How much does being able to draw from observation factor in being

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Whether you are drawing from imagination or from real life you are trying to portray an image within a medium. You do not necessarily need to be proficient in one to be able to do the other.

But they are complimentary, and philosophically the difference is not absolute IMO.

>>2984918
i hope you aren't using that image to prove your point

>>2984919

Nope. Selected at random

>>2984930
then whose facebook or instagram is it from

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>>2984937
mine

>>2984912
From experience i think its pretty important (atleast for me anyways) life drawing all the way.

>>2984912
>inb4 someone posts about Proko

Being able to draw from observation won't magically make you be able to draw from imagination. In fact, you could be excellent at the former and absolutely dogshit at the latter.

HOWEVER

Drawing from observation is still vital to honing your ability to draw from imagination (which you must practice simultaneously). It builds your visual library, and whenever you're stumped on drawing something from imagination, you should observe the thing. Drawing something (as opposed to, say, staring at it and trying to memorize it without drawing it) is probably one of the most effective ways to study it, learn it in and out (at least visually), and really understand it. People don't store visual memories in a way that easily translates into accurate drawings, not without training. I'd be very impressed if someone could draw a subject from imagination with any particular proficiency that they've never bothered to study first.

>>2984912
The ability to turn objects in your mind's eye cannot be developed from observational drawing alone. But good observation will develop your innate sense of angles, proportions, and functional aspects of anatomy. Studying also forces you to absorb more visual information, and it's the understanding and inclusion of those tiny details that can push even a cartoon drawing from average to good.

>>2984966
THIS is the most realistic viewpoint and it has a lot of validity imo coming from an artist myself who knows exactly what this anon said and means word for word.