Sketching Her Out

So sometimes people want to know how to draw, but its something that most artist will say they have been practicing since they were young, not born with a natural skill of making it perfect. So for all you new learners, remember that this process takes time. I've been drawing since I could hold a pencil. Now, how do we do it today? We can't just draw perfectly there is a lot more to it, and while everyone trains their skills differently this is how I do it, if you need any help maybe this will guide you.

So first I like to work on loosening up. Do a couple of sketches of what is in front of you, if you have a still life in front of you, rearrange it, and look at it from other angles, give it perspective. Just don't focus on the detail. You just want to catch an idea of the work with dimension. Usually I start out by sketching lines to catch angles of shapes, then going a little darker has I build up basic shapes, with more exact line weight. Show the weight being put on some part over others, and break shadows into over all shapes so when you look back you get an idea of dimension and understand what is going on without so much detail.

The more you do and the more you understand about the overall shape, the more you can get into your work. Focus on shapes and parts that interest you. Try not to get distressed, as you start working you might struggle with getting the form right, or maybe it will look like it is leaning weird, remember that this is just an exercise. If you find something interesting then go to town and develop it. When you start working on the final product you are to be putting all of this together, so practice it now.

So now think about what shapes worked for you. Where did you find the most interesting shapes, and lighting. Before you start drawing your next master piece take the time to figure out as much as you can in your head. Pick out your palette, what tools will you use, make some light marks on your paper of how it will fit. While you are putting in more time on this piece, do not be afraid to take some chances. There is more there than just what you see. Try an interesting color palette, or different mediums than what you are use too. Right now at this point I would try just drawing everything. You can always crop later.

Now you want to spend a bit longer on a piece, remember to follow all the previous steps, but this time, think about the final product. "Where is the most interesting shapes, what parts take away from the piece? How big do you want it? Who is this for? What does it mean? Where will this be kept?" This isn't a study anymore, this is art work. This example was for me, I wanted to work on high detail, and capturing the person without drawing everything, to create a flow that keeps the eye on the piece and not let it fall off the page.

This idea can be used on anything, not just a figure. Every Piece is a learning experience. So have fun and good luck, just never give up. These pieces were drawn on 18 x 24" paper. The first two I used charcoal to sketch it out and the colored work was done with pastels. But feel free to use any think you can hold in your hand.

© Kristen Johnson