Books on drawing from life without references?

[ohGr]

Are there any books that teach how to draw from life without references? It seems like there are a million books that can teach you the many different ways to draw from life but they all require you to have something to look at. Is there anything to learn or is it just something you learn on your own by drawing things over and over?

[Gory]

Err... I'm having trouble understanding...

How can you draw from life without a reference? That's impossible... If you didn't have a reference (model) it wouldn't be drawing from life. It'd be drawing from your imagination.

If that's what you mean, then there is no magic shortcut to being able to draw a proportionate figure from your imagination. It takes lots and lots of experience of drawing from life. I don't think there's any book that's going to be able to say otherwise and hold true.

Sorry. :)

[OptimusDinkus]

prepare for a long and eventfull life ahead in this field, its all worth imo!

[Leopoldo]

Check out Figure drawing without a model by Ron Tiner.

It ain't a great book but ok. He presses on life sketching as well.

I'd say learn anatomy, that's what I'm doing now. Gesture drawing, anatomy, action poses, fashion, costume design, dancing, martial arts. It's a strange mix of mind candy that's goes into drawing without a reference. But basically you've seen it sometime and stored it in your memory/knowledge and use that to reinforce your imagination when drawing without references.

Cheers,
Leo

[Main Loop]

um by nature, if you're drawing from life the reference is right in front of you..