Drawing is a journey that teaches a number of skills that you can use for any endeavor. Just about anyone can learn to draw, depending on how much time you want to put into it. Even the most basic skills can be transformed into something pleasing.

The most important thing to remember is to 'forget' what you learned in your early educational development. You must use a fluid approach, that doesn't prescribe the stick figures learned in elementary school. Start by doing a little research into what you might like to learn. The cardinal rules are good to begin with and a book that gives proportions of the figure is a good way to start. Even Michelangelo used measurement and proportion just as other artists like Leonardo De Vinci.

Beginning drawing is a reflection of one's self just as advanced drawing is; therefore don't hesitate to ask for help from professionals, because they know how to critique your work in a positive way. In contrast, your friends probably know less than you do. But whatever you find pleasing is important because drawing should remain fun. Although some people find it a good discipline, something like logic for the fundamentals of philosophy, if you find ways that you most enjoy your work you will find it a workable experience.

It's not important to wish for perfection, even for the most advanced artists, because you learn to be most creative from your mistakes. You should never be afraid of your progress, always keep it fun.

Making your mistakes into something beautiful and pleasing or powerful and passionate, causes you to be more fluid, avoids the traps some artists box themselves into. Because they have found a pleasing style may also mean that they are stuck. Other media will help you to improve your drawing; watercolor is a good one, because it forces you to make quick decisions and give a good overall approach to your work. It also makes you more fluid in drawing because you begin to see the value in quick sketching and the importance of good line.

Whatever gives you more confidence in your approach to drawing is good. If you can visualize your pencil like a brush and make long, strong strokes this is a valuable way to approach your work. Later you can improve on the detail. Another method taken from other media is to start from an overall design and then 'layering' your technique using cross hatching or other methods to convey darks and lights will help to fill out your work make it more robust with a 3D effect.