Life Drawing

Practicing life drawing, I believe is a necessity for all artists. It builds an amazing foundation! Life drawing offers a range of benefits for artists of all levels. It helps improve observational skills by encouraging close attention to proportion, form, and anatomy, which can strengthen overall drawing ability. Regular practice also enhances hand-eye coordination and boosts confidence in mark-making. Beyond technical skills, life drawing encourages a deeper understanding of movement, gesture, and the human figure, allowing artists to capture more dynamic and expressive poses. It also fosters focus and patience, making it a valuable exercise for developing both artistic technique and creative mindfulness.

The first time I tried life drawing; it was in college, and I’ve loved it ever since. I’ve been to local places to do it at least once a year since then.

Life drawing also allows you to not be too precious about your work, these are quick, large-scale drawings – some only lasting 15 minutes!  You can also do some longer drawings, 1-2 hours, where you can be a bit more particular, but this takes away form the movement and freedom of each piece. Personally, I prefer the quicker drawing you can create with more expressive mark making – creating movement within the work.

I encourage everyone and anyone who considered themselves an artist to go! It doesn’t matter if you’re good at it the first time, trust me, you will get better! Life drawing is especially amazing if you are experiencing art block; it frees up your mind and lets you have some fun. You don’t have to think hard, you’re only drawing what you see!