Drawn from Life: Contemporary Artists, Timeless Techniques

Abstract

This book was designed as a handy guide to figure drawing, by drawing tutor Helen Birch and explores 100 life drawings and portraits by contemporary artists. Drawn from Life is a celebration of playful, personal, and experimental approaches used by modern artists and illustrators. Traditional techniques and new media are organized as entries so that you can dip in and out for advice or flick through for inspiration and ideas.
Drawn From Life highlights and examines the different techniques, qualities, and effects of each piece. Offering a bold, refreshing change from other run-of-the-mill figure drawing books, it adopts the unique approach of teaching drawing via the images themselves, focusing on the way portraits can be treated using a whole range of different techniques, rather than looking at how to master one single style. Practical tips are provided throughout the book on topics such as tone, perspective and colour. Readers are encouraged to discover the ways in which similar subjects and styles are executed by different artists, while also being inspired to use the tips in the book as a way of building on existing skills.