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| Drawing by Edward Schmidt. |
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When I was the one in charge of my infant cousin, I would
always scramble frantically for ways to keep him entertained. Toys, sounds, and
funny faces—I tried everything. But the most memorable way I kept him happy was
by plopping him in front of a mirror.
He'd move, and react to seeing himself
move, and get excited, clap and chuckle, and then his eyes would get really big
to see all that happen right in front of him and he'd get excited all over
again.
I keep his reaction in mind as I constantly try to figure
out how to draw people—getting to a place where drawing faces and expressions
and body positions is exciting and interesting every time. Because it seems like a real shame that
there are so many possible ways of drawing people and yet we often see or use
only slight variations in a few poses over and over again.
We've got to learn to push the boundaries in our art, even
if it means the final product isn't a resounding success. Don't get derailed by the idea of presenting perfection and
symmetry. I put a much higher value on close inspection and drawing people as
individuals. It is fun, real, and rewarding.
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Marin by Elisabeth Ehmann, drawing. |
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You learn a lot by exploring
something new because you stretch yourself in new ways. I know I always get way
more out of covering new ground than when I go through the same tired motions,
even if it is a little more challenging. It feels good.
And drawing faces and figures with excitement and freshness
of vision usually starts with knowing how to draw a person's form and features.
American Artist March 2010 and American Artist March/April 2011 are a
few of my favorite issues of the magazine and seem custom-made for this kind of
artistic growth. You'll find a professional portraitist's best advice, self-portrait
know-how, the essentials on how to craft your skills, and inspiration from
dozens of artists whose work stands out for its uniqueness and point of view.
Enjoy!
P.S. If you want to see a great demonstration of drawing the
eyes, check out our newest free instructional video from artist David Kassan.