Exercise: Sharpen your observation skills (Patreon)

Hello everyone! One of my favourite things about boosting my drawing skills is learning to observe. This can help you so much with breakin

Hello everyone! ☀️

One of my favourite things about boosting my drawing skills is learning to observe. This can help you so much with breaking down a hard reference into easier pieces. If you understand how to observe a reference the right way, you will be able to draw whatever reference you choose!

So that's why we will do two observation exercises this week! 🤗

Exercise 1: Upside-Down Drawing 🙃

Improve your ability to see shapes and lines rather than recognizable forms.

Choose a Reference Image: Pick a reference image that you find interesting. It can be a photo, a piece of artwork, or a simple object.

Turn It Upside Down: Flip the image upside down. This tricks your brain into focusing on abstract shapes and lines rather than the familiar object.

Start Drawing: Begin drawing the upside-down reference on your paper. Pay close attention to the shapes, proportions, and lines. Don’t worry about what the object is supposed to be and what it will look like, just focus on what you see.

Flip and Compare: Once you’ve finished, turn the drawing and the reference image. Compare them and reflect on the process. Did you notice details you might have missed if you were drawing it right side up? How did it feel to focus solely on lines and shapes?

Tips:

Take your time with this exercise. The goal is to improve your observational skills, not to create a perfect drawing.

If you find certain areas challenging, try breaking them down into even smaller shapes and lines.

Exercise 2: Blind Contour Drawing 🙈

Improve your hand-eye coordination and ability to draw what you see, not what you think you see.

Select a Reference: Choose a simple object or reference image with clear lines and shapes. A little house, a plant, or a simple still life works well.

Set-Up: Position the reference where you can see it clearly but place your drawing surface out of direct view. You should not be able to see your drawing hand or the paper.

Draw Without Looking: Start drawing the reference without looking at your paper. Focus entirely on the reference and let your hand follow your eyes. Move your eyes slowly along the contours and try to match your hand’s movement to your eye’s movement.

No Peeking: Resist the urge to peek at your drawing. The purpose is to train your brain to trust your eyes and improve the connection between what you see and what you draw.

Review: Once you’re done, look at your drawing. It probably looks strange or abstract, but that’s okay! This exercise is about the process, not the outcome.

Reflect: Reflect on your drawing. Are there areas where you were more accurate? Did you capture any surprising details? How did it feel to draw without looking?

Tips:

Start with simple objects and gradually move to more complex references as you get comfortable.

Practice this exercise regularly to see the improvement in your observational skills and hand-eye coordination.

Sharing your work

I'm so excited about what you guys will create with these exercises! If you want to you can share them in our group chat: Creative Practice chat 🤗

I hope you like these exercises! Please let me know in the comments what kind of exercises you would like to see in the upcoming weeks. What do you want to learn?

Celyn 🌸