use guidelines in drawings or not?.. for or against?
By
Caemgen,
Posted on: 2009-12-02 19:59 in Multi-Media Fan Creations
Nothing whatsoever is a crutch when it comes to art. Do you think that Michelangelo didn't use guides? Who's Chris lol unless you mean Rob?
Many artists just have a feel for their work, enough so that they don't need to use too many sketches before they finish the lines. However if you presented them with a different subject or character idea, they would likely go right back to using them.
The best artists do. The worst, usually don't know how.
Edit:
Let me give you an example from my own stuff.
All three of these were drawn using basic shapes, but the one in the middle, you'll notice that her cheetah body has no sketching whatsoever. I even surprised myself with that 
These lines give the artist the idea of what the outline will wind up being, and be able to catch obvious mistakes before they're really a problem.
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
not a crutch at all, infact a very good habit to get into.
Feel free to skip my non-artist opinion...
Is it a crutch? Who the hell cares? Would you think less of the Mona Lisa if you found out the first sketches used such guidelines? What matters is the finished product. Any trick, technique or whatever that improves the final is a good thing - short of tracing, photocopying, or otherwise outright stealing others works ...
A crutch is an aid not a cheat. Use it when you need it. If you eventually can walk without it then great but don't be afraid to go back to it if you need to.
I don't use them, unless I am worried I can't pull it off without one, OR I want a good breakdown. What I can say is this, it almost always makes the difference between a good piece and a great piece. So I should use them more. But that whole flipping the image backwards. Okay I refuse to do that, I don't care if it shows...
I had a big post about how drawing with undersketching and guidelines first helps me from drawing screwed up faces and wrong body positions, but then the site timed out and it went away.
So screw it.
I can't draw my way out of a paper bag but I do dabble and when I do I use guidelines.
Sorry, I hadn't intended that to come out like a Dos Equis commercial. 
>
"I am a Tank. I am your first choice, I am your last hope." -- Rune Bull
"Durability is the quintessential super-power. " -- Sailboat
The eye can also trick you. You might think your proportions and geometry are in good shape, but they aren't. The guidelines can be some insurance against that.
Though, if all else fails... there's the tried and true "look at the mirror image" to check for geometry issues method. It's amazing what problems are revealed when you look at it another way.
Still... yay guidelines.
BAH! Geometry, schmometry! Don't impose your herectical math issues on us...
Actually the flipping thing does work. It works really well.
Works much, much better in traditional format though, digital I dunno so much.
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
As mentioned above, you can see a lot of use of guidelines/thumbnails in old master sketches (Leonardo, Michelangelo, Splinter... you know).
Also, dropping horizontal and vertical lines is IMMENSELY helpful when constructing any sort of drawing. Your eyes are so very good at playing tricks on you... if you drop some horizontal and vertical lines, it can REALLY show where things aren't coming together quite right in your drawing.
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Originally Posted by LadyJudgement
"BAH! Geometry, schmometry! Don't impose your herectical math issues on us..." ~Rob Liefeld
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that is way harsh!
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Originally Posted by Red Valkyrja
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As someone whose high point in 'art' was perspective drawing, I would say that guidelines are not only appropriate, but sometimes required!
I can't draw human figures or faces or anatomy, but hand me a t-square and a sharp pencil and I'll whip up some buildings for you, no prob. 
Altho' I do mostly digital fooling-around, now. Still, you need to have the Basics down, and guides are, like, where you start out.
Nothing wrong with using them. They keep you honest.
"City of Heroes. April 27, 2004 - August 31, 2012. Obliterated not with a weapon of mass destruction, not by an all-powerful supervillain... but by a cold-hearted and cowardly corporate suck-up."
LJ, I'm genuinely curious why you refuse to use basic drawing techniques in your works. Do you hate the extra time they take, perhaps the inferred idea that it's controlling you, or simply resent the pre-established 'ways' of doing things?
Every artist struggles with their own nature, though I've met very few who seem opposed to their own forward progress.
http://www.virtueverse.net/wiki/Massacre_Melanie -the original Fire/Dark Corruptor -
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=115217
The Guide to BURN
when im talking about guidelines, im refering to the underdrawing of a drawing..
kinna like drawing an oval for the face and a horisontal line across for eye-level.. ect..
...so I see a LOT of artists using guidelines.. however I also see some ruff drawings from artists that dont show any at all..
..could guidelines be considered using a crouch while drawing.. maybe we should all go chris leighfield ( I dunno how to spell the guys name..and I dont care ) and wingit ...
..most importantly.. is there a time when you've done so many.. that you don't need ta do any anymore??