This was such a fab post to read! I've been on a people drawing journey and the idea of not drawing render the likeness as good as possible is a revelation. Yes! Why on earth do I get stuck valuing my work like this, then feeling meh. Its just not the point. I need to undo (again- this happens all the time) my art education and the idea that it needs to look like reality.
I hope I can start to turn this idea into a habit! 😬
Clair, I’m so glad someone is on the same page! I have so many blind-spots when it comes to drawing people. I think it’s because our brains are so fast at recognising people, we go into a different drawing mode without meaning to. I’m also just realising that the picture-book illustration approach to creating a character is very different to the kind of illustration I’m suited to. Which is more ‘designy’ 😅 ie illustration briefs where the figure represents a universal ‘human’ having a human experiance. I’m hoping to step back from getting a likeness and zoom-out to describe generally relatable types or scenarios? Like ‘a tired commuter’ ‘a person engrossed in a book’. Looked up some Tom Froese classes on skillshare and they are AMAZING 🤪
Ah yes I've taken some if those classes, I think the one where he explains how he draws the object (a chair I think) first from observation, but then draws it again or something just from memory or from the first sketch hmmm I can't remember now 😅🙈 that's a good one 😁
I used to do absolutely anything I could to avoid drawing people!! But 9 years of keeping a comic diary have sorted that out and it's interesting to look at the progress over the years. By definition it all has to be from memory, so (when I remember) I am making mental notes about distinguishing features etc...but capturing the feel of a person seems to just come from the subconscious somehow and my worst drawings are always the ones where I am using photo reference. Love your sketches from the day out!
That's so interesting because when I say I love drawing people, I now realise I mean observing people in the wild. And the way you draw, from memory- that's actually the the bit I find so daunting. I love your diary drawings, they are so immediate, your ideas just fly into the head of the viewer.
I've got lots of drawing to do and hopefully then the subconscious will take care of the rest. Thanks so much for your very helpful insights Jane!
I'm the other way around, I am daunted by drawing people if they are right in front of me! I always worry that they'll be offended... though the truth is I'm sure people rarely notice and might be quietly pleased if they did!
This was such a fab post to read! I've been on a people drawing journey and the idea of not drawing render the likeness as good as possible is a revelation. Yes! Why on earth do I get stuck valuing my work like this, then feeling meh. Its just not the point. I need to undo (again- this happens all the time) my art education and the idea that it needs to look like reality.
I hope I can start to turn this idea into a habit! 😬
Clair, I’m so glad someone is on the same page! I have so many blind-spots when it comes to drawing people. I think it’s because our brains are so fast at recognising people, we go into a different drawing mode without meaning to. I’m also just realising that the picture-book illustration approach to creating a character is very different to the kind of illustration I’m suited to. Which is more ‘designy’ 😅 ie illustration briefs where the figure represents a universal ‘human’ having a human experiance. I’m hoping to step back from getting a likeness and zoom-out to describe generally relatable types or scenarios? Like ‘a tired commuter’ ‘a person engrossed in a book’. Looked up some Tom Froese classes on skillshare and they are AMAZING 🤪
Ah yes I've taken some if those classes, I think the one where he explains how he draws the object (a chair I think) first from observation, but then draws it again or something just from memory or from the first sketch hmmm I can't remember now 😅🙈 that's a good one 😁
Dumb phone typos but you get the drift 😅
I used to do absolutely anything I could to avoid drawing people!! But 9 years of keeping a comic diary have sorted that out and it's interesting to look at the progress over the years. By definition it all has to be from memory, so (when I remember) I am making mental notes about distinguishing features etc...but capturing the feel of a person seems to just come from the subconscious somehow and my worst drawings are always the ones where I am using photo reference. Love your sketches from the day out!
That's so interesting because when I say I love drawing people, I now realise I mean observing people in the wild. And the way you draw, from memory- that's actually the the bit I find so daunting. I love your diary drawings, they are so immediate, your ideas just fly into the head of the viewer.
I've got lots of drawing to do and hopefully then the subconscious will take care of the rest. Thanks so much for your very helpful insights Jane!
I'm the other way around, I am daunted by drawing people if they are right in front of me! I always worry that they'll be offended... though the truth is I'm sure people rarely notice and might be quietly pleased if they did!
I’m very sneaky 👀 It’s true, they seldom realise, or that’s the case SO FAR!