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How do you learn to draw cute pictures?
Hello! I'm Ms. Stoelinga at the International Community School. My 2nd graders have a few questions and I'd like to share your advice with them. Thanks in advance!
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Andy’s Answer
Hello Ms. Stoelinga,
Great to hear that your students are interested in learning more about art. Getting started early is very helpful in developing the skills necessary to create all kinds of art, not just cute pictures.
Trying to recreate art that you think is cute is a great start. Many comic books, Japanese manga and anime have art that people would consider "cute." With more and more practice your students should take the time to learn about the foundations of art: aesthetics, composition, perspective, color theory, anatomy, etc. But at the beginning, copying is what many artists begin with, including myself.
I began copying superheroes and comic books. Just trying to copy art that I liked led me to investigate what I enjoyed about it and the artists' creative process. That in turn led me to learn more about anatomy and perspective so that I could move from simply copying art to making my own.
With respect to making "cute pictures" I would say some of the basic premises rely on exaggerating certain features. Large eyes and small mouths tend to make faces more "cute." Round heads, squat and round bodies, short limbs, small hands and feet also add to this. Pastel colors can give things a softer feeling while bright, saturated colors can make things pop. For landscapes, buildings, objects, etc, you'll want to again, lean into the exaggerated and squat/rounded aspects. Instead of straight lines for buildings and machines, make them curved and crooked.
I hope that these tips and advice will be helpful to you and your students.
Try copying art that you think is cute
Learn the fundamentals of art: anatomy, color, composition, aesthetics, etc.
If you have something that you want to make "cute" exaggerated features: make big eyes, small mouths, short and squat bodies, short limbs, small hands and feet
Practice!
Great to hear that your students are interested in learning more about art. Getting started early is very helpful in developing the skills necessary to create all kinds of art, not just cute pictures.
Trying to recreate art that you think is cute is a great start. Many comic books, Japanese manga and anime have art that people would consider "cute." With more and more practice your students should take the time to learn about the foundations of art: aesthetics, composition, perspective, color theory, anatomy, etc. But at the beginning, copying is what many artists begin with, including myself.
I began copying superheroes and comic books. Just trying to copy art that I liked led me to investigate what I enjoyed about it and the artists' creative process. That in turn led me to learn more about anatomy and perspective so that I could move from simply copying art to making my own.
With respect to making "cute pictures" I would say some of the basic premises rely on exaggerating certain features. Large eyes and small mouths tend to make faces more "cute." Round heads, squat and round bodies, short limbs, small hands and feet also add to this. Pastel colors can give things a softer feeling while bright, saturated colors can make things pop. For landscapes, buildings, objects, etc, you'll want to again, lean into the exaggerated and squat/rounded aspects. Instead of straight lines for buildings and machines, make them curved and crooked.
I hope that these tips and advice will be helpful to you and your students.
Andy recommends the following next steps:
Updated
TaMicheal’s Answer
Hello,
Thank you for the question. I would recommend purchasing a book called "300 Drawing Prompts" from Amazon or Target. It includes lessons, tips, and instructions to help you become a better artist! In addition, it provides animals or other items to draw. For example, koala bears, angel wings, and the tooth fairy are listed in the book to draw.
Practice is the only way to learn to draw cute pictures.
Thank you for the question. I would recommend purchasing a book called "300 Drawing Prompts" from Amazon or Target. It includes lessons, tips, and instructions to help you become a better artist! In addition, it provides animals or other items to draw. For example, koala bears, angel wings, and the tooth fairy are listed in the book to draw.
Practice is the only way to learn to draw cute pictures.
Updated
Gloria’s Answer
Hi,
I would second the copying of an existing image as a way to understand how to make shapes are pleasing to you. Once you get the feel of how some shapes are made, it will be easy for you to move onto your own shapes. Just like learning anything, the best way to get good at something is to keep doing it. And try to draw with different mediums - for example, use chalk sometimes, a pencil other times, crayons or paints another time. What you use to draw will change the way that you draw. You may like one of them over something else.
Gloria
I would second the copying of an existing image as a way to understand how to make shapes are pleasing to you. Once you get the feel of how some shapes are made, it will be easy for you to move onto your own shapes. Just like learning anything, the best way to get good at something is to keep doing it. And try to draw with different mediums - for example, use chalk sometimes, a pencil other times, crayons or paints another time. What you use to draw will change the way that you draw. You may like one of them over something else.
Gloria