Drawing self portraits...?

Question

Would drawing lots of self portraits help me to improve drawing portraits 'from my head' so to speak?(I don't really have anyone else to draw.)
I can draw things when they're in front of me quite well, but when I want to draw a picture of a person that is entirely from my own imagination, I'm always slightly lost... And I don't like having to search for pictures to use as a reference for hours.

Would copying things from a book on anatomy also help? Or is that just pointless?

I know that practice makes perfect and everything, but I want to make sure that drawing self portraits, and using books on anatomy, is actually going to make a difference...

Answer 1

Studying anatomy can -- and does, in my experience, make a huge difference! Look at the figure drawings of some of the greatest artists -- Leonardo, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Picasso. (Check out Rembrandt's many self-portraits too.) If you know at least rudimentarily how the skeleton and muscles work under the skin, you'll better understand the superficial (surface) appearance, Eyes sit in sockets; there's a bridge to the nose, etc.

And, as you have noted, practice is essential.

Since you can draw things "in front of" you, get a mirror -- or sit in front of one -- and draw yourself. Pay attention to what you SEE in the mirror, not what you "think" you see in your head. One of the big pitfalls of neophyte artists is not really looking at and studying the subject but rather drawing from "memory". Once you have confidently created some realistic drawings, then you can let loose your imagination. (It's the old you gotta crawl before you walk, walk before you run adage.)

Copy problems are also excellent practice. Take a color photo and render it in black and white (with all those shades of gray in between). Copy great artworks and try to figure out how the particular artist decided what to emphasize, how to compose the piece, etc.

Go look at great art (in museums, exhibitions and/ or online). Eventually you'll develop your own style. In the meantime, learn from the greats.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Speaking in short, if you want to improve your drawing from imagination, you have to first modify the perceptions you already have stored in your mind. That is to speak, you have to learn how to draw a more realistic and anatomically correct eye than the eye you already can draw from your imagination. That applies to everything else you draw.

Using books on anatomy and other references like magazines will definitely help you in this. Drawing self portrait is a great way to learn facial anatomy. It will teach you forms work in three dimensions.



Have no confusion about effectiveness of using references and books on anatomy. That's the only way to improve and refine what we already know to draw and learn something new which you cant draw. If you'll stop using references and continue drawing only from your imagination your drawing will never improve and you'll never be able to develope new styles of drawing. This was a mistake I was doing. Since I started doing studies from art books and using references, I have found my art has dramatically improved.



I would recommend practicing drawing from anatomy and 'how to' books. Draw from these books over and over again. This way you can modify your pre defined perceptions. And that's how we all improve gradully since childhood- by seeing and drawing. Some of the books I know that will be useful for learning anatomy are:

Drawing human head, Dynamic anatomy, Drawing dynamic hands, Dynamic wrinkles and draperies, Dynamic shadows by BURNE HOGARTH.

Answer 4

Drawing self portraits seem harder than drawin from a picture or drawing other people, at least it is for me. MMmm i learned how to draw portraits by watching how to draw videos on youtube.

Even if you're not interested in drawing manga, this link below is still a good guideline to help you better understand the anatomy of the face.

Answer 5

Everything you do to improve makes a difference. A portrait from the imagination will look lost unless you put all of your concentration into it. When we think of a random human face, we can't see the detail in our imaginations. I think this is why you're letting it control you. Your mind is able to show you the shape. Your hands add the details to those shapes. Studying your subject and perfecting your technique (self portrait or not) cannot hurt and is, in most cases, recommended.



Here are a few of my drawings. I'll let you decide if I'm qualified to answer.

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/103/7/c/black_rose_by_stick_figures_art-d4w2se3.jpg



http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/103/d/f/dfb852791bfcf21bf3bc79b296a2cb3d-d4w2rci.jpg



http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/103/3/4/sorrowful_by_stick_figures_art-d4w2vbk.jpg



http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/103/a/2/tulips_by_stick_figures_art-d4w2stv.jpg



http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/103/e/d/the_eye__movie_logo__by_stick_figures_art-d4w2w5e.jpg



http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/103/7/0/marilyn_monroe_by_stick_figures_art-d4w2tge.jpg

Answer 6

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