This may seem simple but its something that I say over and over to myself as I am working.
Draw what you see.
In my tutorials, I often refer to the early stages of a drawing as the jigsaw puzzle portion. In this stage, I am just blocking in color or placing color where I SEE it or where it appears to go based on the reference. I find it easiest to do this by focusing on the shadows and lightly blocking them in. Then the highlights and finally the mid-tones. This is the way I approach most of my drawings in the beginning. It is not the only way and doesn’t matter for any reason other than it is easiest for me. You draw what you see. That will keep things interesting.
When you are struggling with where to start or which area to work on next or if everything in your reference appears to be a jumble, try to zero in on ONE significant point on the reference that you can SEE clearly. Then draw that. Then continue blocking in color away from that point. Usually, one step will lead to the next. A conversation I might have in my mind would go something like this…
- I’m not sure where to start.
- What do I know for sure?
- Well, I know for sure that there is a dark green shadow in the corner of this leaf.
- Ok! Draw that.
- What is next?
This strategy will keep you moving.
To draw what you see, you need to pay really close attention to your reference image. Trust your reference! This is one of the reasons that I like to spend a lot of time choosing my pencils for each new drawing. I usually sit down for 30 minutes to an hour going through my pencils and matching them up to the reference and making color swatches. While I do this, I am not only choosing a great color pallet but I am also familiarizing myself with the reference.
You will get better at drawing what you see as you gain experience as an artist. You will notice more. And your drawings will improve because of it. In the meantime, if you are having trouble with this concept, start small. Try working on drawings with a little less detail until you feel more comfortable with something more challenging.
I hope you enjoyed this tip!
For a link to the 2-Part Tutorial I did for these Peony Tulips, click here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/colored-pencil-1-37544993 https://www.patreon.com/posts/colored-pencil-2-37631813
To see all of my available tutorials, click here: https://jennifermorrisonart.com/patreontutoriallinks/
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