Foundations: Part 2
This probably should have been the part one post since drawing comes before painting, but I just remembered I had these. Had a few big pads and an old moldy(literally) portfolio with some drawings in it.
All the black and white drawings are with charcoal and I think the red ones are Conte Crayons if I remember correctly.
Notice the actual mold on these last two newsprint drawings lol
I remember when I was in school, as I mentioned before, I spent a LOT of time drawing from life and going to workshops. My ultimate goal was to be able to invent figures from my imagination and I had teachers tell me that the best way to learn to draw figures from your imagination was to draw from life.
After a while my life drawings improved but I still was terrible at drawing figures from my imagination. What I found was that you definitely needed to practice both, probably an equal amount. One of those things I wish someone had told me sooner. I learned that when you're drawing figures from your head the thought process is a lot different than how I learned to draw figures from life, which we referred to as "direct drawing". Direct drawing is sort of like a counter to construction drawing. Where with direct drawing, you just draw the shapes as you see them and with construction, you build the more complex shapes from simpler ones. In general direct drawing is cleaner, but I think construction gives you more of an understanding of what you're drawing.
Later as I learned more about drawing from imagination my way of approaching the figure leaned a lot heavier towards construction, so if I did these drawings again today, they'd be a lot messier I think.
Anyway, hope you guys are enjoying my blast from the past posts. As always, thanks for looking!
These are really nice figure drawings. You can see the skill level involved - not everyone has the gift to be able to draw like this. And I think you're right, drawing directly is such a different process than coming up with imaginative drawings. So interesting the way different people approach it!
Thanks @karaelizabeth! Glad you like them :)
i love these, @midlet <3 the portraits are so well done <3 the shading and tonality <33333 and their expressions are all so classical and pensive and very lovely <3
Thanks @veryspider! And thanks for all the support! You're the best :)
Ahhh that mould makes me think next time I'm home I better check on my old art portfolio, even though the stuff in there really should die in a fire, I don't actually want to have to burn it because it grew mould colonies XD
The blast from the past posts are thoroughly enjoyable, and if it's any consolation I have equal trouble drawing from life and from imagination ;D
Haha, yea this stuff hasn't been disturbed in years. Felt like Indiana Jones excavating these from the Closet of DOOM. Don't burn the old works! Preserve them on the blockchain first at least :p
Nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu they will never again see the light of day they are so cringey it physically hurts me looking at them, the only reason I do (or show them to my kids) is just so I can remind myself I did actually slowly get better over time, and to show the kids that sometimes you have to be working for something for a ridiculously long time to get good at it XD
Strong portraits! I really love your works!
Thanks a lot @dunsky! Glad you like them. Got a few more of these post coming :)
good drawing, @midlet!
Thanks @feelisgood :)
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I have such fond memories of my figure drawing classes.
Your drawings which are very sensitive and full of life.