Hello everyone,

My name is John. I have absolutely no experience with serious drawing, but I recently got interested in it for making concept art. I'm an writer/animator, and I wanted to start drawing out some of my character ideas so I can have a visual model for animation, for use in story boards, and to give me a general idea of what they'll look like.

My main thing is that I simply don't know where to begin. Though I'm not pursuing artistic drawing as an "end-all/be-all" career choice, I would like to learn how to draw the right way, and become the best artist I can be. If any of you could point me in a general direction or give me a starting point, I would very much appreciate that.

Also, if you know any good books on the subject that you could recommend to me, I would also be very grateful for that as well.

Thank you for your time and help.

-John M.

Your choice of ink-drawing pen will depend upon your style of drawing and personal taste. Marker pens with lightfast ink are available in various diameter nibs, as well as brush-style tips. If you use a fountain pen or drafting pen, choose ink made for those pens, as they clog with indian ink. Some artists even use the common Bic biro, though you need to scan these drawings for a permanent record, as the ink is not permanent. My favorite is the old-fashioned split-nib dip pen and Indian ink. The 'buy direct' links are affiliate links to Blick Art Materials.