Any advice for getting started drawing?
Started as in, absolutely no background?
There are a few interesting choices i'd say:
-if your pulse is not good yet: go for copying stuff. That way you're learning a way to acquire understanding of what you're seeing. You won't magically learn whatever you're seeing, but you'll be training your coordination between your eyes and your output, and you'll be getting the hang of using your hand as an artistic tool.
-if your coloring isn't good, don't fret. Make sure you first try to master lighting in grayscale (pencil could work). Color is probably the hardest part of drawing when it comes to a realistic approach. If you want to take that approach, i'd probably go digital since you can experiment a lot more without worrying.
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I can tell you that observation plays a big part. When I was in primary school, I remember how my mom showed me some stuff she used to copy. These were professional drawings that my mom enjoyed copying (she never pursued that, but she was skilled at doing that specific branch of pencil drawing. So I started doing the same. I copied the drawing she copied a few times. One day, in arts subject (I think it was 4th or 5th grade), I did the same drawing without reference, just from the mind. Teacher thought I traced it lmao. Bottom line is: if you acquire a way to project that reality or imaginative creativity in your mind, you will surely get better results.
But the best start, imo, is to look at either professionals that do a style you'd like to learn or simply reality itself (through photos or still life) and get going, over and over and over.
If you make a cube and it isn't perfect, there's no need for do-overs, you can practice shading. Eventually all the pieces will fall into place.
Also, I heavily encourage not trying to get "outlines" of things you draw, but rather softly composing by sketching and softly shading. Eventually you'll build up the darker tones by repetition.
