We all have subjects we love to draw over and over. This repetition allows us to go deeper into our understanding of form.
In my notes on the page I refer to Rick Niece’s face as comfort food. He can be found on Sktchy and Instagram. He puts his talent and time into providing interesting facial expressions, poses, and costumes for artists.
Oh, and he has a beard! Of course.
If I want to test new materials or approaches I will sketch Rick. If I want to do a lot of quick warm up studies I’ll sketch Rick. If I set myself a seemingly impossible task in values with paper choices I’ll sketch Rick.
To me it doesn’t matter that I didn’t opaquely paint out the background within his faces on this page spread. (Though from the page notes you’ll learn it does bother Dick.) Familiar faces allow us more leeway and grant us more satisfaction at all stages of drawing.
Find your familiar faces and revisit them regularly. See what more you can learn from drawing them over and over. Rely on them when you have a day when drawing seems difficult. Putting in the time now, pays of later.
Alternatives to Drawing Faces from Photos
I find drawing faces repeatedly more interesting than drawing still life set ups, but you can do that instead, simply vary the arrangement and lighting of your still life to stretch in directions you want to go.
I also recommend life drawing co-ops. Every co-op I’ve attended has a roster of models who repeat on a fairly regular basis. I find that regular attendance allows you a range of models, and then you get repeat exposure. You can compare your sketches from earlier sessions with the same model and see how your dialog with their form is evolving, and discover what you need to work on next.
If you have pets at home consider drawing your pet every day. I spent 4 and a half years drawing my Alaskan Malamute bitch Dottie every day and found that tremendously helpful both to my art and my emotional well being. Nothing beats having a live-in model. With a live animal remember to ratchet back your expectations and enjoy the small victories of something like an intricately drawn paw. With consistent practice you will develop the skills to capture more and more over time.
I have students who are parents who find sketching their children daily an emotionally and artistically valuable experience.
If you live alone remember that realistic dinosaur replicas are great life models who stay still for you. (After Dottie died I relied heavily on my collection of dinosaurs as drawing models.)
And if you have a naturalist’s eye and inclination skulls and skeletons (real or replica, see Skulls Unlimited) are excellent drawing subjects. They will help you understand the anatomy of your subjects that you later find and draw in the wild.
Taxidermy also provides an excellent drawing reference—Find it at natural history museums, nature centers, and camping/hunting supply stores like Cabellas. The ability to sketch the animal in 3-D will better prepare you for the quick angles presented when you are in the wild or at a zoo.
The basic point remains—find your comfort food drawing subject(s). Work with them regularly to broaden your skills.
