Models versus reference pictures

[Pale Rider]

Live models versus photo reference....

When working to improve anatomy skills is it better to practice from a live model or photo reference for things like hands and faces?

(Rolling stone had some fantastic photographs of musicians that could be used as examples, plus I sometimes take black and white photographs when I can't get a person to sit still.)

Is it more of a preference thing?

[Jens]

Drawing from a model is more difficult, first of all because you're transfering 3D to 2D, not 2D to 2D. Moving models are even more difficult because they force you to be quick and make decisions. To I think nothing beats live models.

You can get almost every hand position possible just using your left/right hand for a model. No hassle looking up good hand poses because you can just make them up. You can also use a mirror to sketch hands, it'll be like sketching hands of a person that's sitting in front of you.

Photographs can be good too of course, but you have to get good reference. Stuff like press photography, national geographic etc.. Stuff you'll probably never encounter in your daily life.

[DavePalumbo]

Photographs can be good too of course, but you have to get good reference. Stuff like press photography, national geographic etc.. Stuff you'll probably never encounter in your daily life.

With a little bit of training, it's really not too difficult to shoot your own refs, and the advantage is huge to using refs that other people shot. The main problem with photos is lens distortion. If you work from photos or learn from photos (which i fully recommend doing) you need to do at least a cursory study of anatomy so that you can fully understand the things which the camera is not telling you/telling you wrong.

But working from life, you really can't get much better

[Jason Ross]

models are always better because you can "study" the form not just copy it. you can get up walk around the model and see the "why" of the form and value changes. But models cost money and im broke so my Digital Camera and a mirror are my best friends.

[boukun]

I remember when i had a model. That was almost ten years ago when I was at school. wish I had made use of it then. As some one who's working to become the artist they dreamed of being as a child I find photo's rather valueable because of the stillness.

[Costau D]

The stillness spoils you. Having a model changing pose between 20sec-2 mins teaches you how to get the gesture down quickly, and keeps you from making the figure stiff. If you begin to draw from a model, and then compare that to drawing a photo, after some experience you will see why the model is the better choice. Drawing from a model forces you to make certain decisions, where as a photograph already laid down the actual 2d plane. Drawing from a model though teaches yourself how to invent your own figures, much better than a photogrpah.

This is why some say it's better to learn first by drawing from life, and the live model. Then once you begin to get the hang of drawing the figure you can use photos for reference. But learning from photos tends to get people into bad habits from what I have read, such as their figures seem to look flat. Life drawing helps you acheive mass, once you practice it for a while. Don't get me wrong though, switch it up a bit becaus eyou can learn different things from any study such as master copies, drawing from imagination, drawing from life, and a photograph is always a good substitute if you cant seem to find any model sessions around wher eyou live. Also freezing Dvds or playing them in slow motion is a good substitute.

Here I dug up some studies I did off of the movie Drunken Master.

All were between 20 seconds and 2 minutes. I helps a lot (with practice) to get the figure down, and learn how to show rythm, mass,and weight.

[Jazz]

I agree with others about the comparisons--photos can be great! Live models...YEAH! :D Awesome practice, especially with that 30+ second timing. Also, I find the live interaction very helpful for getting different angles. You can move around the model and use distances easier (sometimes) than if you have to find the pictures. I have to get my refs mainly off the net right now. :P I'd like to draw a live model more often, but I can't afford to.

[boukun]

its as I was saying. I have been to school but, life happened. I had a 4 hour drawing class where the timing of the poses moved up, starting with 30sec drawing and growing to a 30min drawing and a 1 hour drawing. But thanx for the idea of using DVD's paused or in Slo-mo. I'll be doing that instead of going to bed tonight. XD

I've been bitching for a model for a while.

[Pale Rider]

I miss the models from school as well and I've been thinking about stopping in during open model days to just sit and draw some more. What I REALLY need to practice though are animals. I draw my rabbits a lot, but I've been chipping at the CHOW and I can't find a horse around here.... and I lost the skull I had somehow. I need to go bone collecting again :)

There's usually better lighting for models too and I agree with Lugh about being able to rotate the image in my head.

Thank you all for the feedback.

[ikuru]

It happens that I go to art classes and get to draw from life.. And thats really really good for learning and Understanding, since the volume and energy is a bit flat on a photo... You get to come closer to something real with a model.

Then I take photos of myself if I need a certain pose many times, and work from that...

Now I think the mainproblem with photos of the internet is that someone else took them...

If I use them just for a loose ref I guess thats ok, but If I want to use lets say a girl head on, there is the dilemma where you are on a bit of a dangerous path...

What are the chances of getting in trouble for using someones photos in a painting?

You might say slim, but its still a risk. So one should think about How they use the ref. Its a toughy since most dont have a perfect nude willing to sit and model at home all day long maybe... ;)