How on Earth does one go about learning to draw it well? Anime is easy for me, because I've drawn that way for years...
I need a bit of a change once in a while.
But most of the people here who draw realism just amaze me, and I've looking for advice on drawing it.

I cAn draw realism on paper, But the computer, is much harder for me to draw realism on.
you Must study real pics, and draw from referances.

Actually, I find it easier on the computer to do realism(but that could just be me).I think the reason behind that is that the contrast is easier to smooth out, especially in the skin tones.Looking at a pencil however, you have a point to work with, and it can make heavy marks in places from time to time.Not to mention how you can smudge your picture if you aren't careful either.Smudging isn't the only problem from sliding your hand across the paper while you're drawing though.It also picks up the graphite you worked hard in building up to make something look dark and you have to come back and rework it.Of course, if you're careful, you don't have these problems, but even that can take some effort.

Is there some kind of substance that they spray on the drawing so that graphite or coal does not fall off the finished drawing? I think I heard of that sometime ago... <:/
|XOD|

mafuyu: draw realism for years :P go mad : http://www.cellosoft.com/2draw/view/13717/

xod: there is but i forget the name of it. my art teacher used to use it on all the pastel/charcoal stuff we did so we could cover it to take it home in a storm one night without smudging everything up.

yes there is a spray for that Xod... it's not totally effective though.... I dunno what to say about this realism thing, I decided to get into it when I joined 2draw... had always wanted to try it... just gotta draw every little detail that you can see....it takes alot of time and patience

Cheap Hair spray is the best thing to use to seal a finished pic.

Xod-Yeah, I use it in my 2D Design class.It's called a fixative spray(dunno how that's spelled though).But I wasn't talking about smudging the picture after it's completed, but while you're working on it.You know, cause the side of your fist can sometimes rub against the paper smearing the graphite around.

I only smudg stuff when I use charco. And once you get good with a pencil, you don't make those mistakes. Iam more of a pen user, I never really liked to erase.

It's not exactly a mistake, but just kinda happens sometimes when you really get into the details on a drawing and you start to move your hand around the paper.I'm sure people know of ways to minimize that, but I still have yet to figure that out.

Well, I think when I started to get better with my realism in objects and stuff, I began to notice every color change in my references. It's all about detail. You draw what you see. Aubrey once told me a long time ago... work on little parts at a time (getting every detail down) then branch out. And like everyone else has said.... It takes practice. Don't expect to just get it overnight. You gotta work at it. Little by little, you'll notice that every drawing you do gets better. :-) I know when I first came to 2Draw, Cindy, Staci, and Gig's work just amazed and inspired me. All I wanted to do was try to improve so that I could be able to draw realistic pictures like they do. Draw, draw, draw and draw some more. You'll get better.

References are another great source obviously. Studying them carfully before you even draw really helps to get a feel for how the object is placed and such. You have to look at the picture in a two dementional world, observing color changes and how the effect the object that you are drawing. the colors are the things that give your picture depth, detail and so on. Observing these and getting them right is very important, and starting off with a base color and working off of that seems to help too :). Hope that helps, there are probably things I have forgotten, but you will improve and figure out what works best for you the more you draw

Get a big sketch pad and get someone to sit still and look at you for a long time so you can draw their face. You can study realism anytime nd anywhere ,but people might think your perverted if you stare at them too long. It just takes practice.

Yes, that is the name, something ending with -xative, my mind was a bit confused with the words fi-xative and la-xative, but now I know allright. <:)
|XOD|

laxative hehehe

Yes, there are several different types of fixative sprays for sketches.... hairspray might yellow your paper, though. All of the above is excellent advice. Realism is best achieved by studying your subject first, you must see things as they really exist before you can depict them that way. If something strikes you as being off, look at the subject and back at your work until you pinpoint exactly where you strayed from reality. It is better to look twice and paint once... I can't remember who said that, but it's true. (Perspective and accurate depiction of lighting is crucial, too)

Gig, about the smudging thing. I will never forget the time when a friend of mine came over, *( high school days) and we both did art, I started working on a picture and it was coming out real good, I got and made kool-ade to drink ( YaY! KOOL-ADE! ) Then went back to work on my pic, and after a few minutes I noticed this red smear on the paper, right in the middle of the pic. IT WAS KOOLAID DUST,I tried to wipe it and it smeared more. The pic was ruined and to this day , my friend still busts on me about that. :}