I've only recently begun drawing seriously and I have to say that it's overwhelming me. There's so much to consider when starting out a picture! I get so flustered about detail (does it look right, is it proportional, would people like this, etc). I get so frustrated that I end up getting myself out of the mood to draw! All I have is a bunch of incomplete doodles. I have this clear cut image of what I want, but I can't seem to get it right.

I guess what I'm really trying to get at is this: what is the first step when trying to draw a picture or character or pretty much anything? I can copy-draw really easily, but that's not good enough.

I've studied a bunch of different techniques and practiced them, but I always end up the same way.

I can't speak for you, or anyone else, but I usually try to sketch out that picture first. And by sketching, I mean real rough looks. You can usually barely tell what it is until I start to work on fleshing it out. But I do it in layers. Sloppy rough sketch, shapes, adding a little more definition to the shapes, then flesh out, then detail. Detail always comes last for me. But to start out, I just get a real basic outline/layout of where I want specific things--be it body position, or landscape, or whatever.

That's how I do it.

Thumbnails are a silly goose of a tool, before I even consider dsoing a large scale picture I require 2 things, references, and a couple of thumbnail drawings to help me define the space of my composition.Once you got the space defined and the thumbnail created with everything the way you want it, its all down hill from there.

Blackmage's thing works. Thumbnails are a good idea, I think.

Personally, I just sketch a character's basic frame (still working on getting that basic frame proportionally correct and all), then start fleshing it out. I suppose, after all that learning and such, the best answer to your problem is *here it comes--the answer that's always right but that no one wants to hear* practice.

Thanks for your help! I'm like an absolute beginner because I never even took a class (can't really do that at the moment). And I always get discouraged when I see such great artwork. I always think "I could never be that good" Bad attitude, I know, but I've always been easily discouraged.

Set small goals and reach those so you can work up to your long-term major goals. When you set small goals, it's easier to see your progress when you look back on your old work.

What kinds of goals do you think I could set?

my exact problem. i look at other peopls artwork and think to myself "i will never be that good " sorry i didnt really help you out there but atleast theres other people with the same problem ^.^

Thats probably just about everyone's attitude when you just start some time like around your teenage years, or older. But the people who really wanted to draw, and had the discipline and patients for it, usually made it to where they wanted to be. Or farther. And then there are the people that really want to draw well, but don't have the patients. Thats probably what you need to work on. That and learning to draw at the right steps.

aha I love how there's so many people here that are experienced to help others anyways I defintely need to back track because you are the second person who says to draw at the right steps ^.^

It is a bad attitude. Most of the time when I look at someone else's work that is good, my competitiveness comes out. C:

Don't mistake me though. I get into a slump like everyone else. I haven't been drawing regular for years now, for example. I'd like to get back to it on a regular basis and maybe next year when it's not so hectic I'll get my chance.

Glad to hear that

Well sometimes it inspires me so idk but it usually inspires me when people are way older then me cAuse it makes me think "by the time I'm that old I could be that good at drawing" well I wish you luck on getting back to paper an pencil it's very enjoyable to draw even when im not that good

If you are getting overwhelmed, think about downsizing your subject matter.
Why not try still life? Choose an object that interests you (leaving out glass and metal for right now, since those are very challenging), and draw exactly what you see. Try some exotic fruits, the tv remote, a tissue box, cookies, whatever you like. Try not to worry over perfection, but instead focus on just -drawing-.
Once you get into the habit of drawing every day, and drawing a wide variety of subjects, you'll find tackling more difficult subjects (like people), much easier.

I feel so stupid for replying to people who post on his forum...and I feel rude :/ anyways that's a really great tip ^.^