HOW TO BUILD UP YOUR DRAWING SKILL

this is from  www.wikihow.com/Draw ,i think it has very good suggestions.so i show the article here ,as we are addicted to painting, hope everyone would improve drawing skills  as soon as possible.
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Do you want to build up your drawing skills? Whether you dream of becoming a great artist or are looking to give your own imagination a creative outlet, drawing is a beautiful way of expressing your individuality and observing the details of the world around you. This article will help you.

Steps

1Draw what you see.
Start with simple objects (like the classic bowl of fruit) or common objects and progress to more complicated subjects--an intricately shaped table, for instance, or people's faces. The better you get at drawing real-life objects, the better you'll eventually be at putting ideas on paper.
For example, let's say you get an idea for a comic book character. You can imagine every detail--the expression on their face, the emotion in their eyes, the pose that represents who this character is. If you haven't been practicing with drawing faces, eyes, and poses, however, you'll have a hard time recording this character on paper in a way that matches with the image you have in your head.


2 Make a rough sketch.
If you're drawing a tree, don't draw one leaf at time. Imagine what you want the tree to look like ultimately, and make a light sketch with a pencil. You can draw an outline of your intended drawing, or you can draw its "skeleton" (as is often done with drawing bodies).   Another option is to imagine the basic shapes the object is made of. In other words, break the object apart with your mind. A tree, in most cases, is an oval or triangle centered on top of a cylinder. Draw both shapes in 3D so that you can fill in the details later, while maintaining the proportions you want. Otherwise, it's easy to get caught up in drawing one section of the object and forget about the "big picture" so that you end up running out of room, or, more often, your drawing ends up looking unattractively imbalanced.
  If you're drawing a real object, cross check what you have on paper with the original object. Make sure that the sizes of the shapes relative to each other are as accurate as possible.


3 Elaborate.
Use heavier/darker line to bring out the parts of the drawing you need, and use an eraser to take out the lines you don't need. Add details, bit by bit, making sure to frequently step back and look at your drawing as a whole to make sure it's coming along the way you want it to. Learn and experiment with several techniques, which can enhance your ability to express ideas through drawing:

Shading - Details the curves and/or shape of an object through the differentiation between light and dark. Think about the way the light hits an object and which parts of the object are light or dark as a result. This can add luminosity, intensity, and depth to a drawing.

Perspective - Things that are further away appear smaller. If you are drawing a large object (such as a building) or a complicated scene (such as a neighborhood), it's especially important to understand perspective (if you don't want your drawing to appear cartoon-ish), but focusing on perspective when drawing small, simple objects (a cube, a stack of books) is an excellent exercise in drawing.

Proportions - The way different parts of the object relate to each other in terms of size can affect how realistic the drawing is perceived to be. Altering proportions (by exaggerating some aspects and minimizing others) can convey unique ideas, or represent a certain style of drawin(especially with characters, as is seen in caricatures and anime).

Color - Adds a new dimension to a piece. Contrast, blending, saturation, and color schemes make some drawings more lively, or more realistic, or abstract, depending on how the color is applied.

Tools - Different shades of pencils (HB,2B,3B,4B...), using a sharp point, blunt point, the side of the pencil, pens, felt-tip pens, chalk, and so on.


4  Draw FamiliarDraw as often as you can.
  The more you practice, the better you'll get. Even when you're concentrating on something else but your hands are free (such as when you're on the phone--the perfect opportunity to doodle) take a piece of paper and a pencil and start drawing basic shapes (circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, etc.). Challenge yourself progressively by making these shapes as perfect as possible. Then challenge yourself some more by drawing variations of a shape: different sizes of circles and squares, different kinds of rectangles and triangles. With enough repetition (and crumpled sheets in the recycling bin), you should reach a point where you could comfortably draw most shapes. To heighten this basic skill, draw curves and curls as well. Try doing springs and spirals and various loops, curlicues and garlands, paying attention to the consistency of your curves.


5 Keep your work.
Make a place where you can put all of your drawings, or keep it all together in an art journal. Doing this will help you review your progress. The more you get used to drawing, the more you'll be able to see what your flaws are and determine how to correct them. Also, as you continue drawing,you'll develop your own personal style. It's always interesting to look back and see how your ability to express yourself has grown. Don't let yourself down.
Practice make perfect.



Tips

The secret to making professional quality drawings is to include line, shape, value, texture, and color. Most everyone starts with lines which they use to create shapes. Often beginners stop there. A drawing should have something in it that is completely white, something pitch black, and many values in between. You should show what in the drawing is smooth and what is rough.

Adding even one or two colors to a gray pencil drawing will add a lot of interest.
Another secret to drawing realistic pictures is trying to make them look three-dimensional. This is done not only with shading but texture and the direction of lines. For example, if you draw a ball, make the lines curved.

The joy of drawing is being able to draw freely, so go easy on yourself when you feel you're not progressing as fast as you want to. It's always OK to make mistakes. Even the best artists make mistakes when they're drawing as part of routine.

Vary what you draw. For instance, work on drawing inanimate objects, then take a break and work on people the next day. This keeps your brain fresh and prevents you from becoming frustrated.
Remember, as the famous author James A. Owen once said, "Drawing is just two things, putting lines on paper, and deciding where they go."Art students that wish to stand out from the rest of the class should draw with colored pencils.

Use 'rough' paper and pencil that's used on one side for your doodles or practice sketches. Save your money and trees by saving good paper for your best work.

Also, one of the best things you can start out doing is just doodling! And once you finish doing that, move on and then start being a critic to yourwork, add detail and soon you're on your way.

Also, when you slant the lead (or graphite) of your pencil, those can be used as shading techniques.

Find inspiration in everything. News stories, landscapes, emotions, anything can be drawn realistically or abstractly.

Some of the best art has the best shading. If you master shading you're off to a great start. Remember practice makes perfect.

Pay attention to critique and use it to improve. It's common for amateurs to take offense from critique, but usually, it's not meant badly.

Acknowledge flaws in your art and try to overcome them.

Take an art class. You can learn many techniques and tips from professionals. Don't be afraid about your talent level- art class isn't about showing off, it's about learning and sharing new things from others.

Remember that your best is your best. Do not compare yourself against other professional work.



Warnings

Show your work to other people at your own risk--you should only present your work to those you know who'll encourage you. Ask them to be honest, then improve using the feedback.

People may very well make fun of you; ignore them. If they knew anything about art they would know that drawing takes a lot of hard work to succeed at it.Always be open to critique if you are going to show your work.