There’s nothing like challenging yourself, and this weekend, I did just that, three hours of life drawing in a relaxed, untutored and focused environment with Richard Kitson at his studio in Barnsley town centre. It’s been a while since I worked from life, and honestly, I’d forgotten how different it is compared to drawing from photos.
To think, artists of years gone by spent years—decades even—studying from life to hone their skills. These days, we have the luxury (and the crutch) of photographs, but standing in front of a real model forces you to see differently. There’s no flattening of shapes, no pre-set contrast—just you, your materials, and the subject in real space. It’s raw, and it’s real. And any small movement by the model can throw off detail, and it does! You think you’ve got a line just right, only for a subtle shift in weight to change everything.
I’ve already booked more sessions, and I think I’ll have to revisit some of the great masters’ notes on figure drawing. After all, standing on the shoulders of giants is the best way to reach higher.
My Biggest Takeaway: Less Detail, More Form
One key thing I took from this session was not getting bogged down in detail. Easier said than done! I found myself squinting a lot—trying to filter out unnecessary details and focus only on the bigger shapes. I made a conscious effort to take just a few measurements, then block in the darkest masses first, followed by lighter shapes. Only after that did I allow myself to add a touch of detail.
This approach felt both freeing and frustrating. Freeing because it stopped me from obsessing over perfection, but frustrating because my brain wanted to dive into the small stuff too soon. It’s a habit I’ll have to keep working on, but that’s the beauty of practice, right?
Moving Forward: More Sessions, More Study
This session reaffirmed how much I need this, regular life drawing, real observation, and conscious practice. I can already tell that making this a habit will shift how I approach my artwork. More importantly, it reminded me that there’s no shortcut to improvement. It’s all about showing up, putting in the hours, and letting the process teach you.
So, practice, practice, practice. And maybe a little more squinting.
