Try This to Eliminate Drawing Errors: The Art of Inverted Observation
Have you ever felt that your drawings don’t capture the essence of what you see? Do you get frustrated when trying to put on paper the reality you have in front of your eyes? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In this article, we’ll reveal a revolutionary method that will completely change your approach to observational drawing. Get ready to challenge your perceptions and unleash your true artistic potential. Let’s turn your world upside down!
By Francis Patrick
The Secret to Mastering Observational Drawing: Forgetting What You Think You Know
Observational drawing is a fundamental skill for any artist, but it can also be one of the most challenging to master. The reason is simple: our brain tends to interfere with what we actually see, substituting reality with our preconceived ideas about how things should be. To overcome this obstacle, we must learn to “unlearn”.
Imagine you’re facing a model to do a portrait. Instinctively, your mind will start categorizing: “This is an eye, here goes the nose, this is the shape of the mouth”. But in doing so, you’re drawing what you think should be there, not what you actually see. The true art of observational drawing lies in seeing shapes, lines, and shadows, not labeled objects.
This approach may seem counterintuitive at first, but it’s the key to unlocking your artistic potential and taking your skills to the next level. By stripping away your preconceptions, you open yourself to a world of details and nuances that previously went unnoticed.
The Case of Eyes: When Familiarity Becomes an Obstacle
Let’s take eyes as an example, one of the facial features that presents the most challenges to novice artists. With practice, many of us develop a “mental shortcut” for drawing eyes: an oval here, a circle there, a curved line for the eyelid… But this automatic method can be counterproductive when we seek to capture the true essence of a unique gaze.
When we draw eyes (or any other body part) based on our “automatic style”, we are projecting our interpretation instead of genuinely observing. This can result in drawings that, while they may be pleasant, lack the spark of individuality and life that makes a portrait truly captivating.
The key is to learn to see with new eyes every time we face a model. We must set aside our pre-established formulas and venture into the unknown territory of pure observation. Only then can we capture the true essence of what we have in front of us.
Breaking Schemas: The Path to True Observation
To reach this level of pure observation, we must be willing to abandon our artistic comfort zones. Those old schemas we’ve developed since childhood, although useful at the time, may now be limiting our ability to see and represent the world with freshness and authenticity.
The real challenge lies in training our mind to perceive the world in terms of basic shapes, lines, and tonal values. This approach allows us to strip away the labels and categories that our brain automatically imposes, allowing us to see the world as it is, not as we think it should be.
This process of “unlearning” can be uncomfortable at first. After all, we are challenging years of ingrained habits. But the results can be amazing. By learning to see the world with new eyes, you’ll discover details and nuances that previously went unnoticed. Your art will take on a new dimension of depth and authenticity.
The Revolutionary Technique: Drawing Upside Down!
Now, let me introduce you to a technique that will put everything you think you know about observational drawing to the test. It’s a simple but incredibly effective exercise that will help you see the world with completely new eyes. Are you ready to turn your perspective upside down? Literally!
The exercise is as follows: choose an image that is familiar to you. It can be a portrait, a landscape, or any scene that catches your attention. Now, here comes the interesting part: rotate the image 180 degrees, so that it’s completely upside down. Yes, you read that right. We’re going to draw the image upside down.
Why do something so seemingly absurd? The reason is brilliant in its simplicity. By inverting the image, we are challenging our brain to see shapes and lines as they really are, instead of how we think they should be. Suddenly, that familiar face becomes an abstract set of shapes and shadows. We are no longer drawing “a nose” or “an eye”, but simply reproducing what we see.
This exercise may feel uncomfortable at first. You’ll find yourself struggling against the urge to “correct” the image in your mind. But that discomfort is exactly what we’re looking for. We’re forcing our brain to abandon its usual shortcuts and to really see.
Step by Step: How to Perform the Inverted Drawing Exercise
- Select your image: Choose a photograph or image that you find interesting. To start, it’s better to opt for something relatively simple.
- Invert the image: Rotate the image 180 degrees. If you’re using a digital image, you can easily do this in any image editing program. If it’s a printed image, simply flip it over.
- Prepare your workspace: Make sure you have all the materials you need at hand: paper, pencils, erasers, etc.
- Start drawing: Begin reproducing the inverted image on your paper. Focus on copying exactly what you see, without trying to “correct” or “straighten” anything in your mind.
- Maintain discipline: Resist the temptation to turn the image or your drawing to check how it’s going. The goal is to stay in this state of “unknowing” throughout the process.
- Take your time: There’s no rush. This exercise is about careful observation and accurate reproduction. Take all the time you need to capture every detail.
Remember, the goal is not to create a masterpiece, but to train your eye and hand to work together in a new and more accurate way. Want to perfect this technique and other fundamental skills? Discover additional resources here.
The Moment of Truth: Don’t Flip Until the End
Now comes the most exciting and challenging part of the exercise. Once you’ve started drawing the inverted image, it’s crucial that you resist the temptation to turn your drawing or the reference image. I know it will be difficult, but trust the process.
As you draw, you’ll find yourself struggling with shapes that seem to make no sense. Lines that cross in strange ways, shadows that seem to be in “wrong” places. This is exactly the point of the exercise. You’re learning to see and reproduce what’s really there, not what your brain thinks should be there.
As you progress, you might feel frustration or even the sensation that you’re doing everything wrong. Don’t get discouraged! This feeling of discomfort is a sign that you’re challenging your habitual perceptions and really observing in a new way.
Continue working on your drawing, paying attention to each line, each shape, each shadow. Treat each element as if it were an abstract form, without trying to give it a meaning or name. This approach will help you capture details and subtleties that you might normally overlook.
Looking for more challenges to improve your drawing technique? Click here to explore additional exercises that will help you develop your observation and representation skills.
The Big Reveal: When Fun Meets Learning
Finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for arrives. You’ve finished your drawing, working diligently with the inverted image. Now, it’s time for the big reveal. With a bit of nervousness and a lot of anticipation, turn your drawing 180 degrees to see it in its correct orientation.
Surprise! What you’ll see will probably amaze you. In most cases, drawings made with this technique turn out to be remarkably accurate and full of details that you might have overlooked in a traditional drawing approach. You might notice that you’ve captured proportions, shadows, and details with a precision you didn’t think possible.
This moment of revelation is where fun meets learning. It’s exciting to see how, by challenging your habitual perception, you’ve been able to create something that you perhaps thought was beyond your reach. But beyond the immediate satisfaction, this exercise teaches you valuable lessons about observation and representation that you can apply in all your future artistic works.
Remember, the goal is not perfection, but progress. Each time you perform this exercise, you’ll be training your eye and hand to work together in a more harmonious and precise way. Over time, you’ll notice that your ability to observe and represent the world around you improves significantly, even when you’re drawing in a normal orientation.
Ready to take your skills to the next level? Discover how you can keep improving here.
Conclusion: The Transformative Power of Inverted Observation
Throughout this article, we’ve explored a revolutionary technique to improve your observational drawing skills. The exercise of drawing “upside down” is not just a fun trick, but a powerful tool to challenge our preconceived perceptions and see the world with truly new eyes.
By inverting the image we’re drawing, we force our brain to abandon its usual shortcuts and really observe what’s in front of us. This process can be uncomfortable at first, but the results are often surprising and rewarding.
Remember, the key to success in this exercise (and in art in general) is constant practice. Don’t get discouraged if your first attempts aren’t perfect. Each time you perform this exercise, you’ll be strengthening the connection between your eye, hand, and brain, developing a sharper observation skill and more accurate representation.
We encourage you to incorporate this technique into your regular practice routine. Experiment with different types of images: portraits, landscapes, still lifes. Each subject will present you with new challenges and learning opportunities.
Remember, the true power of this exercise is not just in the final result, but in the process itself. You’re training your mind to see the world in a new and more accurate way, a skill that will benefit all aspects of your art.
So, the next time you feel stuck in your drawing practice or want to challenge your observation skills, try this to eliminate drawing errors: turn your world upside down and discover a new perspective in your art. It’s foolproof!
Are you ready to transform your art? Click here to discover more resources and techniques that will help you reach your maximum artistic potential. Remember, every stroke is an opportunity to learn and grow as an artist. Don’t let your preconceptions limit your creativity!
In the fascinating world of drawing, observation is your most powerful tool. By mastering techniques like inverted drawing, you’ll not only improve your accuracy and detail, but you’ll also develop a deeper appreciation for the shapes, lines, and shadows that make up our visual world.
So grab your pencil, flip that image, and dive into a new dimension of drawing. Who knows what discoveries await you when you see the world from a completely new perspective. Happy drawing!
