Getting back into drawing when you think you can't

"I can't draw." We hear it all the time, and it's almost always wrong. Drawing isn't a gift handed to the lucky few, it's a skill, one you can learn and build at any age. If you gave up back in school and decided it just wasn't for you, this one's for you. Here's how to get back into it gently, without judging yourself.

Do you need a "gift" to draw?

No. What looks like talent is mostly practice and a way of looking at things. People who draw well have simply observed a lot and tried a lot. The good news is that it can be learned: seeing proportions, shadows, outlines, all of it is a skill you build like any other. The block almost always comes from worrying what people will think, not from a lack of ability.

Where to start as a beginner?

Start with exercises in looking rather than trying to "make something pretty". Drawing from real life, even clumsily, teaches you more than copying a nice picture. Do quick sketches, no eraser, to loosen up your hand. Accept the failed ones, they're part of learning. And above all, draw regularly, even ten minutes at a time, rather than three hours once a year.

What materials do you need to get going?

Almost nothing. A pencil, paper, maybe some charcoal or a pastel to mix things up. No need to invest in an expensive kit to start. It's actually better to keep it simple: less material, less pressure. With us, everything's provided, you show up with empty hands.

Where to take a drawing class in Paris?

If you'd rather be guided than face a blank page alone, come to a drawing workshop in Montmartre. At Artichaut, we teach you to really look, pencil, charcoal or pastel in hand, in a relaxed setting where nobody judges anybody. Two hours, materials provided, all levels. And promise, we go further than stick figures.

• Drawing is a skill, not a "gift"
• Start by looking, not by "making it pretty"
• Workshop in Montmartre, €22 all included, materials provided