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Step by Step to a Virtuosic Figure Drawing

Seeing a painting or drawing progress from beginning to end allows the finished artwork to be understood as a series of discrete steps leading to a virtuosic whole. During a recent tour of the Grand Central Academy (GCA), in New York City, I observed instructor Joshua LaRock developing a drawing of Michelangelo's
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350 Ways of Drawing Faces

Can you imagine figuring out how to draw a face—the same face—350 times or more, and making each portrait drawing different and as compositionally sound and interesting as if you had made only one? Quite a task, yet Italian designer, sculptor
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6 Tips on How to Draw Anything Accurately

Drawing is a fundamental skill for artists, emphasis on "skill." That means there are basic drawing rules and approaches that work, including these six tips on how to draw anything accurately. Delmonico Building by Charles Sheeler, 1926, lithograph
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Our Newest Free eBook on How to Draw a Rose & More!

I'm a people pleaser. I innately want to make those around me happy and satisfied. So when an Artist Daily reader came to me wanting to know more about how to draw flowers, I wanted to come back to them with a resource that could really get to the
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It Is Never a Matter of Bad Ideas

I don't think the failure or success of a drawing has to do with the drawing ideas that the artist starts with. He or she could choose pretty much anything and make a go of it, don't you think? It also doesn't depend on whether the artist
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They Can Be Moody, Too

I'll admit that in the past I have been guilty of thinking of colored pencil art as colorful and bright and not necessarily able to be coupled with serious subjects or moody narratives. But that was my own bias. As I've spent time looking at sketchbooks
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Power to the Pencil

With so much interest in plein air painting these days, it's easy to overlook how important drawing skills can be to the landscape painting artist. Fundamentally, drawing is both a way of seeing and a way of knowing a subject. If you can draw it,
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4 Tips for Drawing People

I was recently on the train with a friend who caught the attention of an artist sitting across from us. She started drawing my pal. We were thrilled! It was an exciting moment as we watched my friend's face appear on the paper in front of us. As the
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The Foundation of Figurative Art Is...

In figure drawing and painting, knowing the ins and outs of the human body is essential. There's no way around that fact, and honing our skills with anatomy drawing helps us understand and truly see the body more accurately than any other endeavor
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And Don't You Ever Forget It

I'm an artistic omnivore to be sure, but there is really nothing I love more and respond to more than pencil drawings. I know, the humble pencil and paper seems so simple, so basic. But what some forego and forget as too elementary, I see as essential
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What About Angels?

I was doubly lucky last week because I had a thoughtful discussion with a great artist, Patricia Watwood, about how most notable representational art is "real" and about what happens to artists when they are faced with stepping outside that
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Don't Start Off the Wrong Way

For a drawing to be successful, you've got to start off choosing the right drawing surface. No matter how great the drawing ideas you have or the drawing art skills you bring to bear in the process, if you aren't pairing surface and implement
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Avoid These 5 Mistakes When Drawing Faces

I've always been an ardent fan of the profile portrait drawing . It reminds me of antique cameos, the profiles of emperors stamped on Roman coins, and 18 th -century silhouettes. But learning how to draw a face in profile does come with its share
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It Might Give You Nightmares

Foreshortening! For me, it is truly the stuff of nightlights and pulling the covers over my head. I've struggled really hard to learn how to draw foreshortened objects and figures, because my mind constantly overrules my eye, saying, "That can't
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Bumps and Grooves That Mean I'm a Psycho Killer

Okay, I'll admit that skull reading and phrenology sound a little silly to me. Trying to get a sense of a person from the hollows and grooves on their skull? Not buying it. But I do know that "reading" the skull as an artist is key when
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From the Simple to the Complex

I recently took a life drawing class and showed my sketches to a friend, who's a super-skilled painter. I was reluctant to share them, but when she looked at my final sketch--in which the model had her hips contrapposto but twisted slightly away from
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The Erotic Frigidaire

Did you just read that and think, "Wha-wha-what?" Well, when I first saw the phrase--which was originally applied to the sculptures of Antonio Canova--applied to the work of Pierre-Paul Prud'hon, I had the same reaction. But it is true-
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Seriously, All You Need Is Average Eye-Hand Coordination

Hello there, I'll be doing some blogging for Artist Daily about human ﬁgure drawing . The plan is to do half of the blogging as written text and half as video episodes where it would be easier to demonstrate the concepts I would like to talk about
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With Skill Comes Style

I feel like every time I pick up a pencil to attempt portrait drawing, I am back in elementary school learning the basics of how to draw a face all over again. You know that art argument about whether you need natural talent to learn how to draw? Well
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Hunting the White Whale

Art makes stories come alive. To me, it is as simple as that. And sometimes without art, there is no story-—or, at least, it's not quite as good. This was the case for the great American novel Moby-Dick . It is hard to imagine that Melville's
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TGIF! Our Free eBook on Learning How to Draw People Is Here!

It's probably half-endearing (hopefully?) and half-annoying that I think there's no better way to start off the weekend than with art. But you know what I mean! As the fall season gets into full swing, I think we are all coming back around to
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It’s Like a Snapshot Only Waaaaay Better

There's something immediately nostalgic about Charles Kanwischer's graphite drawings. When I first saw them I immediately felt like I was looking at an old black and white snapshot. But in a way, his simple drawings are far better than snapshots
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What's So Hard About Sitting in a Chair?

Plenty--especially if you are trying to figure out how to draw a person in that chair. Drawing people standing up is waaaaaay more straightforward than puzzling out how to proportion and position a figure sitting down. But to draw people this way opens
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It's Obvious She's Totally Twisted

When I first saw the work of drawing artist Joan Wadleigh Curran I felt trapped...in a very good way. Curran takes as her subject matter from objects and places that most people would steer away from—dirty trash bags snagged on a chain link fence;
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Zero-Point Perspective—Ever Hear of It?

There's no shame in your game if you haven't heard of this kind of perspective drawing ...or lack thereof. I kind of pride myself on knowing a good bit about how to draw perspective (although my actual execution of a perspective drawing is usually
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Drawing and Painting Together

This is another complicated charcoal drawing, one done by an artist completing her first level of study at Studio Incamminati. I have shown it in three stages, ranging from the beginning of the drawing process to the end. The light is from the front right
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Soft Lines and No Tension

I'm not a napping kind of person. When I'm up, I'm up and I want to be doing something or on the go. That's usually the kind of body drawing that I'm pulled to as well--muscles torqued, body indicating action, and an underlying sense
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Bringing the Dark to Light

There are subject matters that are fairly easy to take in and those that need more time to understand and a willingness on the part of the viewer to move out of his or her comfort zone. Works that artistically represent intense events--like violence or
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You Could Use Some Color: New Free eBook on Colored Pencil Techniques

I don't care what anyone says, color is king. It makes everything better--more appealing and lively. Oftentimes in an artist's drawing practice, a sense of color takes a backseat to the black, white, and gray of charcoal or graphite. But that
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Drawn to the Extraordinary

Painters and draftsmen alike puzzle through perspective drawing issues. They almost have to if they want to establish any kind of sense of space in their work. Without linear perspective, all that remains is the flatness of the surface-and no artists
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He Makes Scribbling Seem Worthwhile

Some artists, you love what they draw. But with every landscape drawing of Georges Seurat, it is the way that he draws that makes all the difference. Take any of his sketches and chances are it is fairly simple in composition. There are very few elements
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Get It While You Can: New Free eBook on Pen and Ink Drawing Techniques

In its most elementary form, a pen and ink drawing is stark black marks against a white surface. No dilution of color, no shades of gray. But artists who've spent time inking their way across a page know that drawing with ink can actually be an incredibly
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Don’t Struggle with Perspective Drawings Like I Did

Can you think back and remember what it was like to really struggle with a concept? I've got no pride. I've done this a ton of times--riding my bike, algebra, Avogadro's number...and perspective drawing . I thought once I got to college and
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Get Your Work Seen By 100 People a Day

Yep, it is a pretty lofty goal. I know it. But there are so many incredible artists out there who are doing incredible work and deserve more visibility! Here are a few ways that you can elevate your artistic profile in the wider world. By no means are
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Why Do I Draw?

Today was a day spent asking myself questions about my art. Two of the questions I have focused on are: "Why do I draw?", and "Why do I draw what I draw?" The copy of a Prud'hon drawing that I did in Natalie Italiano's drawing
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Bodies Come Crashing to the Ground

Drawing human anatomy can be an adventure if you take it to the limits. Artist and draftsman Leah Yerpe certainly does. Her large- and small-scale drawings feature figures freefalling, tumbling, and twisting as they swoop across the page. Pleiades by
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The Agony and the Ecstasy

A few weeks ago an artist friend of mine rotated his wrist and made a wincing face after he had finished working on a quick pencil drawing , and it made me realize that drawing isn't just fun and games. It can cause strain in the hand, wrist, elbow
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Don’t Use That Tone With Me

The appeal of tonal drawing is that it truly embodies visual subtlety. Instead of being the domain of line, the techniques that lead to a successful tonal drawing reside in value and shape. But learning how to draw tonality has been, for me, a hard road
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The Truth About Drawing Faces in One Free eBook!

Woman with a Hat (detail) by Henri Matisse, 1905, oil on canvas. Archimedes (detail) by Jose de Ribera, 1630, oil painting. Self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh, 1888, oil painting. A few days ago I was hanging out with a mixed bag of artists. And by mixed
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Will This Work Even If I Hate Geometry?

Cube figures allow me to focus on the basic shapes of the body. This can lead to a better understanding of the body's form and the creation of works that are incredibly natural, such as Lea Colie Wight's drawing, Kate , conte on paper, 17 x 23
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Lust for Line

There are a few artists that I would like to watch step-by-step, drawing in their sketchbooks or painting in their studios. Okay, more than a few, but after seeing Van Gogh's drawings, he would definitely be at the top of my list. Cottage Garden by
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Drawing Magazine Going Where It's Never Gone Before!

Love to draw? Love to surf the internet? Then check out Drawing magazine's new Facebook page —featuring artists, tips on drawing basics, unique educational opportunities, and exclusive news about the magazine and the fast-paced world of drawing
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Make Your Mark, But Make It Different

Recently, artist and our contributing blogger Daniel Maidman wrote a really insightful article about varying your mark making that I want to share because it seems like so many of us are refocusing our interest to drawing, and this is a great approach
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Do You Know All Your Lines?

Two Women with Still Life by Willem de Kooning, pastel and charcoal on paper, 22 1/4 x 18 3/4 in., 1952. The artifice of line is one of the aspects of drawing that I am most in love with. The fact that we can take line—which doesn't exist in
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Art's Highest Achievement--Drawing the Portrait

There are so many significant milestones that an artist can mark his or her career by, but the one that is most exciting for me is the possibility of drawing people and capturing their likeness, whether it is a certain gesture they have or just the interesting
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Drawing Basics: Working in Black and White

A photo of the cast I am drawing. My drawing, in progress. You may remember that in the fall of this year, I discussed Darren Kingsley's class and his comment that we would be working for many weeks on our drawing of a facial feature in his class
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Drawing Basics: Grateful for Shades of Grey

Figure drawing by Judith St. Ledger-Roty, charcoal drawing, 2011. I have been taking a figure drawing class that focuses on doing a comparatively long figure pose, working in charcoal. (We do one minute, five minute, and ten minute drawings, too, so 'long'
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Drawing Basics: Varying Your Mark Making

Last time we discussed the idea of switching up art practice techniques . The concept was that, while repetition builds skills, change keeps the mind sharp and the work lively. I've been thinking about ways I personally switch up techniques. The first
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Like Seeing Myself in the Mirror

Drawing by Edward Schmidt. 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
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My Artistic Love-Hate Relationship

Untitled (#April 08) by Hilary Brace, charcoal on polyester film, 6 x 11.625. In the past, I have had a love-hate thing going with charcoal. Basically, I love it and it hates me. Seriously! I love what charcoal can do. The fact that you can use a stick
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Summer 2011

In this issue, Kenneth J. Procter discusses his work in the medium of powdered charcoal and looks at his own evolution as an artist. The issue also features a special section on portraiture, a subject with great expressive potential despite the restrictions portrait artists sometimes must work under
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Heading Back to School for More Drawing Basics & Beyond

My early charcoal drawing. The charcoal drawing using the Studio's method. Once again, time for me to go back to school at Studio Incamminati . In preparing for classes, I have been reviewing my last year's drawings again. I am reminded of something
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How do I think? I sketch!

Looking at Leonardo da Vinci's sketch of birds I imagine how the artist likely thought about more than just the birds themselves. He would have been caught up in ideas of flight and soaring in air. That's the power of a sketch. It can transport
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Painting Bridges, Alleys, and Avenues of My Favorite Cities

I was born and raised in the suburbs, with rural farmland and city centers nearby so I have an unbiased appreciation for both. I'm attuned to the natural elements around me and I love to be outdoors, but I also get so energized by the sights and sounds
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Drawing Basics: Using the Egg to Draw Anatomy

Marjorie Forgues' figure drawing, day 1. Marjorie Forgues' figure drawing, day 2. Taking a painting or drawing class is always a learning experience, but often I find I learn a great deal from other artists in the class as well. This is especially
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Life Drawing Gymnastics

I combined not just artist and model (self-portraiture), but artist-model-athlete in my Life Drawing Gymnastics series. In my Life Drawing Gymnastics series, I attempted to do more than simply draw from life , but rather allowed life to be a large part
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Drawing Basics: How I Judge My Artistic Progress & Learning from Robert Liberace

This is a long pose drawing that made it into my "evaluate" pile. Part of the artistic learning process for me is learning how to evaluate my work, not on a piece by piece basis, but collectively. This summer I am looking at my drawing art works
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Drawing Basics: Meet Your Master and Then Throw Him Away

For this brush and ink drawing, I applied what I learned from da Vinci, but moved in my own direction. Sad is the disciple who does not advance his master. --Leonardo da Vinci Maybe you remember--in my earlier post when I recommended that you choose a
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Drawing Basics: Making Art According to Leonardo da Vinci's Motto

Left: Kem , detail, 2004, 48 x 24, oil on canvas. Right: Hands #1 , 2011, 24 x 24, oil on canvas. I am not claiming either painting is better, but without my figure drawing practice between 2004 and 2011 I couldn't have painted the newer painting
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Drawing Basics: Costumes, Clothes or Nothing At All

Julie Seated with Hands Clasped by Steven Assael, 2007, drawing, 22 x 15.5. We all know that drawing the nude figure is a, if not the, classical way of depicting the human body. But breaking the mold and adding clothing to your figure drawing art can
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Drawing Basics: Think Egg!

Ethel Smyth by John Singer Sargent, chalk drawing, 1901. Adapted from an article by Dan Gheno Facial features can be used and contorted to tell us all kinds of things in a drawing . But you don't always have to think up dramatic scenarios for a drawing
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Drawing Basics: The Best Drawing Art Books

Plate VIII, Study for a Picture , chalk and pastel drawing. From The Practice and Science of Drawing by Harold Speed. I was just telling a friend of mine that artists love books. That surprises some people, but it is totally true, especially if you love
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Drawing Basics: Measuring and Proportion in Life Figure Drawing

Woman on a Treadmill by Kate Sikorski, figure drawing, 2009. I am a firm believer in starting a life drawing with the envelope—the shape you first draw before anything else. I've come to think of it as one of my drawing basics. This envelope
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Drawing Basics: Get In That Box!

Head of 12-year-old Christ by Albrecht Dürer, drawing, 1506. Adapted from an article by Dan Gheno. As you know from my previous blog about needing a GPS to draw heads --because I get more lost in the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose than you'd think
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Sketch Away: Our Newest Free eBook of Pencil Drawing Lessons

The drama of this charcoal and pencil drawing by Lilian Wescott Hale is in the bold contrast of value of the figure's skin, dress, and hair. I love all kinds of art: super complicated installations, amazing marble sculptures, and virtuosic canvases
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Drawing Basics: Look at John Singer Sargent's Swirls and Squiggles

Sketch of a Man by John Singer Sargent, charcoal drawing. Adapted from an article by Mark G. Mitchell. Looking at a John Singer Sargent's drawings, I really can't mistake them for anything but the work of his hand. His line work is so thin, firm
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I Need a GPS for Drawing Faces

Drawing a face is a little like reading a map. And no, not the cool Indiana Jones map where the red line draws itself to the destination and ‘X’ marks the spot. I wish! It is more that when learning how to draw people , there are a few “signposts” on the face and rules of thumb
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Drawing Basics: Mixed Bag of Anatomy Inspiration

Peter Kelsey's cast drawing of the male torso. Hey fellow artists! Drawing anatomy seems overwhelming to me sometimes, but if I focus on strategies for HOW to learn it, it starts to seem doable. Here are a few tips I learned from a recent article
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Drawing Basics: How to Make Sense of All Those Bumps and Ridges

As I was struggling to pull my drawings together, I realized that it didn't matter how good my line got, because I couldn't tell what I was looking at. The topic was the human body, and more specifically, the back. If you've gone through life drawing, perhaps you know the problem. You're
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Drawing Basics: How I Start My Pencil Drawings

From the time I started drawing, I have had a constant battle with myself over how to start. For years I have been looking for the one right way to sketch in a composition or block-in an underpainting. Lately, and with the help of my Studio Incamminati instructors, I have learned that there are several
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Fur, Feathers, Scales, and Tails

Patricia Traub presents animals—above, The Collector , 10 1/2 x 14 3/4, 2008—in her work in a naturalistic way that emphasizes their unique physical attributes and bearing. I don’t have pets but I really love drawing animals because
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Drawing Basics: Learning the Lesson of Line Drawing

Leonardo Da Vinci's drawing, Head of an Angel , 1483. In my last post, I was telling you about how I decided to take Leonardo Da Vinci for my master when I was first studying art seriously. Choosing a master means taking a close look at great art
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Drawing Basics: Breaking Down the Head

When trying to draw the head correctly on the body, pay specific attention to the neck and the placement of the head upon it, above the ribcage. Double check the alignment of the center line of the face, as compared to the sternum ( centerline of ribcage) and linea alba (centerline of abdomen).
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There's Nothing Quite Like Custom Made

I’ve always dreamed of having something, anything—shoes, a coat, a car!—custom made. While all of those are pretty much still out of my reach, I know that I can custom design how I get my art training. There are a lot of options out there for us art-minded folk, but I spoke to Rob Zeller
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Drawing Basics: To Tone or Not to Tone

I have found that toning my support, whether canvas or paper or board, is something I often do now. I’m showing two works to illustrate the difference between toning and not toning.
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Video Lessons on Drawing from Susan Lyon and Scott Burdick

Scott Burdick and Susan Lyon are skilled artists, inspiring instructors, and just really kind people. If you've ever been in a workshop with either of them, you are lucky enough to know what I mean. In watching them work, you get a sense of the sensitivity and thoughtfulness with which they craft
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An Artist's Logic: Perspective Drawing Basics

L.S. Lowry's The Fever Van uses one- and two-point perspective. Knowing the basic methods of linear perspective drawing is key to creating the illusion of distance and space in your artwork. And thankfully, it’s all based on one simple idea—that
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Drawing Basics: On Midtone Paper by New Blogger Daniel Maidman

My pencil drawing, Alley , was the result of a 40-minute pose that I did a few weeks ago. Hello, all, and thanks for having me as part of the Artist Daily community. I’m an artist working in New York, and I’ll be offering thoughts on the art
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How to Make a Drawing Look 3-D

It's always with a bit of anxiety that I do a pencil drawing. I want the form to look as if the paper doesn't exist--as if the image is coming right off the page, and that is a challenging task. I caught Scott Waddell's second installment
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3 Things a Painting Can’t Live Without

Good painters don’t merely re-create what is in front of them. An experienced artist knows how to create a successful painting no matter what situation or model he or she is presented with. Of course, this often comes after years of practice and experimentation—as well as the development
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Become a Master Draftsman With Our Free Drawing Basics eBook

Studies of Heads and Hands by Hans Holbein the Younger, pen-and-ink. We all know that a strong foundation in drawing can make a significant difference in all levels of art making. “When in doubt, go back to your drawing” is the advice I’ve
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Our Latest Free Drawing eBook Is Yours

When asked why painting the human figure was so important painter Scott Burdick was matter-of-fact. “Because we are human,” he said. “If an alien species were to come down today, they wouldn’t respond to the human form or face like we do. Just like pictures of lobsters don’t
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Drawing, Summer 2010

On the Cover: Wet Hair (detail, reversed) by Jonathan J. Ahn, 2009, charcoal, 24 x 18. Collection the artist. FEATURES Choosing the Right Drawing Paper by Karen Meyer-Berthel The many differences between drawing papers can be so subtle that it is not
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Taking Advantage of Free Instruction

I recently joined a gym in my neighborhood, with the hopes of working off some of those extra holiday pounds that seem to wear out their welcome around this time every year. My schedule is pretty busy, so I try to streamline my visits, making a beeline
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15 Beginner Drawing Tips on Learning How To Draw People the Classical Way

Ramona by Tony Ryder, 1995, graphite, 24 x 18. Private collection. My father has been in the construction industry for nearly 40 years. When I was younger, one of my favorite things to do was visit him on the job site before a building was finished and
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Taking a Creative Gamble

I recently met an artist who said, completely nonchalantly, “I never sketch, I never throw out a painting, and I’m always pleased with my final work.” If only we could all be so lucky! Sometimes when I’m writing a drawing basics
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Drawing, Fall 2009

Check out what's featured in the Fall 2009 issue of Drawing magazine.
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Andrea J. Smith: Expand From a Limited Palette and Focus

In the new atelier she opened in Rome, Andrea J. Smith teaches students to use a limited palette of colors when painting exactly what they see from a measured distance away from the subject and the easel.
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Drawing Basics: Drawing Is Memorization?

When I first moved to New York City about a dozen years ago, I drew my father's face from memory quite a lot. It usually wasn't a good depiction at all, but occasionally it resulted in a decent drawing of a handsome man — which reminds me
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Drawing Basics: Drawing People Using Perspective Lines

While thumbing through Burne Hogarth's Dynamic Anatomy the other day, I came across an interesting section on foreshortening that I wanted to share ...
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Drawing Basics: Does Mr. Ed Have an Advantage Over You?

It's crazy to say that horses have a visual advantage over humans, but with eyes on opposite sides of their heads, they surely don't see in three-dimensional terms like we do. There are times especially for beginners when seeing less--seeing a
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Drawing Basics: The One Rule We Hear More Than Any Other From Art Teachers

Very few rules are absolute in art. But one rule keeps popping up in our magazines, quoted by art instructors and artists of all types...
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Drawing Basics: Densely Marked Drawings

Last week we talked about sparsely marked drawings, so it only makes sense that today we consider drawings in which nearly every area is marked.
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Drawing Basics: In Praise of Sparseness When Drawing

I caught the Whistler exhibition at The Frick last week and was initially concerned about its size — it hangs in that smallish room in between the place where you pay admission and the hallway to the restrooms — but I suppose at some point
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Drawing Basics: Drawing People in Ink Frees You

Drawing in ink can force an artist to either slow down and make very careful marks, or do the opposite--to ignore the permanence of the marks and make them freely. What does pen-and-ink do for you? Let us know by posting a comment.
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Drawing Basics: Draw It 2 Times

As Steve Doherty pointed out in a recent blog post, it's quite helpful to depict the same scene twice. I find this is very true in drawing, for several reasons ...
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Drawing Basics: Draw Why You Love Your Home

Drawing Day 2009 was such a popular event on the American Artist website that we decided to have regular, themed drawing days for our readers. The first one is scheduled for July 4. Draw something that represents why you love your house, your land, your state, your country, your world. Draw something
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Drawing Basics: Drawing on the iPhone

Digital art isn't new. But when a friend told me that people are now creating art on their iPhones, I imagined that the art wouldn't be anything remarkable. Then David Kassan emailed me an example that he said he sketched very quickly from previous studies.
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Drawing Basics: Drawing Day Results

I can't speak for anyone else, but I sure enjoyed Drawing Day 2009 ! I went to Central Park with a friend, loaded down with drawing pencils, drawing sketchbooks, painting supplies, and Gatorade. Several scenes screamed out to be captured in a quick
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Drawing Basics: The Drawing Day Project Wants People to "Drop Everything and Draw"

We're pretty passionate about drawing at the magazine, so it's nice to come across other people who are as dedicated to draftsmanship and expressive drawing as we are. The folks at the Drawing Day project certainly fall into this category. For the second year, Mick Gow and his staff are urging
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Drawing Basics: Whistler's Etchings of Venice on View This Summer

It's always a good time to visit The Frick, especially this summer, when people in New York will get a chance to see the exhibition "Portraits, Pastels, Prints: Whistler in The Frick Collection," a gathering of the museum's Whistlers, spanning three media.
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Drawing Basics: Anatomy Drawing Like No Other

"Bodies ... The Exhibition," currently housed in New York City's South Street Seaport, offers draftsmen the chance to draw from human specimens after hours. It's an opportunity New York City area artists shouldn't miss.
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Learning the Essential Facts of Foreshortening

Here are a few basic concepts of artistic perspective you absolutely need to know, whether your intentions are expressive or realist-minded.
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Drawing Basics: 10 Favorite Articles from Drawing Magazine's Archives

Sure, we have our favorites, even if we aren't supposed to. Here are 10 of the best articles published in Drawing magazine over the last seven years, in no particular order.
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Drawing Basics: Surf's Up--Thought-Provoking Art, Wise Words, and Pleasant Diversions From Around the Web

We surf the web for interesting new drawings and random information on art so you don't have to. April 28 edition.
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Drawing Basics: Pencil Drawing & the Pull of Black and White

One reason people pursue pencil drawing is that they like the drama and look of black-and-white images. Drawing magazine is a great place to see the best of what artists working in black and white are doing. Two examples are within...
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Drawing Basics: How to Capture a Likeness When You Draw People

What facial feature do you find to be the best indicator of a sitter's likeness?
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Drawing Basics: Bargue, and Step by Step Instruction on How to Draw People

A look at the Bargue plates, a series of 197 lithographs that guide an art student through an increasingly difficult course of study.
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Drawing Basics: How One Artist Sells His Work During This Recession

The doom-and-gloom talk prompted by the recession has squashed sales in galleries. So why was the recent opening of a young realist's show such a success?
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Drawing Basics: Surf's Up---Thought-Provoking Art, Wise Words, and Pleasant Diversions From Around the Web

We surf the web for interesting new drawings and random information on art so you don't have to. March 24 edition:
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Drawing Basics: Another Foreshortening Tip From Dan Gheno

In this passage, which we had to cut from the print article in our Spring 2009 issue of Drawing for space reasons, artist-instructor Dan Gheno explains how visualizing the arc that body parts move through will help you place the joints in the right location, ensuring proper proportions.
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Drawing Basics: Where Did Your Love of Drawing Come From?

What inspired you to first pick up a pencil? For some it was first seeing an Audubon print. Others may have fallen in love with the anime film Akira. Maybe it was Superman.
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Drawing Basics: Don't Forget That People Get Suntans

In this passage, which we had to cut from the print article in our Spring 2009 issue of Drawing for space reasons, artist-instructor Dan Gheno explains how the tanned portions of a nude model seem to stand out and push forward, and he reiterates the value of studying individual body parts.
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Drawing basics

Q : I've been mostly a casual drawer, so I’ve stuck mainly to drawing the human figure. Now that I'm looking into pursuing a career in art, I need to improve my skills in sketching backgrounds. Is there a good online tutorial or a book that
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Drawing Basics: Use Bread as an Eraser?

Can you really use bread as an eraser? Find out the answer in this brief blog post about the history of erasing--and check out a new product from a Japanese manufacturer.
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Drawing Basics: Electric Color Flies off the Pages of Fred Hatt's Drawings

Here's a sneak preview of an upcoming feature in Drawing magazine: the lively, colorful figure drawings of NYC artist Fred Hatt.
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Beyond Drawing Basics: Proving Leonardo's Theories on Human Proportions

We've all seen Leonardo da Vinci's famous drawing The Vitruvian Man. But have you read the text he wrote to accompany it? Artist and scholar Anthony Panzera presents Morris Hicky Morgan's translation of Leonardo's notes on the diagram on human proportion, along with his Panzera's
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Drawing Basics: The Best Draftsman Drawing Magazine Can't Cover?

Pietro Annigoni was a great draftsman, portraitist, and teacher. We haven't been able to put a feature article together on him, but here are a few examples of this inspirational artist's work, and a bit of biographical information as well. Who else do you think has been needlessly neglected in
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Drawing Basics: Michael Graves' Traditional Roots

Michael Graves may be best known now for designing household items and iconic buildings, but he has roots in traditional rendering, as a 2007 book featuring architectural renderings from a 1960 sketchbook shows.
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Drawing Basics: Is Pastel a Drawing Medium?

Many pastelists consider their pieces to be paintings. Here at American Artist, we have tried to steer clear of the debate on whether pastel is a drawing medium or a painting medium, although when put against the wall and poked in the chest, we'll
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Drawing Basics: How Are YOU Using Negative Space?

B&W #6 , 2000, oil drawing on paper, 12" x 9" by Lisa Dinhofer An artist I interviewed recently, Lisa Dinhofer, said that being a good draftsman isn't enough. She said putting the emphasis on the objects in your scene is risky if it
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Drawing Basics: Depicting Mother and Child

This time of year puts the focus on family, and at the center of the family is the special relationship between mother and child. Thanks in part to the powerful patronage of the Roman Catholic Church, there are thousands of pencil sketches and preparatory
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Drawing Basics: One Man's Sketchbook

Michael Mentler's pencil drawings from his sketchbook. David Jon Kassan, a friend and an excellent painter and draftsman here in NYC, recently sent me these words about an artist he met during his travels. Here are some images from the artist's
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Drawing Basics: The Best Sketchbook?

Above, a selection of sketchbooks from Kunst & Papier, Palo Alto, California. About two weeks ago I opened up a discussion regarding the best pencil for drawing. Now I'm interested in the best sketchbook. Although I had an opinion about the best
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Drawing Basics: Finding Time to Draw

A friend recently asked how to get into a routine of drawing, and I shared with her my methods of finding the time in a busy schedule to keep progressing in my pursuit of better draftsmanship. I draw from a live model one night a week; when my schedule
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Drawing Basics: The Best Pencil?

Bob Bahr talks about his favorite pencil and asks readers for their opinions.
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Drawing Basics: Two New Books Look Interesting

Recently, two new drawing books caught my eye. I hope to review one or both in an upcoming issue of Drawing , but for those of you who need holiday gift ideas for the draftsman on your list RIGHT NOW, here's a sneak preview. Understanding Architecture
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Drawing Basics: Graphite and Charcoal in the Form of Oil Paint?

Occhuzzie Paint Company, a small manufacturer based in Charlotte, North Carolina, unveiled two new pigments at the Savannah College of Art & Design's Art Materials Show, held at the beginning of October. One featured ground graphite suspended
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Drawing Basics: Panzera and Leonardo's Vitruvian Man

During the course of my work with Drawing magazine, I occasionally get to visit with Anthony Panzera, an excellent draftsman and teacher at Hunter College, on New York's Upper East Side. He is a man of dignity and warmth, and I enjoy chatting with
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Beyond Drawing Basics: Leonardo Drawings from Biblioteca Reale in Turin

The Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco’s Legion of Honor hosted this exhibition of work by master artist Leonardo da Vinci. Figural Sketches by Leonardo da Vinci ca. 1505, pen and black ink drawing with traces of black chalk on paper. Collection
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Drawing Basics: The Cube

Learn to draw the cube and you have a good introduction to basic perspective and drawing essentials , plus the cube is one of the geometric building blocks of all objects—including the human figure. The Three Graces by Jon deMartin, 2002, burnt
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Drawing Basics: A New Series of Articles by Jon deMartin

I'm excited that we've started a new series in Drawing magazine around drawing basics , authored by noted artist Jon deMartin. We'd been puzzling for some time on how to offer more basic instruction to beginners while simultaneously making
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Drawing Basics: Welcome, and What's New From the SCAD Show

Drawing is arguably the oldest form of visual art, but despite its long history, it still has the power to surprise. For example, the simple graphite pencil has been around for more than 200 years, but artists continue to find new methods of working with
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"Drawing" Magazine Cover Competition Winners

We chose 10 finalists for our Drawing Magazine Cover Competition—and then easily named William Rose the winner, as he best showcased the skill level and imagination of our readers. View the winners of the Watercolor magazine 2008 cover competiton
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Drawing Basics: Judith Carducci's Workshop and the Benefits of Drawing and Working From Life

During a recent plein air workshop in Southern France, Judith Carducci helped students who worked with pen-and-ink, pastel, watercolor, and oil colors. The unifying themes of the 10-day class were that drawing basics are a foundation of all media and
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Drawing Basics: Looking at Antonio Lopez Garcia's "Portrait of Maria"

Anthony Panzera comments on Antonio López García's Portrait of Maria . by Anthony Panzera Portrait of Maria by Antonio López García, 1972, graphite drawing, 28 x 21. Collection the artist. I first saw this drawing some
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Drawing Basics: Exploring Humor in Drawing

An exhibition at The J. Paul Getty Museum, in Los Angeles, explores the way various master draftsmen used drawing to comment on society, often revealing their inner thoughts in the process. Caricature of a Man With Bushy Hair by Leonardo da Vinci, ca
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Drawing Basics: Tiepolo Drawings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City, marked the renovation and reopening of the Robert Lehman Wing with an exhibition of 60 drawings by Venetian master Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and his son, Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo. Tiepolo Drawings From
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Drawing Basics: Leonardo da Vinci’s "Head of the Virgin in Three-Quarter View Facing to the Right"

Anthony Panzera comments on Leonardo da Vinci's Head of the Virgin in Three-Quarter View Facing to the Right. by Anthony Panzera Head of the Virgin in Three-Quarter View Facing to the Right by Leonardo da Vinci, ca. 1510, soft black and red chalk
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Drawing Basics: Kent Bellows' Figures With Backgrounds

In the summer 2008 issue of Drawing magazine, we discussed how Omaha artist Kent Bellows was a masterful draftsman who took the time to contemplate a vision and complete works that would endure past his untimely death. We offer more examples of his pencil
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Drawing Basics: David Jon Kassan on "Cellini Revisted" by Sam Ivie

David Jon Kassan discusses Sam Ivie's Cellini Revisited. Cellini Revisited by Sam Ivie, 2000, colored pencil drawing, 8 x 10. Collection the artist. Looking at Drawings: Cellini Revisited by Sam Ivie by David Jon Kassan In this small colored pencil
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Drawing Basics: Female Nude Figure Drawing

David Jon Kassan comments on Robert C. Dacey's Andrea in Shadow. Andrea in Shadow by Robert C. Dacey, charcoal drawing on Bristol board, 20 x 30. by David Jon Kassan This piece is a great figure drawing study in light and dark contrasts. It has a
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Drawing Basics: William-Adolphe Bouguereau, "A Girl in Peasant Costume"

Anthony Panzera comments on William-Adolphe Bouguereau's A Girl in Peasant Costume, Seated, Arms Folded, Holding a Ball of Wool and Knitting Needles in her Right Hand. A Girl in Peasant Costume, Seated, Arms Folded, Holding a Ball of Wool and Knitting
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Drawing Basics: David Jon Kassan on "My Mother" by Katherine Sammons

David Kassan comments on Katherine Sammons' My Mother . My Mother by Katherine Sammons, 2007, charcoal drawing, 14 x 18. by David Jon Kassan This piece is both a portrait of the artist's mother and a metaphor for the balance of opposites--light
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Drawing Basics: Kitty Teerling pencil portraits

David Kassan comments on Kitty Teerling's Louisa and Connie. Connie by Kitty Teerling, 2007, pencil drawing, 4½ x 5½. Louisa by Kitty Teerling, 2007, pencil drawing, 4 x 5. by David Jon Kassan These portrait drawings by Kitty Teerling
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Drawing Basics: Peter Paul Rubens' "Hercules and Minerva Fighting Mars"

Owen Gray comments on Peter Paul Rubens' Hercules and Minerva Fighting Mars. Hercules and Minerva Fighting Mars by Peter Paul Rubens, ca. 1632-1640, gouache and brush over brown ink over preliminary drawing in black chalk on light brown paper, 14
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Drawing Basics: David Jon Kassan on "Demonstrator" by Burton Silverman

David Jon Kassan comments on Burton Silverman's drawing, Demonstrator. Demonstrator by Burton Silverman, 1968, charcoal drawing. by David Jon Kassan This charcoal drawing by Burton Silverman represents one of the many conceptual approaches the artist
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Drawing Basics: Michelangelo's "The Risen Christ" and "The Resurrection of Christ"

Ephraim Rubenstein discusses Michelangelo's The Risen Christ and The Resurrection of Christ. by Ephraim Rubenstein The Risen Christ by Michelangelo, ca. 1513, black chalk drawing, 16 x 10. Collection the British Museum, London, England. The Resurrection
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Beyond Drawing Basics: Drawing Storyboards for the Coen Brothers Movies

Ohio artist J. Todd Anderson took his talent for drawing to Hollywood and, as a storyboard artist, became part of the award-winning Coen Brothers movie-making team, creating the storyboards for such movies as Raising Arizona and No Country for Old Men
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Drawing Basics: Understanding Anatomy by Drawing the Foot

About 25% of the human body's bones are in the foot, a vitally important structure for a biped. Here's a drawing tutorial about what draftsmen need to know to draw the foot and depict its function convincingly. by David Jon Kassan Bone Outstep
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Drawing Basics: Arlene Steinberg on Colored Pencil

Read the transcript from yesterday's live online chat and drawing tutorial with colored pencil artist Arlene Steinberg. Be sure to attend our next live chat with pastel artist Janet Monafo on Monday, June 9 at 2pm EST. 2008-05-12 11:00:03.0 Administrator
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Drawing Basics: Dee Overly's Colored Pencil and Graphite Drawings

In her colored pencil and graphite drawings, Dee Overly invites viewers to admire the unique details of natural objects. by Lynne Moss Perricelli Raindrops 2007, colored pencil drawing, 8½ x 7. This piece won second place in American Artist’s
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Beginner Drawing Logic: Getting Depth Into Your Drawings

Here are some ways to give depth to your drawings. by Bob Bahr A Grove of Pine Trees With a Ruined Tower by Claude Lorrain, 1638â??1639, pen and brown ink with brown, gray, and pink wash on white paper, 12â? x 8Â¾. Collection
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Drawing Basics: David Jon Kassan on "Self-Portrait" by Kathe Kollwitz

David Jon Kassan discusses Käthe Kollwitz's Self-Portrait. Self-Portrait By Käthe Kollwitz, 1924, lithograph drawing. by David Jon Kassan This drawing exemplifies the term that less is more. This is a straightforward, austere pencil sketch
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Drawing Basics: David Jon Kassan on "Male Nude" by Michelangelo

David Jon Kassan comments on Michelangelo's Male Nude . Male Nude by Michelangelo Buonarroti, ca.1504, black chalk drawing heightened with lead white, 16 x 9. Collection Teylers Museum, Haarlem, the Netherlands. Looking at Drawings: "Male Nude
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Drawing Basics: David Jon Kassan on "Manuelita" by Nicolai Fechin

David Jon Kassan discusses Nicolai Fechin's Manuelita. Manuelita by Nicolai Fechin, ca. 1930, charcoal drawing on off-white paper. by David Jon Kassan This drawing by Nicolai Fechin likely served as a study for a painting and is a great observation
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Drawing Basics: Values Create Dramatic Drawings

Careful use of darks and lights within and around the figure can give your drawings more power and dramatic force. by Dan Gheno Laocoön by Baccio Bandinelli, red and black chalk, 21 x 15¾. Collection the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. Some
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Drawing Basics: Arlene Steinberg on How Colored Pencil Techniques Relate to Painting

Arlene Steinberg develops her detailed colored pencil drawings in much the same way as an oil painter would proceed. She carefully determines a composition, builds from dark shadows to bright highlights, and underpaints complementary colors to enrich
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Drawing Basics: David Jon Kassan on "Connie XXI" by Costa Vavagiakis

David Jon Kassan discusses Costa Vavagiakis' Connie XXI . Connie XXI by Costa Vavagiakis, 2005, graphite and white chalk drawing on gray paper, 16½ x 11½. by David Jon Kassan This drawing by Costa Vavagiakis was done with graphite heightened
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Drawing Basics: David Jon Kassan on "Study of the Head of an Old Man" by Jean-Baptiste Greuze

David Jon Kassan discusses Jean-Baptist Greuze's Study of the Head of an Old Man. Study of the Head of an Old Man by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, ca. 1765, red chalk, 15? x 12?. Collection J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California. Looking at Drawings
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Drawing Basics: Student and Faculty Work from PAFA

In the spring 2008 issue of Drawing magazine, we explored how the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts puts students on the path to become artists, teaching them drawing basics and then taking them beyond. In this online exclusive gallery, we offer more
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Drawing Basics: Janvier Rollande's Portraits of Self-Expression

In the spring 2008 issue of Drawing magazine, we discussed how Maine artist Janvier Rollande found that a bit of herself always came through in her pencil drawings of others. We offer more of her graphite portraits in this online exclusive gallery. Tapestry
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Drawing Basics: A History of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

In this online exclusive, read more about the history of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts as a supplement to the spring 2008 Drawing magazine feature article. by Tina Tammaro In 1791 artist Charles Willson Peale began to gather a group of prominent
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Drawing Basics: Colored Pencil Drawings of Natural Objects

In this online exclusive gallery, we offer more colored pencil drawings by spring 2008 featured artist Dee Overly. Hiding 2006, colored pencil, 7 x 6. Collection Cathy Barry. Rain Beads 2007, colored pencil, 8½ x 7. Collection the artist. Peaches
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Drawing Basics: Looking at "A Stag at Sharkey's" by George Bellows

David Jon Kassan comments on George Bellows' A Stag at Sharkey's. A Stag at Sharkey’s by George Bellows, 1917, lithograph, 18½ x 23. This lithograph drawing by George Bellows was based on an earlier painting of the same name done
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Oil Painting: Peter Fiore: Freely Interpreting Nature

Because most of his Pennsylvania landscapes begin with his photographs, Peter Fiore considers his paintings reorchestrations of reality. “A painting is what I envision,” he says, “not necessarily what nature gave me.” by Linda
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Drawing Basics: The Neck

A look at the anatomical structure of the neck, and some helpful figure drawing tips from Drawing magazine's Understanding Anatomy series. Read other features in the Understanding Anatomy series: Drawing the Leg Drawing the Ear Drawing the Arm by
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Oil Painting: Jimmy Sanders: The Structure Needed in Painting and in Life

For almost 20 years, Jimmy Sanders has set specific goals for his art education, the types of paintings he creates, and the projects he undertakes. “Goals are dreams with deadlines,” he says. “They are important to realist painters who
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Drawing Basics: Arlene Steinberg's Colored Pencil Drawings

In the May 2008 issue of American Artist, we explored how Arlene Steinberg developed her detailed colored pencil drawings in much the same way as an oil painter would proceed. We present more of her drawings in this online exclusive gallery. All Paired
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Drawing Basics: "Male Back" by John Singer Sargent

David Jon Kassan discusses John Singer Sargent's Male Back . Male Back by John Singer Sargent, charcoal drawing. Drawn between 1890-1915. by David Jon Kassan While most artists will rely on how light describes form in their figure drawings , John
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Drawing Basics: Ports of Entry & Richard Morris Hunt's Architectural Drawings

Twenty-five architectural drawings created by Richard Morris Hunt between 1847 and 1863 were on display at the National Academy Museum . Hunt, often referred to as "the dean of American architecture," was the first American to study architecture
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Drawing Basics: Edges

An artist's handling of edges is one of the drawing basics and of great importance if a drawing is to be convincing. Tartar Huntsman by Peter Paul Rubens, ca. 1616, black chalk heightened with white, 15 1/16 x 10 9/16. Collection The Fizwilliam Museum
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Drawing Basics: Philip Pearlstein's Prints and Army Drawings

In this online exclusive gallery, view more examples of Philip Pearlstein's work that highlight the draftsmanship and drawing skills described in his winter 2008 Drawing feature. Jerusalem, Kidron Valley 1987-88, woodcut, 40 x 119. Collection the
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Drawing Basics: Looking at "Study for Mirror (I Against I)" by Dan Thompson

David Jon Kassan comments on Dan Thompson's Study for Mirror (I against I) . Study for Mirror (I Against I) by Dan Thompson, graphite. Collection unknown. This served as a study for a self-portrait. Looking at Drawings: "Study for Mirror (I Against
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Beyond Drawing Basics: Philip Pearlstein's Unrelenting Gaze

This New York artist discovers many of his breakthroughs through drawings, depicting strictly what he sees with little thought for accepted standards of draftsmanship. by John A. Parks Study for Eroded Cliff 1955, sepia wash on paper, 18¾ x 23
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Drawing Basics: Henry Casselli Draws from the Inside Out

Throughout his long career, Henry Casselli has looked to drawings to clarify his impressions and better understand his subject. To read more features like this, subscribe to Drawing today! by Lynne Moss Perricelli Study for Sparring Partner 2005, graphite
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Drawing Basics: Anthony Mitri and Mary Reilly's Other Locales in Black and White

In the winter 2008 issue of Drawing magazine, we discussed how Anthony Mitri and Mary Reilly, who work in charcoal and graphite respectively, mastered the drawing essentials to develop a personal vision and unique style through their drawings of New York
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Technique: Acrylic Washes Over Drawings

by John Rutherford Exhausted Surgeon 2002, Conté and acrylic, 17 x 21. All artwork this article collection the artist. My approach to figure drawing allows me to work quickly in establishing both the linear outlines of the model’s form and
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Drawing Basics: Caran d'Ache's Pencil-Making Process

The pencil manufacturer Caran d’Ache agreed to share their pencil-making process with Drawing readers through the following photographs, so that artists are informed about their materials and can use them when solidifying their mastery of all drawing
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Drawing Basics: David Jon Kassan's Favorite Drawing & Why

For this new feature, we've asked artists to comment on some of their favorite drawings. In this first edition, David Jon Kassan comments on Head Study of a Young Girl by John H. VanderPoel. Head Study of a Young Girl by John H. VanderPoel, 1903,
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Drawing Basics: Julia Randall's Colored Pencil Mouths

In the winter 2008 issue of Drawing magazine, we discussed how New York City artist Julia Randall's colored pencil drawings incorporated depictions of her mouth. We present more of her voyeuristic, suggestive, slightly grotesque, and humorous drawings
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Drawing Basics: Ingres' Miraculous Lines

This French master teaches us much about contours, portraiture, and how to draw people. by Mark G. Mitchell Portrait of Charles- François Mallet 1809, graphite, 10 9/16 x 8 5/16. Collection The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. So that’s
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Technique: Watercolor Pencils: Bridging the Gap Between Painting and Drawing

Water-soluble colored pencils offer the perfect solution for artists who want to create watercolor effects without the hassle of watercolor paints. by Stephanie Kaplan Plumeria 2006, watercolor pencil, 8 x 10. Watercolorist Kristy Ann Kutch owned a set
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Drawing Basics: Henry Casselli's Portrait Drawings

In the winter 2008 issue of Drawing magazine, we explored how Henry Casselli has looked to drawings to clarify his impressions and better understand his subject throughout his long career. Here, we offer more of his portrait drawings in this online exclusive
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Long-Pose Drawing Basics: How to Keep It Energetic and Alive

A more finished drawing is possible when a model poses for an extended amount of time, but this luxury comes with particular challenges. Identifying and preparing for the potential pitfalls will improve your figure drawing . To read more features like
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Drawing Basics: BACAA Recommended Books

In the fall 2007 issue of Drawing magazine, we highlighted the Bay Area Classical Artist Atelier as one of the most regarded classical contemporary schools in the country, offering students traditional figure-drawing training from today’s top artist
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Drawing Basics: Exercise the Imagination of Line

This web-based art program seeks to explore drawing basics as essential modes of education not only in the United Kingdom but all over the world. July 22, 2007, Sunset in Verona at Ponte by Victor Timofeev, 2007, pen-and-ink and graphite, 9½ x
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Beyond Drawing Basics: Evidence & Interpretation in Master Landscape Drawings

Many great landscape drawings were created as preparatory studies, educational exercises, or informational journals and not as finished works of art. We can now study those freely made graphic images for evidence of the drawing essentials , ideas, and
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Beyond Drawing Basics: Mise en Page

by Bob Bahr Head of the Virgin in Three-Quarter View Facing to the Right by Leonardo da Vinci, 1508–1512, black and red chalk on paper, 8 x 6?. Collection The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York. Leonardo filled the sheet with the subject’s
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Drawing Basics: Preparing Your Surface

In the June 2007 issue of American Artist, we discussed how the large charcoal drawings that Montana artist David C. Powers creates on toned pano Artistico hot-pressed watercolor paper are inspired by the feelings of danger, freedom, solitude, and the
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Drawing Basics: 70th Anniversary Competition Grand Prize Winner

John P. Smolko won the Grand Prize—a new MetroShed, furnished by Blick Art Materials, for use as a stand-alone studio—for his imaginative colored pencil piece, Homage to Klimt (The Virgin). Read more about the artist, and view five online
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Drawing Basics: 70th Anniversary Competition Winners

We present the semifinalists in the drawing category. by Karen Stanger Johnston Study for the Portrait of Autumn by Chusit Wijarnjoragij, 2007, brown and white colored pencil, 25 x 19. First Place: Chusit Wijarnjoragij For Thailand-born Chusit Wijarnjoragij
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Watercolor: 70th Anniversary Competition Winners

We present the semifinalists in the watercolor category. by Karen Stanger Johnston After the Harvest by Gail M. Wheaton, 2003, watercolor, 30 x 22. Collection Evan and Patricia Harter. First Place: Gail M. Wheaton Arizona artist Gail M. Wheaton completed
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Drawing Basics: Colored Pencil 70th Anniversary Competition Winners

We present the semifinalists in the colored pencil category. by Karen Stanger Johnston Ya Reckin by Rosemarie Rush, 2006, colored pencil, 16 x 20. First Place: Rosemarie Rush Like most of the images of Western life by California artist Rosemarie Rush
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Drawing Basics: Printmaking 70th Anniversary Competition Winners

We present the semifinalists in the printmaking category. by Karen Stanger Johnston Eulogy for Kreischerville by Bill Murphy, 2006, etching, 11 x 21. Image courtesy The Old Print Shop, New York, New York. Collection Newark Public Library, Newark, New
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Drawing Basics: Classical Art in the Modern World

Chicago’s School of Representational Art offers a classical art education in a modern world. by Mark G. Mitchell Tartan by Steve Ohlrich, 1999, charcoal and pastel on white paper, 25 x 19. On the top floor of an old factory warehouse in the arts
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Beginner Drawing Logic: Draw What You Don't See

Faintly draw construction lines to remind yourself of the parts of the form you don't see. by Bob Bahr Contour of a Woman Relaxing by Alex Zwarenstein, 2002, graphite, 20 x 30. All artwork this article collection the artist unless otherwise indicated
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Drawing Basics: Understanding the Anatomy of the Ear

A look at the anatomical structure of the ear, and some helpful tips on how to draw people . by Ephraim Rubenstein Maddie 2005, pastel on sanded board, 19 x 15. In this portrait of my daughter, Madeleine, her ear is lit very dramatically from behind.
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Beyond Drawing Basics: Ashcan Drawings

The artists of the Ashcan School, known for their raw depictions of urban life, shared a background in newspaper and magazine illustration that shaped their drawing and painting styles. by Edith Zimmerman Far From the Fresh Air Farm by William Glackens
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Beginner: Drawing Materials, the Basics

by Bob Bahr Here are the basic art materials drawing. Drawing Graphite pencils A graphite pencil usually consists of a long, thin cylinder of graphite enclosed in a hexagonal wooden sleeve--the standard pencil. But solid graphite is also available in
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Drawing Basics: Hard Edges, Bold Colors

Screenprints can have subtle colors and edges, but the most stimulating examples are bold and crisp, as a selection from the Print Research Foundation, in Stamford, Connecticut, shows. by Bob Bahr The Hitchhiker by Robert Gwathmey, 1937–1943, screenprint
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Drawing Basics: Chat With Dan Gheno

Read the transcript from our online chat with top artist-instructor Dan Gheno. If you have more thoughts to share, chat with your peers on Artists' Forum , and check back for more online chats with featured artists. This chat was brought to you by
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Museums Offer a Wealth of Educational Resources

Teachers of all grade levels and subjects can use museum resources to enhance their curriculum. by Erica Yonks African Mask 2006, 10th grade, charcoal and pencil. During a unit on the art and history of West Africa, students drew from figure sculptures
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LESSON PLAN: Looking at Impressionist Landscapes

This valuable lesson plan explains how to teach high-school students to draw landscapes. by Erica Yonks Green Trees 9th grade student, 2006, colored pencil. Grade Level: 9 Duration: three days Objectives • To depict landscapes with the illusion of
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Beginner Drawing: Shadows and Light: The Basics

An object is almost never in simply light and shade. Rather, it is usually in an environment in which light is bouncing around in several directions. For this reason it is important for beginners to understand the nature of shadows. by Bob Bahr Diagram
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Drawing Basics: Brian Bomeisler's Global Skills of Drawing

We offered words of advice about drawing basics from Brian Bomeisler in the winter 2007 issue of Drawing magazine. Here, we present his five global skills of realistic drawing. Bomeisler helped a student correct and adjust the proportions of his self
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Drawing Basics: Painterly Effects With Colored Pencil

California artist Alyona Nickelsen uses odorless mineral spirits to dissolve some of the pigment in her colored pencil drawings, eliminating the pencil strokes and creating rich, luminous color. by Lynne Moss Perricelli Sincerely Yours 2006, colored pencil
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Drawing Basics: Chat With Colored Pencil Artist Alyona Nickelsen

Read the transcript from our online chat with colored pencil artist Alyona Nickelsen. This chat was brought to you by Legion Paper . 2007-03-08 11:00:27.0 Administrator: You have joined a chat with Alyona Nickelsen, a colored pencil artist featured in
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Drawing Basics: Drawing Without Symbols on the Right Side of the Brain

As a supplement to our feature in the winter 2007 issue of Drawing magazine, we offer a more in depth look at Brian Bomeisler's drawing workshop with an extended version of the article, additional images of student work, and more photographs of the
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Drawing Basics: The Benefits of Sight-Size Drawing

Cast Study—Laocoon 2005, charcoal and white chalk, 26 x 19. Collection the artist. Students attending contemporary art schools modeled after 19th-century academies often spend their first months on the drawing basics and making sight-size copies
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Drawing Basics: How to Put the Human Form Together

In past issues, we explained how to analyze and correctly draw different areas of the body. In this tutorial overview of the figure, we bring it all together. by Dan Gheno Weighted Stasis by Dan Gheno, 2006, colored pencil and white charcoal on toned
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Drawing Basics: Understanding Anatomy of the Arm

If you know the anatomy of arms, you can use them to express much. by Ephraim Rubenstein Study of Arms 2006, red chalk, 26 x 19. All artwork this article collection the artist unless otherwise indicated. This study shows the major masses of the arm in
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Drawing Basics: Woodcut Prints or Oil Paintings?

In the March 2007 issue of American Artist , Utah artist Brad Teare used a number of techniques to give his woodcut prints a fluid, organic quality that brings them closer in appearance to his plein air oil paintings . Here, we offer more the prints he
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Technique: Cartooning: Spotlight on Christopher Hart

by Edith Zimmerman From Hart’s Cartooning series (Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, New York). Anyone interested in the techniques of cartooning has probably heard of Christopher Hart . His instructional books have been read and reread by millions
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Drawing Basics: How to Draw Dynamic Heads

Depicting features is only the beginning. Putting life into a head drawing requires assimilating it with the rest of the body, capturing an attitude—and much more. by Dan Gheno Study for the Angel in Madonna of the Rocks by Leonardo, silverpoint
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Drawing Basics: From a Roman Fountain to a South Bend Studio

In this excerpt from the fall 2006 issue of Drawing , David Mayernik discusses how copying the work of Old Masters trains his taste so he can draw and paint original work with the classical beauty he reveres. by Bob Bahr For David Mayernik , who has gone
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Drawing Basics: A Foreshortening Exercise

This helpful drawing exercise for drawing faces appeared in the fall 2006 issue of Drawing . If you have trouble seeing and drawing the nose close to the eye when you are drawing a head, be sure to try this exercise. by Dan Gheno Skull From Above by Dan
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Drawing Basics: Modeling a Face With Light

In the fall 2006 issue of Drawing , we explored the art of drawing realistic heads. Here, we present an excerpt from the article about drawing with light and shadows. by Dan Gheno Study of a Boy With His Hand to His Mouth by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
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Drawing Basics: Put Your Head in a Box

In the fall 2006 issue of Drawing , we explored the sometimes daunting task of drawing accurate heads. Here, we suggest one technique from the article that will help you use perspective to better gauge the tilt of the head. by Dan Gheno Stereometric Man
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Drawing Basics: Sargent in Black and White

In the fall 2006 issue of Drawing , we explored John Singer Sargent's brilliant drawings. Here, we offer an excerpt from the article that discusses Sargent's use of light and dark values. by Mark G. Mitchell ”I think the chief characteristic
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Drawing Basics: Preserving the Landscape in Colored Pencil

Ohio artist Linda Wesner depicts American scenes that are quickly disappearing because she feels it is important that the viewer recognize the universal theme of change. by Bob Bahr Light Along the Hudson 2006, colored pencil, 25 x 12¾. All artwork
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Drawing Basics: Linda Wesner's Colored Pencil Landscapes

In the January 2007 issue of American Artist , Ohio artist Linda Wesner depicted American scenes that were quickly disappearing because she felt it was important that the viewer recognized the universal theme of change. We offer 16 more of her colored
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Drawing Basics: Measuring Facial Features

In the fall 2006 issue of Drawing , we explained how to draw dynamic heads. We present an excerpt from the article about measuring facial features. by Dan Gheno In my “Portrait Painting” article in the February 1993 issue of American Artist
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Drawing Basics: Drawing Lessons from John Singer Sargent

In the fall 2006 issue of Drawing , we explored how the best lessons in value, light, and form are clearly visible in John Singer Sargent's drawings. We present a excerpt from the article that discusses how he taught drawing classes. by Mark G. Mitchell
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Drawing Basics: Christopher Hart's Cartoons from Drawing Faeries

We recently spotlighted Christopher Hart and his cartooning techniques. Here, we present more images from Hart's Drawing Faeries series (Watson-Guptill, New York, New York).
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Drawing Basics: Sigmund Abeles' Five-Minute Drawings

In the fall 2006 issue of Drawing , we explored how Sigmund Abeles has shown several generations of artists the drawing basics : how to draw with organic lines, logical compositions, and lots of empathy. Here, we present an exerpt from the article about
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Drawing Basics: Lisa Dinhofer's Playful Oil Paintings

In the summer 2006 issue of Drawing , New York artist Lisa Dinhofer drew convincing objects in imaginary spaces, finding meaning in both the items and their presentation. In contrast, we offer nine of her playful oil paintings in this online exclusive
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Drawing Basics: Between Drawing and Painting

Chicago artist Tim Lowly communicates compassion and acceptance in his depictions of vulnerable humans. by Joseph C. Skrapits Portrait of K 2006, charcoal on toned museum board, 19 x 141/2. All artwork this article collection the artist unless otherwise
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Drawing Basics: Just Imagine--Drawings by Lisa Dinhofer

This New York artist draws convincing objects in imaginary spaces, finding meaning in both the items and their presentation. by Lynne Moss Perricelli Into the Light: Yellow 2004, colored pencil and collage, 19 x 22. Collection the artist. New York artist
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Drawing Basics: The Emergence of Tonal Drawing

Tonal drawing--the juxtaposition of relative values, the notion of seeing masses rather than outlines--more closely replicates the way humans see than do lines. This emotional way of depicting the world has been explored since Leonardo; modern artists
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Drawing Basics: Jon DeMartin's Drawing Workshops to Improve Paintings

“One of the biggest reasons painters get into trouble is because their pictures don’t have a solid foundation of accurate and expressive drawings,” says New York artist Jon DeMartin. That’s why his drawing workshops are so helpful
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Drawing Basics: Inside the Atelier: Learning How to Draw on the Right Side of the Brain

As the son of Betty Edwards, the author of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain , Brian Bomeisler helps students access the right side of their brains to improve their drawings. The following describes the first day of Bomeisler’s five day drawing
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Drawing Basics: When It Hurts to Draw

Drawing can cause a repetitive strain injury (RSI), but with a few precautions and the right equipment, this risk can be minimized. by Edith Zimmerman Drawing is not usually thought of as a high-risk occupation. Calluses, dirty fingernails, stained clothes
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