Realistic Drawing
There are many styles of drawing, modern, surrealism. But the most pure of all art is the reproduction of realistic likeness. What does this mean to you? Realism is the reproduction of something that is the same likeness of what you see; what is real. Realistic drawing differs from cartoons because of coloring, shading, and proportions. There is actually very little difference between realistic drawings and cartoons. The only major differences are the shading, and the color values.
Cartoons use overly bright or dark colors, and are easily recreated with colored pencils. Realistic drawings can not be done easily with colored pencil, and most can never create a “real-life” appearance with colored pencils. However, pastels and paints can easily create the values needed for every-day colors. These colors should blend more, and have fewer differences than are seen are most cartoons. Any style of picture can suddenly seem realistic with the correct shading. Look at most computer animated movies today; you can see many clear examples of realistic drawings done with extreme proportion or out-of-this-world characters. It is truly the shading that makes the art. A few things to remember about shading realistic drawings are:
• Everything on the opposite side of the light source is darker.
• Shading around the eyes should be dark because eyes are deeper in the head.
• Pick an angle of light.
• Foreheads are round, and shading should reflect this.
• Clothing will have wrinkles that should be shaded on the opposite side of the light source.
• Hair has many different highlights, and usually reflects light.
Realistic drawings are more complicated than cartoons, as long as you follow these basic rules. No one gets the drawing perfectly at first time. For best results, you have to practice realistic drawings frequently.