r/sketches • u/Zestyclose-Big4395 • 5h ago
Pencil Sketch Is tracing basic outlines a valid way to learn drawing, or should I practice everything freehand?
Hey everyone!
I’m still relatively new to drawing and I’m trying to improve my pencil drawing skills.
Recently, I found a fairly detailed reference image that I’d love to recreate. I was thinking about printing a simplified outline of the image, placing it on my textured drawing paper, and tracing over it with a blunt pen to leave slight indentations in the paper.
That way, I’d have the basic proportions and outlines in place, but I’d still draw all the details, textures, fur, shading, and highlights myself.
My question is: Is this actually a useful way to learn drawing, or am I skipping an important part of the learning process?
I understand that learning proportions and constructing shapes freehand is an important skill. But I’m wondering whether focusing on shading, pencil control, and textures separately might be a good approach for a beginner.
Would you recommend this method, or should I push myself to draw everything freehand from the beginning?
I’d really appreciate your thoughts and experiences!
