Being an Art Student in A-Level environments, both observational drawing skills and life drawing skills become embedded in your body and mind – and with great reason.
Many of the pieces I do today wouldn’t have been as successful as they are without that training and constant referral to both subject matter and their relation to their environment.
And I thought that maybe some of you guys would be interested in how I managed to draw my images, what tips and tricks I can give you, and you guys could also give back in return!
So… Here we go!
- Always refer to the object you are drawing every 10 seconds or so. I bet many of you are thinking “Well, duh?”, but actually I think this is one of the most important must-dos when outlining any subject matter! It gives you more chance to gain proportions correctly, perfect line and movement of a piece, and, let’s not forget, the original outline is the foundation for the whole outcome!
- Do not rush yourself. It is easy, I know, to imagine the final outcome of the piece when you’ve barely even started, but trust me when I say – layering is vital. And in my own experience, where I learned to layer shading, colour and definition, my drawing technique became faster and more accurate. It really does pay off.
- Draw how it comes naturally. If you’re thinking “oh I draw differently to the guy next to me… I must be doing it wrong…” DONT! Honesty is, everyone is different, and if you draw differently to someone else it doesn’t matter, art is great for being so broad that really it’s you and the paper – and that’s all that matters.
- Try not to lean on the paper. In this particular seminar I worked in chalk pastels so smudging was imminent but as a helpful piece of advice – draw onto a easel not a flat surface like a table because chances are you might accidentally smudge and, by golly, is it annoying!
Just remember guys this isn’t me saying “do this or fail“, I just wanted to give you some advice on what I’ve learned over the years. Just do what you find comfortable!
Thanks for reading!
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