So in art school, or any good drawing class you take, they will start out with the basics. That is where I plan to start. It is called blind contour drawing.
Basically you take an assortment of objects, put them on a table, and draw the contours (or outlines) of them without looking at the paper. Also, don't lift your pencil as you are drawing. Seems easy enough. But like all simple things the devil is in the details.
While you are drawing these items it is important to match the speed of your eye tracing the lines, to the speed of your pencil or pen. This is kind of difficult in the beginning because you will catch yourself getting ahead with one, while you play catch up with the other.
This exercise is to teach you to see your subject (whatever you are drawing). It is also used to match up your hand eye coordination, which can only make your drawings better. Don't just view this as an exercise though. Look at your blind contour drawings, as long as you took your time and did your best, they will have a unique beauty.
Speaking of time and effort. Don't try to rush your drawings. Good drawing classes will be between 2-4 hours long, with a few breaks. This is because you kind of enter the "zone" after the first hour or so.
Some people find that listening to music helps them to draw better. I am not in the habit of listening to music as I am drawing, unless I am trying to tune something out. Most people, when they enter the "zone" kind of automatically tune out their surroundings. Focusing completely on their work.
This stuff takes work and time. Expect to make mistakes, but don't get angry. It happens, and sometimes you may begin to like that mistake in a drawing after a bit. Drawing is supposed to be fun and art. If you want a perfect drawing of something, then take a photograph. If you want something personal and fulfilling then pick up a pencil, and get to work.
