I draw from life.

~Fivefingersandapen Jul 10, 2012

I am rather confused, though. I always believed that as long as I drew from life, I would get significantly better in my art. And I still do. I also believe in frugality. I have a tendency to not finish my notebooks from school, so I believe I should fill up the remaining pages with life practice.

But everyone says to use a Sketchbook. I want to save those pages for portfolio pieces. They say using lined paper is bad, but I don't care as long as I get better. IS it bad? Why?

They also say to learn anatomy and perspective (and some other stuff I don't really remember). I believe life drawing will help me with this too, if I do it enough. I don't believe in reading book after book on it, either. I firmly believe life drawing is the way. I plan to drop the anime for this summer and go for the basics as I fill up all my partially used notebooks. Is this right?

One last thing; what the hell is composition?! What I mean is, why is it so important to learn? The placement of objects on paper? Is there some kind of psychological or aesthetical reasoning behind it?

I guess I just want to know--is my way of going about this right?

You can no longer comment on this thread as it was closed due to no activity for a month.

Devious Comments

~jojo-shakur Jul 13, 2012 Student Interface Designer

You can use any sort of paper... as long as you feel good drawing on it. And by the way, sketchbooks don't have to be expensive,... I used to buy expensive ones and that was a mistake >_< Cheaper ones are good enough for random sketches.

A good thing about sketchbooks, though, is that all sketches you do in it are in a single book, and the smaller ones you can take them everywhere you go

I guess composition is important. A nice one can give a good feeling about the picture, whilst a bad one people may look at the picture and think "Something just looks wrong".

~GreenSprite Jul 13, 2012 Professional Digital Artist

First, I think it's good to trust your instincts to some degree. If you feel that drawing, and not book reading, is the way for you, then go for it. There certainly weren't many books on art techniques back in the Renaissance, when so many masterpiece paintings were made. So yes, it is definitely possible to improve just by practice. Just be aware that it will literally require a lifetime of dedication.

But, if you find yourself wondering about ideas that are not your own (such as "why do people keep insisting on sketchbooks?"), it's best to just try them instead of obsessing about them in your head. Buy a sketchbook if you can afford it. See if you like drawing in it or not. That is all.

Just for the record, I am "frugal" too and tend to use and re-use every scrap of paper, but I still have about 5 sketchbooks dedicated to various purposes. There's a place for recycling lined paper, and a place for using sketchbooks in my life. It may or may not be the same for you, but only you can find out

~Fivefingersandapen Jul 13, 2012

We think alike when it comes to instincts! I'm glad someone feels the same way.

But I have decided to give other things a try. I believe that experimentation is one of the best things you can do for your art.

~GreenSprite Jul 13, 2012 Professional Digital Artist

Great minds think alike and all. Good luck in your artistic pursuits!

~Fivefingersandapen Jul 13, 2012

Thanks!

~CinderBlockStudios Jul 13, 2012 Professional Traditional Artist

If all you do is draw from life and copy then you're nothing more than a craftsman of the arts. I don't mean to sound rude, but if you deny advise from people that talk about the fundamentals of art, you're just a drawer.

~Fivefingersandapen Jul 13, 2012

What advice am I denying? Do you mean to say that if all I do is draw from life I'm really not learning anything at all?

~CinderBlockStudios Jul 13, 2012 Professional Traditional Artist

did you not say:

"[Composition]...why is it so important to learn?"
"hey say using lined paper is bad, but I don't care as long as I get better."

I think I also misread a part though.

~Fivefingersandapen Jul 13, 2012

The composition thing was a general question. It's not that I rejected advice about it, it's that I had no idea what it was.

As for the paper, that's how I really feel. I got a lot of replies about the differences already.

~CinderBlockStudios Jul 13, 2012 Professional Traditional Artist

ok then...I guess I just misunderstood a little.

Details

Statistics

I draw from life.

Devious Comments

The Journal Portal

Polls

What is your preferred drawing software?

deviantART [dee·vee·un'nt·ART]

Keep in Touch!

Deviousness

Add Media

Style