Artists have a secret: they look a lot. When you draw something real, like a cup, a shoe or a tree, look at the real thing more than at your paper.
Key idea
Look, draw a little, look again. Draw what you see, not what you remember.
Why it works
Our memory keeps a simple picture of things, like a ball on a stick for a tree. Real things are full of surprises: crooked trunks, branches, bumps. Looking shows you the surprises.
Worked example: Let's look
Omar is drawing his shoe. What should he notice first?
- Big shapes come first.
- A shoe is a long, rounded shape with a lower part at the toe.
- Small things like laces come last.
Answer: Its big shape.
Common mistake
Many children draw a tree from memory even when a real tree is in front of them. Keep looking up: how does this tree's trunk bend? Where do the branches go?
For the grown-up. Set one object on the table and draw it together, side by side. Every so often, say "Look up!" and point to a part of the object you both missed.