I'd like to learn to draw from scratch but I have no idea where to start. I'm 34 and I'd love to be able to make at least decent sketches in my free time. What are the right materials to buy at the beginning without spending a fortune?
start with a simple sketchbook (even a cheap one works fine), an hb or 2b pencil and an eraser, that's all you need. then watch tutorials on youtube and draw a lot - no point spending money on fancy stuff if you don't know what you actually need yet. at 34 you've got plenty of time to learn, consistency matters more than materials - draw at least a little bit every day and you'll see you improve quite a bit after a month. once you've got the basics down maybe add some colored pencils or fine-tip pens, but those are things for later.
What nobody tells you is that for the first few months you really just need paper and pencil, true, but what actually makes the difference is drawing *every single day* even if it's just 15-20 minutes instead of doing long sporadic sessions. I've seen so many people give up because they were expecting to improve fast, but the trick is constant repetition. Get a cheap sketchbook, watch some basic tutorials on strokes and facial proportions (or whatever interests you) and draw every day. After a couple of months you'll already see huge differences and only then do you actually understand what you want to buy next, like better pencils or specific paper.
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