Is try to figure out photos good pratice to increase skills? [Archive]

egerie

October 31st, 2003, 08:21 PM

It's a start but personally I beleive the best way to improve is to work from life so that you can understand volumes better.
Keep in mind that pics of women in magasines are ALWAYS retouched to the point where anatomy is altered (longer legs, top of head flatened, chest, hands, etc.).
2c

Signature

October 31st, 2003, 08:24 PM

You can get more adept at using the software or whatever tool you draw/paint with.
If you mean if this will get you to a point where you don't need reference ...
then I don't think so.

I just saw your post in the Middle Class.
Have you seen what I wrote in the Lessons there?

Copying a photo accurately can be a great exercise if you want to learn the software you use better.
If you copy them with a pencil you can either just copy the lines or the values.
Copying the values is more advanced.
In all cases you have to be accurate.

PAINT/DRAW WHAT YOU SEE and not what you think you see!
You have to paint things that don't make logical sense. These things make visual sense.

Draw from life as well. Only working from photos won't get you far.

As you get better the meaning of photographs will change.
It will help with building a library if it is done correctly.
You need to know why you see what you see. For example what the basic shapes are and why it is lit the way it is lit.

I'd also look at the new part I wrote ... about learning how to see.
It is work in progress though.

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12487

I think I posted this link today already? Well it fits here too I think:
http://www.itchstudios.com/psg/tut_learn.php
I'd read it carefully.