Yesterday I went to the Museum of Nature and Science in Denver and did some drawing. I've realized lately that I've been spending so much time drawing from my head that I'm no longer very comfortable drawing from life. I think maybe I'll start making a weekly trek down to Denver to draw the museum's beautiful animals.
What do you do to keep up your drawing chops? Do you have any special fixes when you're feeling rusty? What do you do to help yourself grow as an artist? These are things I've been thinking about lately and I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)
Ah, I hear ya on this! I miss my life drawing classes in college! I wish I could make it a daily or weekly thing, too. I just never have the time! But I find that when you do get that life drawing day in... it really reminds you of what its like to just draw- no agendas... just learning the form, admiring the figure... :) lovely drawing, too, by the way.
ReplyDeleteI remember figure drawing in college being the single most helpful thing when it came to honing drawing skills. I agree, sometimes it is hard to find time! When I get the chance my favorite places to go are the zoo, the botanical garden, and several of the beautiful parks near where I live. I also take a ton of pictures and often draw from them.
ReplyDeleteSince my aesthetic is more stylized I find that drawing from life can become more of a hindrance to my look. So when I have to reference life it helps if I look at the image/object quickly and then break down the image to the basic and simpliest shapes and build the character back up from there. If I look too long or continue to refer back then my sketch ends up looking too realistic...which is not my style.
ReplyDeleteI have no drawing chops, just choppy drawings..... hehehe.
ReplyDeleteI love your deer! And going to the museum or zoo sounds like an excellent idea. Keep up the good work! :)