Learn To Draw

Tips to Instantly Improve Your Figure Drawings

Drawing the human form is no easy task. In fact, it's probably the toughest task an artists can try and master. Why? Because every person is different and each stroke of the pencil represents the model and the observation of the artist and their interpretation. There are a few principles to keep in mind as an artist that can help you with your observation and skill in figure drawing.

Now, that is big! When you are drawing, there are so many different things to think about. The techniques of block-in, contour, shading, and bringing the figure to life, isn't just about the paper and the pencil. It's about your awareness, observation and communication of the awareness through the paper and pencil. I will keep saying this over and over through this article that careful observation can make or brake any figure drawing. As artists, we need to be able to think of many different things while drawing but keep our focus on observation.

Are you remembering to consider gesture while hatching? Are you considering where your light source is coming from while you are shading or shaping your light? Remembering all the little things while drawing figures can be difficult.

Drawing, good drawing, comes down to increasing our observation and attention to our drawing, and of course, practicing.

Drawing the human form comes down to these principles. First, you need to have passion in you and desire to express life and beauty. This is non-negotiable, without it you won't be a great artist. Next you actually have to do it. Next is practice. Practice drawing anyone, everywhere. Draw the people on the bus as you go to work. Draw kids at the playground, draw people in your community or church, or anywhere. Wherever you are there are plenty of drawing opportunities. Take a sketchbook with you everywhere.

Practice drawing quick sketches, gestures, studies, anything you can think of. Have a particular feature of the human form that you tend to struggle with? Are hands tough for you? Maybe a mouth? Draw several studies of the feature you struggle with till you are confident in your strokes and anatomy of that feature. Do as many studies as it takes.

It's wonderful to see your figures take shape and come to life through your pencil. These tips on awareness and study should help. Passion and practice will bring about good skill. Remember that with good observation and careful awareness the door opens for making good art and bringing the figure to life.

Article Source: http://www.articlenorth.com

Todd Harris is a master artist who is currently working as a concept art director for a multi-billion dollar corporation. He is trained in the Florence Academy Method. Learning2draw.com is a resource based website devoted to aspiring artists wishing to master figure drawing. Visit www.learning2draw.com to get tips, tricks, and techniques to master the human form.

Diving Into Drawing

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Drawing has been around for centuries. In fact, wonderfully vital drawings and paintings by primitive peoples have been discovered, which proves that many thousands of years ago the art of drawing was there, innate, in mankind. Everyone can draw, for it is an inherent human trait far more natural than writing.

Unfortunately most people lose this power as they grow older, or rather it is overlaid by more complicated mental processes. It needs only the desire to reawaken it and the courage to proceed and rapidly the power to express what one sees, in drawing and in paint, comes back again.

So take courage and go ahead.

The first thing to get is a sketchbook: not too big a one but a handy pocket size that you can carry about at all times. You can of course buy a children's drawing book for a few cents, but this has a flimsy cover and has to be folded or rolled to carry, and that spoils the page, so a sketchbook with thinnish cartridge paper and a good stout cover is the best investment in the end. See that the paper is not too thick or too rough in surface. Nothing harder than a 3B pencil is much use. Get a black Conte crayon or black chalk pencil with the wood round it, for this is the kind of pencil that will give you most satisfaction in sketching. Of course you will need a razor blade or sharp penknife because the breaking of points is a very frequent occurrence. Do not sharpen the pencil to a fine point - just a blunted point.

Now you have your sketchbook and your pencil, what are you going to look for? What are you going to start on? Don't start straightaway on a landscape. Just focus your attention on a few simple things that are before you in the room you are in. Something the shape of which attracts your interest, say a decanter, or a wine glass, or a vase of flowers. Draw a definite shape on the blank page of the sketchbook with a firm, thick line - say a rough oblong. Count this as your picture space: into this defined shape you are going to put your drawing.

Then begin with the part of the selected object that interests you most. Perhaps it is the bulge of the decanter - boldly draw the curve of the right-hand side and then look across and draw the corresponding curve of the other side; then go upward to the lip and the stopper, drawing first one side and then the other; then look at the base, the dark curve where the decanter rests upon the sideboard. You now have the shape of the object - then relate this to the glass that is near it; notice the size of the glass in relation to the decanter and repeat the process, taking into account where the two objects are placed in your oblong space.

Continuing to practice these techniques will help you get a grasp for the way drawing should feel and ultimately look.

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Trust Your Own Eyes When Painting And Drawing Perspectives

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When you want to learn about perspectives you will find hundreds of art books to show you how...

For an artist they are a valuable guide to help an artist gain the skills of realistic looking drawings and paintings. Using horizon lines, vanishing points and view points you are helped to master your perspective awareness.

Better still, an artist gains the knowledge of recreating 3-dimensional physical form in 2 dimensions. With full knowledge of perspective drawing a good artist can create a painting that will look lifelike...

* Even if your picture has been created on a flat surface, it looks as if it has depth

* Mood and atmosphere is captured by your pencil drawing

* Your portrait painting looks as if the subject could leap from the canvas to shake your hand

Yet, for an art beginner, perspective drawing can seem to be a mystery.

Even top professional artists are guilty of relying upon perspective rules too much. The best of illustrators can find that the paintings they produce look artificial...

* Objects look distorted

* Extreme flatness is the overall effect

Recognizing your own unique artistic viewpoint is the key to getting the best from perspectives.

You see the world differently from the person standing next to you. Here are some of the reasons why...

* You could be taller or shorter

* Each person has different eyesight... You could be long-sighted while the person standing beside you could be short-sighted

* Everyone sees colors differently... You could have perfect color vision... Other people's color vision could be impaired

Your emotional response to the art subject also affects the resulting drawing and painting. If you have a passion for the subject your interest levels will be high. The finished picture will be better.

The great advantage of knowing that everyone sees the world around them differently is that you can justify your art. Whatever art critics might say about your painting and drawing, you will know your art is your own view of reality...

Enjoy your painting and drawing... "Your Art is your own perspective on life!"

Article Source: http://www.articlenorth.com

Using simple and relaxed first steps Michael Dale helps to develop your painting and drawing expertise with your free drawing lesson and learn to paint watercolors plan.

By: Michael Dale