Do you think professional artists still go to life drawing?

[FlameDragon]

I mean, once you're a professional it's likely that you're able to draw the body in nearly any pose and angle that you could think of. Especially with something like comic book work, where be able to do that is necessary, they do alot of gestures and essentially figure drawing from their mind when drawing the characters. So do you think that individuals do or should still attend life drawing sessions after they've already become professional artists and attained that aforementioned skill?

[jt4470]

No, they still do. I know plenty of artists who still draw from life. You NEVER stop learning.

[Ilaekae]

FlameDragon, after nearly 50 years of scribbling, I have to go out and ask my wife to take her shirt off when I'm working on a piece with a figure in because I keep forgetting which sex has the bumpy chest. What do you think? :P

[bhanu]

James jean keeps updating his blog with figure drawings...n hes one of the best in the business

[Seedling]

Absolutely!

Every so often we have a series of after-hours life-drawing sessions here at Turbine for the artists. Back when I was at LucasArts they had them, too.

Other alternatives used by professionals are hiring models to draw or photograph, having family members pose, or artists will set up a big mirror and use themselves as models. (Artist James Gurney, for instance, often photographs friends and family in costume for drawings, as well as sketching himself in costume in front of a mirror.)

[Rabid]

Of course....

[Lukias]

"...once you're a professional it's likely that you're able to draw the body in nearly any pose and angle that you could think of"
Maybe regarding the best comic artists but even then their use of anatomy is stylised and kind of non-specific/generic . Imo next to no-one has really ever been able to capture real anatomy in any situation/pose imaginable. The nude figure constantly baffles me at its ability to defy my current understanding of it. One persons muscles will contort a different way than that of the next person in the same pose.. this ultimately will always leave the artist to fill in the blanks. Thats just what I reckon.
:)

[Penumbra]

A friend of mine(her name is Kuniko Craft) who I believe has 40 or 50 years of solid work behind her goes to figure drawing classes once a week. And her work is still improving.

[Farvus]

Among those videos from Revelations workshop there was interview with one professional artist (Sean Murray, I guess) and his advice for people already in the business - "Work from life as often as possible".
Check it out - http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/HeiXhgDPtb9CSAYnptTPDQ (first interview)

[subversive-imaginati]

Whether it's a surgeon going to another hospital just to study a new surgery technique, or an engineer brushing up skills? There's not a job in the world that doesn't involve constant learning and yes, practice of the basic skills. No master worth their salt sits on their laurels.

[Flake]

If they have easy or cheap access to life drawing, they will.

I would, wouldn't you?

[rpace]

I do.

I also know some that don't and a very few that have never done academic life drawing.

~R

[Eurayo]

The majority of the folks in the weekly open life drawing session I attend are professional fine and commercial artists, with a few desisners & students mixed in. The old-timers are phenomenal! I love seeing their work!

I think it's the social component that I respond to the most, i addition to the inspiration that comes from being around better artists. Great for networking too.

[Qitsune]

The question makes you sound like you are in a hurry to get rid of the life drawing.

[FlameDragon]

The question makes you sound like you are in a hurry to get rid of the life drawing.

I wouldn't be, I only started life drawing a few months ago. Life drawing is one of the few times when you can actually get to be in a room with other amateur artists and see the great works they are producing. Plus, being able to draw a variety of models doing intriguing poses. I just meant that many of the professionals, most notable with comic book artists, already seem able to draw the body in tons and tons of different poses and angles. I was asking that if they can already do that, would life drawing be able to improve their ability any more.

[Flake]

would life drawing be able to improve their ability any more.

Yes.

You can get "good enough" but you can always get better. Life drawing is one of the standard ways to get better.

Think of it as a gym or punchbag for figurative artists.

[Whitevillage]

In the beginning when I just started out, I wondered that as well. Now that I'm more serious and advancing, I realised it is common sense to do that as well. Just like others said before about never to good enough to keep learning from life.

[markwagner]

YES.... one of the best ways of seeing and knowledge and a nude woman is pure inspiration to create. Muse
~M

[deepbluehue]

Life drawing can bring you to your knees when you think you've grasped it. There will always be new problems to resolve, and deeper levels of sensitivity to aim for. Artists who have mastered the figure to the point of being able to draw it from any angle from their imagination can still learn from life drawing. If you intend to draw figures as your main subject, life drawing is your best reference.