Time constraints; What they are and why you should use them

Time constraints, when used correctly and consistently, can do wonders for your drawings! In this articile, I'm going to give you the tools to start using time constraints in your drawing practice. I make sure to use this technique at least once a week and always before starting a final piece to warm up. The very first time I used this technique was at the Art Institutes and I saw my best figure drawing that I have ever created with the first try. Why is that?

The answer is simple. The first time constraint is 30 seconds. You might think it would very difficult to draw a full figure in 30 seconds but, these aren't meant to be pretty. A 30 second time constraint forces you to "see" the most basic shapes of the figure using gestural sketching, or just super fast, scribbly, expressive lines. Training your brain to "see" these basic shapes and ignoring details is very important for progression.

After doing about ten, 30 second gestural sketches crank the time constraint up to a minute or three. Keep up the pace and draw as fast as you can, at this point you will, or can work up to a point, where you can start defining lines or shadows. This is also very important because you can start to develope your own techniques. I like to do five or more of these.

Now that you're warmed up you're going to be seeing some of your best sketching! Let's not stop there though. Next up is the 10 minute time constraint, I like to do 2 or 3 of these. At this point you will definitely be starting to add value and define the features of your subjects. After these 10 minute time constraints it's a good idea to take a short break, get some excersize, stretch, or get something to eat or drink. Don't break for more than 15 minutes though, you'll want to stay in the groove.

Lastly, but most definitely not least, are the 30 minute and 1 hour drawings. I do one of each, sometimes more. At one hour the figure should be nearly complete but, not to worry if it's not. Drawing takes patience, commitment, and a lot of practice! Studying anatomy will help and is necessary for "good" figure drawing. And for the anime fans, learning to draw the real anatomy won't hurt! In fact it will do wonders for you as well!

#timeconstraint #drawing #sketching #figure #practice #davidleeart #art #artist #time #watch #pencil #graphite