How to Draw

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 >>

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 >>

Shrink Your Painting—Does It Still Work?

Philadelphia Story II--Spires by Sarah Yeoman, watercolor painting, 14 x 20. I don't mean literally shrink it, but if you take a photo of your painting and reduce it to thumbnail size and it still holds together compositionally, you've got a good
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

How About Making This Art Promise With Me?

Painting together with family and friends of all ages can be really rewarding. Art has been a gift in my life. It has allowed me to live more richly and fully than I could otherwise imagine. But I'm especially lucky because art found me; I didn't
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

How to Put On the Brakes

Matthew Carr refused to use pure white in his drawings, treating his surface with charcoal before he began. ( Gordon , 2006, conté pencil on prepared charcoal paper, 56 1/2 x 44.) As you all might remember, charcoal drawing and I haven't always
Read More >>

Art Can Live on Line Alone

When I think about how to draw the sights around me, my mind immediately starts envisioning line. For me, it is foundational for any good drawing. And I'm not alone. When I first saw artist Steven Ketchum's work I was amazed by all the ways he
Read More >>

"Let's Get Physical. I Wanna Get Physical..."

Ugh, after all the holiday eating I've been doing, I should probably go exercise or run laps. But as a warm up I thought I would talk about physicality, power, and movement in oil painting . Maybe this'll be the inspiration I need to get off my
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 >>

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 >>

Don't Set Yourself Up for Failure from the Start

Optimal Orientation of Subject and Artist in Plein Air Before the first daub of paint is squeezed out of the tube and brush is put to canvas, many plein air painters have already set themselves up for failure. How? By selecting a site that doesn't
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

My ‘Duh’ Moment in Art

Here it is: Make better art by learning from better artists. Duh, right? But I don't think that way often enough. I'm all about looking at artwork—more and more and more artwork—but sometimes I don't really put my thinking cap
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 >>

Three Works of Art I Would Kill to Have

It's not as if the wall space in my apartment is getting any bigger, but still, I'm always looking at works of art and murmuring, "I know just the place for you..." And for the past several years I've been particularly drawn to works
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

Want a Portfolio-Ready Painting?

Cast drawing and painting is a tried and true method of learning how to draw in a classical manner. It forces a student to acquire new perceptual and conceptual skills in order to complete the given task at hand. Normally, the process takes several months
Read More >>

Do’s & Don’ts of Artist Websites

Self-Portrait by Kristin Kunc, oil on linen, 2011. As you probably well know, I'm online...a lot. And I'd like to think of myself as somewhat well informed about artist websites. I'm on them all the time—whether it is through an email
Read More >>

Fall 2010

Using Edges to Improve Your Compositions; How to Draw Arms With Strength and Conviction; Drawing Fundamentals: The Figure in Action; Depict the colors of the Night; Dramatic Shadows for Subtle Effect.
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 >>

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
Read More >>

Will You Join Me in This Black Hole?

Female Nude, Seen From the Back by Jacob Jordaens, ca. 1640, chalk drawing, 10 x 8. Collection National Gallery of Scotland. The Drawing Blog on Artist Daily is like a black hole for me. I just get sucked in and click around and read what catches my eye
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 >>

The Art of the Dog

Watercolor study by John Hulsey, 7 1/2 x 7. Being strong dog proponents (especially for dogs in the studio, where they never provide negative commentary), and being the caretakers (or is it the other way around?) of two ancient (in dog years) Great Pyrenees
Read More >>

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
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 >>

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
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 >>

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
Read More >>

Finding the Warms and Cools of White

Painting flowers is sometimes a study in the subtlety of color, as in Ann's flower oil painting, Philadelphus III (oil, 12 x 16). Painting large flower portraits has given me the opportunity to explore what seem to be the nearly infinite shades and
Read More >>

Paint a Building, Build a World

I love how artists can create worlds all their own—using the hills and valleys of a beautiful landscape or the sensuous curves of the human form. But that’s not all artists are capable of doing. Centuries ago, great artists like Michelangelo and Bernini didn’t just build worlds in their
Read More >>

Got Five Minutes? Got a Drawing.

You know how life can sometimes speed by and at other times crawl along at a snail’s pace? Well, drawing is that way too. There are drawing techniques that are incredibly labor intensive and deliberate, then there are others that are quick and unplanned.
Read More >>

Drawing Lessons from Edward Hopper

I don’t think I’d be exaggerating by calling Edward Hopper one of America’s national treasures. His work captured a time and place like no one else, and his distinctive style makes his work instantly recognizable. But his drawings are an undiscovered secret, as I found out when I got
Read More >>

May I Introduce Scott Burdick?

Market Colors by Scott Burdick, oil on canvas. Scott Burdick: Weekend With the Masters Instructor Scott Burdick was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1967, where his mother and father encouraged his interest in art from an early age. "I spent a lot of
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 >>

And the Award Goes to...

I've been waiting all my life to have a red-carpet moment, but who knows when the Academy will get around to remembering my searing director's debut at the age of 14, when I put on a musical version of Hamlet to the theme song of The Beatles' "Obladi Oblada." (Maybe you had to be
Read More >>

Palette Knife in Hand

Palette knife painting sounds a little edgy and dangerous, but it’s really all about texture—the thick impasto swipes and flat sweeps of color that make up the surface of a painting. I’ve never created an entire painting with just a palette knife before, and I wanted to see what the
Read More >>

Free Video Tutorial on Drawing: Using Three-, Two-, and One-Point Perspective

When I was first introduced to the concept of linear perspective, I was fortunate because it wasn’t in a dry, boring geometry lesson but in an art history class, where it was touted as a feat of the High Renaissance and associated with some of the most incredible art and architecture in the world
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 >>

Drawing Lessons from Thomas Hart Benton

Hollywood Note: Thursday Night at the ***-and-Bull, It's the Maid's Night Out by Thomas Hart Benton, 1937. A few weeks ago, I left Manhattan and went to Manhattan—Kansas, that is. I was a bit wary as I landed in the midst of a harsh storm
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

Premixing Your Paints: Pros and Cons

A lot of painters have strong opinions about whether or not it is helpful to premix colors on the palette before painting. I’m not talking about making your paints from scratch but rather about mixing a few colors, or even just one, after you’ve identified what the main colors in the work
Read More >>

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
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 >>

Focus Your Artistic Trajectory

Woman in Repose by Sherrie McGraw, sanguine and white conte, 10 x 15 1/2. Interacting with so many artists and writing about their work makes me think a lot about the kind of art I would personally like to make. With all the high-caliber paintings, collages
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

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
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, 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
Read More >>

Fictitious Portraits Blur Photographic Reality With Artistic Choice

I’m from a card-playing family, so when it comes to discussions about artists using reference photographs, I always think in terms of watching for a “tell.” Like in poker—where players’ subtle mannerisms can reveal whether they are bluffing—portraits created by closely
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

Drawing, Winter 2010

On the Cover: Untitled (detail) by Mark Tennant, 2009, charcoal, 24 x 18. Collection the artist. DEPARTMENTS Editor's Note Contributors Sketchbook Where to Study Drawing: A Sponsored Guide to Some of the Best Educational Programs Learning From the
Read More >>

Looking at the Drawings of a Master

A few days ago I was lucky enough to head uptown to The Metropolitan Museum of Art for a preview of their new exhibition, “ The Drawings of Bronzino .” The show (which runs through April 28) comprises almost all of the extant drawings by Agnolo
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 >>

Never Stop Learning

Some of my artist friends regret that they never attended an art college or university. It might surprise some of you to know that I majored in art at a large university and have a bachelor's degree in fine-art education. Being able to share my experiences
Read More >>

Using Photos to Inform Your Drawings

Model James Orona When I was photographing George Towne’s step-by-step demonstration for the December 2009 issue of American Artist, I took 15 minutes to draw James Orona, the model who was posing for George. My Conté crayon sketch turned
Read More >>

How to Adjust to New Painting Subjects

Curt Walters painting at the Grand Canyon. None of us want to be stuck in the rut of painting the same subjects over and over again, so we try different landscape locations, select new groups of still life objects, or join a sketch group that hires models
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 >>

6 Tips on How to Draw Anything Accurately

Steve Doherty offers readers six tips on how to draw anything accurately.
Read More >>

Qiang Huang: Myth Buster

This Texas oil painter shatters multiple myths—including the notion that artists are myopic and single-minded. Qiang Huang helps workshop participants learn how to draw, paint, and sell their artwork using modern technology and traditional painting methods.
Read More >>

Workshop, Summer 2009

The Table of Contents for the Summer 2009 issue of Workshop magazine.
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 >>

Understanding Anatomy: The Skull

The bones of the skull offer enough information on a person's facial structure that it is possible for forensic artists and scientists to reconstruct the accurate surface appearance of an individual's face. For this reason, it is essential to understand the large bony masses of the skull and
Read More >>

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.
Read More >>

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.
Read More >>

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.
Read More >>

Art materials for beginners

Q : I am just starting to learn how to draw and paint, and I have a limited budget to spend on art materials. Which pastel set would you recommend? A : Sennlier produces top-of-the-line pastels, and many artists save them for the top layer of their artwork
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

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
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 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
Read More >>

Judith Carducci's Workshop: 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 is a foundation of all media and working
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: 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
Read More >>

Beginner Drawing Logic: The Right Drawing Tools for the Job

Carefully choosing the right drawing tools for a given subject gives a draftsman a tremendous advantage. by Bob Bahr CLOCKWISE FROM TOP A bottle of walnut ink and a bamboo pen, four colors of Conté crayons (bistre, sanguine, black, and white),
Read More >>

Jeffrey Reed: Introducing the Basics of Painting

Students at the Community College of Philadelphia receive thorough instruction in the fundamentals of drawing and painting, especially those currently enrolled in Jeffrey Reed’s introductory course, Art 115—Painting I. by M. Stephen Doherty
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

Artist of the Month: Lindsey Tull

This Illinois-based artist has a degree in animation but found her true calling was painting portraits and still lifes in oil. by Naomi Ekperigin Hurricane Lamp With Candle 2006, oil, 9 x 12. Collection the artist. Lindsey Tull is a young artist who has
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 >>

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
Read More >>

Watercolor: Charles Reid: Natural and Authentic Watercolors

Renowned for his watercolor paintings of the figure, this artist reminds others to simplify, merge the subject with the background, and respond in a way that is natural and authentic. To read more features like this, subscribe to Watercolor today! Watercolor
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 >>

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 >>

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
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 >>

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
Read More >>

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
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 >>

Masters: Whistler's Mark

This expatriate American turned away from realism to create an art of stylish and ethereal beauty, ably represented in his drawings. by John A. Parks Crouching Figure in The White Symphony: Three Girls 1869-1870, chalk on brown paper, 10 5/8 x 10¾
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

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.
Read More >>

Pastel: Wende Caporale: The Similarities in Painting Portraits in Oil or Pastel

One of the top artists specializing in children’s portraits recently offered workshops for both oil and pastel painters. Although some of Wende Caporale’s specific instructions related to one medium or the other, her general discussions about
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 >>

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
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

Masters: 20 Great Watercolor Teachers Offer Their Best Recommendation

Despite the differences in their styles, materials, and techniques, the teachers we surveyed offered similar recommendations—up to a point. by M. Stephen Doherty Funchal by Frank Webb, 2005, watercolor, 22 x 30, Collection the artist. Over the past
Read More >>

Technique: Christopher Hart: Frustrated Little-Leaguer

Christopher Hart explains how he drew this gloomy ballplayer. Step 1 Although the basic head shape is big and round, it still has angles. The cool look of the character depends on a well-crafted outline. Step 2 A small, upturned nose is almost always
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 >>

Technique: Christopher Hart: Cool 20-Something Female

Christopher Hart explains how he drew this typical trendy young woman with a simple technique that always produces a pleasing, sharp look for cartoon characters with a graphic flair. Step 1 The female, 20-something cartoon torso is built on two basic
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: 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
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

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
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 >>

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
Read More >>

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
Read More >>

Related Posts