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 the way you approach observational drawing. Get ready to challenge your perceptions and unleash your true artistic potential. Let’s turn your world upside down!
Unlearning to learn: The key to observational drawing
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 in front of 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 unleashing your artistic potential and taking your skills to the next level. By stripping away your preconceptions, you open yourself up to a world of details and nuances that previously went unnoticed.
The eye challenge: 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 pleasing, 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, while 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 minds 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 believe 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 astonishing. 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 challenge everything you think you know about observational drawing. 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’s 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, rather than 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 guide: Mastering the art of inverted drawing
- Select your image: Choose a photograph or image that you find interesting. To start, it’s better to opt for something relatively simple, like a portrait or a simple still life. As you gain confidence, you can move on to more complex images.
- 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. The key is to maintain this inverted orientation throughout the drawing process.
- Prepare your workspace: Make sure you have all the materials you need at hand: good quality drawing paper, a variety of pencils (from HB to 6B for different tones), erasers, and a sharpener. An easel or inclined board can be useful for maintaining a comfortable posture while drawing.
- 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. Carefully observe the relationships between shapes, lines, and negative spaces.
- 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. This can be challenging, but it’s crucial for the success of the exercise.
- 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. Observe how shadows relate to shapes, how lines intersect, and how negative spaces create the composition.
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: Keep your composure 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.
As you work, you might notice that some areas of the drawing are more challenging for you than others. Maybe the proportions seem strange or certain shapes don’t make sense in your mind. Resist the urge to “correct” these areas based on what you think they should be. Instead, trust your eyes and draw exactly what you see, no matter how strange it may seem.
This inverted drawing process will not only improve your accuracy, but it will also develop your patience and concentration. You’ll be training your mind to maintain focus for extended periods, an invaluable skill for any artist.
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 done with this technique turn out 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 work.
As you examine your drawing, pay attention to the areas that were most challenging for you during the process. Do you notice any difference in how you handled them compared to your usual approach? You might discover that you’ve captured details and subtleties that you would normally have overlooked or simplified.
It’s also interesting to observe how this technique can influence your style. Many artists find that inverted drawing helps them develop a looser and more expressive approach, freeing them from the rigidity that sometimes arises when we worry too much about the “correctness” of our drawings.
Remember, the goal is not perfection, but progress. Each time you do this exercise, you’ll be training your eye and hand to work together in a more harmonious and accurate 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.
Beyond the exercise: Applying what you’ve learned in your daily practice
Although the inverted drawing exercise is a powerful tool, its true value is revealed when you begin to apply the principles learned in your everyday artistic practice. Here are some ways to integrate this new perspective into your work:
- Conscious observation: Even when you’re not drawing “upside down”, try to approach each subject as if you’re seeing it for the first time. Challenge your assumptions about how things should look and focus on what you actually see.
- Focus on abstract shapes: Practice seeing your subject as a set of abstract shapes rather than recognizable objects. This can help you capture proportions and spatial relationships more accurately.
- Attention to negative spaces: Inverted drawing often highlights the importance of negative spaces (the areas around and between objects). Incorporate this awareness into your usual drawing process.
- Patience and persistence: The inverted drawing exercise requires patience and sustained attention. Bring this same attitude to all your artistic projects.
- Continuous experimentation: Don’t limit yourself to inverting images. Try drawing by looking at the reflection of your subject in a mirror, or draw using only your peripheral vision. Each new approach can reveal different aspects of your subject and your own creative process.
Remember, art is a journey of continuous discovery. Each new exercise, each challenge you set for yourself, is an opportunity to grow and evolve as an artist. The inverted drawing technique is just one tool in your creative toolbox, but it’s one that can open new doors of perception and expression.
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 do 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.
Beyond improving your drawing technique, this exercise can fundamentally transform the way you see the world. You’ll start noticing details that previously went unnoticed, appreciate beauty in the everyday, and develop a deeper understanding of the shapes and structures that make up our visual environment.
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!
