Fifteen

Perception

We have talked about where our work comes from in the context of observing the world around us to find inspiration. But not as much about how we record or represent that world. The default can be to try to create as accurate a representation of what we observe. But artists have the opportunity to add more. To interpret and reimagine what they see and put their own spin or personal perception.

And when we represent the world in our images whether they be a cartoon or realistically styled visual it can be beneficial to have a helping hand. Using reference can add layers of context and detail and make for a more convincing image no matter how derivative an artwork may be.

In the above images the goal I had was creating a painterly and expressive image that also accurately represented the place and details within it. The most direct way to create these images is to take the time and patiently observe and then translate the images onto paper. But another method is to trace it! Tracing has a bad rap as it can be represented as being unauthentic and stiff. And certainly images can feel traced and unconvincing, but if handled carefully tracing can make the task of drawing easier and efficient, and many of your competitors are using it to give them a step ahead!