# How important is drawing from real life?



## Marko (Sep 12, 2015)

So, how important is drawing from real life to me, as a begginer? All i have been doing so far is study and draw from other people's artwork, or photos on an ocassion, and i also have a few books on anatomy and such, i also have all of Andrew Loomis books, so i use that too. I don't really have much interest in that, to be honest. My main goal is to draw stuff from my head, mostly fantasy, without any references (i just wanna illustrate my stories). But, if it's a necessary pracice that will improve my skills, i guess i will push myself through it...So, do any of you experienced artists think i should?


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## FanKi (Apr 23, 2015)

I'm not the experienced artist you are looking for, but I find it very useful.
Drawing what you are seeing allows you to see things in a different view.
I read one time that when you draw from your mind, you are watching something, it's inside of your mind but it's there, so it's barely the same. 

You should wait for the experienced artists anyway xD I'm just starting here (as you!  )


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## Eddieblz (Jun 15, 2013)

Learning to draw from life is pretty important. It will help you bring whats in your head to life. Real life will give you a good foundation to improve in all your art. Here is one of Picasso's early works. He started with real life before he did abstract.


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## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

I sure do like Picasso's early work a lot more than his abstracts.


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## Susan Mulno (Apr 13, 2015)

TerryCurley said:


> I sure do like Picasso's early work a lot more than his abstracts.


Yup! Absolutely agree!


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## Eddieblz (Jun 15, 2013)

TerryCurley said:


> I sure do like Picasso's early work a lot more than his abstracts.


True, but it was his abstracts that made him rich.:vs_cool:


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## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

Eddieblz said:


> True, but it was his abstracts that made him rich.:vs_cool:


True. I wonder if he liked the abstract more. Wonder if he was ever interviewed, and if there any record of it? Time to go to Google.


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## Eddieblz (Jun 15, 2013)

TerryCurley said:


> True. I wonder if he liked the abstract more. Wonder if he was ever interviewed, and if there any record of it? Time to go to Google.


Hmmmmmm.......:vs_worry:


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## Eddieblz (Jun 15, 2013)

Dang it did it to me again. A bunch of research down the drain. I've got to remember to copy before I reply.:vs_mad:


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## Susan Mulno (Apr 13, 2015)

Eddieblz said:


> Dang it did it to me again. A bunch of research down the drain. I've got to remember to copy before I reply.:vs_mad:


Frustratin' ain't it? :vs_smirk:


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## Sorin (Jun 15, 2015)

There are bennies to drawing from life, besides the practice. With photos people tend to replicate. Ditto with others' works. When looking at life you learn to loosen up, feel the elements which seem to matter most & not the lesser objects. You also tend to focus on your focals & let the outter image fade out as needed to feel right. These bennies are especially true with landscapes.


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## Bushcraftonfire (Apr 22, 2015)

TerryCurley said:


> True. I wonder if he liked the abstract more. Wonder if he was ever interviewed, and if there any record of it? Time to go to Google.


I doubt that Picasso ever posted on Google.. but you can check.. ROTFLOL!


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## Eddieblz (Jun 15, 2013)

You guys have got to understand something, Picasso was a prodigy. He could draw before he could talk and was one of the top traditional artists in France by the time he 14 years old. His father was one of the top art professors in France and Pablo Picasso surpassed him by the time he was 10. His father enrolled in the top art school in France at the age of 14. Picasso did make sure he got his foundation for art down but only lasted I think about a year to a year and a half there. He was light years ahead the school and he knew it and so did they. Think of this, how could any art school contain a genius of his level. He despised the constraints formal advanced education put on artistes but he believe in getting a good foundation and discipline was important . He then went out for the next few years and filled sketch books with with nothing but drawings from real life. He did this at cafes, markets, parks, using models, anywhere he was. So to the OP. *Learning first how to draw from real life is the life and breath of art. *
After that he was ready to explode on the seen with a whole new form of art that would change how art is viewed for ever. No matter what anyone may think of his later work. It change art forever, FOR THE BETTER!!! There has only been a hand full of artists in history who've done that.
But to the Question as to which type of art he liked better. I think these two quote by him say's it all.

“Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness.”
“Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not. ”

-Pablo Picasso October 25, 1881, to April 8, 1973


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## just (Mar 3, 2015)

Eddieblz said:


> You guys have got to understand something, Picasso was a prodigy. He could draw before he could talk and was one of the top traditional artists in France by the time he 14 years old. His father was one of the top art professors in France and Pablo Picasso surpassed him by the time he was 10. His father enrolled in the top art school in France at the age of 14. Picasso did make sure he got his foundation for art down but only lasted I think about a year to a year and a half there. He was light years ahead the school and he knew it and so did they. Think of this, how could any art school contain a genius of his level. He despised the constraints formal advanced education put on artistes but he believe in getting a good foundation and discipline was important . He then went out for the next few years and filled sketch books with with nothing but drawings from real life. He did this at cafes, markets, parks, using models, anywhere he was. So to the OP. *Learning first how to draw from real life is the life and breath of art. *
> After that he was ready to explode on the seen with a whole new form of art that would change how art is viewed for ever. No matter what anyone may think of his later work. It change art forever, FOR THE BETTER!!! There has only been a hand full of artists in history who've done that.
> But to the Question as to which type of art he liked better. I think these two quote by him say's it all.
> 
> ...


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## Eddieblz (Jun 15, 2013)

just said:


> My opinion of art is as valid as yours, his or anyone's. My opinion is his later work wasn't worth his efforts nor worth my time.


And many people feel just as you do But I really didn't what this thread to deteriorate into a debate about Picasso. The point of my post was two fold.

1st- it was to help Marko the OP of this thread to understand that it's alright to draw what you want to draw but it's a good idea to get a good foundation in real life drawing first. The art he's interested in (fantasy) requires allot of disciple in that area. Even Picasso understood that. Read some of the books by some of the more famous fantasy artists such as Frank Frazzetta or Boris Vallejo he will find that learning to draw real life is paramount in that style of art.

2nd- I was just trying to answer Terry's question on how Picasso probably felt about his yearly works compared to his later.

Personally I feel just got lazy and spoiled in his later life. Riches and fame will do that to that to a person. But we still can't deny what he did for art. And thank the lord for that.:vs_smirk:


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## Eddieblz (Jun 15, 2013)

By the way Marko, still waiting for you to post up some of your work.


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## Asancta (Jul 28, 2015)

Eddieblz said:


> You guys have got to understand something, Picasso was a prodigy. He could draw before he could talk and was one of the top traditional artists in France by the time he 14 years old. His father was one of the top art professors in France and Pablo Picasso surpassed him by the time he was 10. His father enrolled in the top art school in France at the age of 14. Picasso did make sure he got his foundation for art down but only lasted I think about a year to a year and a half there. He was light years ahead the school and he knew it and so did they. Think of this, how could any art school contain a genius of his level. He despised the constraints formal advanced education put on artistes but he believe in getting a good foundation and discipline was important . He then went out for the next few years and filled sketch books with with nothing but drawings from real life. He did this at cafes, markets, parks, using models, anywhere he was. So to the OP. *Learning first how to draw from real life is the life and breath of art. *
> After that he was ready to explode on the seen with a whole new form of art that would change how art is viewed for ever. No matter what anyone may think of his later work. It change art forever, FOR THE BETTER!!! There has only been a hand full of artists in history who've done that.
> But to the Question as to which type of art he liked better. I think these two quote by him say's it all.
> 
> ...


Well said...I subscribe to what you said :biggrin:


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## Rathac (Sep 25, 2015)

just said:


> *Learning first how to draw from real life is the life and breath of art. *


I can see the wisdom in this.

I used to look at paintings of glass bottles and think, "What's the point?" Now that I seriously consider using them myself as still life aids, I am suddenly acutely aware of the difficulty in capturing the aspects that make them appear "real." Now when I see good paintings of glass, I am deeply moved and inspired.


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## SuddenLife (Jun 2, 2015)

Even with fantasy as your goal, I'd still say drawing from real life is very important. By now I am able to draw relatively realistic faces from memory, because I have drawn countless real people. Same with environments; you can make stuff up, but if you've already taught yourself how rocks work, how to draw water, how to draw houses, etc. you'll fantasy landscape will look a lot more believable. 
So yeah, I'd say; never stop studying the world around you. It really improves your work.


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