coz it's quicker, i s'pose

It's about being well-rounded and actually having skill. You won't ALWAYS draw from life. You can easily end up using straight-up references more than half the time. but when you're learning it's critical to draw from life.

You should focus on drawing from life while you're learning because that will guarantee that you know how to do it. There are a lot of reasons why you should know how, many of which are ignored by young artists. This is a wonderful thing for their competitors; if you can draw expertly from a photo but struggle with drawing from life, you're a cripple.

I'll keep it to only a couple of reasons. First of all, photographs distort, flatten, and present images for you on a silver plate. You're just copying and rendering, skipping (and therefore not practicing) a slew of critical artistic decisions that naturally occur when you draw from life and have to represent a three dimensional object on a two dimensional plane yourself. You obviously make artistic decisions when you take the photo, but those are not drawing decisions. You're out of your comfort zone, and you inadvertently focus far more on accuracy (even though it's frustrating at first). If you can draw well from life, you WILL be able to draw from a photo. Being able to draw from a photo does not at ALL guarantee that you can draw from life.

Things change. Lighting changes, the model moves, something gets messed up. You then have to fix it on the page yourself. If someone is sitting for you, you're on a time limit (once again developing speed is healthy for you as an artist. You can ALWAYS take your time... but unless you practice, you won't be able to draw quickly. Drawing quickly unifies the drawing far better and allows for accurate underdrawings in a short period of time, which in turn leaves PLENTY of time for the detail work. The more fluid, accurate, and natural the underdrawing, the better the final result. Invariably.) If you want to be accurate, you are forced to abandon area drawing (critical) if you have that problem. You stand far away from the model and have to focus on spending most of your time staring very intently at the model while only able to steal quick glances at your paper. This increases accuracy by improving observational skills. Once you have accuracy and speed, you can move back to using references and focus on improving your rendering. Accuracy and speed, accuracy and speed, always accuracy and speed. Once you get a handle on those, then you can move on with confidence. Plus, you'll get better quicker.

I think I'll stop there and keep it as an internet post, instead of having to rewrite it as an essay while really going into lighting and perspective

And all of this happens without you really having to think about it at all. All you're doing is trying to draw the motherfucker, and puzzling over why something doesn't look quite right. Drawing from life is brain food for the artist

This is a painting I did don't know if im finished yet... any words?

looks neat

pretty much what zero said

well thank you

it appears to be missing pieces

yes this is true, I am still working on it but it goes with a story and at times I like my work a little unfinished bc the characters build as the story does. Not sure if this is a bad idea? I would like your input :)

here is another example for the same story...

Add a dick to it, Chojin.

so you like the dick and feel the painting is lacking without it. Nothing like a raging hard on!!! Thank you Zhukov

mmmm I like this.

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-b...emy-hutchinson

This is a painting I did for our story any feedback?

its called Sir Patience

My final year proposal feedback has many irritating questions in it that I'm fairly certain I explained in detail in the actual proposal.
Now I don't know whether I should 'play the game' and change things to how they want or just rephrase a bunch of stuff like I'm talking to a child.

I've only been doing drawings casually but I'm sort of interested in going farther. My only nit pick is whether I'm too prudent about the idea of photo references vs the real thing.

Do you guys think we'll have another Exquisite Corpse project again soon? Those are always fun.

I encouraged my daughters art talent as they grew up. Now they just finished their first year in college with art as their majors, and I am worried that the college money should better be used for a different major. Is there any way they can make a decient living with an art related job? Does that starving artist thing still hold true?

No, sorry :(

once the drawing is complete though, does it really matter where you drew it from? there are some drawings where you can tell its from a photo (shit lighting, flatness, etc.), but generally i can't tell the difference unless it's blatant. and if someone sees the drawing without asking you where you drew it from, they probably won't know any better.

and this raises a question i've been drunkenly arguing about for a years: does the artist's intent matter or is it about the viewer's perception? or both?

Happy Birthday MLE

emmmmmmmmmmmelllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

MLEH :)

I agree, artists nowadays just want to skip some stages. That's what leads to the "so called art" we are asked to admire

That commercial I did is up for an award. I find out in March.