I still remember the first time I drew something and felt proud—an awkward smiley face with two uneven eyes and stick arms, drawn on the back of my math notebook during primary school. That sketch had no proportions, no shading, and definitely no artistic rules. But it sparked something. That’s the magic of drawing art—it starts from anywhere and grows into something deeply personal.
Drawing art is more than just lines on paper; it’s a form of expression, a way to communicate ideas, emotions, and stories. Whether you’re sketching with a pencil, pen, or exploring 3D drawing art, the world of drawing is vast, inviting, and full of surprises. Let’s dive into this colorful journey together.

What is Drawing Art?

At its core, drawing art is the practice of creating images by making marks on a surface—typically paper. It’s one of the oldest forms of human expression, dating back to prehistoric cave paintings. Drawing can be both a standalone art form and the foundation of every other visual art form.

In Nigeria, drawing often starts with whatever we can find: biro pens on A4 paper, chalk on concrete, or even charcoal straight from the kitchen. It’s proof that the tools don’t matter—your voice does.

The History Behind Drawing

Drawing is ancient—like, “before writing was a thing” ancient. Humans were already sketching animals and hunting scenes on cave walls in places like Lascaux, France, over 17,000 years ago! They used charcoal, ochre, and anything they could find to tell their stories—no phones, no pens, just pure instinct and expression.

Across the world, different cultures used drawing in amazing ways. Egyptians filled tomb walls with line drawings of their gods and rulers. In China, calligraphy wasn’t just writing—it was a whole visual art form. Basically, before emojis and memes, drawing was how humans made sense of life.

A Small Drawing, Big Impact

Here’s a sweet one: Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein once drew Mickey Mouse for his son, who thought he “couldn’t draw.” That sketch sparked a painting called Look Mickey, which ended up being the piece that launched his career. One drawing—boom, history changed. Proof that small sketches can spark big moves.

When Paper Entered the Chat

Back then, artists had to draw on whatever they could find—walls, skin, parchment. But once paper was invented around the 1300s, drawing exploded. Legends like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo used sketching to think, plan, and explore—whether it was muscles, machines, or architecture.

During the Renaissance, drawing wasn’t just for pretty pictures—it was science, exploration, and magic, all in one. Think of it as the original “note-taking app” for genius ideas.

Art School and the Rulebook

Fast forward to the 1500s—art academies started popping up, teaching people how to draw “the right way.” Students studied Greek statues, practiced proportion, and followed serious rules. This brought skill and structure but also made some artists rebel later on. That’s how we got bold, expressive styles from people like the Impressionists.

Drawing Today: Anything Goes

Now? Drawing is wild and free. From simple doodles in your notebook to jaw-dropping hyperrealistic portraits or even slick digital illustrations—everything counts. What matters most isn’t the tool or the result, but the act of drawing itself. Making marks. Telling your truth. Having fun.

Types of Drawing

Main Types of Drawing

Drawing isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s a buffet, and everyone’s plate looks different. Here are some of the main types of drawing—and real-life reasons why you might fall in love with one over the other:

  1. Line Drawing Art – This is where most artists begin. Think of it like building a house—you start with the framework. Line drawings use clean, intentional strokes to outline shapes and forms. I remember sketching my brother’s face with nothing but straight and curved lines in secondary school, and somehow, it looked just like him. No shading, no drama—just lines that spoke volumes.
  2. Contour Drawing – This one feels like a game. You look at your subject and draw it without peeking at your paper. Try it once and prepare to laugh at the result. But it works wonders for training your brain and hand to sync up. It’s how I once discovered my fingers had minds of their own.
  3. Gesture Drawing – Imagine you’re trying to draw someone dancing, but in 30 seconds. That’s gesture drawing—quick, expressive, full of movement. It’s used a lot in life drawing classes and is perfect for warming up or studying poses. Think of it as the “skeleton dance” of drawing.
  4. Doodle Drawing Art – Ah, the most Nigerian of them all. Who didn’t scribble in the margins of exercise books? Doodles are playful, random, and oddly therapeutic. I used to fill the back of my JSS2 Chemistry notes with swirls, faces, and imaginary animals. Nobody taught me—it just flowed.
  5. 3D Drawing Art – This type is for those who want to make jaws drop. 3D drawings play with illusion, turning flat pages into something that pops. Ever seen those viral drawings that look like they’re jumping out of the paper? That’s the magic here. It takes practice and patience but boy, the results are crazy satisfying.
  6. Pen Drawing Art – Bold. Confident. Unforgiving. Pen drawing forces you to commit—no erasing, no second chances. A biro is a common tool here, and yes, many Nigerian artists started by turning blue ink into beauty. Remember those classmates who could turn an entire jotter into art? That’s pen mastery in action.
  7. Drawing Art Pencil – The king of versatility. Pencil gives you control, from soft shadows to sharp details. Whether it’s hyperrealistic portraits or dreamy landscapes, the humble pencil is a powerhouse. In fact, many gallery-worthy works in Nigeria today were born from HB pencils and a sharpener borrowed from a neighbor.

There are more styles, sure—like digital drawing or mixed media—but these seven are a solid starting point. Each one has its own rhythm, its own personality. Find what resonates with you.

And hey, don’t be surprised if your journey starts with doodles and ends with 3D masterpieces. That’s how it goes sometimes. From biro to brilliance.

rules of drawing

Rules of Drawing (Yes, There Are Some)

While art is free-spirited and rule-breaking by nature, certain guiding principles can turn your sketches from “E be like say this one dey learn” to “Omo, who drew this masterpiece?!”

  1. Observation – Before you draw, you must see. I once spent 20 minutes just looking at a cup before sketching it. Sounds dramatic, right? But I started noticing the way the light curved around the rim, how the shadow leaned like someone tired after work. That’s the power of really observing. Artists like Leonardo da Vinci believed drawing is 70% observation, 30% execution. So next time you want to draw your friend’s face, study it like NEPA’s bringing light for the first time in two weeks—attentively.

  2. Proportion – Imagine drawing a person and the head looks like a coconut on a toothpick. Proportion is what prevents that. It’s the art of making sure everything relates properly—heads to bodies, arms to legs, even eyes to nose. A trick I learned early: compare everything to the head. If the body is 8 heads tall, you’re on the right track.

  3. Perspective – This one separates flat drawings from ones that pop. Think of standing on a street in Lagos and seeing how the danfos get smaller as they drive farther. That’s perspective in real life. It teaches you how distance affects size and position. When you master one-point and two-point perspective, you can draw cities, rooms, or even a buka scene that feels alive.

  4. Shading – The real sauce. Shading turns a flat circle into a round ball. I used to think shading was just pressing my pencil harder—until I learned it’s about understanding light. Where the light hits is your highlight. Where it hides is your shadow. A simple ball with proper shading can make people go “Wow, you drew that?”

  5. Composition – This is the layout manager of your drawing. It’s how you arrange your elements so your viewer’s eyes don’t just land and leave. Think of it like cooking jollof rice—you need balance. Too much pepper (focus on one part), and people won’t taste the stew (other parts of your art). Use the rule of thirds, framing, and spacing to guide the viewer’s attention.

Pro tip: Learn the rules, then break them. That’s where your style lives. Picasso could draw perfect realism before he decided to go wild with Cubism. The rules are your training wheels. After that—go skrrrrr.

nigerian artisit drawing

Which Type of Drawing is Best?

Depends on what you’re chasing:

  • New to this? Try simple drawings and drawing easy art projects.

     

  • Like freedom? Doodle drawing art is your go-to. There are no restrictions here.

     

  • Want that wow effect? 3D drawing art or drawing art pencil is for realism lovers.

     

  • Need clean, sharp results? You’ll enjoy pen drawing art.

     

Start with what feels fun. The rest will follow. You get.

How to Find Your Art Style

Finding your drawing style is like finding your fashion sense—it’s trial and error, mixed with self-discovery. I’m telling you from experience, even till now i can’t say i have a fully determined art style, but there’s been progress. So here are the things i would advice you:

  1. Experiment – Don’t just stick to pencil. Try charcoal, pen, ink, digital—you name it.

     

  2. Study Others – Look at artists you love. What do you like about their work? Steal like an artist.

     

  3. Practice Often – Style only emerges through repetition. Your lines will begin to speak your language.

     

  4. Reflect – Review your work after a few months. You’ll notice patterns.

     

  5. Be Patient – Art style isn’t a one-day thing. Let it evolve naturally.

     

Try this: Draw the same object in three different styles—realistic, cartoonish, and abstract. You’ll quickly see what resonates.

See how to learn charcoal drawing as a beginner>>

How Can I Draw Quickly?

Speed comes from confidence and practice—not rushing.

  • Warm-Up Sketches – Start with 2-minute scribbles to loosen your wrist.

     

  • Set Timers – Give yourself 5–10 minutes per sketch. Helps kill perfectionism.

     

  • Simplify the Subject – Focus on shapes and essence, not tiny details.

     

  • Use Reference Photos – A visual guide will save time and reduce guesswork.

     

Sometimes the best sketches are the fast, messy ones. Trust your instincts.

How to Draw a Human Figure (Without Fear)

Drawing people seems scary—but it’s just basic calculation (no fears) with a sprinkle of vibes and art. Let me break it down like gist:

When I first tried to draw a full human figure, the person looked like an angry broomstick. No neck, one leg longer than the other, and the arms were giving “Jollof spoon” that was years ago. But that’s where we all start. The fear of messing up is real, but the trick is to embrace the mess.

Here’s how to tackle it, step by step:

  1. Use Simple Shapes – Think of the body like a building: start with a solid structure. A circle for the head, rectangles for the torso and limbs. If you can draw a stickman, you already have the foundation. No shame in starting there. Even Michelangelo didn’t begin with six-packs and glowing muscles (ok, i’m not sure about that but i know he started somewhere basic, we all do).

     

  2. Follow Proportions – Proportion is the relative distance or size of a part in comparison with another part. A grown adult is roughly 7 to 8 heads tall. That means if you stack the head seven times, it should reach the toes. For kids, think 5–6 heads. It sounds technical, but once you try it a few times, your eyes will start to measure proportions naturally—like how Nigerian tailors eyeball body measurements with scary accuracy (those who sabi work o).

     

  3. Learn Anatomy – No, you don’t need to know all 206 bones in the body. But understanding where the joints bend, how the torso twists, and how weight is distributed makes your figures feel alive. If you’ve ever watched a danfo driver jump out of a moving bus, you’ve seen anatomy in motion!

     

  4. Practice Gesture Drawing – Instead of stiff poses, focus on movement. Set a timer for 30 seconds and draw the energy, not the details. Imagine you’re trying to capture someone dancing at a wedding—fast, loose, full of vibes. That’s gesture drawing.

     

  5. Add Details Slowly – Once the pose and proportions are in place, then you can go into facial features, hairstyles, agbada folds, sneakers, wrinkles—whatever makes your figure come to life.

     

Bonus Tip: People-watching is a free art class. Sit at a park, bus stop, or buka and sketch folks walking, sitting, selling gala. Lagos traffic alone is a human anatomy masterclass. You’ll see slouched backs, confident struts, market aunties balancing coolers on their heads, and conductors mid-air yelling “Ojuelegba wole pelu change!” (apologies if you don’t understand yoruba)

Conclusion

Drawing art is a journey. From messy childhood doodles to detailed portraits, every stroke is a step toward mastering your voice as an artist. Don’t be afraid of bad drawings—they’re proof you’re trying.

Whether you want to impress your friends, express deep emotions, or just unwind after work, drawing is always there for you.

And if you ever doubt your progress, just compare today’s sketch with what you did six months ago. You’ll see it. The growth. The magic.

Keep drawing, keep learning—and most importantly, keep enjoying it.

Want more? I share drawing tips, process videos, and behind-the-scenes art on ZiriusArt.com.ng. Come along—it’s more fun when we draw together.