Tracing IS a method for learning art

[sstormwatch]

Not tired enough, apparantly.

Long ago when I was a kid, early pre-teen if I remember right, I tried to be artistic, drawing by copying some drawings in a book... on fairies iirc. I showed that little drawing to my best friend the artist, who promptly squashed my dreams of artistic endeavors by whatever nasty thing that came from her mouth. How we

Comments

[heatermcca]

A big one for me learning to draw better and use proportion was the old trick discovered/used in the Renaissance of using a grid. Put a grid in front of your field of perception, and you get small bits to draw at a time and get right. Eventually, you don't need it, but until then, you've got a near insta-depth perception and proportion guide.

[sstormwatch]

Thanks for reminding me about using grids!

One of my other artist friends used to grid whatever she was copying, so that little by little she could get the whole thing in the correct proportion, which is something I know would help me a lot.

[docryder]

Huh, I thought I'd either mentioned these techniques or used them in your presense before now. Bad me.

[sstormwatch]

I don't think I've seen you use a graph, or trace anything. Usually you know your stuff so well, you are just sketching away.