help with studies

[JParrilla]

For the most part, I lean towards studying constructive minded artists and methods. Mainly because I feel that it better lends itself to realistic, imaginative drawing... creating figures, environments, etc from my head... which is what I aim for. Now when I read and learn from lets say, Andrew Loomis, there is alot of block and ball construction. When you guys learn this type of stuff... do you kind of keep it in the back of your mind when your not studying, or do you actually use the methods? For example, if you were drawing people at a cafe or drawing your girlfriend, etc... do you draw these constructive objects like spheres and boxes and then build on it?? Or do you just use the idea of it to create a correct drawing? Im asking because when I look at some peoples studies of anatomy, it is very clear that they are constructing like Bridgman or Loomis... but when I look at their quick sketches or even finished pieces... theres no sign of any of it. In reality, I dont want my drawings to have this really technical constructive look, I want them to look natural and beautiful. But I do want to be able to understand what Im seeing in real 3d space. For example if you look at Bumskee (Min Yum) website, he studies are very constructive.. he draws from Bridgman and you can definetely see the forms as 3d shapes. On the other hand... his drawings of girls and such are elegant and rely heavily on flowing lines, also his paintings are very painterly. I guess I dont want to draw extremely technically and I feel like this will happen If I start all of my drawings in this manner that I practice from books. This has been something I never quite understood.. any ideas?

[Black Spot]

Pre-visualization? When you know what the shape is underneath, you don't have to draw it.

[M-Kaibigan]

I don't draw them but I'm always thinking about them. When I draw the head I visualise a cube and visualise a sphere but I instantly remember that the head doesn't look like either of these. They're simply tools in order to help me. After using a box and sphere for a while you'll stop drawing them and instead simply think about them. You don't ever forget about them though because then you'll just be guessing.

Visualise them on the page and draw as if they were there. If this is too difficult then stick to drawing them instead. I suffered from what you pointed out at the end, 'too technically'. My artwork was becoming stuffy because I conformed to the tools as if they were solid rules that must be followed. Well... they aren't. They're there to help you not confine you. So you use them when you need them and don't use them when you don't need them. Stay loose, like water my friend!

If I think something is wrong but can't pinpoint it then I'll draw a cube or a sphere or a cylinder or a cone... Whatever tool I need to help me ~ I'll draw it. Mostly I can get away with simply visualising it to notice what's wrong but yeah... drawing it works too!

A study method you could try is drawing two of the same subject side-by-side. First you draw it using construction lines. Next you draw it without construction lines. You still need to visualise the construction lines though or it won't work out well... trust me :)
This'll train you to be able to get away with simply thinking instead of doing. If you find yourself copying from the guideline sketch too much then you're not visualising properly!

[JParrilla]

so mainly it is for studying and understanding purposes? Its just that I sometimes see people whos work seems "over constructed" if you know what I mean. Just too many lines going over the form and stuff. Its great to show solidity, but I think it can take away from the beauty. Going back to Bumskee... his pure line drawings are gorgeous in my opinion.. and they show basically no construction lines.

[M-Kaibigan]

Well, it's not mainly used for anything specific, it's mainly used for everything, not just study. The construction tools are there to help you. An experienced builder will be able to tell whether his brick-work is level but even then, he'll still be getting out the old measuring stick and what-not.

It's to help you see that the contours on the two-dimensional page are three-dimensional. If you're visualising the lines going over the form correctly then you're already seeing the two-dimensions as three-dimensions. Even still, some parts may be difficult to see (either because the form is too ambiguous or because it is too complex) and require more than visualisation. This is where you draw the lines going over the form, or construct it within a box...

So don't think of them as things 'just for study' or 'just for understanding'... It's for understanding everything! Not just! :)