Any suggestions that can help me with my art?

Question

Specifically anatomy. Drawing people and animals alike, I have problems when it comes to being proportional or getting the features just right.
Any suggestions, books, or websites that can help me?
Thanks.

Answer 1

The best thing I can tell you is to learn to draw the basic geometric shapes. Everything is made up of spheres, triangles, rectangles, circles, and ovals.

There is a book called "How to draw the Human face" which could be of help to you. It give a basic formula for proportions. Basically, a face is an oval. The eyes are half way between the top of the head and the chin. The bottom of the nose is half way between the eyes and the chin and the mouth is half way between the bottom of the nose and the chin. I believe the width of a face is measured as five eye widths wide with the width of one eye spacing between the eyes. I know that may be confusing to read but its easier to see.

Draw and oval and draw a line cutting it in half horizontally. then another for the nose, and another for the lips.

There are formulas like these for the entire human body and its proportions. Are the completely accurate? No, because everyone is different but they are a good guideline.

Another thing you should do if you are serious about drawing the human form is get some actual anatomy books and learn the major bones and muscles. In Life Drawing in college we had to be able to lable all the major bones. Knowing whats beneath the skin helps you to understand the many curves, dips and definitions of the body.

One of the hardest things is drawing people with clothes on after learning to draw them naked but fashion magazines are a good place to start there. The way clothing drapes, the lines and wrinkles that are made are crucial to making something that looks real.

I've included several sites about this topic with a few different viewpoints on it.
I hope I've helped or pointed you in the right direction. Good luck.

Answer 2

Two things, first try drawing from the photo reference upside down (the photo, not you). People tend to draw shapes and objects as "what they think they see" rather than what they really are seeing, and drawing from a reference upside down you tend to look at the subject more objectively, it looks less familar so you tend to pay more attention to what is really there.

Then, try using a grid. A plastic sheet with 2" x 2" gridlines on it and you place that over (or hold up in front of) your subject, you have a similar grid lightly penciled on your sketch paper (making the grid bigger or smaller on the paper allows you to increase or decrease the proportioanl size of the your sketch), and use that to tick off basic dimensional reference points. You'll be surprised that where things really are vs where you would normally try to draw them. Artists have been using similar techniques for ages to get basic proportions correct.

OK, three things. The final features just about any portrait painting or drawing tutorial will give you some ideas. I like "Painting Watercolor Portraits" by Al Stine. Really a painting book but he gives some basic ideas of placement of features, especially facial.

Someone jokingly suggested tracing, but that is not alltogether a bad way to get the "feel" of sketching features. Again, you might be surprised that the shapes you trace are not at all the shapes you "think" you see.

Answer 3

I do a great deal of portrait work so I might be able to help you there, with people, the whole body is measured to the head, however big your head ws drawn, use that, the second "head length" falls at the chest, the third goes to the stomache, the forth to the groin, 5th to just above the knees, 6th to just below the knees 7th just above the ankles then it's usually a half-to a whole head to the floor. it is also two head withs across the soulders, and arms are 5 head lenghs. when it comes to the actualy features begin with your center line (in human or animal, that would be the spine) then build up using basic everyday shapes. I'd reccommend getting human/animal anatomy books. by understanding muscles, and how they react to various movements will definitly help improve drawing skill

Answer 4

The really great book for me is called 'drawing on the left side of the brain.'

What you need to do is master two different kinds of drawing.
One is called 'gesture' drawing - this is where you literally try to draw a human figure in 15-30 seconds. To do this you must hold your pen or pencil by the end and draw HUGE. However, large you draw - draw larger. Let the lines swirl and just try to capture the motion in a few lines - if you are doing this right, it's all you'll have time for.

Get a pad of 18x24 newsprint to draw on.

The other kind of drawing is called 'blind contour' drawing. This is a slow process, where you hold your pencil or pen (again by the end) and don't watch as you draw - instead REALLY look at the outline of what you are trying to draw. As you eye moves an slowly down the side of what it is you are trying to draw, slowly move the pen or pencil at the same time your eye moves.
This is how you will get that accuracy that you seek in your drawings. By carefully practicing the blind contour method you will learn to accurately render images.

By combining these two methods as you learn them, you will learn to draw accurately or expressionistically.

This method really works and anyone who really works at it can draw well.

I hope this helps.

Answer 5

Don't choose art based on famous names or cultural cachet, for one thing. You aren't supplying any info on you or what your apartment looks like, or what your budget is here, so it's hard to inform you how to proceed. If you want 'original art', find the gallery district in your town and buy as cheap as you can get. Or, stay away from art altogether and visit independent crafts stores instead--ones which sell the handiwork of local people. Are you adamant that you need paintings? Why? Try getting some awesome art photography on your wall. It' s dynamic, the fact that it will be a print is no issue. Sculpture or textiles are also options for a wall. Keep your mind open as well, to abstract modern art. Don't go for something traditional (from many decades or many centuries ago) because they're only prints anyway for God' s sake. Don't be stodgy about what you put on your wall, don't buy anything you "think you ought to". I guess the only thing I can tell you--since there are so many options--is to only purchase art which excites you to look at. p.s. it' s easy to find out more: museums, the net, your local library, poster stores. .

Answer 6

Some good books to get you started are offered by WALTER FOSTER. They are well done , cheap (about $9 dollars) , and available in most Arts and Crafts stores.
try; no.20 Drawing Female Figures; Russell Iredell...no257 Heads and Figures in Pencil;
William F. Powell

Answer 7

There iare great books by paragon called how to draw there are all differnt type like people animals birds my 11 year old has become a great artist with these.

Answer 8

Try tracing. It seems to jog my mind out of my preconceived misconception of what the beast looks like. Go to the library and look for books on drawing.

Answer 9

try drawing from a model,not a photograph or your memory this allows you to gett right up close and really see proportions. one more thing and this may seem basic but you really,really have to look at WHAT your drawing, not at your drawing.

Answer 10

My sista paint and draws too!
She draws abstract and pictures of photos!