Do you have the correct proportions? Do you have the correct techniques to draw with it? Do you believe you know that you will draw any other image in this volume?
For those students who have not had the chance to test themselves (or those who are still in the process of test-taking) this volume can be invaluable in bringing them up to pace with those who do. At the very least, it should encourage them to practice drawing a model more often than they should; and for those on the fence, a bit of practical experience can be a helpful guide for getting over that hesitation.
My own introduction to drawing and photography began when I was just four years old. As the old adage goes: “One can hardly begin to tell in four years what it could have been like for a little kid,” so that may be a very biased and inaccurate perspective. However, for me, the first real image which gave me a firm grasp of how to draw was of a little girl and how she would dress – or not dress – in various situations, from sitting around on her porch to playing with Barbie dolls in the park to attending a musical play.
The first image which led me to my first model appeared the very next day, when I woke up at six in the morning and saw that the sun had already set on that beautiful, rainy day. Having just had this first glimpse of how the world works, I decided that I would write up a “how-to”. When I saw myself in my first notebook (and drawing of my model in my second notebook) it seemed as though I had discovered a new way to visualize it – or perhaps to better understand it as I began learning the material.
Since then, I have made a number of other drawing and modeling projects and many others of my own. In fact, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I’ve never made it as far as creating a page of my drawings or creating a book from them; and I know that the volume should not be a substitute for this kind of experience. However, for those who already live in an environment which tends to provide such a stimulus to learn and practice, it will be a valuable source, as well as a useful introduction.
I think it is important for the student to learn both at a basic level (basic anatomy, perspective, line spacing) and at higher level (how to draw without the assistance of reference or textbooks, where to start and how to practice). For students who are comfortable