You may not know this, but drawing or painting from life is a completely different skill set than working from a photograph.
Think about it for a minute.
When you work from photo reference, you are observing another two-dimensional image.
When you work from life, you have to translate a three-dimensional object onto your paper or canvas, which is two-dimensional.
For this reason, I think it’s harder to do.
Thankfully, we can practice to improve.
Today I share 3 tips you can use to improve your life drawing skills:
What is something you haven’t considered before? Or, do you have some additional advice for those newer to life drawing? Subscribe to Artist Strong then tell me more in the comments below!
Hi Carrie
This video was very informative.
I’m so pleased to hear it Val <3 Thanks for being here.
Did I miss something? I only saw one tip (a good one) and that was about not moving your head but moving your eyes. Were the other two embedded in that segment (like positioning the body)?
I particularly like your comment that sometimes it is not the act of drawing but the observation of the setting/image. My regular countour drawing practices hasn’t improved the actual drawing but it has done wonders for slowing down and being observant.
Hi Karen! (1) move head not eyes, (2) note how you are physically arranged in space to help you return to work – consider using something like tape, (3) spend time studying and observing without trying to draw. Thanks Karen for sharing and I hope this clarifies it for you!
I have been so inspired by your commitment to your contours. And YES – that is the practice! Doing work like that can and will inform future art we create. Our eyes become more and more aware of details. As always, thanks for watching and for being here part of Artist Strong <3 <3