Continuing with Gesture Drawing

Hello, again! As promised, I've brought you a post on gesture drawing, a both fun and crucial exercise in drawing. Gesture drawing is extremely useful when it comes to drawing what you see, and I want to share it with everyone that wants to improve!

Gesture drawing is a crucial method in developing your skills as an artist, as it relies heavily on your ability to look more at what you're drawing than your sheet of paper, thus giving you a more realistic result! Here's a quick introduction to gesture drawing. (Remember, anyone can do it, and it's one of the fundamental stepping stones to drawing well!)

1. Choose your medium! Pencil (for a smaller sketchbook) or charcoal (for a larger pad) are fantastic for gesture drawing. (You do not need an eraser, and should not use it. Taking time to erase your lines will only leave you less focused on looking at the model).

2. Set up your surface (sketchbook or easel) so that you can see both your drawing and your subject at the same time, using your eyes and without moving your head.

*(tip: I find it helpful to stare at the subject for a minute or so before starting to get a good sense of the shapes, values and contours.)

3. Begin drawing! Draw while you're looking at the model as well as

while you're glancing down at your page. Draw quickly and don't worry about the final outcome.

Most importantly, trust your judgement. Even if you don't think you know how to draw, you really do! You just have to let go of your fear of screwing up, because let's face it, we all do. Only with practice will you begin to see the results of your hard work, so don't get discouraged, just keep practicing!

Additional tips:

If you see that a line you put down is wrong, redraw it. Quickly. Redraw, and keep drawing. Do not look at your page for more than a second because t he most successful gesture drawings are done by hardly looking at your paper at all.

Again, don't worry about your final image. This isn't about rendering a perfect or detailed picture. It's about enhancing your drawing process and developing your skills in drawing what you see! Anyone can do it, and it's a fast way to improve! Questions? Comments? Comment on this blog, or email me at carlynx@mac.com for information on personal lessons.

Enjoy, and keep drawing!