Artist Daily Shop | Help / Customer Service

Figure Drawing

The art of figure drawing is constantly evolving, and here at Artist Daily we want to provide the most up to date information. Discover unique ideas on how to draw people such as how to position your reference picture to help you see lines and shape relationships.

Filed under:

Related Posts

  • Drawing, Winter 2012
    In this issue, our Drawing Fundamentals series moves from looking at the historical roots of copying as an instructional practice to offering specific recommendations about how artists can copy master artwork in order to benefit the most from their efforts.
    Read More >>
  • It's a First for Us--See What's Coming in the Newest Issue of Drawing Magazine!
    Pages from Sabin Howard's drawing sketchbook and a finished sculpture. We just put a wrap on the winter issue of Drawing —you'll be seeing it in your mailboxes and on newsstands in February, and can order it in the Artist Daily Store as
    Read More >>
  • Let Me Arrange Your Life
    The grapes establish dominance in an otherwise bland still life painting setup. Your still life! By following a few key guidelines when creating still life painting setups, you will be on your way to creating successful, dynamic paintings that really
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Where’s Your Free eBook on Life Drawing & Drawing Models? Right Here!
    Slumber at Chuckwalla Valley (detail) by Sharon Allicotti, drawing. If art were a banquet, I would constantly be going back for more helpings of life drawing. It is a consistently rewarding artistic experience because I've never met a more inspiring—and
    Read More >>
  • Paint the Body Parts That Turn You On!
    Back II (Joshua) by Martha Mayer Erlebacher, 2003, oil on canvas, 42 x 42. The human body is beautiful—as a whole and in its parts. Body drawings that accentuate the sensuous lines of the body and the power of the human form are steeped in a knowledge
    Read More >>
  • American Artist Magazine, March/April 2012
    Happy Birthday to us! In our expanded March/April issue, American Artist celebrates its 75th anniversary by revisiting some of the most inspiring artists we’ve covered throughout our history. We also feature our annual workshop and art school directory.
    Read More >>
  • 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'
    Read More >>
  • Drawing the Strength of Bones and Folds of Flesh
    Pastel drawing by Lea Colie Wight. At Studio Incamminati, it is not unusual for instructors or fellows who are not teaching a particular class to come in to draw or paint beside the students. This happened recently when Lea Colie Wight joined in a figure
    Read More >>
  • Drawing a Nose for 20 Weeks...Really?!
    Drawing of a nose by Darren Kingsley with graphite pencil. The fall session at Studio Incamminati has begun, and I am taking classes with Darren Kingsley. One is in charcoal, and the other in graphite pencil . Last year as a new student, I was introduced
    Read More >>
  • Colored Pencils and Exploding Heads: Welcome to the Fall Issue of Drawing
    Kinder Love by Jason Bard Yarmosky, 2011, pencil drawing, 18 x 24. Frontal Study of Naked Man by Leonardo, 1503- 09, pen and ink drawing, 9 1/4 x 5 3/4. Looking East by Kerry Brooks, colored pencil drawing. I'm excited to report that the fall issue
    Read More >>
  • Breakfast of Champions: Free Still Life Painting eBook!
    The Remains by Joe Gyurcsak, 2007, oil painting, 24 x 24. If I start my morning with a bit of artistic inspiration, it really carries me through the whole day, just like a wholesome breakfast does! And today is a very good day because I was able to begin
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • A Stress-Free Drawing Master Class
    This is a blog about drawing people from one of my favorite co-workers, Cate, the online editor of Cloth Paper Scissors . Enjoy! Proportion is key to life drawing. When I was a kid growing up in Michigan, I was privileged to take classes at Cranbrook
    Read More >>
  • Will You Please Put Some Clothes On?
    Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I by Nicholas Hilliard (attributed), 1585. I can only imagine the excitement and thrill of sitting for any one of the great portrait painters in history such as Bronzino, Velazquez, and Sargent. But then my mind goes directly
    Read More >>
  • Fall 2011
    This issue considers the gentle and peculiar graphite portraits of Jason Bard Yarmosky, who draws his grandparents wearing various costumes in order to reassess cultural assumptions about old age. It also includes another article that explains how artists can use the proportions of the figure to aid
    Read More >>
  • Tall Order: Drawing the Windows to the Soul
    Click on any of the above images to see David Kassan's Drawing the Eyes . That is no small task, no doubt about it. Yet hundreds of thousands of us search every year online about how to draw eyes. Mostly, I think, because we take drawing eyes for
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Winter 2011
    Employ A Wide Range Of Media And Styles; Spanish Masters From Ribera To Goya; Mapping The Face Through Large Self-Portraits; How To Draw Active, Lifelike Figures; Advice For Drawing Leaves+ Plants In Perspective.
    Read More >>
  • Don’t Finish That Drawing—It’s Perfect Right Now
    Frank by Eileen Healy, pastel drawing. Artist Daily Member Spotlight: Eileen Healy I don't think any of you know how often I brag about you and the great work you show off in the Artist Daily Member Gallery. Recently I had several colleagues looking
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Treat Your Model Like a Well-Trained Pet
    I am kidding! So kidding! But I was thinking about this article and how I wanted to discuss working with a model, specifically how to position your model in a figure drawing , and what that position can convey both compositionally and as part of the narrative
    Read More >>
  • 3 Paintings I'd Take in a Heartbeat
    Unknown Woman by Thomas Wilmer Dewing, 1890, pastel painting on paper. I love the effects and colors you can get with pastel paintings . . . at least I do now. It wasn't too long ago that I felt like I had some kind of weird complex where I could
    Read More >>
  • Abandon and Control: Robert Liberace's Contradiction in Oil Painting?
    Oil painting demonstration by Robert Liberace. To listen to Robert Liberace talk during one of his demonstrations, sometimes, fleetingly, it sounds to me like there is an occasional contradiction. The most recent example I can point to is when he talked
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Just Back Up and Let the Painting Breathe
    Early Morning by Keith McCulloch, 12 x 16, oil painting. Artist Daily Member Spotlight: Keith B. McCulloch When I first saw Keith McCulloch's paintings, I took a deep breath. It was an involuntary reaction but a telling one—the airy, openness
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Make It Come Alive, But Not Like Frankenstein
    Stacy in Chalk by Rob Liberace, chalk pencil drawing, 14 x 22. I wholeheartedly believe that a drawing of a human figure should look like it has the potential for physical movement and action. Not a creepy, unnatural animation, but more of a direct relation
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Composing On the Fly When Painting Outdoors
    A photo of the plein air landscape site I chose to paint. I can still recall the first morning I saw this little bend in the river ike it was yesterday. The air was still cool and breezy, the sun was glinting off the water, the bees in their hive were
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Weekend With the Masters 2011: Exciting New Educational Opportunities & Breathtaking Location
    Golden by Daniel Gerhartz, oil on canvas, 16 x 12. Since its inception in 2009, Weekend With the Masters Workshop & Conference has brought together some of the top instructors of representational art under one roof for a long weekend of workshops
    Read More >>
  • May I Introduce Rob Liberace?
    Figure Throwing Ball by Rob Liberace, chalk drawing on paper, 24 x 36. Rob Liberace: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Robert Liberace is considered by many to be a contemporary classicist, equally accomplished in sculpture, drawing, and painting and
    Read More >>
  • May I Introduce David Jon Kassan?
    Approaching Noise (in progress) by David Jon Kassan, oil painting on wood panel, 40 x 34. David Jon Kassan: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Following his initial drawing studies at University of the Arts, in Philadelphia, David Jon Kassan attended
    Read More >>
  • May I Introduce Anthony Ryder?
    Twilight by Tony Ryder, 1998, pencil drawing, 25 x 19. Tony Ryder: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Anthony Ryder studied at the Art Students League of New York, the New York Academy of Art, and the Ecole Albert Defois, in France, with oil painter
    Read More >>
  • May I Introduce Richard Schmid?
    Throughout his career, Richard Schmid has promoted art education through his books, articles, workshops, seminars, and television presentations. Richard Schmid: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Richard Schmid was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1934.
    Read More >>
  • May I Introduce Jacob Collins?
    Thinking Man by Jacob Collins, oil painting, 30 x 20, 2004. Jacob Collins: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Jacob Collins is a leading figure in the contemporary revival of classical painting. He earned a B.A. in history from Columbia College and attended
    Read More >>
  • May I Introduce Joseph McGurl?
    Light at Sunset by Joseph McGurl, oil painting, 24 x 36. Joseph McGurl: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Joseph McGurl has been referred to as one of the acknowledged leaders in the current American landscape painting arena. This has been confirmed
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Take Advantage of the Sights Around You
    I typically don’t carry around a sketchbook, but during this time of year I could make an exception. There is so much going on, and it seems like everywhere I look there’s a composition waiting to be found. Just yesterday I went for a walk, and the sight of a little girl tugging demandingly
    Read More >>
  • Artist Daily Latest eBook on Sketching Is Our Best Yet
    It’s tricky when an activity involves technique but is actually done best when you just get loose and let things happen naturally and effortlessly. Dancing is that way, and drawing is too. There are a lot of things to consider, but in the end you
    Read More >>
  • A Model’s Pose: It Needs to Come Naturally
    Artist Quang Ho seeks out a natural, effortless pose with his models. Photos by Manuel Rodriguez . I'm a lounger by nature. Why stand when I can sit? Why sit when I can curl up on the nearest comfy couch? This has made my posture the bane of my grandmother's
    Read More >>
  • Drawing Magazine Goes to College
    Seated Muse by James Langley , a Foundation Studies professor at SCAD. The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) believes certain artistic skills and techniques are fundamental for all students, whether these students happen to be filmmakers, architects, fashion designers, animators, or fine artists
    Read More >>
  • Discover the Enduring Appeal of Figure Drawing
    Human figure drawing, especially life drawing from a model, is one of the most rewarding ways of practicing art because it can enhance your abilities in ways that are both practical and inspirational. It's practical in that creating figure drawings develops skills that will serve you again and again
    Read More >>
  • Drawing, Spring 2010
    On the Cover: Idaline (detail) by Anthony Ryder, 2007, graphite and pastel on tinted paper, 14 x 10. Collection the artist. FEATURES The Ryder Studio School: Drawing on Light & Form by Allison Malafronte Artists who want to learn Anthony Ryder’s
    Read More >>
  • Helping Our Pint-Size Artists
    A couple of years ago I wrote an article about an education program that introduced modern art to children in a museum setting. After seeing the artwork, the kids then had the opportunity to make their own pieces. In the workshop, they acted like successful artists—fearless, opinionated, and not
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Drawing, Fall 2009
    Check out what's featured in the Fall 2009 issue of Drawing magazine.
    Read More >>
  • 10 Steps to Determine Values in Watercolor
    Although I am known for using vibrant colors to create what appear to be playful, spontaneous images in my watercolor paintings, the key to the success of these paintings is the value structure of the compositions. Here’s how I teach others to use studies to plan effective compositions.
    Read More >>
  • 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.
    Read More >>
  • 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...
    Read More >>
  • 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.
    Read More >>
  • 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.
    Read More >>
  • 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.
    Read More >>
  • 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.
    Read More >>
  • En Plein Air: A Conversation With Joseph McGurl
    Joseph McGurl grew up under his talented father’s artistic tutelage while cultivating a passion for boating and a love of the sea. This early influence, coupled with years of hard work and practice, have made him one of today’s foremost landscape painters, and in this interview he shares
    Read More >>
  • 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.
    Read More >>
  • Workshop Spring 2009
    The table of contents from the Spring 2009 issue of Workshop magazine.
    Read More >>
  • 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.
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • "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
    Read More >>
  • Beginner Drawing: Printmaking: An Introduction
    Those daunted by the skills and money needed to operate a large, bulky printing press can still explore a variety of printmaking techniques without the use of a press. by Naomi Ekperigin Winged Horse by Gail Ayres, 2003, monotype, 30 x 22. Collection
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Pastel: Step by Step: Drawing With A Powdered Pastel 'Wash'
    A noted artist and instructor demonstrates how he lays down a wash, then adds darks and lifts out lights to reveal an expressive drawing. by Robert T. Barrett In the process of developing my ability to see values correctly, I became aware that very few
    Read More >>
  • Watercolor: Step by Step: Margaret M. Martin's "Country Jewels"
    In the winter 2008 issue of Watercolor magazine, Margaret M. Martin discussed incorporating figures in her architecture and landscape scenes to help direct the viewer's eye and infuse a sense of movement and life into her paintings. Here, we offer
    Read More >>
  • Beginner: Drawing Masters
    As one studies drawing, it can be useful to learn from masters that came before in order to gain inspiration and find ways of approaching challenges that arise. For those discovering drawing, there are several master draftsmen one can learn from. by Naomi
    Read More >>
  • Artist of the Month: Mark Marcuson: Art Versus Science
    This Nebraska artist went from scientific illustration to still lifes and figures that enable him to examine life in a new way. Cranberries 2008, oil, 24 x 16. Collection the artist. by Naomi Ekperigin Mark Marcuson is an equal-opportunity artist. Having
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • "Drawing" Magazine 2006 Cover Competition
    It was tough, but we chose 10 finalists who best showcase the skill level and imagination of our readers and named Noel A. Carmack the Drawing Magazine Cover Competition Winner for 2006. Noel A. Carmack Shannon by Noel A. Carmack, 2006, black colored
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Technique: George James: Innovations With Transparent Watercolor
    Known for his innovative method of using transparent watercolor on a nonabsorbent surface, this California artist employs an open-ended approach. Like what you read? Subscribe to Watercolor today! by Lynne Moss Perricelli Sunday Morning Nougat 2003, watercolor
    Read More >>
  • Beginner Drawing: Networking Opportunities for Artists
    Many artists work within the confines of their studios or homes, making it difficult to connect with colleagues. Below are different ways beginning artists can enter the social dimension of the art world. by Naomi Ekperigin Art Classes and Workshops Attending
    Read More >>
  • BACAA: Classical Training From Contemporary Masters
    The Bay Area Classical Artist Atelier, just outside of San Francisco, began with one woman’s dream to establish a school steeped in the traditions of the European ateliers of the past. Today the atelier is one of the most regarded classical contemporary
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Beginner Oil: Recommended Books for a Beginning Artists
    From the thousands of art-instruction books available, we offer a list of those that have proven beneficial to new artists. by Naomi Ekperigin There are many options available for artists wishing to improve their skills. However, the price and time commitment
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Technique: Sherry Camhy: When Black Is White
    This New York artist uses the sheen of graphite to create the light highlights in her drawings on black paper. by Bob Bahr Study of a Roman Sculpture 2007, graphite on black paper, 50 x 33. Collection the artist. Twilight by Sherry Camhy, 2006, graphite
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Oil Painting: Daniel Graves: Steward of Humanist Art
    Many of the great teachers who trained Daniel Graves were featured in American Artist in the 1970s, while he and his students have been profiled in more recent issues. As the magazine celebrates its 70th anniversary, we examine the academic art education
    Read More >>
  • Acrylic: Mark Karnes: Intimate Paintings and Drawings
    Maryland artist Mark Karnes paints everyday scenes by sketching value studies in ink or watercolor then slowly painting in oil or acrylic without a detailed preparatory drawing. by Ephraim Rubenstein Dining Room Cloudy Day 2005, acrylic on board, 16 x
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Beginner Drawing: Understanding Anatomy: Drawing the Leg
    To use the legs expressively in his or her own work, an artist has to be able to draw them from a multitude of positions and every possible angle. Here's a quick overview of the anatomy of the human leg. by Ephraim Rubenstein Three Studies of a Right
    Read More >>
  • Masters: "The Erotic Frigidaire": The Academies of Pierre-Paul Prud'hon
    Prud’hon drew from the figure throughout his career, and now those “académies” anchor his reputation. How did he draw such stunning figure studies? by Ephraim Rubenstein Standing Nude charcoal heightened with white chalk on blue
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Pastel: Liz Haywood-Sullivan: Dynamic Darks With Pastel
    Liz Haywood-Sullivan relies on several techniques to ensure she consistently achieves rich, velvety darks. View an online exlcusive gallery of Haywood-Sullivan's work. by Christopher Willard Southwest Solitude 2005, pastel, 24 x 36. Private collection
    Read More >>
  • Artist of the Month: Paul Lowe
    Although Paul Lowe, our Artist of the Month, finds inspiration in nature, he almost always paints his landscapes from inside the studio. by Edith Zimmerman Palm Oasis 24 x 18. Courtesy Galerie Gabrie, Pasadena, California. Although Paul Lowe, our Artist
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Essential Online Tools for K-12 Educators
    Online resources offer students in all grade levels fast and easy access to images and background information that offer students a deeper understanding of fine art and art history. by Erica Yonks A Hyena’s Dinner 12th grade student, 2006, found
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Beginners Drawing: Making Better Lines, Making Lines Better
    Line has been around for a long time. Ever since the prehistoric era, when that first artist picked up a lump of wood ash from a spent campfire and outlined a hand on the cave wall, lines have described forms of all types--human, animal, and landscape
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Masters: Drawing Out Sargent
    As well as any artist before or since, John Singer Sargent learned the best lessons in value, light, and form and used them throughout his life—lessons clearly visible in his drawings. by Mark G. Mitchell Sleeping Child 1872–1873, graphite
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
  • Watercolor: Painting Loose and Free
    "My goal," says Andy Evansen, "is to finish a painting in only three washes." Through simplification, bold brushstrokes, a bit of planning, and confidence, the Minnesota watercolorist capitalizes on the medium's ability to render
    Read More >>
  • 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
    Read More >>
Advertise | Subscribe | Community Guidelines

Copyright (C) 2012 Interweave Press, LLC
Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms and Privacy Policy, updated March 2007
Interweave network sites:
Artist Daily Beading Daily Cloth Paper Scissors Crochet Me
Interweave Store Jewelry Making Daily Knitting Daily Quilting Daily
Sew Daily Spinning Daily Weaving Today