Okay so when I have a picture in front of me, I have no problem drawing it. But when the object is physical, like a still life, all of a sudden I can't focus on the shapes, and I see them as the thing itself. Does that make sense? You know...that idea where the easiest way to draw something in proportion is to disconnect the shapes of the object from what it really is? Can someone help me figure out what I'm doing wrong?

Close one eye, so you lose your depth perception, as if you were looking at a picture.

Close an eye or just do scribbles until you feel you got the image on your paper.

Dear Jordan:
Your brain is combining images from two different sources to achieve depth perception. Lay down on a bed, and alternate closing each eye. The pillow moves!

When it comes to drawing a live subject, you can mistake proportions because of depth perception. A cup seems a little more slender because we're partly seeing around it. One helpful technique is to close one eye and then use your pencil and thumb up to your eye as a ruler for measuring the relative distances of areas to one another. Like, measure someone's head this way, then measure their body with that measurement. Now you know that whatever size you make the head, the body needs to be X amount of that head. Same goes for width, or even negative space.

My advice at such an early stage of learning to draw is simply to trace. Yes, that's right, trace. Nothing wrong with it, just don't claim it as your own. Represent it as what it is, tracing for the purpose of learning. Tracing or copying someone's work can help you learn an artist's techniques for solving various dilemnas of transcribing the real world into a simplified representation of lines and shades. Tracing photographs can help you learn proportions and foreshortening. Build that muscle memory. As you gain confidence, you then try to replicate what you learned freestyle.

After that it's all about practice. Those who draw well do so because they've been practicing for a long time, often beginning at a young age (but not always). Drawing often relaxes them, and so they have a natural motivation to practice. As you draw, your brain develops solutions for visual challenges, and you build on that. When you can look at an object, person, or place and visualize in your mind how you would draw it, you're on your way.

Explains a lot.

Kame when drawing still lifes (as in people) it also helps to know what proper body proportions are, so you know why something looks messed up. Sometimes seeing just doesn't cut it.

Eg, the distal phalanx, middle phalanx, proximinal phalanx, and metacarpal of a finger hyave the ratio 1:2:3:5:8, in general.

Dear Kame and Jordan:
Wow, brain fart. I thought Jordan made this thread. Sorry both of you. That'll teach me to say up for two days and try to respond to threads in an intelligent manner.

I interpretted Jordan's post as his second post, thinking he was replying to Doodan in confusion on what Doodan meant about closing the eyes. Thus the whole explanation about pillows. Heh. Subconciously, I think my brain was just obsessed with the thought of pillows.

I'll just... I'll just go be useless somewhere else... =o[

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Apr 15 2008, 8:04 pm by Hercanic.

Don't be useless somewhere else. I actually value your opinion.

Jordan, I'm not good at jester drawings, and isn't that more fitting for live, animate objects?
and Doodle...good call. I will try that and report my findings

I just ran a search for my name and apparently I replied to this topic? =o

I always do rough lines, and then I draw some squiggles where the shadows are going to be (more intense for darker shadows, I always end up using the original squiggles as part of the shading when I rub the pencil led on the paper), and I make note of any details I think I might forget when I go back for the full shading. Although, I don't think the subject will be upset if you forget to draw the zit on their shoulder, for instance. Closing one eye helps sometimes, but I've done fine without it.

If you're doing color, then I'm not sure what to tell you, since all my still-lifes have been B & W.

Dear Doodan:
Ah-haha. I did it again. I meant Doodle. Again, sorry to both of you!


Dear Kame:
Jester drawing, hehe, I like it. Just in case you weren't aware, though, it's gesture drawing.

XC Sorry!! okay well I took your advice, to flatten perspective and here's what I kinda got going right now. Free drawn and color pencil...