Question from Tedd
How do you know if you you are spending to much time with your sketch or drawing?
Is it important to be quick?
Thanks,
Tedd
Answer from Vladimir London, Drawing Academy tutor
Illustration above: Fragment of watercolor by Vladimir London
Illustration above: Fragment of watercolor by Vladimir London
Hi Tedd,
Many thanks for your question.
The short answer is: The quality of your drawing is more important than speed.
Speed is a sub-product of mastery.
Proficient drawing skills will result in faster sketches. Fast sketching does not guarantee good results.
Don’t think about how long it takes you to create an artwork. Concentrate on more important tasks such as correct perspective and proportions, likeness in portraits, realistic depiction of tonal values, etc.
I hope this clarifies any doubts.
Kind Regards,
Vladimir
For that matter, you can take any example. Even a F1 driver has to practice and hone his skills before he/she becomes a winner. It takes time to learn those. Once those skills are learnt, then it is all about speed and time.
I think speed is very important. And short answer is yes, even if speed is a sub-product of mastery.
One of the lessons is to draw the same picture more and more times to spend less time. And this is a very good lesson: you can realize your idea or feeling in one day, or in one month; in one week or in one year. In one minute, or in one hour.
..
And sketch have to be very short — its just a sketch! Just some lines, that help you to remember.
Don’t turn the sketch into a full-fledged picture or into a lesson of the academic drawing. Its just a sketch and it never can be wrong.
I don’t think speed is anything more then a personal matter I know for me I have to remind myself to slow down and take my time when I go to fast I end up making very costly mistakes that are not only frustrating but end up costing me more time then anything so for me speed in drawing is not a good thing at all
I totally agree that speed comes with experience, and over time and many hundreds of drawings, the eye and hand come into harmony.
For me it is not so much speed that is important or not, but to stay in a rhythm while drawing, and that I don’t spend to much time in one area and over work it. Knowing when to stop and that a drawing is complete is important. Often times I will photograph my art work with my iPad at different stages of the drawing. This will illustrate the process and show me if it is complete or if I’ve gone to far and over worked the piece.
So for me, speed is not as important as being relaxed and fluid, so there is movement and life in my drawing.