Figure Drawing

More Here Than Color Theory

I acknowledge that there is a lot about the color wheel and mixing colors that I don't know. But one thing I do know is that there's more to art than color schemes and memorizing a color mixing chart. Andrew by Fred Hatt, drawing with aquarelle
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Grandpa Is Wearing His Batman Costume Again

Earlier this week I was lucky enough to attend the opening of Jason Bard Yarmosky's solo show "Elder Kinder" at Lyons Wier Gallery, in New York City. It's a terrific painting exhibition, and it got me thinking about how an artist can
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Where Gesture Is King

Comics, of course! Back in college I got a little bit obsessed with the history of comics, mostly as an art appreciator, although I was also fascinated by how much social commentary was injected into the narratives and stories. But my interest in comics
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Drawing, Spring 2012

Master instructor Dan Thompson teaches you how to combine numerous measurement and proportional strategies during gesture and figure drawing to create rewarding, unified results.
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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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Not Just For Ink Blots Anymore

Drawing with ink takes the precision of a master draftsman and the skill of a watercolorist handling a fluid medium. When I was in school I was completely captivated by the silky dark lines of one of the most famous pen and ink artists, Aubrey Beardsley
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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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Looking Without Getting Lost

Lea Colie Wight drawing of a seated female. I am sure I have said this before, but it's true and deserves repeating. Watching great artists at work can be so instructive, especially if they follow a general process of work. Lea Colie Wight does exactly
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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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Pharaoh, It's the Great Pyramid of the Head. Duh!

Structural drawing by Dan Thompson, mixed media, 15 x 25, 2010. Self-Portrait After Palmer by Dan Thompson, mixed media, 19 x 25, 2003. I've taken notes from a lot of art instructors and sat in or participated in plenty of drawing classes, but when
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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.
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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
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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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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
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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
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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.
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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 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
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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
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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
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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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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
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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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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.
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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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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
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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
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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
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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: 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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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
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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: 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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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
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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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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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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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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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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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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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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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
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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
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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
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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
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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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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: 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: 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: 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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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
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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: 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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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: 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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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 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: 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: 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: 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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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
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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
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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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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" 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
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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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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
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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
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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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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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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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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
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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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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
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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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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
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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
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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: 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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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
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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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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
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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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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
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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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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
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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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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
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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: 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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