“I’d really like to improve my overall skill level – particularly in the areas of portrait drawing. I’ve always loved working with color, so I usually skip to the painting stage as quickly as I can. I have really struggled to build my drawing skills, which I feel is holding me back from improving to levels I’d like to achieve.
What are the best techniques to practice and improve overall drawing skills?”
“Most times when I get the inspiration to draw, I usually procrastinate out of fear of the blank white paper before me. How do I overcome this artist block every time I’m faced with it?”
For 20+ years I worked in advertising as a graphic artist and designer. Still something has been missing. I am fascinated with faces.
I want to learn to draw portraits without having to rely on a photo.
What techniques can I use to bring out the personality of a person?
I would like to improve my life drawing skills, yet just starting with the blank page is what always scares me off.
I think that my observation skills need so much improvement.
Hello,
I’m sure the Drawing Academy content is wonderful, but I was wondering about a couple things. (I have no experience in art)
I was surprised to see perspective introduced so early in the lesson plan for month 1, and I’m wondering if 45 lessons are enough introductory instruction for such a deep subject matter.
My interest stems from looking at possibly investing time in 3D digital art, probably using a tool like Cinema4D. I realize that it’s just a tool, and the main thing is to have an excellent art foundation first or along with trying to make digital art. Another interest of mine is sculpture, but I think I could have a better chance doing something professionally with digital art than any other medium in my case, as a mid-life late-bloomer.
Cordially,
William
Anaheim, California
I want to sign up for the course, but I can’t draw.
I downloaded a bunch of faces – all ages, genders and ethnicity, with and without hair. I tried to print them out as close as possible in size to real faces. Then I take one, stick it up on the wall and try to draw it freehand. Then I check by measuring with a stick. When I think I’m done, and when I think I’ve done all I can do, I take the photo off the wall and put it right next to my drawing. Every single time, something or other is off—the mouth, the nose, the shape of the face… I put the download on a sunny window and put my drawing on top to see if they match. The locations of the features are right on target, but the nuances are always off. I have to erase and fix, erase and fix, over and over.
The end result is that the finished drawing resembles the subject matter, but always something is off. I do one a day. It takes me hours. I’m tired and disgusted. Months I’ve been doing this.
Am I ever going to get to the point where I can sit down, draw a face, and get the right results?
I was wondering, do you have any reference photos for the projects, in particular the models, so that I could work along with you?
“How do you learn to stop looking to or copying photos for reference, especially when you are trying to draw something that you cannot see in real life that much, like a wild animal? Do you still use photos and just not copy them, but use them to gain a general idea of the subject?”
I’m going to begin by saying that Drawing Academy is awesome, and I’m really interested in taking the courses. Thank you so much for what you are doing. You guys are some of the best artists I have ever seen :) I’m so happy that I came across this website.
I was reading what Vladimir London said about how to get the most out of a life-drawing classes
http://drawingacademy.com/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-life-drawing-class
Draw what you know vs. draw what you see? It seems that if you are drawing a tree, you know there are leaves, but that is not what you see unless you are very close. So why would you draw what you know? As example, I know skull anatomy, but other than as general background help, I feel like I should draw the face I see. So why is the skull knowledge so critical to drawing that face?