recording your surroundings
Lucian Freud’s sketchbook pages are a great example of how much life and character comes through when imperfections are embraced. The drawings show a unique perspective shift that emphasize this sort of impermanent viewpoint when working from life.
Method 1 Focusing and Looking
I’m drawing my plant, which is something I can continuously come back to drawing over time as I notice its growth. Again, I’m not focusing on recording it perfectly. Instead, I’m primarily looking and focusing my eyes and then going ahead and recording it through mark and shape. In the back of my mind, I’m thinking about my word list, and how it might relate or influence what I’m drawing and how I’m drawing it.
Do: Focus on observing and looking. Think about how you can use your drawing implement to mimic the details you can see
Don’t: Worry about accuracy and perspective or outcome
Method 2 Quick Sketch
I highly suggest drawing the same subject matter and giving yourself a time constraint. Try to get as much of the object in as you can in a half the time that it took you to do the first sketch, try a minute, thirty seconds, etc. Notice what you notice when having this restriction, and without. Compare your drawings
Do: Think about how you can capture the general essence of your subject matter
Don’t: Focus on small details
Method 3 Using your hand to see
You will see me drawing with my right hand, while using my left hand to visually “trace” over the lines and shapes that I am seeing. This is one of my favorite observational drawing methods because it allows me to engage more of my body when drawing. I’m closing one eye and using my left hand to draw the lines and shapes I’m seeing. At the same time, I am mimicking my tracing hand with my pen in order to “transfer” the shapes and angles I’m seeing onto my paper.
Use your hand to trace the outer shapes and angles of your chosen subject matter.
Do: Think about the relationships between the shapes and angles
Don’t: Edit or change the image after you make your mark.
The above image is a sketch of a mountaintop view during fall in the Hudson Valley. While I was drawing from observation, I was not concerned about realism or fine details. Consider focusing your next sketch on simplifying color. How can you reduce your surroundings to simple shape and color relationships?