Life Drawing - Portraiture
How to create excellent observational drawings
TIP 1: LOOK AT WHAT YOU ARE DRAWING
Failing
to look at what you are drawing is one of the most fundamental errors an Art
student can make
This
sounds obvious, but it is the most common error made by art students. Many
students attempt to draw things the way that they think they
should look, rather than the way they actually do look.
The only way to record shape, proportion and detail
accurately is to look at the source of information. Human memory does not
suffice. Forms, shadows and details are hard enough to replicate when they are
right there in front of you; if you have to make them up, they appear even less
convincing. In order to produce an outstanding observational drawing, you must
observe: your eyes must continually dance from the piece of paper to the object
and back again. Not just once or twice, but constantly.
Note: even if you pursue a theme about mythical
creatures, fairy tales or some other imaginary form, you should work as much as
possible from observation. Piece your creatures together from fragments of
life. Dress people up and then draw them or merge different parts of insects or
creatures together (using artistic license as appropriate) rather than creating
an entire form or scene from your head.
TIP 2: DRAW FROM REAL OBJECTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE
Drawing
from observation: forks tied with string. This superb observational drawing
exercise is one set by artist and teacher Julie Douglas.
The phrase ‘observational
drawing’ typically implies drawing from life.
Ask any art teacher and they will list the benefits of drawing from
objects that are sitting directly in front of you. You are provided with a
wealth of visual information…changing light conditions; rich textures; views of
the subject from alternate angles; as well as information from other
sense…smells and noise from the surroundings etc. Transcribing from
three-dimensions to two is ultimately much harder than drawing from a
photograph, but it often results in drawings that are ‘richer’ and more
authentic.
(This doesn’t mean, however, that you should never draw from
photographs. Students frequently traipse from home to school and back again: it
can be impractical to carry and set up complex still life arrangements over and
over again. Some subjects – such as landscapes– are also unavailable in most
classroom settings. It can therefore be good practice to set up a still life
arrangement in the flesh (or visit a location) and begin drawing directly from
the subject, using photographs to complete the work at home).
TIP 3: DON’T TRACE
Throughout history, great realist painters have traced
from photographs or worked from projections blown up onto walls. But these
painters are not secondary school art students; nor are they assessed on their
ability to replicate form.
There is a place for tracing in school (such as when tracing over something you have already drawn or creating a
repeat pattern), but tracing from photographs and then simply applying colour
or tone is not acceptable. Such methods of ‘drawing’ involve minimal skill,
teach you little and run the risk of producing clunky, soul-less outlines.
Don’t do it.
TIP 4: UNDERSTAND PERSPECTIVE
As
objects get further away they appear smaller. The replication of this change of
scale on paper (through the use of vanishing points) is called ‘perspective’.
The fundamentals of perspective are usually taught in primary school. There are not many theoretical
aspects of art that are essential to learn, but this is one of them. Please
view the perspective info below to help you revise.
Perspective
Perspective is a drawing method that shows how objects appear to get smaller as they get further away.
Objects are drawn disappearing towards "Vanishing Points".
Vanishing points are located on the horizontal lone or eye line. this is an imaginary line, level with the viewers eyes.
objects drawn above the eye line appear as if you are looking up at them, those below the eye level appear as though you are looking down upon them.
One point perspective
- lines converge towards one vanishing point.
- generally used when look down something long, like a road or corridor.
- sides, top and bottom of objects converge towards vanishing point.
Two point perspective
- two vanishing points are used, both located on the horizon line.
- all lines (except curving or irregular lines) are drawn as either vertical, going towards the vanishing point.
- this is a very realistic drawing method.
TIP 5. USE GRIDS, GUIDELINES OR ROUGH FORMS TO GET THE
PROPORTIONS RIGHT BEFORE YOU ADD DETAILS
Many students start with a tiny detail (the eye on a
face, for example) and then gradually add in the rest of the image…ending up
with a drawing that is badly proportioned or doesn’t fit on the page (or floats
aimlessly in the middle of it). This can be avoided by approximating the basic
forms before adding details or by using guidelines to ensure that proportions are
correct.
If working from a photograph, using a grid can result
in highly accurate work. It allows students to focus on one small segment of
the image at a time and gives arbitrary lines from which distances can be
gauged. This can be a helpful strategy when precise, detailed images are
required and can itself become a celebrated component in an artwork. As
gridding is methodical and involves meticulous plotting of lines, however, it
is important to acknowledge that this approach runs the risk of producing tight
and regimented drawings that lack in ‘spirit’ and should thus be approached
with care.
If
working from life, roughly sketching outlines of the major forms will allow you
to get the proportions right, before you add the details. While you do this,
you should constantly check which points line up (i.e. edge of nostrils lining
up with edge of eye) and the size of every object should be estimated in
relation to the things that are beside it. You must get used to seeing things
not in terms of absolute scale, but in terms of how one thing compares to
another.
TIP 6: BE WARY OF ELLIPSES
Ellipses – the oval shapes that are visible at the top of cylindrical objects such as bottles or jars – frequently ‘trip up’ a weak drawer. They can send an immediate signal that a student is not looking at what they are drawing. All ellipses, no matter what angle they are viewed from, should be rounded (not pointed) at the ends, as illustrated in this image.
Ellipses – the oval shapes that are visible at the top of cylindrical objects such as bottles or jars – frequently ‘trip up’ a weak drawer. They can send an immediate signal that a student is not looking at what they are drawing. All ellipses, no matter what angle they are viewed from, should be rounded (not pointed) at the ends, as illustrated in this image.
These are photographs of a glass with horizontal
bands of tape around it (sourced from IDsketching). These photos provide a
superb illustration of how ellipses – when viewed from any angle – are rounded
(as opposed to pointed) at the ends.
TIP 7: KEEP THE OUTLINES LIGHT
This
beautiful observational study shows folded fabric
hanging over the corner of a wooden dresser. Note that there is not a single
black outline within the work: edges are defined solely through variation in
tone.
As your drawing is fleshed out in
more detail, with attention given to the subtle variations in shape and form,
the natural inclination – especially of the novice drawer – is to want to
darken in the outlines, to help ensure they are visible. Do not do this.
Real objects do not have dark lines running around
every edge. Edges should instead be defined by a change in tone and/or colour,
as shown in the beautiful graphite drawing.
If you are producing a line drawing, a cartoon or some
other graphic image, outlines may be darkened, but in an observational drawing
– especially one which you wish to be realistic – dark outlines are never
advised.
TIP 8: HAVE A GOOD RANGE OF TONE
When it comes to applying tone to your drawing, as
with everything else, look at the object. Observe where the light and dark
areas are and copy what you see. In almost all cases, your drawing should have
a full range of tone, from black, through a multitude of greys (or coloured
mid-tones) through to white.
Some students – having learnt how to blend tone
smoothly from dark to light – develop the unfortunate habit of randomly shading
all surfaces from dark to light. Tone should never be invented and it should
never be applied by guesswork.
TIP 9: USE MARK-MAKING TO CONVEY SURFACE QUALITY AND TEXTURE
When producing an observational drawing, the
mark-making used should help to convey the texture(s) of the subject matter.
There are a multitude of different ways a pencil can strike paper – hatching /
dashes / smudges / dots… think carefully before you decide which technique to
use.
TIP 10: INCLUDE / OMIT DETAIL AS NECESSARY
One area where students often become disheartened is
in the depiction of incredibly complex subjects. When drawing trees, plants and
bushes, it is not necessary to replicate every leaf or stick. When drawing a
person, it is not necessary to depict every strand of hair. The artist is
always in a position to pick and choose what goes in their artwork. As long as
the decision is based on what is aesthetically best for the work (rather than
wanting to leave out something that is hard to draw…which is often the driving
force behind students wanting to eliminate certain aspects of their image)
there is nothing wrong with omitting certain details from a drawing. In fact,
often the composition is less cluttered and easy on the eye because of it.
There are many approaches to this. Sometimes every
single detail might be recorded with accuracy. Sometimes a certain area of a
drawing is rendered in full, with other parts trailing away.
This observational pencil drawing of a sandal,
cloth, shoe polish, brush and newspaper was completed during an IGCSE Art
examination by Emma Phillips from ACG Strathallan College. This A* work is a
good example of how it is sometimes beneficial to omit detail. Emma has
included only part of the text, ensuring that her final work doesn’t become
over-cluttered.
