Draw From Life
You have had a glorious idea: yes, today you will not sit and draw flowers inside–today you will venture in to the city. Like the great painters of olden times you too will sit there amongst the people and draw from life like a master. At the end of it there will be a fantastic drawing and the people will be impressed! Maybe someone will even want to buy it?
Only it never quite works out, does it? Because almost as soon as you’ve sat down to draw, a great big van parks up in the way or a herd of tourist’s position themselves right in front of you. So how do you cope with actually sitting outside and sketching from life? Here are some tips:
1) Make sketches of the surrounding area first. Small studies of the buildings and of people sitting and standing in various positions. That way, when you come to do your big main piece it won’t matter if people get in your way.
2) It may sound obvious but LOOK: don’t assume what people or things look like, instead, draw what you actually see. It doesn’t matter if it looks wrong, in the end it’ll all appear sound and right.
3) Simplify things: that building over there might have fifty-six small glass windows but come on, nobody will notice if you put in just fifty, will they?
4) Prepare for rain and don’t be discouraged! It’ll probably stop soon, so get your butt back on that bench and brave it out!
5) People will stop and stare: what you are doing is unusual, but be proud! They are probably only staring because they are jealous, so don’t take it as an insult, take it as a compliment! After all, it sure as hell beats making your money through work from home jobs!