Drawing from Line to Life

How To Draw Trees

Mike Sibley — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:21:30 +0000

Artist Stephen Sample, who works in Pen & Ink, emailed me to ask:

"I have been working on trees for the last couple of years, and they turn out pretty nice but, although it looks fairly like a tree, it is not even close to as defined as the trees that you are drawing. In doing the leaves, do you do more of a small random dash, or perhaps is it more of a dot?"

Your trees are missing depth. I'll concentrate on the central one, which is fan-like - a series of radiating ribs with leaves attached. However, there is some depth, as a few of your leaf masses appear in front of some of the branches. Bear in mind that a tree is basically a deformed ball...

Problems with Proportion?

Mike Sibley — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:38:53 +0000

I was recently asked:

I have been drawing portraits for a couple months but am still having a hard time with proportions. I'm finding angled faces hard to draw and I always end up distorting them into looking straight ahead and it looks wrong.

I think "looking straight ahead" might give me a clue to the problem. You haven't yet taught yourself to see what is really there and you are drawing what you think is there. That's a very common problem and one that you have to work at to overcome...

Are my leads GRAPHITE or CARBON?

Mike Sibley — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:16:37 +0000

"You present drawings and drawing instruction in graphite. But the tools you use - particularly the Staedtler clutch pencils and leads are actually carbon, at least here in the US they are."
,br> This a Staedtler "problem" I'm often asked about - particularly when an artist has ordered Lumograph "graphite" but received a pack of "carbon" leads. I have in my possession elderly packs of 2mm "graphite" leads and the more recent "carbon" leads...

Drawing Tree Bark

Mike Sibley — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:17:33 +0000

Tony recently wrote to me asking: "Whilst I'm getting on OK with the dog, I've tried all sorts of techniques to do the bark without success. Any pointers you can give me would be greatly appreciated."

I'll cover HOW later but first I want to question the WHY. Why do you want to include the bark? Is it simply because it appears in the background of your photograph? Is it connected with your dog? Does it tell us, the viewers, anything about the dog? In brief: if it doesn't add anything to the story being told then it's probably best...

Colour or Black & White?

Mike Sibley — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:05:09 +0000

Artist Ginger Brady emailed me to ask:
"I am wondering if you get asked by many people if you would do your drawings in color instead of Black & White? I miss my Graphite pictures and I feel like I've been wasting a lot of time trying to make others happy."

Been there, done that, Ginger. And like you, I found that "working for others" didn't appeal. I had to stay with the medium I really care for and working for "me". That's what art is about, isn't it? Expressing your love or feelings for something. Displaying the subject to your viewers and saying "Look at this. No, look closer. See what a beautiful creation this is." To my mind, there's a world of difference between...

New Studio COMPLETED!

Mike Sibley — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:35:34 +0000

The new studio is FINISHED! My massively heavy drawing board was dismantled, dragged from the old studio and reassembled. My faithful old Artograph was moved in. And finally, all I needed was workshop attendees - which we had... a full house!

If you missed it, you haven't long to wait because we're holding another Weekend Workshop on October 1st and 2nd. It's already 50% booked so if you want to join us head over to my website for the full details: www.SibleyFineArt.com/_workshop_uk_yorks.htm

New Studio nearing completion!

Mike Sibley — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:33:16 +0000

I had every intention of keeping you up to date on progress but the progress took so much time there wasn't any to spare. Sorry! Well, today we emptied three B&Qs of carpet tiles - and we had to change plans half way through due to a shortage and settled on two colours instead of one.

Having returned from the Maidstone 3-day workshop on Monday, the final work now begins in earnest. It has to! We're holding our first 2-day workshop here on this month. Incidentally, it's fully booked, so we're running another on October 1/2, and even that's filling - just six places currently available.

Studio Update – July

Mike Sibley — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:04:43 +0000

Well, you're probably thinking I've lost interest in my new studio. Far from it! But I have been very busy preparing for the US workshops, and I was away for the whole of June running them. However, progress has been made.

Shortly before our departure I completed the overhead wiring of a telephone line from our house to the studio, after welding various bits of spare metal together to make a mast. It will eventually have a weather vane on top... if only we could find it! We received it a gift a few years ago and stored it away safely. Too safely!

SAN ANTONIO and LOS ANGELES 2011 Workshops

Mike Sibley — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:19:57 +0000

With only a little over a month before we leave the UK to fly to the US there are still places available in the SAN ANTONIO, TX, and LOS ANGELES, CA, workshops. Both are 3-day, Friday to Sunday events. If you have a desire to take your drawing to a new level of realism, my friendly and informal workshops are designed for you!

Over the three days I'll show you how you can break down any drawing, however complex, into easily manageable parts, and apply simple step-by-step techniques to draw them believably. And No lectures! - I prefer to work with you individually as you draw.

All you need do is bring yourself - all paper, pencils and other necessary supplies are included...

Dog Drawing critique

Mike Sibley — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 23:50:54 +0000

Molly wrote: "I sent you a few of my pet portraits a few years ago and you were kind enough to give me a free critique. I purchased your book and have studied it, but still am struggling with my drawings."

You've developed a good eye, and you show a good understanding of what you are attempting to draw. The Rottweiler's nose, for example, is perfectly shaped - and you've certainly captured the character of this lovely dog! However, I think you're too focussed on the reference, and drawing without really being aware of the three-dimensional shape that you're depicting.

You are very accurate with the growth direction of the hair but reacting, I think, to the tones you see before you without asking yourself what they represent...