drawing from the mind

#1

hello people…it’s me again- been quite a while since my last post.
I’ve been having a huge problem drawing from my mind , i have no problem at all drawing from reference , photograph or model - but when it comes to draw without them, i’m pretty much useless and my brain it self is unrelieable. I try my best to at least spending 2 hours or so ( even longer in the weekend probably) drawing figures from photoraph, anatomy learning etc, i’m pretty sure i’ve got better a bit as the times goes by. but still, this thing really frustrated me since i always rely on references. I was wondering what kind of practice do you think is useful when it comes to draw from memory/mind. is this a normal phase for a beginner artist ? ( i would say i’m a beginner, i’m doing 3d and graphic design, but it’s only been 2 or 3 years since i was really seriously learning human anatomy and figure drawing ), are you guys ever stuck in this situation before at one point? please help me walk away from this stuck point :sad:

I would really like to hear about what you think, any tips-trick or suggestion is highly appreciated. thanks peeps :love:

#2

It takes time and lots of hard work to develop those skills. But it WILL happen. It’s a combination of knowledge, repetition and memory. Let’s say you want to draw a monster. Maybe you want to make him frog-like. Get some reference of frogs. Draw them at least twenty times. Little sketches that fill up a few sheets of paper. Then put the reference and your sketches away. Try drawing a frog again. Then try drawing a monster with a little frog in him.

This pertains to everything. Repetition is key. Just as long as what you are are doing is right so cross check with your anatomy books. My favorite is An Atlas of Anatomy for Artists by Herb Fritz. It’s a steal at only $10 bucks from Amazon.(Since you’re in Canada too check out the Canadian link here). Draw from models, redraw from your anatomy books. Check out the photosets that Hong Ly has generously made available for everyone (LINK). The current set is great for practicing gestures.

With lots of hard work one day things will start to click and you won’t need the rely on reference all the time. But don’t be afraid to use reference. It’s not a sin. Ian McCaig draws with a full length mirror next to him and uses it for expressions and poses.

Good Luck!

--Roger
#3

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