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August 7, 2012
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Drawing from photos - Advices?

Forums > Art Related > General
:iconxbrokendesire:
~xBrokenDesire Aug 7, 2012  Hobbyist General Artist
I'm planning to start drawing some portraits with photos as reference, because I need to work with the face shape, proportion, and stuff like that. So I was just wondering of anyone had some advices to give me before I get started? Something I should know of, or tips & tricks?

Thanks. (:
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:iconxbrokendesire:
~xBrokenDesire Aug 8, 2012  Hobbyist General Artist
Anyone else? n_n
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:iconnelchee:
=nelchee Aug 9, 2012  Professional General Artist
Just start drawing already. If you have any struggles or questions post them (under a new topic) or post your studies in Thumbshare for critique, but there really isn't much to say until you try it for yourself.
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:iconvineris:
~Vineris Aug 8, 2012  Student General Artist
After you are comfortable and good at copying what you see, start thinking about the structure of what you're drawing. When you understand the 3D structure and proportions you can do things like draw the head from another angle or shade it using an imaginary light source. At this point it's useful to move to real-life models (even if it's just an apple or you looking in a mirror) so that you aren't looking at a flat photograph.

But for now, draw what you see and try to be accurate.
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:iconxbrokendesire:
~xBrokenDesire Aug 8, 2012  Hobbyist General Artist
I've been thinking about drawing real life fruits for a while, but I think it might be a good idea to prectice on photos first. Thank you. c:
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:iconnelchee:
=nelchee Aug 8, 2012  Professional General Artist
Don't use a grid. Use guidelines that stem from angles in the face. Read this for example: [link]
It's not important that your drawing has a gazillion of shades and that they're all perfectly blended. For practice, your shading can be rougher. What you need to focus on is the proportions and how forms on the face affect light and shadow on it.
Focus on the shapes. Don't draw eyes and lips and nose as you think they are (cartoonish), draw them as abstract shapes you can see, not thinking what they represent. If this is difficult for you, try turning the reference upside down and draw like that (not every time, just once to see what it's like).
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:iconxbrokendesire:
~xBrokenDesire Aug 8, 2012  Hobbyist General Artist
Thank you, I'll definitely read that. ^^
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:iconiancanfield:
~iancanfield Aug 7, 2012
Quadrants is good for many people. But, check this critique out I got on a portrait I did a few years ago. It's very good what she said to me and you might find it useful. This was my first portrait, though. Or attempt at one anyways.

[link]

Read the comment from !faraways, so I'll copy and paste. I just started drawing last month again for the first time in years so I don't feel fit at the moment to critique. I'm too rusty.


"no quadrants! they piss you off, drawing should be enjoyable, besides, i never used them once in my whole life and i turned out ok :B (and my first portrait was no where near as good as yours)

just draw what you see... tell your self over and over, every time you think something looks odd on your reference picture and you think you can improve it by changing it, or tipping it, or just a little darker... or bigger etc.. DON'T! tell your self "draw what you see" Because i have always found realism hides in imperfections and oddities.

Also, use your pencil as a guide, hold it to the reference pic, measure with it, tip it and turn it, look at the angles it makes from one point to another, look how much space an area of the picture takes up compared to the side of your pencil, make mental triangles between points... make a mental notes of them, their angles and sizes - because it is that space and those invisible triangles and shapes you want to recreate... and then when you feel you are acquainted with the area, draw that one area... then move to the next, sorta like quadrants but consider the big picture constantly. this exercise will teach your to "study" space, size and relation. which is exactly what quadrants is supposed to teach, (and then you should give it up and never use them again) because you understand a space compared to those quadrant lines.

I would also like to add, this is simply tips on recreating from photos or still life objects to achieve "realism". For myself i found it helpful to master still life techniques before i was ever happy with my work that came from my imagination. But i do think that really great art is something more than a recreation of photos or realism, and as much as i think every artist should have a solid technical foundation and ability to achieve some degree of realism, i would encourage you to also exercise your more creative muscles as well as your technical - to really develop and grow as a competent artist."
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:iconxbrokendesire:
~xBrokenDesire Aug 8, 2012  Hobbyist General Artist
Hehe, I've never really been fan of quadrants myself.
Thank you, that it actually pretty helpful! c:
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