosen up and just start. After you’ve drawn with a reference image you might find that you’ve loosen up and are ready to take on that other drawing that you wanted to create.
Find lots of inspiration
If you’re stuck in your head and can’t figure out what to draw then start with finding lots of inspiration. Start a new board on Pinterest and save a bunch of images that inspire you. Then every time when you have trouble to start to draw you can go back to your inspiration board and hopefully the ideas will start to flow.
Decide a theme
One way to start to draw is to decide a theme of what to draw. If you narrow down your theme you might find it even easier to get started. So instead of for example animals, you could go for farm animals. That will make it easier to come up with ideas on what to draw.
Don’t use a sketchbook
Sketchbooks are great aren’t they. I love the idea of collecting my drawings in one place and then be able to flip through and see all that I’ve drawn. BUT a sketchbook can give you even more trouble if you have the fear of the blank paper. Even though I love the idea of sketchbooks I often sketch on a piece of paper instead. It just makes me feel more free compare to the sketchbook, where I want to fill the pages with lovely drawings.
To begin, BEGIN
Now this might sound a little strange, but often times all you need to do to get over the fear of the blank piece of paper is just to begin. Begin to draw anything that comes in mind. You can even begin with some simple mark making if you just want to loosen up. Remember that everything that you create doesn’t need to be good. And you don’t need to show it to anyone else if you don’t want to. Just put the pen to the paper and start and you’ll probably see that when you’ve just started your fear of the blank piece of paper is washed away.
