Analyze, Not Copy - Draw Paint Academy

I’ve been reading a book by Glen Vilppu titled Drawing Manual: How to Draw Figures With Gesture, Form, and Feeling. He’s one of the top drawing teachers and has been doing it for decades. I’ve always been fond of his style and his focus on the subject’s gesture.

On page 19 he wrote:

“The hardest part of this lesson is to overcome the desire to copy the model. Remember, we never copy the model, we analyze it.”

This is simple but powerful advice. It’s something I’ve been doing subconsciously but haven’t heard it explained until now.

As children, we all start out by copying. We look at the subject and try to copy each color and shape onto the surface. If we do a good job, it may look realistic, but it will probably be somewhat flat and rigid.

We must eventually progress to analyzing the subject as we work. By doing this, the focus becomes not just what we see, but also how the subject works and interacts with the world. This is a big distinction! It will inject your work with a sense of life and movement. You can see it in action in many of the drawing demonstrations by Vilppu, like this one. Notice how he analyzes the subject and explains what’s going on in remarkable detail.

Below are some examples of questions you might ask yourself when analyzing the subject:

Water: How is the water moving? Can you feel the ebbs and flows? Which way is the current going? Is it strong? Is wind breaking up the surface? Can you make sense of the contours on the surface?

Human figure: What’s the main gesture line? Are they leaning towards or away from us? What’s the sense of balance? Where are the muscles stretching and pulling? What would the pose feel like? As Vilppu wrote on page 20:

“Try to imagine the feeling as if you were in the pose, or stand up and take the pose yourself. Try to feel where forms stretch or bulge, which leg has the weight on it, and in general, become more aware of the action.”

Tree: What’s the gesture of the tree? How are the leaves being held together by the branches and twigs? What are the main structural points? Is reflected light hitting parts of the branches? Is wind blowing the leaves?

Sky: Is there a sense of movement and activity? Or is it quiet and still. (Remember, there’s always some activity, even on the calmest days.) For examples of capturing the sky’s movement and character, check out Vincent van Gogh’s landscapes.

Still life: How are the objects overlapping in space? How is the light hitting the objects and bouncing between them? Where are the key highlights and shadows? Are there any nooks or crevices getting hardly any light (dark accents). What’s the texture and local color of each object?

Try it in your next drawing or painting. Analyze the subject, don’t copy it. If you’re used to copying, you’ll find it to be a freeing and exciting exercise. Though it may feel a bit strange at first.

Happy painting!