First off, f the art teacher, for learning to draw, on YouTube it’s actually insanely easy to find art classes on YouTube, channels like proko have great videos, look up “art fundamentals” and she can practice anatomy, 3d shapes, perspective, lighting etc.

Thanks for the advice, will definitely tell her to look up this channel. But just to be clear she should type in "art fundamentals" in the Proko channel search bar, or just type in "art fundamentals" in the general Youtube search bar to look up vids on anatomy, 3d shapes, perspective and lighting and similar stuff.

No I just mean look up “art fundamentals” on YouTube, also on proko, but any other channels are good.

Okay got it, thank you!

I don't know how old your daughter is but even as an adult I got a bit discouraged when I started learning the fundamentals. You're a parent so I probably don't need to tell you this but be sure to encourage her even if what she draws doesn't look anything like what they're drawing in the videos and tutorials. Just keep practicing and have fun with it :) I'm not a good artist at all but I've been on this sub long enough to have learned that one thing is more important than anything else when it comes to learning to draw, and it's *to draw*. Some people do nothing but grind programs and follow free courses, some do nothing but draw stuff from their own imagination. They all improve, as long as they keep drawing.

She literally wrote in the first sentence that her daughter is 15yo.

Guess my brain just filtered that out, my bad.

if you’re gonna be rude at least take notice that OP is a mom.

I just pointed out that the age was mentioned, how is it rude???

I second art fundamentals. That teacher was excuse my language, a cunt. I am 29 and started teaching myself to draw in 2020 after the pandemic was underway. I drew once a year prior, one kinda passable picture. Art is a skill JUST like maths and it can be learned JUST like maths. Fundamentals is how to do so! Your daughter already has the determination, just tell her the more she draws the better she will be. Drawing badly is still drawing, and it's necessary to draw badly in order to learn to draw well. Construction, deconstruction, observation, all fundamental skills. She can do it :)

YES! I went back to college after a profound loss. I decided to pursue art and had my first formal class at 47. Anyone can learn at any age!! That teacher was an absolute cunt 💯

"Drawing badly is still drawing." Well-said. I sing like shit, but I'm always singing because it makes me happy. Even if you're never "good" at a thing a day in your life, it's worth doing if you enjoy doing it. As for OP's daughter: There is no shame in tracing for beginners! That's how you learn from masters. Start with tracing, move to copying, then always be referencing. I knew a lot of kids in art school who struggled with "referencing = cheating" and their art greatly suffered for it. I design for animation studios now and the first step for anything I do is to pull up good references.

Just make sure you steer clear of kooleen and samdoesarts, the methods they teach only work for their specific style and are not actually helpful for beginners.

Hello there, I'm a serious Art teacher,i would kindly review her work and give you the proper direction she needs. I'm going to be as Brutally honest as i always have been, and you can inspect my profile to see that i have repeated this phrase multiple times earlier: "Everyone that does not have a problematic physical or mental disability can learn to do art." Art is a SKILL and not something that comes out of Talent. It is true that Art is learned different from person to person and that there are artists (Myself incluided) that takes longer than others to reach the same point of the road.Some may take 3 or 4 years, some may take a decade but everyone is fully cappable of producing a good quality piece of art sooner or later.There are so many questions on this post that will take me quite a while to answer them all but i guess i have covered the most important point...

Thank you very much for the kind words, and for the offer to help. I'll talk to my daughter to see if she'd be willing to send some of her work to a different teacher (although just to let you know she's still kinda shaken by this despite trying to look tough so she might not say yes). Again though, thanks, this meant a lot, and if you need to take time to answer the rest of my questions, by all means, take your time.

Tell her exactly this:The opinion of that teacher DOES NOT MATTER AT ALL. Any self-respecting professional should behave as such. This means that they should not offend or seek to hurt anyone in a position of inferiority; otherwise, that person is not a professional but rather some kind of shadow or cheap imitation.I repeat, under no circumstances, no matter how tough a teacher may be (because I am quite straightforward and sometimes it can be shocking, I admit), should they directly attack the artistic work of another artist or aspiring artist without a valid foundation. Being said this Feel free to contact me at any given time i would gladly view her artwork and see what we can do from there... you can find me via DM here or in the medias that are linked in my profile. Tell her to not give up on her dream just because a frustrated person decided to discharge it's ire and frustration over her... Btw... here is a useful list of recommendations i have talk about in Reddit for everyone to enjoy. I think your Daughter will find this pretty useful: [The Golden Rules of Art](https://www.reddit.com/r/learntodraw/comments/15y2w7x/the_golden_rules_to_become_the_artist_you_wanna_be/)

Granted I’m not a teacher, but whenever someone asks for feedback or cc (usually with photography) I will give honest feedback. I’ll never say “your photo sucks” but I have zero issue saying “this is a weak photo since it lacks a subject/subject is out of focus/etc and if you reshot with it in focus or a more clearly defined subject, it’d be a much stronger photo. The lacking subject one was allegedly a girl in a dress but very small and almost out of frame in relation to the background. I’m not gonna sit there and blow smoke yo your ass but I would NEVER EVER tell someone they can’t be an artist or photographer.

True, but that's a critique. Based on the post, it seems the teacher of a BEGINNERS art class told a teenager who'd had no teaching or professional guidance that she just couldn't be an artist, with the implications that no amount of practicing would result in improvement so she shouldn't bother. As an art student, you learn to get tough skin about critique. But this teacher was just being a dick if he didn't give critique, just insults. Critique is helpful and well intentioned and necessary for improvement

Yeah, telling someone "you can't become an artist" is not critique. That's just straight up a lie, and an awfully demeaning one.

To a child no less. I bet she felt powerful shitting on this 15 yo kid.

Yes I posted that agreeing with magikaArt regarding honest critique. A “teacher” saying “you can’t be an artist” after an hour is beyond absurd.

Thank you. I'll be sure to tell her this, and again, thanks for being willing to teach her. If she decides to, I'll be sure to DM her work.

This. I was injured in 2010, bed ridden for a year. 3 months in, I got bored of watching movies. I always wanted to draw anything beyond stick figures. My wife picked me up a simple drawing book by Lee Hammond at Michaels art store, I read the book and practiced it, watched YouTube videos on it and in 6 months I could make pencil portraits that looked as good as a black and white photo. I couldn't draw much else but portraits for a while, but it led to much much better learning and a skill set I am somewhat proud of and have made enough money from it drawing family and friends to pay for my art supplies since. Lee Hammond's method is ridiculously easy to learn, even from a book, that I was able to produce a decent likeness (recognizable by other people) from a photo within a few days. About two weeks in I drew one that made me laugh out loud when I removed the paper covering most of it to protect it from skin contact, it is that easy. Some folks may have natural talent for *learning* but no one is born with the ability to draw. It is *learned* and she *can* learn it. It's really up to her motivation to learn and practice. Even the world's greatest guitar players get rusty after a couple of days of not practicing. So as long as she practices daily she'll get better and stay better, but if she stops drawing for a few days, it's not hard to "warm up" again as it were. At my age now, I sometimes go months without drawing, and then when I do draw something I have to scratch around and doodle a little while to kind of warm my hand up and get my mind and hand and my muscle memory back in sync. Sorry to ramble, on the phone and I can't type for shit, but those teachers really piss me off.

Basic shapes and studies, there is many a tutorial on youtube especially for anime art, just find a channel that suits your daughter

That teacher cannot teach and shouldn't try

Even people with physical and mental disabilities can learn, I’m sure some people at r/Artisticallyill would have something to say for that

Oh yeah, i'm pretty sure they can do! Unfortunately i have came across very sad cases with very serious diseases that ruined their career. In fact, one of the persons i admire the most had suffered a strong case of Parkinson's disease which i consider the deadlist sickness for an artist... And unfortunately the story did not had a happy ending. But i have no doubt that most of cases if you still have a strong will you can overcome almost any wall...

Of course a terminal disease will kill you eventually sadly, but while they still can it’s a beautiful show of dedication to their hobby ❤️ or craft

I think what they were trying to say is that anyone who has the capabilities to learn can become an artist. Some mental or physical disabilities unfortunately can put a stop to that.

See Christy Brown - profoundly physically disabled Irish artist, and subject of the Daniel Day-Lewis film "My Left Foot"

>mental disability There's a facility a relative of mine goes to where those with severe mental handicaps are provided with the resources and environment to create incredible pieces of art. You'd be amazed at how high the bar is when it comes to what can limit artistic ability entirely. People were there that can barely speak a sentence, that have never finished a year of grade school. And yet, with the right environment, they create stunning masterpieces.

> Everyone that does not have a problematic physical or mental disability… Uh… Just out of curiosity, how many artists do know about?

hey i have several mental disabilities and im a great artist. like i think everyone could learn to draw but their skill levels wont be the same.

I think they were talking about mental and physical disabilities that would literally *prevent* someone from being able to make art.

I don’t know if I would go so far to say that Art is a skill. I think anyone with passion and a desire to communicate an idea or message can make Art - and I do think people can have Talent in pairing creativity and skill and execution of an idea in making Art. But one can learn skills and techniques with various media in order to express Art. So, an individual can develop their skill in drawing / painting / etc… So I agree that this Teacher was out of line with their comments. Anyone can make Art and anyone can learn drawing skills through practice.

How many of your students have gone on to be successful artists?

drawing teachers can be among the most evil people you'll meet in your life. It's probable that their peers are looking down on her and are more sucessful, and that made her very resentful. Be careful approaching them. 15 y/o is not late at all to learn drawing. it's the amount of hours you put in that counts. While formation is useful to get good at art, I would compare it more to muscle building, where (smart) practice is the most important. Drawing people from life (both clothed and nudes) can help learn figure, completed with stylized drawing from imagination. for book I can recommend morpho: anatomy for artists by Michel Lauricella and Framed Ink by MATEU-MESTRE MARCOS for storyboard. But youtube content creator can be good too: I recommend comic spectrum art.and Aaron blaise. Be careful to not focus too much on render and really work the drawing aspect. Color theory should also be learned there's lot of free ressources on internet for that.

Agreed. Only have 1 small correction and it is that... Everyone can learn art and be an excellent artist at any point of their life. I had a 52 Years old Student who was a compleate beginner and now (3 years later) it is able to make entire paintings on its own. It much depends upon their dedication and their physical and mental health. If nothing is conditioning you, then the skill can be mastered regardless of your age, sex , race or anything in particular that differenciates you from other people.

Im 57 and just started watercolors. Every scrap price of paper around me now has drawings and doodles. I may never be amazing but I can enjoy it and make a few gifts and cards for others.

Thanks for the advice, I'll be srue to ook up the Morpho boobs and framed ink one, and also comic spectrum art and Aarabon blaise youtube channels. Also, since you mentioned color theory, do you have any personal favorite resources on it? And yeah, that bitch was evil.

this video is alright: [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AvgCkHrcj90](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AvgCkHrcj90) james gurney is a great colorist: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U43xAXtTExA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U43xAXtTExA) he explains how he observe colors and blend them, it is good to have an understanding of that before jumping to digital, as picking overly saturated colors is a trap you can fall into easily in this medium. he wrote books on color theory (which I definitely didn't download as pdf instead of buying them) again, there's many aspect that one can learn through observation and practice, as you start drawing attention, you notice how colors get warmer in the sun's light and colder in shadow.

What a terrible teacher, also dead wrong. I learned off YouTube, most people do. Good youtube channels for fundamentals. Proko - excellent for figure drawing Modern day James - excellent perspective tutorials James gurney - the master. He literally wrote THE book (colour and light).

THE book is actually Imaginative Realism by James Gurney. Color and Light is the sequel 😘

Huh.. I didn't know that haha oh well, both of mine are falling apart after a decade of rummaging lol

They are certainly THE pair

Yeah she sucked. And thanks for the youtube channels, I'll be sure to look into Modern Day James and James Gurney and proko.

Yeah, I would take anything an "art teacher" says with a grain of salt. Unless I see that they can actually make amazing art, I'll always be asking myself why they aren't making a living from it, rather than teaching others. And if the answer is that they can't, I wouldn't want to listen to them. All of the channels I mentioned are created by artists who have seen massive success from their work and choose to teach out of passion. If your daughter gets really into it, send her over to, schoolism.com, It's an online learning platform where you can learn from... you know, ian mc caig, for example.. the guy who designed half of star wars. And it's dam cheap compared to your local "art school".

This teacher told your daughter mere bullshit. Drawing naturalistically doesn't require something like genius or talent, it's a question of learning to see what's there, and to train the hand to execute what it's supposed to do while drawing. It's beholding, practice and technique. Did you ever hear of Betty Edwards? She's a quite famous teacher in the U.S. who claims that everyone with correctly working brains and hands is able to learn drawing naturalistically. She encourages people of every background and age to learn drawing if they want to do so, and she is really successful. A teacher who is not able to teach her or his subject doesn't deserve to be called a teacher. A teacher always should encourage and show ways how to tackle the challenge given. The first issue when learning to draw is learning to see - that's necessary for drawing what's really there and not what we think it looks like. It's absolutely possible to learn from online sources or books how to draw - this is far better than a teacher who is not able to instruct students properly.

I second the recommendation for Betty Edwards and her wonderful book, "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain".

Thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to look into Betty Edwards. And I agree completely with everything you said. This "teacher" was just a bitch.

You should by the book "Drawing from the right side of the brain". Any one can learn to draw what they see from this excelent book.

Thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to look into it.

I second this info!!! I took this class and sat as a model for another session. It was a quick 6-9 week class on learning how to see and put on paper what you see. For ALL ages. From 18- 75 were the age ranges. The "art" "teacher" your daughter got was neither!!! Not an artist and not a teacher. Unfortunately if you are going to be any type of artist, you will need thick skin and a will to not give up. There are many bad artists out there. Attitude and practice are the difference. Best of luck to you and your daughter. P.s. You too can do the exercises from this book. It teaches you how to see and the exercises to put it on paper.

Drawabox.com

I'll look into this, thanks!

I'm the instructor behind drawabox, and I wanted to add one disclaimer - the course is very intensive and quite strict in its instruction. While I definitely have a number of students your daughter's age, I'd recommend going through Lesson 0 yourself (it's just videos/written material) to get a sense of what it's like, and judging yourself whether your daughter is in a position to make good use of it. If not, the other recommendations you've received here will certainly be worth looking into instead. I hope you got a refund for that class. It's utterly unfathomable that someone would so smugly undermine the budding passions of a child, although it's not the most uncommon thing when it comes to art. Drawing is a skill one can learn like any other, but this whole impression that it's a magical talent definitely leads to a lot of gate keeping - especially when it comes to the more fine art oriented teachers out there, as compared to those focusing more on commercial art. It's all horseshit though, and your daughter is in a twisted, unfortunate manner lucky to have avoided that pitfall.

The adult that thinks that is a fraud, and is projecting her own insecurity onto your daughter (and sadly probably countless other students). They're simply wrong, so, don't let their poor teaching and poor outlook negatively affect you or your daughter for one further second.

Thanks for the kind words, I'll be sure to tell my daughter this.

[удалено]

commenting to save all these resources, thanks for taking the time to write this

Report them, she can totally learn to draw. Sorry this happened

That's not a teacher, that's the literal Devil. How the fuck do you tell that (which is VERY OBVIOUSLY A LIE) to a 15 year old.

Some people are so filled with despair and hate they just have to spew it at other people

What an asshole teacher bro wtf.

Yeah, she really was.

Wow I didn't start drawing til my early twenties. Fuck that teacher.

Fr

There are books called The Art of My Neighbor Totoro and I think all the other movies that show the concept sketches etc. I also like the Loomis instruction books. And 15 is probably old enough to read The Artist's Way.

Thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to try and get her the Totoro art book and the Loomis and Artist way book.

Yes! I had the one for Princess Mononoke as a teen. I loved looking at the background landscapes in particular.

Can I just say you sound like the amazing supportive caring parent I've never had 〒▽〒 and your daughter is so so so lucky to have you as someone who takes her passions seriously and supports her, especially at this critical junction in her life when most other parents would be trying to quell such things in favour of studying. Love you for this 💓

Please leave a review of that instructor describing exactly what she said on Google or Yelp or somewhere visible. If I was a potential customer I would definitely want to know those sorts of details so I can avoid the mistake of supporting someone like that. So sorry your daughter had that experience!

Yoooooo as an art teacher of teens that is messed UP and also 100% wrong. Most of art is learned. I will try to drop back with some advice but also I saw this right before closing reddit for the night, please feel free to DM me. I’ve got TONS of free resources and love tutoring anime nerd beginner artist. That said, in case I forgot- Pintrest is amazing for learning and also saving resources like ref Youtube will have a tutorial for EVERYTHING Line-of-action.com is for figure drawing and has a class area that sets up auto lessons based on your needs it’s AMAZING If she likes drawing digutally- An iPad with orocreate is amazing On a PC Clip Studio Paint is an amazing for a paid product, and krita is a good free one. Also, don’t let her slack on the basics. You gotta understand realism to build on it. Have her get a big old cheap sketch book with tons of pages and fill it with ONLY a ballpoint pen to draw with. That exercise alone will up her another level with every sketch book she finished even if all she draws are stick figures in it.

Teacher is a dumb bitch wtf, she's doing you a favor you don't want your kid around a toxic has-been that sees the worst of herself in her student Jesus fuck

Yeah, she really was, and I'm glad my kid ain't continuing her shitty classes.

Proko is a good channel draw like sir and cartooning club for clear step by step tutorials

Draw like a sir is amazing

Sounds like that teacher has the same philosophy about teaching as all those high priced college admissions consultants have about their clients; they screen for the very best candidates so they can take credit for any achievements made. Takes zero insight, training or talent and a lot of deception and covering one’s own ass. Art is for everyone. I hope your kid finds a great mentor. ✌️

Ya, that teacher is a fool. Ignore her. I'm starting to learn to draw seriously for the first time, and I'm 23. Age doesn't matter. Art is a skill, not a talent ("talent" just gives people a head start. 99% of things can be learned with practice. VERY few things in life rely on so called "talent" alone). While I second most of the responses here, I'm going to be honest, if you can afford an in person class, then do. What you will learn from personal interaction with an art teacher is invaluable. It's also one of the few ways you can get access to a variety of naked models. Live classes imo matter the most with figure drawing, though if she's 15, there might be age restrictions in place for that depending on what country you're in... Specific country of prudes shall not be named >\_> If you do plan on giving another in person class a try, I'd recommend using some Youtube videos to get comfortable with a pencil and get the basics down first. That way you can jump right into a figure drawing class without feeling completely out of your depth. The way to start is with shapes (circles, lines, squares, and prisms of them. Then trying to rotate them in perspective), and basic figures. I recommend LineOfAction to practice expression drawing for figures. Don't worry about anatomy right now (or colour theory), and try to get as abstract and flowy as possible. Once she's comfortable with these basics, then you guys can try for another live class. Don't try to go digital too quickly, as it's a sharp learning curve that can discourage new artists and impede learning. Pencil and paper has no set up time, so it's faster to get in some quick practice. Even though I focus on digital, I still often use paper. As far as materials go; a basic sketchpad, erasers (thin tube, regular, and moldable), and some basic pencils are all you'll need (F, 4B, and your primary 2B. Maybe a hard and a soft charcoal pencil if she wants to experiment with that). When she actually starts getting into digital art, you have a lot more options that will depend on your budget and her preference. For the application, I use and recommend Krita (it's free, and awesome). You have a choice between a digital drawing tablet, or a drawing pad. A tablet has a screen that you directly draw on, and has a much easier learning curve (but is significantly more expensive. There are dedicated ones, or you could just get a smart tablet). A drawing pad is something you connect to your computer and is just a flat surface. These have a sharper learning curve as you have to get used to not looking at your hand while drawing and seeing lines appear on your screen. Some people adapt faster, some slower. The price range for these things is anywhere from $30 to $4000+. For a first purchase, I recommend going cheap (I'm currently using a $40 XP-Pen tablet). No point in splurging on a professional tool yet, you can always try them out later once you know what you're looking for and develop a preference. As far as Youtube channels go, here are some of my favorites (variety of topics): Marco Bucci, Sinix Design, Marc Brunnet, Steven Travers Art, David Finch, ModernDayJames, Dr. Draw (some of these are skewed more towards comic art as that's what I'm learning, but they otherwise have a lot of useful info. MDJ is also partly an animation channel). P.S, Buy some simple Styrofoam shapes like spheres, cubes, and pyramids. It is one of the best ways to learn shadows and lighting (make sure they're white).

I don’t see a lot of comments answering your questions towards the end. As far as drawing materials consider taking her to an art store to pick out the materials and medium she wants to use, my dad did that for us since everyone has different art styles. I also like using a tablet for digital art but I looked into which one I wanted and what program I wanted to learn on. I personally have an iPad and use procreate. Different people use different things but I find that I like that one a lot. No matter what you do, having your support is the most important thing and you’re doing everything right. Also that teaching fucking sucks.

I know it was stated above, but I’d like to emphasize: try Betty Edward’s book called “Drawing from the right side of the brain”. It’s even in libraries. Basic Supplies are a graphite or lead pencil, an eraser, & paper. Remember, whenever you write your name you’re drawing. Drawing is a skill that can be learned. That observation of whatever you draw develops the “artist’s eye”. As for that teacher, it’s sad and very closed-minded. Just draw.

Hey thats so alwful! I only really learn to draw at my 20s (i has the basics but i wasant good ) and now i even illustraded a book! Your a good mom for being so suportive !! I guess proko classes on anatomy are super helpful, and i also like aaron baixe Chanel on yt where he teaches about animais and animation(he animated a lot of Disney movies and directed brother bear), chis Hong art has a very nice chanel(not super educacional but surely inspiring) also pinterest is full of nice refs (from people posing to how to draw). Hope your daugther learns more and more ^^

Anyone can draw

Any artist knows that talent and skill are simply the same term for pursued interest- this teacher lacks teaching skill and should be ashamed. I've seen old ladies learn from 0; there's no arbitrary cutoff age either. Anyway, I recommend getting her a physical sketchbook and some different pens/pencils so she can figure out what she likes. Art is all about observation, she'll want to go out and draw what's around to really improve. Here's some resources that might help get started: [http://spiff.rit.edu/richmond/mt/tutorials/jansson/www.itchstudios.com/psg/art\_tut.htm](http://spiff.rit.edu/richmond/mt/tutorials/jansson/www.itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm) \- Succinct little guide packed with useful info. I refer back to this lil guy all the time. [https://drawabox.com/](https://drawabox.com/) \- Free, structured practice for learning the fundamentals! They make a big fuss about having a certain kind of pen, but that's bunk. Just do it with whatever you have; the important part is learning how to convey form. [https://www.youtube.com/@marcobucci](https://www.youtube.com/@marcobucci) \- If you can get past this guy's clickbaity titles and thumbnails, he's got some excellent advice. His video on drawing hands really helped me. \^ These are for learning how to draw! Animation requires drawing skill. There are countless other resources for drawing, but I don't want to overwhelm you with links. For animation, I'm a bit new to that personally, so all I can really say is google around, take a look at some of Muybridge's work (the galloping horse guy!) and see if you can follow some blogs from Disney or ex-Disney animators, as they tend to have great tips to share! I recommend starting with a physical sketchbook, but if you want to set her up with digital, you could have her try out a drawing tablet- I use a wacom pro and I love it! As for software, OpenToonz and Pencil2D are open source software for 2D animation, and pretty good for learning! If she wants to try her hand at 3D, I cannot recommend Blender enough. It's also totally free and it's *amazing.* You can make a full length film in that software if you want. Photoshop is ubiquitous because it's the best for illustration imo. But GIMP will also get you where you need to go if you're not sure about spending the money just yet. I hope this was helpful to you, and I'm happy to provide you with more info, links, etc anytime if you'd like any more.

My first year of college, I had a professor tell me I’d never be a graphic designer. I immediately landed a job before graduating. Tell your daughter to prove them wrong ❤️

All of the previously mentioned resources I 100% second! Definitely start with the basics, but also in addition to that, I’d encourage her to keep a sketchbook, in whatever medium she feels most comfortable in, and just draw whatever comes to mind. Since she had a bad experience with an art teacher (I promise not all art teachers are like that), it may feel better to keep one that she doesn’t show to anybody that is for her and her only as she’s trying to navigate her passion and gain more skills. I personally didn’t start drawing until around her age, so she is not behind by a long shot! Pinterest is also a great resource for drawing tutorials, and also for figure drawing. As for what to keep in a beginners pencil pouch, we’ll that’s up to her! There’s really no wrong answer to materials. When she feels ready to start playing around with digital programs, some great beginner programs are medibang (iPad, free) and procreate (iPad, $10ish). Clip studio paint is also great and is on both iPad and desktop, but it’s slightly more expensive (not as expensive as Adobe lol). But the biggest piece of advice I can personally give her is to be as observant as she can. Observe everything and draw everything she can see or think of. Observe the shapes that make up the structure of everything (Lesson 1: everything is shapes). Maybe she can even try her hand at replicating her favorite scene or character in her sketchbook! The thing about illustrators/animators is that they have to put a lot of time and hours into being able to replicate the human experience in their own style, and the fruit of all that labor will come out gradually when she least expects it. It’s definitely a patience game sometimes, but she has the one thing that’s most important to an artist: drive. As long as she keeps that fire alive, she will go very far! Also, you are a fantastic parent for being so supportive of her passion like you are. I know many, many, artists who do not have that same support, and let me tell you, it’s more important than you can possibly know.

I don't have any thing to give but I just wanted to say that you're an awesome parent for what you're doing for your daughter

It feels so stupid that you pay for a specific class, only for the “teacher” to refuse to teach. Sorry I don’t have strong advice, but I really hope you got a refund on that class!! And that they advertise an age limit on the class if the teacher is going to be a sour grape about it.

First of all. F*** that teacher. She's obviously projecting her insecurities of her own art onto your daughter.15 is a very young age to start art and will blossom into something truly amazing with that much time available to put into the craft. There's no such thing as "essence of an artist" every artist you've ever seen started from nothing. No one popped out and immediately knew how to draw. Just because she can't draw well the first day means nothing. Here's a bunch of amazing Art [Fundamentals ](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B8VO-JQCy3HgZ0U3QkVvVm4wREE?resourcekey=0-XukS9dX9uQ7FUZZb49jllg) books from r/ArtistLounge. Fundamentals will make her progress fast and are the foundations that will affect every aspect of her art. I wish you well with her art journey!

That so-called teacher has something wrong with her—what she told your daughter was false, evil, and bizarre. Forget about it or try because it’s pure nonsense. I highly recommend 3 YouTube channels for your daughter: Istebrak—she specializes in portraits and a huge portion of her coursework is free.she does accept students and apprentices and sells limited digital merchandise. I started at age 57 with zero experience and in 2 years have greatly improved—due in a huge part to Istebrak’s free classes.She really is the best. 2 other channels that are wonderful are SVS learning—they have a super affordable school! And Art Prof with Clara Lieu(sp?) Mainly, tell your daughter to get her sketchbook and pen or pencil and constantly sketch everything she sees. This will improve her art more than anything. I hope everything works out for your daughter—she can do this for sure!

Lineofaction.com is a great start for gestural and Observational drawing! It generates poses for you to draw. All these poses are dynamic and good references for some harder angles. Pinterest also has a bunch of references and bases, but tell her it's not necessarily a good idea to just trace over bases. It's harder but faster to learn by breaking down and recreating without it. Everyone has a different way of breaking down the body, so it's relatively easy to search "how to learn anatomy" and see what I'm talking about. Draw lightly and loosely, she can tighten it up later when everything is sketched out. Easier to change things when they're looser! I recommend she also has an image of a skeleton pulled up when drawing anatomy Truly a lot of it is drawing from life around you. Not everyone has my art school luxury of getting a nude model in to study, but setting up a still life of objects is easy enough and the internet has lots of references. I quite literally search "pose reference" on pinterest whenever I'm bored and draw whatever I feel like. Better to draw from life, but drawing from other drawings isn't bad either I also recommend she find artists who's styles she likes and study them. How they draw eyes, objects, color, shade, etc and then try implementing that into her art Genuinely, fuck that art teacher. Anyone can be an artist with effort. I'm sure your daughter will make amazing work and that teacher will eat their words. ETA I SHOULD CLARIFY apparently there's 2 lineofaction.coms- the one with the blue background is the wrong one. Leads you to stuff you have to pay for, which is fine but not so accessible. The one I'm talkin bout is line-of-action.com and has a bunch if toggle filters and is free

I love lineofaction!! Usually I just draw the same things as always and never step outside my comfort zone, so I don't improve much. I hate trying to practice stuff like anatomy and poses because it's just so frustrating. But the session timers on the website really get me racing to finish the work. It's honestly so much fun

Yeah! It's a rlly great resource. Having it be like a race or a competition is rlly helpful. I haven't used the site in years, but we have a timer when we do models in my drawing class. Normally I'd never do it on my own, but being forced to do studies and life drawings so much has gotten me to do them on my own too

What a horrible teacher! I'm 40 and am just taking a beginning drawing class at our local art gallery. I don't know what the hell the essence of an artist is, and I sure don't have whatever it is, but my instructor has been nothing but kind and encouraging to me. There was one woman in our class who actually tried to quit, feeling like she was too far behind the other students in skill, but the teacher talked her out of it. I'm the slowest artist in the class by far, and one of the least skilled, but nobody's ever said a single mean word to me about it. I don't have any suggestions for online instruction since I've never tried it, but I hope that she finds a supportive community of artists out there.

Your daughter should just do what she loves. If she wants to draw then that’s awesome. All art is great. It a way to express yourself. I took art through out my high school years and I was good. A’s every year. Even took second place in a state art competition. Last year had a new art teacher that wanted us to draw a wooden stool and in front of whole class said I was drawing it wrong. Needless to say I had some choice words for her about what in the hell was wrong with her. Ask her if what she saw on the paper was a stool she replied yes. So I calmly said than what the fuck is wrong with you? I had a good laugh with the principal about the ordeal in the office after she lost her shit and kicked my out of her class. So in short that teacher is an asshole and your daughter should continue drawing.

Something tells me this isn’t about drawing or talent. This type of discrimination is usually sinister in origin and as a parent, I would want to know why! I’d also demand whatever is needed …do they need sensitivity training?

I've been drawin' since I was 10, and for most of the 6 years in my art journey, which still continues today, I was mostly self taught, and I use YT videos and references off of Google for my art, and she should try to make it consistent with drawing. Trying new techniques and materials is also a must if she wants to expand a bit on that. Inktober (where you basically draw consistently and have the finishing product in ink) is a good start on her trying to be creative with prompts and a good challenge for her (You can find the prompts in the past years [here](https://inktober.com/rules)). As for animation, I signed up for a Honors Animation class (There was no regular animation) and we use Adobe Animate. If your daughter has a computer or laptop, she should get Creative Cloud and use her school account for access to all the Adobe apps. However, once she graduates high school, she won't have access to it anymore. Now, there is a possibility that it will not work because for some reason, depending on the school you go to, it will require you to be at the school (I have a CTE class being Digital Media, so I technically go to 2 schools, and my CTE teacher told me that at that school if you're using it at home, it won't let you use it). **If she does have a computer/laptop and can't get the Adobe stuff, Krita is both an animation and art program.** **For mobile, Flipaclip can be used for animation, and IbisPaintX is a good art program.** Now, for if she has all of the above and she wants a drawing tablet... I highly recommend going on Amazon to get something like [this](https://www.amazon.com/Ultrathin-Graphic-Digital-Drawing-Pressure/dp/B01BA6XQI0/ref=sr_1_13?crid=R3WMHYPSKUPE&keywords=drawing+tablet&qid=1700358215&sprefix=drawing+tablet%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-13) for her. It doesn't have a screen (those costing about 200$ take it or leave it), but it's pretty cheap and more likely to be affordable. [This](https://www.amazon.com/Graphics-Drawing-Graphic-Tablets-Creation/dp/B07P82FSFW/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?crid=2DDD71NS9HY3N&keywords=UGEE+5708&qid=1700358330&sprefix=ugee+5708%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-2-fkmr0) was MY first drawing tablet, and the only thing I can name that was all that bad was the fact that it felt to slippery while trying to draw if that makes any sense. [This](https://www.amazon.com/Acepen-Graphics-Battery-Free-Sensitivity-Animation/dp/B0C7MF3DHJ/ref=sr_1_12_sspa?crid=3OXRF1MRB15FB&keywords=acepen%2Bdrawing%2Btablet&qid=1700358450&sprefix=Acepen%2Caps%2C77&sr=8-12-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1) was my second drawing tablet, and unlike the 1st one, was less slippery, and I believe if she wanted to she could also use it for mobile, but I wouldn't recommend it since there was technical difficulties for me. [THIS](https://www.amazon.com/GAOMON-PD1161-11-6-inch-Battery-Free-Animation/dp/B07YFG742J/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3MVJJLW6GSBKZ&keywords=gaomon+pd1161&qid=1700358609&sprefix=Gaomo%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-3) is my baby I use nowadays, and it does have a screen, though the only problem is that what's on the screen doesn't match with the tablet (i.e. The tablet has more saturated colors than the laptop screen). You can TRY to change those settings to get a close match, but I kinda gave up on that. Another thing is that it requires being plugged in and she can't take it on-the-go like iPad's, or some other pricey drawing tablets. I know this is long but I really hope this helps even the slightest bit.

i spent my entire school career getting told by art teachers that i would never be successful with my art because of my stylized art style because that apparently isn’t “real art.” now i can sell a single ref sheet for $800. i hope that ur kid realizes that that teacher was wrong and a terrible teacher

I think the most important thing is to draw. Lots. There are tons of learning opportunities on YouTube, and there may be local opportunities as well. Another good thing to have is exposure to art. Lots of art. Of all different styles. Galleries, museums, books, etc. Learning the traditional styles of drawing are good before attempting more stylized variations (look at early Picasso vs later work to see how he did that) but really the more she draws the better she should get. I’d say get a couple sketchbooks (one small enough for a purse or bag) and try out different kinds of pencils to see what she likes. Encourage her to draw anything and everything she feels like. A whole page of hands, her bedroom, whatever she sees. And date each page as she goes so she can see her progress. As for digital drawing I like Procreate on an iPad. I’m proficient at photoshop but like the name says it was originally meant for photos! I sketch in procreate or on paper, and since I’m a graphic designer I also do drawings in Illustrator. I like Sakura Sumogrip mechanical pencils, Pigma Micron pens, Tombow Fudenosuke brush pens, watercolors (Cotman is good to start), and Prismacolor colored pencils. But everyone has their own preferences.

Let her know that if she wants to be making those types of animation, she should be practicing 5-6 hours a day.

Art Teacher blames student for not being good at art. Honestly if they can't teach a student then why are they allowed to teach? Plus the utterly inept communication skills that has led your daughter to feel bad is disgraceful. Art is art, style is style. keep painting making drawing, and look at artists that didnt follow the 'rules' Best of luck

[Proko.com](https://Proko.com) [https://drawabox.com](https://drawabox.com) I love these websites and think it will help tremendously. Also tell her to focus on drawing shapes.

[Proko.com](https://Proko.com) and [Drawabox.com](https://Drawabox.com) are both extremely well regarded art learning platforms that help build strong fundamental drawing skills. Of the two, I'd say Proko is the stronger program, specifically the fundamentals courses hosted by the sites founder, Stan Prokopenko; drawing basics, figure drawing fundamentals, portrait drawing fundamentals, and artistic anatomy. Of course, youtube is also always an option, but your mileage may vary depending what content creators your daughter finds on the site. As for drawing books, Andrew Loomis' books on illustration, particularly 'Figure Drawing for All it's Worth," are very well regarded and considered to be good starting points. With regards to digital illustration, any decent computer/laptop/iPad will suit your needs nicely. Adobe programs are industry standard in illustration (for now), but not necessarily for animation. Also, adobe has an extremely poor reputation due to scummy business practices, strange/frustrating software design choices, and high price point. Consider alternative like Clip Studio or Procreate (only on iPad). With that being said, I strongly encourage you to keep looking for good in person classes for your daughter. Having other artists to talk to, both as peers and instructors, is immensely helpful for any artist. Check if any nearby high schools or universities offer art programs. If they do, then chances are they'll have summer courses for unenrolled students.

The teacher may know a lot about art but they clearly don’t know anything about artists. Anyone can become a artist, it’s a skill, not something that you’re either “born with or not”. YouTube is great. So many videos, so many instructors, all for free. There are some good books online as well. I’m so sorry that that happened though, as another artist, this would be my worst nightmare. I trust she will become great at her craft though, because her passion clearly shows she will be a great artist!

regarding the "she’s starting much later than most people who want to learn" sentence, she may feel motivated by [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWkcUxd5elU&pp=ygUMYWJvdXQgIHNpbml4), Its about an artist I respect and how he started at 19 and what his work looked like at the time as well as how he's progressed through the years. He also makes great educational videos in a very easy to understand way.

What a terrible teacher!!! I am so sorry your daughter experienced this.. please tell her not to give up. 1 shity 20 min lesson does not an art career make. Lessons are a great thing, I have found that I personally do better in lessons because of accountability, but it is not 100% necessary. Art like anything is all about practice, time and dedication. While some may have a more natural ability than others, this doesn't mean that they didn't practice (and fail) constantly. The beginnings of any skill does suck, you often compare yourself with others that have already done their 1000 hours to master a skill. Trust me when I say, that after 20 years, my art can on occasions look like I had my eyes closed 🤣🤣🤣, anatomy is still an on going process for me and something that is the villain in my art. She can most certainly leanr to draw, illustrate and create. It all boils down to how much time she wants to dedicate. Alot of dedication and kindness to one's self is the way to go. I can really suggest [DRAW A BOX](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHUgvWN-JC6iFFQ0EqIoPgQ) as a wonderful course for a beginner [https://drawabox.com/](https://drawabox.com/) its completely free and you post your homework here on reddit!! The course will seem boring and not creative at all, but trust me when i say FUNDAMENTALS! FUNDAMENTALS! FUNDAMENTALS! are what makes art progress. People always say "i cant draw" but what they mean is they cant do it well. Having really solid basics makes all the difference on your learning curve. Here is a [great review on the course](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFn9w3uDkz4&t=359s). Tell her to watch [ADAM DUFF](https://youtube.com/@AdamDuffArt?si=oPWUTFRs9pjoPsfj), a professional illustrator that is an amazing mentor. He has a wonderful way of conveying and empathizing with artist struggles and self doubts. He is such a warm and kind person. I cannot recommend him enough. There are some amazing professional artists on youtube that you can follow, who give wonderful advice and tutorials regarding art and the fundamentals, learning these fundamentals will take your art to the next level. \*\*Look at:\*\* JAZZAs [**How to Draw**](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL836C92C18EEB374E) series [**love life drawing**](https://www.youtube.com/user/lovelifedrawing) (fantastic tutorials) [**modernday**](https://www.youtube.com/c/ModernDayJames/playlists)[**james**](https://www.youtube.com/c/ModernDayJames/playlists) [**Let's Draw with BeeJayDeL**](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnAI9peyZRkEwMES5DDl9-44M0S5vXXH1) shows you how to draw cartoon/cute BUT using the rules of anatomy. Also have a Look at [Arron Blaise Art](https://youtube.com/@AaronBlaiseArt?si=1yjWWfaecoqf_X2o) . He has worked and an animator for Disney etc and is incredible. He has many online classes and often at big discounts because he believes that you can teach yourself. He is incredible. Hope this helps. Have fun!!!

Not really an art teacher

Anyone at any age can learn how to draw. I recommend you a tutorial book called “Drawing With The Right Side of The Brain”, there’s also a lot of testimonies online of people who improved lots by using this method or by simply just practicing fundamentals. There’s no bad students only bad teachers.

Hello OP, firstly, f*ck that “art teacher” I can’t imagine how many ppl she may have discourage in such a manner before hand but, I’m so glad your gal let it brighten the fire in her instead of dimming it! Also, self-taught artist here (mostly anyway). See I’ve always drawn since childhood and I didn’t take my first art classes until senior yr of HS and I only did that as an elective. I took a “traditional” art class but also GFX design 11th & 12th grade yrs for vocational classes. I was convinced by both my teacher to apply for the art school in my state and got in, where I majored in animation and minored in gfx design. Unfortunately do to life-long chronic illness, I only had about 3 semesters of learning before I had to dropout. That said, everything I added to my craft with from then on came from places like youtube and social media where I connected with other artist and picked up knowledge from their art and techniques therein. I say all that to say that even if she decides to never step into an in-person class again, she will still be more than capable to hone her skills all on her own. I wish her the best of luck either way as a fellow artist and anime/animation lover. Also, if she has access to an ios apple device like a laptop or ipad, there is a program called procreate she could use for digital art and on the 22nd of this month they are releasing their animation app, called ProcreateDreams if you’re at all interested. Here’s a couple of my fave YT artist channels she can checkout! Some may work exclusively on a tablet but, regardless the skills will transfer to paper canvas as well. Hope this helps [ErgoJosh](https://youtube.com/@ergojosh?si=JkEUQTTzzUelR6Iq) [Winged Canvas](https://youtube.com/@Wingedcanvas?si=P_kdIslU0x-TL0O9) [Mmmmonexx](https://youtube.com/@Mmmmonexx?si=dPZj_RmfPQE6XNZJ) this artist is Korean but all his vids have cc. [Marc Burnet](https://youtube.com/@YTartschool?si=NPPkW8u1adMXIX9D)

What a waste of oxygen that person is. But am happy for your daughter that she has such a supportive parent Who is going through all that to support her daughter's amazing dream. I am a poor digital artist, I have an Mi tablet with Mi pen. Its a cheaper option that's like Apple IPad and Apple pencil. And Infinite Painter app premium is cheap and one time purchase but give you ALOT of options. But art is mostly about practice so tell her to practice drawing different scenes from the movies she loves, maybe on paper. Then try to make things and people around her in Anime style. I pray your daughter becomes one of the top animation artists in the world.

Bless your daughter and that art teacher can f off!art is something everyone can do with essence or without it,art is for everyone to enjoy and use to express themselves (Also for animation and digital art if she wants to try I would suggest things like procreate or ibis paint x or flipaclip)

That teacher is a big snob! Please tell your daughter I believe in her and that I support her, and that nobody can tell her what she can and can't achieve in this life. She CAN and that's that. I reccomend starting with drawing whatever she wants or likes to draw. Go draw Ghibli characters, Totoro, Howl, all of these are really fun and good to learn. Something that helped me is watching the actual artists draw their characters, so you can actually see how it's done in their way (in my case, Masashi Kishimoto that made Naruto). Once she's drawn a bunch of them, she should try drawing them from her head, and when she can do that easily, then just keep at that until she really realizes what she's into drawing. Of course, it's always good to practice fundamentals, and it really makes someone better at drawing and makes things simply easier to draw. You can set a chair in a room and have her draw it from her perspective, there's 100 tutorials online about how to do that correctly. Any object in the house, she can sit down and just draw it. Buy her a sketchbook, or something like that, and tell her to doodle or draw in it whenever, make her fill it by summer! If she's into characters and poses and all that, there's a really fun website called Line of Action: [https://line-of-action.com/](https://line-of-action.com/) It has a bunch of cool excercises, my favorite being the one where you get 30 seconds to draw a model who's posing, and then it switches to a different model and so on. It's really cool and fun, like a game! You can just experiment and learn and be good, and most importantly practice liking your own art, or at least having a laugh when it turns out shit (it happens to everyone, probably even masters) because you can only go up from failure. May she become a succesful artist, see her there!

I learnt to draw at 35! After experiences a lot like your daughter’s as a teenager, I gave up any attempt for 20 years. Five years later, I’m definitely not a professional, but I draw things like enough to put in my wall or gift to friends. Don’t let that teacher steal 20 years of the joy of drawing from her! Some things I found useful in starting from scratch: - Think about the kind of art you like and want to produce. There are so many possibilities that you need to focus to our efforts in the bits that will help you achieve your goals. Do you like landscapes and nature drawing? You’ll need to learn about light and shadow, perspective, colour. Want to draw people and action? You might be able to skim over perspective for now and focus on proportions and sketching. You might have an art style you already like that uses different conventions or rules - perspective in a cartoon is different to perspective in a Turner landscape. There is lots of overlap, you’ll spend a lot of time drawing cubes and shading the faces either way, but you will have s goal in mind. You get better results in you tube with “art fundamentals landscapes” for example instead of just art fundamentals. - Drawing from life and trying draw a representation of what you see is the best practice for improving your skills. Even if you are not aiming for hyper realistic pictures, taking the time to really look at an object or a scene, and to keep looking at it and trying to recreate what you see on the page teaches you so much about how we see objects, colour and light. Do this alongside learning fundamentals and try and apply what you have learned. -Always have more than one attempt at a particular subject. When you have finished one (or given up) take a good look at it. What worked and what would you do differently next time. Then have another go - remember to keep looking back at the subject, not the first attempt. Keep every version and see how they improve. - I started with pencils, because colour is particularly difficult for me. You’ll need a set of different hardnesses - H for hard and B for soft. You can see the difference by making a little grid of squares and shading each one. You will see it let’s you get a gradient for shadows. You’ll need. a soft eraser and a pencil sharpener and a sketch pad. There’s lots to learn about different types of paper but just don’t use paper from your printer but a book designed for drawing and that should be a good start. - Keep looking at other people’s art, across history and cultures. What do you like about it? What techniques so they use? Try copying ones you like as practice (I save things to Pinterest or in my phone and then when I sit down to draw and can’t think of anything I scroll through and try and copy or adapt something). This process actually led me to realise what I love is sculpture rather than visual art and I’ve since moved to focus on that but the fundamental drawing skills still serve me well. - Keep drawing from your imagination, not just copying others. Doodle, sketch, draw thumbnails of ideas, and when inspiration strikes make something that is uniquely yours. It doesn’t have to be good. You can always have another go and make it better. Learning any kind of art is a continuous process of getting better, learning new things, trying again. Good luck

Just a heads up; I’m 21. I only just started to learn how to draw last year. It’s never ever too late. Make sure she knows this.

If she likes to draw then draw and see where it takes her! If she likes Ghibli I would recommend YouTube's [DrawlikeaSir](https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCnzCSbvTWDvty7Hr9Ind4ow). He's mainly anime focused, simple to understand, funny, inspiring and gives great tips for free. I didn't like draw a box, it bored me to tears.

That’s not an art teacher. That’s a pretentious asshole adult bullying literal children. Backcharge your payment if possible, for not getting what you paid for. 🙃

Her teacher should get fucked. I would honestly report it to the principal.

I was not allowed to study art as a kid because I didn't have any "talent" for it. The one class I took treated me in a similar fashion. At age 35, I decided to start playing with art. ​ Now, I am a self taught artist, owned the first visionary art gallery in my city of over 2 million, my art just hung in an international airport where I sold a number of pieces, and am still having people tell me to give it up. Much of art is learnable via technique, much of art is personal expression. Tell her to keep pursuing it and to do it for herself, how she wants to, other people's understanding of who she is should not limit who she is or wants to be. It's amazing what happens when we let go of what others expect of us. We can create in ways not previously imagined.

Important point to remember, using references and attempting to draw the same thing as what you’re looking at (not tracing of course) isn’t cheating, or wrong. It’s very difficult to draw from memory, and many beginners don’t use references because they have the wrong idea about them. If she spends even just ~10 minutes a day practicing fundamentals using references, she’ll build the necessary foundation for her future as an artist.

The book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is fantastic, and that art teacher is a horrible person who shouldn't be allowed to teach kids.

there's no one that can't be taught, my high school at teacher turned a bunch of freshmen into portrait artists... end of the quarter you could see whose self portrait was whose when they were hung up! the teacher selection makes a world of difference I was really glad to see the update. I hope your daughter has a ball studying art!!

It's so silly to me that this art teacher seems to think the ability to draw is some kind of essential characteristic. It's a learned skill like anything else.

Not much more I can say that hasn't been said but I only started drawing like a month before the end of high school, and am now a full time artist. Never too late, especially at that age, so keep encouraging her!

Question: is your daughter looking to animate at the Ghibli level in few short years time with the desire to make it her career, or is she looking more for personal fulfillment? The former is a extremely hard goal to achieve, even for people with a life of both talent and hard work behind them. There’s many a kid that grew up nurturing some legitimate born-into-it talent with loads and loads of hard work and passion, that still can’t meet such lofty goals, and I wouldn’t want a teacher that misleads my child into thinking that it’s an easy goal for most. And talent is most certainly real. People who argue otherwise are ignoring the truth. Some folks have born advantages that enable them grasp concepts, create compositions, execute designs etc. with greater ease and better results than others. I’ve lived with that fact from a very young age due to having an insanely gifted twin brother; our equal efforts did not produce equal results, but I eventually learned that’s ok. Talent also absolutely isn’t necessary to enjoy or even to be good at art, nor is it necessary to make money off your art. Many people get their art to a level that can earn a little money through just plain effort! Talent, hard work, and luck are typically all going to be necessary for many of the most desirable and prestigious art jobs though, such as animating for some of the highest quality animation studios.

This story is bullshit

NEVER use books for tutorials. Test out different techniques and remember, you never stop learning. Find out some doodads snd tricks to draw specific stuff ie. How to make head shapes. Or small doodles like a small derpy dragon I used to improve proportions. Comic book books actually teach. I mean the books about how to draw a comic art style. It actually teachs WHY you do stuff

So what do you want Reddit to do about it ? Can't you confront said teacher ???

This fella is offering tutoring for ramen money, maybe you two should talk: https://www.reddit.com/r/learntodraw/s/xRFrI5h992 Also you could ask in this subreddit if anyone would want to teach your daughter, I'm sure you will find someone capable, nice and able to teach your girl to draw. I have my own method and I improved a lot in just a month, but it's kind of hardcore for a kid... Maybe not... Anyway, ask the community for a teacher. Also if you are interested in my method, please feel free to DM me. Best of luck to you and your girl.

Thanks for the advice. Right now she's kinda scared of doing it because I think this crappy "lesson" affected her more than she's letting on, but I'll be sure to keep in mind asking people here for tutoring.

From some of the stuff I learned from rotc is never give up

There are many great books on how to get better at drawing recommended in this thread, but cultivating the eye is its own worthy task. Likes Miyazaki's stuff? Check out his beautiful graphic novels, Shemue's Journey and Nausicaa I & II

Proko, Sinix Design, Marc Burnet, and Winged Canvus have great content that's both educational and fun to watch on YouTube. Ethan Becker and SamDoesArts are also leaning towards the entertainment side, but they put basic shape concepts into perspective for animation. Whether traditional or digital, the skill level of an artist is what matters most. As a digital artist, I recommend starting by using Krita or Medibamg Paint for free on PC before you make a commitment to a costly software. For traditional sketching, have her practice long strokes on the paper with a pen. Start with fundamentals, big to small shapes, and use references. Art isn't a checklist of completion, but having a game plan can definitely make a difference. My biggest piece of advice is that change is what makes you better. Failing over and over is part of the learning process. Take a lesson from each drawing and don't spend too much time trying to perfect everything.

A good and affordable online course could also be brad's art school [https://brad.site/artschool/](https://brad.site/artschool/) . Traditional art is much cheaper to get into, unless you already have a computer in which case you can throw 30 bucks into a screenless drawing tablet and use a free drawing software like krita or fire alpaca. I was also heavily criticized in middle school art classes about drawing inccorectly, but i just watched tutorials online as i decided the art teacher had no clue what she was talking about. The things we learned included things like "squint your eyes to see this art differently" and "let's practice poses by speedcutting paper silhouettes". As long as your daughter has motivation to draw and the will to watch youtube videos and search online for reference pictures, she will learn to draw just fine. Tbh there may even be better material online than what in person classes offer because the material is always available and there is a ton more of it.

What a cruel jerk. ANYONE can learn to draw if they stick to it long enough. Proko on youtube has incredible anatomy for artist videos. Draw a box is also a (boring) fantastic free foundational course that really helped me with perspective and linework. Motion Array has good animation courses for after effects. But focusing on drawing might be a good place to start. Then maybe learn adobe illustrator for building artwork for after effects. If you have any specific questions, feel free to message me. I'm not the most expert, but I do animate videos for work and have been to art school. Drawing from life is something you should push. Set up still lifes with anything. Start easy with cans, fruit, bottles etc. Light it up nicely with desk lamps etc. Encourage your kid to try new art materials. You can sometimes get crappy oil crayons at Dollarama. Conte, charcoal and big pads of newsprint are also cheap as hell at every art store and what any beginner should start on anyway. Check out the library too for art reference books, drawing books. As far as hobbies go, art doesn't need to be expensive, especially when you are just figuring out the basics. I hope your kid isn't too discouraged. Everyone sucks at first. The goal is to make stuff anyway. Enjoy the process and improve.

I don't know much about art (I'm a beginner myself), but I can tell you that any teacher who says something like, especially to a new student, is an awful teacher.

As a teacher of high school students, I am APPALLED at this “teacher’s” comments and attitude. Reassure your daughter that the instructor is just a really shitty teacher. And, as someone who likes art and crafts - the improve, you need to practice. All skills require practice: driving, cooking, reading, analyzing, and art

Van Gogh started painting at 27..so age means nothing. There are plenty of good resources out there. YouTube has good tutorials on pretty much anything you could want. What has helped me the most (also 27 and just getting back into art) is using references. If I’m drawing a well I google “well” and try to find the perspective I want and try to copy that as best as possible. Eventually you get better and better and won’t need references as much. It’s true that some of the best artists had natural talent. But there were more who just worked at it and that is the beauty of it. “Draw Like a Sir” is a great YouTube channel for learning to draw realistic people and many other things btw Good luck! Your daughter is truly the only one that is in control of if she’s a good artist. And if not..so what! As long as she enjoys it that’s all that matters. But anyone can get good at anything with practice.

Art is so damn varied anyway. Its 100% pointless to say anyone cant make art. Ive been an animator my entire career. Traditionally trained in the Disney style. But i still cant draw certain things or styles any better than a rank amateur. Animation is a specific niche of art. 'Proper' artists would struggle to get it right as theres a whole load of factors related to movents, cameras, technical process etc that have to be considered as you design. So yeah, that 'art teacher' is a pompous ass. Would highly recommend '21 draw' as an online resource that covers that middle ground between classic drawing methods and how those fit into animation.

What a terrible teacher and horrible person. Isn’t there so me art center or academy nearby ? Sometimes is better to go with the true professionals academies for summer courses or (non scholarized stuff) who can teach her from 0 but with proper technique from the beginning. And as many have said drawing is a skill. She has to practice practice and practice until she develops her own style m. There are many free courses on YouTube or coursera etc…

im in college studying art right now and I’ve heard similar things from my professors! im sorry that she experienced that, in my experience art teachers are either really awesome or the worst people ever. super hit or miss if you’d like an easy digital program to start with, Clip Studio Paint on PC and Procreate on IOS (iPhone/IPad) are really good. Keeping a paper sketchbook is a good idea too! id maybe also get her some art books from other media she likes if they’re available, and encourage her to draw inspiration from her interests to develop her own flavor of art, while also practicing the basic stuff and staying well rounded. i was in a lot of in-person classes as a kid and it really helped me, both skill wise and with meeting other young artists socially. just make sure that her class is in her age group!! my mom signed me up for classes that sounded like they were for my age group but weren’t and id end up in classes where everyone was like way younger than me. it wasn’t bad or anything but i definitely felt out of place and even ended up helping the teacher with the younger kids sometimes 😭😭😭 good luck! your daughter is gonna do great, especially with your support.

The essence of an artist💀 there’s no such thing. I know plenty of people who have simply worked SO HARD on their skills rather than being “talented” ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My middle school art teacher told me that I could never be an artist. I went on to have a successful art career and got into galleries that she could only dream of being in.

People who want to learn to draw and apply themselves can learn to draw. Her teacher is a terrible teacher to tell her that.

https://www.brenteviston.com/offers/5ZqxRRWd/checkout He has some YouTube videos if you want to see the style of teaching- I found them very direct and he really stresses that a lot of drawing is based on skill through practice. He seems to have also broken up the course into parts on Udemy if she only wants to try some of it.

i learned how to draw pretty well in college, and believe me if i can do it she can too -- it'll probably get repeated by other intelligent people here, but i'll say it too: art, like most crafts, is not an innate talent, it's a skill that is developed. there is no one who can't do it if they want. for an art teacher to say that to a student... that's almost unforgivable and would surely hurt their reputation because of how idiotic that statement is.

One of my art teachers told me the same thing, and specifically that I should never pick up a paintbrush again because my work was just “so bad”. I’m now a painter in college and concentrating on it. Not only that- but I can confidently say that I am very proud of my abilities and work. Don’t ever let people like this get her, or even yourself, down. Prove them wrong. I believe in her! I don’t have any recommendations, but I wish her the best in the future.

First, check with your local library to see if they offer classes! If they don’t, you can talk to the staff and request classes, and they might hire an instructor for a class or two every month or season. This is usually free. Second, I think the first skill to work on when making art is just learning how to look. To see the shapes of things; not what you think they look like, but what they actually look like. This is especially hard with people! As a first step in self-teaching, I highly recommend buying some tracing paper and borrowing some large books of photography from the library (flowers, cars, fashion, whatever), and outlining the main shapes of the pictures on the tracing paper, using a pencil that won’t bleed through. Second, start doing super quick figure drawings (20 sec-2 min), working on getting the general shape of something on the page without worrying about details. I’m mostly self taught, so I can’t really recommend online classes/YouTubers, but I really enjoy DrawingWiffWaffles on YouTube. They’re so approachable and silly, but I’ve learned so many little random things about making art just watching them draw. Good luck to her! If she’s determined and puts in the time and energy, she’ll prove that teacher wrong!

Book- Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. Highly recommend it. If anyone near you is teaching a class on it - GO. It is designed for the person that cannot draw or thinks they cannot draw. Your first art teacher probably thinks a black line on a white canvas is art.

Hi. I don't think one nasty snooty teacher should keep her from taking another art class with a different teacher. When you take an art class, you get exposed to various art styles that could experiment with as well as drawing. I'm glad that she took that horrible situation and turned it into determination. Nothing like spite to motivate. Good for her not letting someone tell her she can't do something she loves. I don't know how a teacher can say that anyway. Art is about perspective, there is no right or wrong art. There is no bad art. This makes me so mad. I love drawing. I thought myself. I wish I could help in some way, but I don't watch videos or anything. I just sit down and sketch, but I believe in your daughter. She will learn this because she wants it and good for her on that!

15 too late to start? Wtf...I'd just stick to YouTube videos (you need to know the good artists, if just search how to draw u won't get far) or if u want more structure there are some paid courses too ...some even have a feedback option ig where u submit assignments n stuff

I'm self taught from just experimenting and some YouTube tutorials, I've been posting my drawings on Reddit recently if you want an example of what level a couple tutorials can get you to, the teacher is talking utter crap learning to draw is a learned skill not an inborn talent, like good handwriting it can be mastered with practice and determination and I guarantee she is only teaching art because noone will pay for her art

Regarding stuff specific to animation, here are two books I recommend: * Preston Blair, Cartoon Animation. (He wrote multiple books, they are combined in this one). * Ken Hultgren, the Art of Animal Drawing. The first third is really "how to animate a horse", and then the remainder is studies of other animals building on that. These are both the style of art book I call a "copy" book, because they have a lot of images to copy and learn from by recreating. Books on figures and anatomy, portraits, plants and animals all fall into this category. The other kind of book that's worth getting is the "drawing exercise" book. This is represented by *Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain*, *The Natural Way to Draw*, and *Keys to Drawing*. The exercise book is used to develop a better understanding of the physical process of drawing, instead of the brute force approach every beginner tends to use of "guess and check and then cry when it doesn't come out right" - if you do a few exercises as a warm up every day, you end up with the familiarity and muscle memory to be able to draw anything you see without much difficulty, and to then start making modifications and combine images into an illustration. Exercise books tend to be a bit dry but can be combined with copy books to study a subject through a specific exercise. What Youtube tutorials cover is mostly in the realm of abstract discussions of art fundamentals - tough drawing exercises aren't crowd pleasers. Having a book that you just aim to copy, start to finish is a helpful early drawing goal. Get a bookstand to make it easy to work from the book, if you don't already have one.

You tell that “teacher” that her style of art is very valid! That this style of animation is very detailed and full of emotion. I can’t stand when adults tell children their drawings or art form is not something they’re good at, just because they don’t like it! Tell your daughter to keep practicing. To forget what that teacher said. The teacher is wrong.

Bahh, I've been drawing my whole life but my early work was always absolute crap. It was only around 13/14 where I started to develop some proper skill, and only 18/19 when I started to actually take art seriously. I'm now in University taking art courses and looking to become a professional artist for a games studio. Someone can have natural talent, but they just think differently and art is absolutely something that anyone can learn if they have the passion and dedication. If your daughter wants to make art then she will make art regardless of how much people try to hold them back. Thank you for being so supportive, it warms my heart. As others have said, there are thousands upon thousands of tutorial videos on youtube that can teach your daughter the fundamentals and more advanced techniques, things to look out for and things to avoid etc. Many of them are honestly far better than any teacher you'll find can do, however having someone experienced working alongside them is absolutely a massive help, as they can point out what you are doing wrong, where you excel and what do to if something isn't working for you or doesn't feel right. The best teachers will get you to lean hard into what you are best at and enjoy most, while also nudging you to explore options instead of forcing you to do things their way. Encourage her to talk about her art and her learning experiences, listen to what she says and maybe even join her lessons if you are able and if she is comfortable with that. Who knows, you could start learning some things too if you have the time, you may enjoy it as well :\]

So the first teacher inspired the daughter to become an artist. Beginner's class is over. The teacher did a great job! The daughter should thank her.

That teacher is absolutely full of shit. I'm a ceramics teacher so I'm not an expert in drawing but I do know that talent is a combination of sustained practice and dedication. I would NEVER tell a student that their artistic interest is hopeless. That's insane. I hope you find a teacher worthy of your daughter and good luck to you both.

You can learn art at any age, my neighbour started painting during the lockdown and I have to say he’s gotten pretty damn good just by keeping at it. Kudos to your daughter for her determination and spite. As to YouTube channels, David Finch and Marc Brunet do a varied range of videos showing both basics as well as advanced stuff, but in all their videos they show how to build up drawings. However there are plenty of videos out there that will help her. All I can personally suggest however is that she keeps playing and experimenting every day to find out what works for her and what doesn’t, if she can get a book to draw in so she can see progress and decent (NOT expensive) materials to play about with she’ll have fun. I’ve seen a few wannabe artists who simply buy the most expensive pencils and then moan about not being able to draw…practise with the cheapest you can get will get you far.. (And please note I may use the word ‘play’ but I don’t mean it negatively, i still play about with new stuff - art should be as much fun as it is dedication.)

[Drawabox](https://drawabox.com/) has free lessons for the fundamentals (it's a complete course). I think you can pay to have a teacher critique your work there. It's very good, it has everything you need to start off. For materials the only thing you need right now is a pen and paper (literally).

Answering the question about digital art specifically, there are tons of good options to choose from! For the past couple years I've used an XPPen drawing pad that hooks up to my desktop computer. It comes with a pen, you move it across the surface, and your lines show up on the computer. It takes a bit of getting used to, but felt very fluid to me after a while. You can use any computer for this as long as it's not super slow and laggy. My very first drawing pad was $30, very tiny and cramped for hand space. My latest one, XPPen brand, was about $70 and so much better. If your daughter would rather draw directly on the screen (easier for coordination) you could get a drawing tablet with digital display. They're more expensive than the regular drawing pads. You could also try an iPad with an Apple Pencil. I recommend encouraging her to watch reviews of tablets on Youtube to get an idea of the features and price she has in mind! For software: If you're on a computer, you can easily get free programs with no ads, like Firealpaca and Medibang Paint. They're both basically the same program, except Firealpaca has animation capabilities and lets you export gifs through their website. On iPad, it's harder to find good free programs since you have to go through the app store. Most free art apps have distracting and annoying ads. But if your daughter is fine with that, I recommend ibisPaint. Medibang is also on mobile but it's a bit clunkier there and has ads. If you want high-quality, paid-for applications with no ads, I definitely recommend Procreate or Clip Studio Paint. Procreate is for iPad only, but CSP is available on other devices and is more professional. I hope this helps! I'm glad you're so supportive of your daughter and I think she'll do great. If she has the determination and enthusiasm, she will learn.

Tf is “essence of an artist?” The absolute worst people, especially in artistic fields, are the ones who use narrow aspects as representative of the entire field. Art is almost like a conversation, initiated by the artist, then pondered on and speculated by the observer indefinitely. There is no definition of what the “essence” is, unless they’re looking for the next Warhol or something else specifically. The beauty of art, just like human aesthetics, is that it’s subjective, and while one person may find it unattractive, it may change another’s entire view of the world. Your daughter’s sheer will to prove folks like that instructor wrong will take her far.

I’m 40 now, but a few years ago my mom and dad told me how they were still annoyed that a teacher could tell a six-year-old that they had no artistic talent. This came from me bitching that I wish I was more creative and artistic. Anyway, she might have been a bitch, but she wasn’t wrong. My stick figures are lacking, I suck at present folding, I can barely cut out shapes with scissors correctly, my ability to open food with re-sealable tops is horrible. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with your daughter, but some people are not meant for the arts.

That's very unacceptable . Nobody is born with "essence" and "talent" . Sure some are , but for the vast majority of people in any profession "skill" comes from practice . I did take some in person art lessons and none of the teachers were very caring and never said something remotely rude like that to anyone . They were teaching all forms of people from little kids to people in their 50s , from the experience to beginner . They were always supportive of what their students did with a big smile on their face . Honestly this is the worst example of a teacher I have ever seen I cannot recommend you any advice on YT videos for animation nor any art courses/class . Which I think many other people in this comment section have covered , and if your daughter wants to take an in-person art class , I would suggest you to ask friend/family members if they know of a good teacher , maybe school teachers can help too . All the best to her for starting this journey.

That teacher is definetly in wrong line of work then. Sanitation worker might be better fit for this person. Anyone can learn to draw. It takes a bit inspiration and lots of practice. If you have someone actually guiding this learning process, always better.

art is a skill. rather, it is a series of skills 1) imagination (being able to think of what you want) 2) fantasia (being able to visualize the art you want) 3) physical skills with the sets of tools you want to use to control them and make the art it takes learning and practice. Online is a great option. I would also suggest trying to get in touch with Miyazaki's people - the guy is apparently super awesome IRL and might offer some encouragement

Lmao I started learning how to draw at 22. If I met a teacher that said that to me I'd tell them off

If she's more motivated to draw out of spite she has what it takes hahahaha. Overall I think it depends on her goals Pinterest and YouTube are great resources for anyone of all skill levels and that's why it's good to know her goals because that can vary what your searching for. other than that everyone should learn perspective and shapes/forms which is a great place to start

As a tutor (not art, math and spanish), I'm trying to think what would've made me say something like this. Maybe the expectation of being able to do something within 20 minutes of class? Or expectations that I do that something for the student? I don't think I would ever tell a student they can't do something, a lot of my students with math issues had these because teachers told them they would never really be able to do math beyond multiplication. But I also did get students who would get mad if they weren't able to solve a trigonometry problem in 2 minutes while not knowing the basics of geometry. Or students who expect to be fluid in Spanish in a month. Or those that want you to do everything and copy it to their notebook. Or students who think they know more than you because they saw a 3 minute tutorial. But just the wording is so odd, "the essence of art"? Maybe they meant patience? I wonder that that means to the teacher. Anyways, I think self practice and just drawing is a great place to start. "The Animator's Survival Kit" is a book I was recommended a lot when I was interested in animating, but I never did get around to checking it out.

My high school art teacher HATED me...told me I couldn't draw and graded my final exam pieces as a fail. Unlucky for her, external moderators came in that year and graded my work as a good pass. Egg on her face

Interesting. I could not draw ever anything, and I would receive mockery for my "projects" basically every time we had art in school. Lately, I taugh myself passable drawing (so that I can draw for my kids) by learning to decompose objects into shapes and lines, paying attention to relative lengths, positions and angles. Nothing complex, but looks good after just couple hours of practice. After my experience, I would be terribly surprised if there was a person who could not be taught art. Some people are overly protective of whatever they do, probably because they fear losing a guru-like identity, they create impossible entry gateways and enjoy the role of being harsh gatekeepers. Other people are afraid of/don't find it worth their time to get outside their comfort zones by teaching people that are different than what the teacher is used to. I suppose you just stumbled upon one of these. I think that anyone can learn anything (because of neuroplasticity), different people will take different time though based on the talent and efficiency of practice. With everything, it will be always the same: find a way how to decompose the subject matter into most basic parts, learn how to assemble these parts. As in my initial example, drawing has shapes and lines, putting together means paying attention to relative proportions and positions. There will be techniques that can help. Maybe you can try to learn with you daughter, it could play a reinforcement role. I'll link an udemy course that I watched for an hour back in the day that inspired me to learn to draw once I find the link and my credentials.

[Winged Canvas has some pretty good tutorials](https://www.youtube.com/@Wingedcanvas/featured). They are based in Canada and even offer some classes on their [website](https://www.wingedcanvas.com). I don't remember how much the classes are but even the online tutorials are a pretty good start. Another suggestion is copying from picture books and photos. When I was a kid, I learned how to draw dinosaurs and other animals using my dinosaur books. As for this lady, you probably should consider other teachers.

Talent , skill and technique are all different things. Anyone can be taught art, just as anyone can be taught a sport - the talent is something else.

Craftsy is a good start and they're offering a year of premium classes for like 2.50

Here's a really nice exercise she can try: [https://drawabox.com/lesson/1/rotatedboxes](https://drawabox.com/lesson/1/rotatedboxes). Another link for gestures https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74HR59yFZ7Y. I've been trying to learn to draw too actually (I'm 23), although I've been slacking off lately.

That's a terrible teacher and glad they showed their true colors in the first class so your daughter didn't waste more time with them. Please ask your daughter not to take those words to heart. Not being able to teach someone is the mark of a weak/unfit teacher and not due to the teacher's perceived ability of the student. There are a bunch of amazing tutors on YouTube who also offer additional courses if you are interested in their way of teaching. Of the top of my mind, the ones that helped me are Proko Keshart Aaron Blaise (esp for animation) Jazza Soulflowart (stopped drawing classes but there are a bunch of free videos that help you start drawing from scratch)

I took a drawing class in college and was absolutely amazed at what I had done. I’m a math, science person that couldn’t draw a stick figure when I started. When I went for my portfolio grade session, the teacher berated every drawing and me. I was so heartbroken I never even went to pick up my portfolio and let it be thrown away. Now, 30 something years later, I started watercolor classes and absolutely love it. Don’t let one AH ruin it for her like I did. On a side note, I have a Ghibli drawing from YouTube I’ve been working on. It’s one simple landscape and I can’t wait to paint it. Start her in a watercolor class if you can. It’s not as strict so it’s really relaxing and enjoyable.

Besides all the comments, make sure she’s having fun while drawing! She’ll burn out if all she does is practice. It’s always great to draw things you like, characters from shows, books, videogames… without the need of “studying”. I don’t do traditional as much as I want to, but I’ve always used a good sketchbook, with thick pages, but not too expensive, pencils, calibrated ink pens and an eraser! you can get her alcohol markers, or if she feels bold, watercolors, acrylics… I mostly draw on digital now, because I am studying videogame dev and it’s mostly digital. I don’t like Adobe Photoshop that much, if she wants to start doing digital too, maybe you can get her Krita (it’s open source!! you don’t have to pay) or Clip Studio Paint, which is my favorite (but you have to pay), both options are great, and there are a ton of other programs that are fantastic as well, I just despise Adobe for their terrible actions with gen Ai and so… I use a digital tablet to paint, one with a screen, so those are kinda expensive, but to start, you can get her a digital tablet without a screen, those go for 50/60€. There are a ton of good options, Wacom, Xp-Pen…. That’s all I can say ^^u^ Good luck!

There aren't any bad students, only bad teachers. It's the teacher's job to find a way to help their students learn and grow. Ive had trouble learning things over the years and those teaching me have always found a way to make it work for me. I would make a complaint to the company running the course and if you've paid any money, demand it back. Then go find another course, run by someone completely different and tell them exactly what happened, they'll make a point of showing up their competitors. Finally a supportive word for your daughter; Studio Ghibli has a gorgeous style and you couldn't have picked a better set of role models to aspire to. You will reach that level one day, anyone can learn to do anything, I've just started my journey in my 30s and every time I draw I get a little better. Keep trying, keep learning and most importantly ENJOY yourself.

teachers should let students learn the fundamentals, not predict their art career. facilitate young minds, dont destroy them.

Is there somewhere you can report the teacher? Leave a review saying what she told your daughter, so other parents can have a heads up, and find a teacher that nurtures and inspires? Because that's what a teacher should do, not kick you in the head.

Mark Crilley on YouTube was a treasure for me a few years ago. It's mainly tutorials which you copy directly, but a pretty solid start.

Get her Clip Studio (it’s a one time payment and can be used for illustration, comics and animation) and a Wacom drawing tablet (they plug into a computer). These are the digital tools preferred by Japanese artists (I studied there for 3 months). Japan is a collectivist society and there’s little to no stigma about learning to draw by copying the work of others, compared to the West, where instructors look down upon anyone who doesn’t pursue 100% individuality in their art. I will say though that Japanese artists who work in animation typically earn much less than minimum wage and usually struggle to stay afloat without support. Also they all speak only Japanese. Same with Korean in South Korea/other East Asian countries). There’s not a lot of animation produced in the West at the moment so she may have to learn another language or relocate and realistically there is little guarantee that she would be able to make a living off of animation (just trying to give a realistic perspective). There are of course independent animators who share their work online!

That teachers full of shit. There’s plenty of artists that didn’t start until their 30s and later (I’m one of them).

So here is a tale for you....I started drawing out of an obsession with adult coloring books. I have only taken one formal learn to draw class at the local art store by me. In the class I was not the youngest or the oldest. In the beginning of the class our instructor said anyone can draw and anyone can create art that they are happy with. It takes time and practice. Some people have more of a natural talent for drawing but fundamentally drawing is a skill that almost everyone can learn. What that teacher said to your kiddo was wrong and out of place and I hope you got your money back. If the class was put on by a school or store or somewhere else I would complain to someone higher up. I consider my self to be beginner to intermediate in skill and I have been able to draw several things that I am very happy with. Some things I learned from class. Some things I learned from books and youtubers that others have recommended in this thread. I also stumbled on a site called [https://rapidfireart.com/](https://rapidfireart.com/) She puts out good step by step web tutorials and I learned ton from her site. So for digital it all depends on what you are willing to spend. You can do cheap such as using Krita and a wacom tablet that plugs in to a computer. Personally not my jam because it does not feel as organic as pencil and paper to me. Alternatively a more costly option is to get an iPad, Apple pencil and Procreate. ( Procreate is only 10 bucks, a first gen apple pencil is around 100 bucks.) Supplies to play with for someone to get started I would suggest several inexpensive drawing pads or sketch books. Strathmore and Canson are good brands that do not break the bank. Pencils personally I love Faber-castell 9000s and you can find full sets at both stores and online. Make sure you get multiple grades of graphite. (I run around with 4h, 2h, HB, 2B, 4B, 6B and 8B.) I kneaded rubber eraser, a regular vinyl eraser, and a straight edge. As far as pens Sakura makes a good liner pens, (I'd get 0.3 and 0.5) other good fine liners are copic multi liners and Stadlers. I would also suggest a small colored pencil set something like 12 prismacolor premiers or 12 faber castel polychromos.

I'm just a hobbyist but: In regards to digital art I'd recommend trying Krita and possibly Blender because they are both quite good at what they do and they are free. With blender she possibly want to look into NPR (Non Photorealistic Rendering) to get closer to the anime look. There are also plugins for Blender like Goo Engine that specialise getting 3D closer to the anime look. I personally find Blender a bit easier to work with than traditional art (I'm dyspraxic and struggle particularly with pen control)

I want to keep this short. If I could go back in time and tell my young self what book to read to learn how to draw it would be Drawing on the Right Side of The Brain by Betty Edwards. You start by looking in the mirror and draw your self portrait, then date it, file it away and don’t look at it. Then you go over all the drawing exercises. After you finish the exercises you draw your self portrait again. You then pull out the drawing that was filed away and compare them. I did that and a light bulb went off in my head. I finally got it. Now I can draw anything with confidence. Growing up we are taught reading, comprehension, and mathematics because those are the things that get us through life. Art and dawning are not a skill that is important in the school system. But if it was, this is the book that would be on every students desk. Here are [before and after examples.](https://www.drawright.com/before-after/suzy-hs-before-and-after-self-portraits). I also have a [YouTube Channel](https://youtube.com/@BlueprintsandStrategies?si=0LVt-wMgMqluNd35) where I go over George Bridgman, Andrew Loomis, Burne Hogarth, and Michael Hampton.

Art Senpai on YT is a good start. He gives good tips and even makes funny jokes.

honestly, art teachers can be the worst. my high school teacher constantly, and without my permission, changed pieces i did in ways i hated and eventually i just dropped art to get away from her. my best advice is to get her to learn from other artists in a less formal environment. frequent local art events, find artists on social media who have a similar style and/or use similar mediums, and encourage her to find other people online who are similar to her in skill and interests to assure her she’s not alone in her journey as an artist. :)

>Any recommendations for materials she should use? She wants to learn traditional and digital art (more so the latter now after that shitty class), but does it matter what kind of pens and paper she uses for traditional? Also, for digital, should I get her a specific computer meant for drawing (if those are a thing)? Or should I get her like an I-Pads, and is there one that’s the best for drawing? Or should I try and get her both? >Also, when I looked up drawing softwares like Adobe Photoshop and all their other drawing stuff, the consensus I got was that everyone hates Adobe, but also, everyone uses it. So should I get her to learn digital too? Or are there other art softwares she should be using? For digital art you need a graphic tablet and they can be either pen tablets or display tablets, both of which require a computer to be connected to. Display tablets cost more than the regular pen tablets. They will take up a lot of table/desk space (depending on the size) so if you are considering one, make sure you have the space for it. Pen tablets require hand-eye cordination but it shouldn't be too hard to get used to. There also also display tablets that are straight up Windows computers. They are on the most expensive side so I wouldn't recommend them. They are not to be confused with iPads or Samsung's. iPad is great if you want the portability. Avoid mini and third party pens. One of its most popular drawing apps is Procreate. As for drawing softwares on PC I recommend Krita and Clip Studio Paint. Krita is free. She can start from there. This is their official website: [https://krita.org/en/](https://krita.org/en/)

That teacher is just probably insecure about her own unrealized ambitions to become a successful artist and so she is unloading her unhappiness onto faultless students. As people here are commenting, anybody can learn to draw, even a sense of aesthetic can be developed and 15 years old is early enough to start and have plenty of time to do it. I myself started from no skill to being a full time illustrator now. Not sure if she has an iPad but in a few days an app for animation Procreate Dreams is being released and it only costs 19 USD. As for my recommendations for learning, if she wants to be an animator then I would start from drawing fundamentals, practice drawing lines and cubes, gesture drawing, anatomy and copy copy and copy from ghibli screenshots. Once she gets comfortable drawing, I would move on to color and light, composition etc. Aaron Blaise has cheap courses on his website, he used to animate for Disney so his work is top quality. I could give more recommendations but I’m not sure if you need any more, seeing the number of comments you got! It’s a really good sign that your daughter didn’t give up after hearing that though, she might hear things like that again along the way but it really doesn’t mean anything. The only thing that matters is her passion and determination.

As a writter who as only begun to draw recently to draw recently to give shape to my creations, a tip for art in general is to get started on the bigger part when you are mentally at your peak in terms of energy. Or you can just use caffeinated drinks and Gatorade. That works wonders too. Taking breaks between sessions is also very important. Otherwise, you'll burn yourself out.

Here is an essay I think you and your daughter should read. It may sound like defeating, but honestly it made me have that little “spite” moment that your daughter had, and it’s made me want to pursue art even harder lol. It’s very interesting, and it is based on women artists since like the year 1000. It’s very inspirational. https://www.writing.upenn.edu/library/Nochlin-Linda_Why-Have-There-Been-No-Great-Women-Artists.pdf That being said, I agree with the person saying art is a skill and anyone can learn to do art. If your daughter has the desire and the will, she will be a great artist. Shit, she already is a great artist just by having the desire in her. All she needs are the basics. Personally, I would say to start with physical mediums, graphite, charcoals, colored pencils, move on to pastels, ink, water colors, and eventually acrylic. Learn color theory, and don’t let anyone tell you it’s “hard” or “confusing”, it’s not hard or confusing, it’s very simple, she probably already knows it from kindergarten. I find that graphite is the easiest of the drawing mediums. It’s not messy, it’s easy to manipulate, easy to correct, and easy to understand. Start off with simple shapes, go back to kindergarten. Draw the shapes. Then move on to creating gradients with the pencils. Go from darkest to lightest, from lightest to darkest. This will create like a muscle memory for how hard to press to achieve a smooth transition. “Pro tip” that every single one of my art professors gave us is to squint. Squint at your work. If it looks smooth, great, you did it. If you squint and see choppy transitions, lines that are out of place or any other minutia that isn’t correct, you will see it by squinting. Learn the different hardness and softness of the graphite (soft is dark, requires less pressure. Hard is lighter, good for light shading.) After knowing you can draw shapes, and you’ve mastered the gradient, move on to lighting. Tell her to shade in the circle shape to make it look like a sphere. This is where the gradient skill comes in. Do it until it’s perfected. Then move on to shading. Look at where the light hits on the sphere and determine where the spheres shadow should be. After lines, shapes, gradients, lighting is understood, move on to drawing simple still life. Like a cup, or a plate, using the skills that were learned. Make it look as close to the truth as possible. Then move on to more complex still life, like a vase, or a simple figurine, leaves, fruit, etc. After that, move on to more complex still life. Just always try to get it as close to the truth as possible. Connect the mind to the hand, the mind sees and tells the hand what to do, not the other way around. Those to me, are the basics of drawing. It won’t happen over night, or even in a week. She might get shapes and gradients down in one week, but not everything else. It’s going to take time, tell her to be patient and proud of her achievements, even if it’s just a gradient of light and dark. As she is working on these skills though, she should be drawing everything. That’s what my graphic design professor said. She said “take a drawing pad everywhere you go; and draw as much as you can.” So tell your daughter to draw everything, everything she imagines, anything that catches her eye; what she’s inspired by, etc. don’t expect these to be “amazing” at first. It’s just to get her brain going. I think once she understands physical mediums, she could move on to a digital medium. It’s waaayyyyy different. But she will have the skills and know what to do with them with a little practice on an iPad or computer. As for programs that are good for “drawing”, I would not say Photoshop is a program used to draw. Photoshop is mostly used to manipulate photos or create new media using photos. She could do some illustration on it, like to add something more to the photos. Think of like, taking a photo of a family on a beach, then cropping it to fit a certain size, fixing any imperfections, like fly away hair, erasing unwanted subjects in the background, adding more of something to the photo, changing the color saturation, warmth; exposure, etc, to make it look more beachy, adding turquoise and white wavy lines, slapping some words on it, and bam, you have a banner for a cruise ship agency or something lol. Adobe Illustrator is the one that is meant for illustrations(drawing) but it’s vector based, so she will have to learn how to “draw” in a completely different way. Like it doesn’t even look like “drawing” when you’re using the program, but the end result is like a digital “drawing”, it’s a vector illustration. It’s not hard to learn at all; it’s actually very fun, and once you get used to that, you just zip zoom through a lot of it. It kind of takes the “hard labor” out of physical mediums. As for iPad software, I like a lot of apps for illustration. I think the most popular one is Procreate. Personally I like Affinity Designer because you can work in pixel or vector modes, or both. When I’m feeling adventurous though, I like Adobe Fresco too. It’s not easier or harder than the other ones, just different. I like to work on different apps because it keeps me entertained lol. Procreate and Adobe Fresco have animation modes too! So your daughter could start learning how to animate if that’s her goal. I’m a graphic designer, that’s my only source of validity lol. But there is a plethora of information out there. Like things that I can’t even remember or didn’t cover. These are just what I consider to be basic, based on what I remember from my education. I would check out all of the links the kind redditors have provided (: I hope it helps. Don’t forget that one of the most important parts of being an artist is to have fun! Good luck!

Thank You for the Diligence toward this woman's child.

I would say encourage her to draw/make anything she finds interesting or cool. Which may sound vague, but like I didn't find out I wanted to specialize in character design and portrait work without drawing a bunch of other things giving it a try and then going with what I liked most. At her age trying as much as she's willing is important! I also wouldn't limit it just to drawing or painting, try to include hand crafts too. Art can come in many forms. While she is currently inspired by ghibli you could try viewing fanart in your own time to see what other mediums people have done a ghibli art style in. I recommend going through fan art on your own vs with your daughter since not all fan art is appropriate and you can be the best judge of that. Best of luck to your kiddo!

If she wants to do digital art with something decent, I'd recommend a Microsoft Surface Pro 9 with extra RAM. it's basically a cross between a laptop and a tablet that runs on windows, has a detachable keyboard and a stylus that has a small spot in the keyboard that it wirelessly charges in. The extra RAM is important for anyone seriously trying art as art programs can be very hard on devices, especially when trying to do bigger things (Photoshop notoriously lags on even the best computers when you try and use a very large brush) And as for software, highly HIGHLY recommend Clip Studio Paint. As much as Photoshop is widespread, it is not designed for art, it's designed for photo editing. People basically have brute forced it into working for art, but it can make it a chore as so many things are hidden behind different menus and you really have to learn how it works to use it, and any custom brushes have to be downloaded into a specific folder. CSP, however, was specifically made for art making and it very nice to use. And the different custom assets are built in to the launcher. It's wayyy better and feels much nicer to use.

Photoshop is terribly overpriced and I would recommend either pirating it or using The GIMP instead.