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How long should you wait to use referance in the 50%

3:45 PM, Wednesday November 23rd 2022

ok here's a thing that I want to know. How long should wait to use referance in the 50%.

I'm a very weak person mentally. I don't now the reason but if something goes wrong l get really anxious. and that' why I think l didn't follow the intruction of not using referance for the 50% as long as it needed. Though I have gotten better at handing mistakes and failure. There's still a creeping feeIing of fear and it's not that insignificant that l can just ignore. so, l though why don't i do my 50% without referance and not cheat this time around. but there's still the question of how long or should use it at all??

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2 users agree
12:19 AM, Friday November 25th 2022

Hello, good day to you.

The reference usage at 50% is somewhat complicated.

For this use can be driven by two reasons:

1- The insecurity of making a mistake in the drawing.

2- An impulse of curiosity or exploration, which is complemented by the use of reference.

If the reference is used for fear of making a mistake, this 50% is not correctly fulfilled, in which no drawing should be judged as a success or failure.

If the reference is used for experimentation - or for fun - there is no problem, as its use is not specifically to evaluate your drawing.

I understand that you being an anxious (not necessarily weak) minded person, you may have trouble differentiating for which reason you are driven. In fact there can be a very blurred line between the two. For a few months, I recommend you to be more inclined not to use references to leave an evaluative attitude that can cause you anxiety when drawing.

With time you won't feel so much pressure in case you make a mistake in your drawing, and you will know if you use references only for exploration; in this case allow yourself. Of course this will not happen overnight, be patient.

2 users agree
11:17 PM, Sunday November 27th 2022

When I started, references were very much a crutch. I got used looking at them less and less by doing a first sketch with a lot of observation of the reference, and then at least two or three more sketches of the same thing without a reference. After being more comfortable with not using the reference my goal became to draw the reference subject in a different position or orientation. For example, if the reference is a palm tree with seven leaves, I would draw palm trees with different numbers of leaves in different positions, and with the trunk in different amounts of curvature. Drawing without a reference requires a LOT of memory detail, which I have trouble with. Without a reference it is hard for me to even get started; but once I have drawn through a sketch once, I can follow it up with something similar without using the reference (or at least not as much).

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These are what I use when doing these exercises. They usually run somewhere in the middle of the price/quality range, and are often sold in sets of different line weights - remember that for the Drawabox lessons, we only really use the 0.5s, so try and find sets that sell only one size.

Alternatively, if at all possible, going to an art supply store and buying the pens in person is often better because they'll generally sell them individually and allow you to test them out before you buy (to weed out any duds).

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