Drawing Headquarters

When I began to consider becoming a comic book artist at the age of eleven years old, I wondered do artists draw from memory? I didn't know a whole lot about art or artists. What I did know was that I couldn't draw a comic book panel and have it come out looking like something by Jack Kirby or Jim Lee unless I was copying it. I wondered if artists drew from memory, from pictures they looked at, or both. I later found out. On average, artists draw from memory. In one situation, there are artists who work from references: photos, models or casts. On the other hand, there are artists who work entirely from imagination like Disney or game concept designers. Yet those who use references still work from memory to stylize and add visual interest to their composition. Even photorealistic artists think in terms of value, mood and texture. So, artists predominantly rely on their memory to create convincing works. It wasn't until much later in my artistic development that I realized this was a good thing. Sure, it takes lots of practice, but it's also a much more liberating way to work. Reasons artists draw from memory I think the most basic reason to draw from memory is to allow for artistic expression. Any artist knows it's important to not only have a basic understanding of nature, but the ability to translate that information into beautiful lines, shapes and arrangements. After all, that's what art is all about--revealing beauty. Too many beginning artists get caught up in copy the photo line for line and forget that it's about the gesture, muscle memory and confidence. Another reason is for speed. Some artists like Jim Lee have drawn the same type of pose so many times that it literally takes him seconds to rough-in the figures. When you're under a comic deadline, speed is the priority. Working from photographs not only slows down the artist, but it adds a level of awkwardness when seen side-by-side with the fluid workings of muscle memory. Jim Lee Draws Batman Another reason is to see what you have learned so far. Drawing in your sketchbook allows you to pinpoint what's working and where you need to improve. If you don't know if it's working or not, try getting some unbiased feedback from friends or other artists. Allow them to point out where you can improve. You can also email me and I'll do my best to help you out: inkimpression@yahoo.com Reasons why artists don't draw from memory Obviously, if you're struggling to draw a certain pose, or create a background element from your imagination and it comes out looking wonky or childish, it's time to go back to your reference material. An artist will tend to put in tens to hundreds of hours working at certain areas where they may be lacking. For example, I can draw heads from the front very easily from imagination. But trying to draw a reclined figure in dynamic foreshortening from memory is one of my weakest points. If I were to draw a comic from imagination and try to nail that pose, I'd be in big trouble. That frame would stick out like a sore thumb. Likewise, there may be certain parts to certain panels that look underdeveloped due to inexperience in drawing such objects. An artist might draw a figure in the foreground quite well, but the car in the background might look too boxy and underdeveloped. The artist could ignore drawing the vehicle in that particular panel, but sooner or later his work might seem a little uninteresting due to a lack of diverse background elements. Reasons to draw from memory Going back and studying poses and objects as accurately as possible is necessary to developing as an artist. Some artists work strictly from references for a very long time as in the case of art atelier students. Sometimes they only work from references for their entire career, like Norman Rockwell. But there's a caveat to this: 99% of these artists practice drawing from memory in their sketchbooks. In the end, the reference is just a suggestion. It fills in the gaps in your memory, serves as an initial bit of inspiration, and should never dictate the final outcome. Think about it this way: if the artist wanted it to look just like a photo, he or she would be a photographer. Drawing from memory allows artistic expression to come through, which is what people want to see. Norman Rockwell Norman Rockwell worked as an illustrator who painted the covers for the Saturday Evening Post for decades. He was notorious for his use of photo references. He would often stage multiple figures and have each one photographed separately. Then, he would photograph props and background elements. He would cut and paste this into a final reference before translating that to canvas. Just because he worked from photos doesn't mean he eschewed artistic license. As you look at his finished pieces and the references that inspired them, take notice of his use of color, distortion, and expression. Check them out here. Jack Kirby Jack Kirby is perhaps the most well known comic book artist ever. He helped co-found Marvel Comics along with Stan Lee and has created some of the most iconic comic franchises to come out of the Marvel Universe. These include The Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, and Thor. Jack Kirby's career spanned nearly six decades and has spawned nearly 300 characters. With such a prolific career, it's easy to imagine the hundreds of thousands of panels he's drawn. And he couldn't have done them without some serious imagination. It's been said that Kirby never really understand all of the details of human anatomy--but that's not necessarily a bad thing. In order to be the "King of Comics," you have to work fast. He didn't have time to take photos and then study them. He decided to be a comic book artist and got down to work. Here's a link of Kirby drawing Dr. Doom straight from imagination.