Master studies are a great way to improve your drawing skill.
Without it, you’re missing out on tons of potential progression, seeing how the masters produced their fine artworks, and all the lessons that come with it!
Within this blog post you will discover my top 5 tips to help you learn how to do master studies to improve your drawing skill.
If you prefer to watch instead of read, the video below from my channel is perfect for you.
So lets jump straight in!
Don’t Copy, But Study!
This one is an important one, as many beginner drawers can fall into this trap.
Instead of copying an artwork, you need to study the artwork. But what’s the difference?
Copying is aimless. You may pick up the one or two lessons, but you’re not active in this process by doing this.
However, studying is altogether different. Studying makes you ask questions about why the artists created the work they did, gets you in the mind of the artist, and results in more valuable lessons during the process.
To help you transition from copying to that of studying, focus on these core principles:
- Ask yourself questions throughout. Why did they use this particular colour? How did they draw this mark? How can I learn from this?
- Add annotations next to your master studies to solidify your learnings.
- Be genuinely interested in the piece and artist.
- Get into the minds of these artists as much as possible.
Pick Artists And Artworks You Love
Sometimes, drawing can feel like a task out of our day. That’s why it’s not a daily drawing habit for many people.
So to help with this, and to also help you get some fun out of these studies, is to pick artists and artworks you love.
This is important, as you’ll be way more interested in studying a master artwork if you love the piece.
From Salvador Dali, Turner to Rubens, it doesn’t matter who it is, if you love it, go for it!
Pick One Topic Or Subject Per Study
Now you’ve picked a artist or artwork that you love, it’s crucial that you pick just one topic or subject per master study.
This takes you from copying and mindlessly copying, to actually learning something from this process.
For example, if you picked Van Gogh (a great choice, like in my example below), but didn’t really know why you were studying this piece, then you won’t get that much out of the process.
However, if you were to pick Van Gogh for his use of colour, in particular his complimentary colours, then this is perfect. Another example would be to study Albrecht Dürer for his portrait drawings, and how he created marks.
This is altogether a much better way to go about it. You’ll be clear about your objectives, goals and desired outcomes.
Analyse, Track & Monitor
Much like point number one, you need to analyse, track and monitor.
To do this, write annotations, quotes, your own thoughts next to to your master studies.
See where you learnt some lessons, where you went wrong or could embed this into your own artwork. You can see from my sketchbook that I actively do master studies with annotations on a regular basis.
The best people on this planet track their progress, so make sure you don’t skip this part!
Create Your Own Art In That Study
Lastly, to elevate your learnings, a great idea is to create an artwork, but in the style of the artist you learnt from.
You may think this is fabrication, however I’m not telling you to copy the artists style in all of your art from here on in, and become a second-rate version of this artist.
Instead, just create one piece which is inspired by the master artwork. This is somewhat challenging, as you’ll be governed with a new subject, a new composition and theme.
You’ll be surprised by your learnings during this period!
Summary
To summarise, here’s my top tips that I want you to focus to help you learn how to create master studies:
- Don’t Copy, But Study!
- Pick Artists You Love
- Pick One Topic Or Subject Per Study
- Analyse, Track & Monitor
- Create Your Own Art In That Study
Remember, to have fun, study and not copy, and focus on getting into the minds of the artists you study to get the most out of the process!
If you liked this blog post, check out my other articles, from daily drawing exercises, or check out my design, illustration and art resources to help you with your next project!
Many thanks for listening and visiting my blog today. You can follow what I’m up to on my Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram pages, I’ll really appreciate it if you do, and don’t be afraid to say hi to me! Many thanks again, and have a great day!
23rd April 2024
