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Why do artists create studies?

A study is an in-depth drawing of a portion of a subject or composition. In the case of the portrait, a study is made up of various facial features. Why do artists take the time to do studies? Try to guess by using the pictures below. Then click on each one to enlarge it and learn more about studies.

Practice! Studies are another way for artists to practice. Many artists create studies in a variety of contexts to expand their artistic abilities. For portraiture, that may mean doing studies of eyes from people of different ages or ethnicities. This practice gives artists the ability to draw a broader range of people. They can also put those different features together to make a person of their own imagination.

Learn! Just like these children are learning from performing experiments, an artist learns by experimenting through studies. In the past, artists learned by copying portions of other artists' artwork (those who were considered masters) or by carefully drawing from a live model. When you study the structure of another person's face, you learn more about how the bones and muscles come together. This gives you a deeper understanding of anatomy and a greater ability to draw realistically.

Plan! Yes, this type of exercise is also great for planning a large work. Da Vinci was well known for his notebooks full of various sketches and studies for his larger artworks. In this study, he has drawn the head of a woman for one of his larger works. He drew the model in various poses, chose one, and then altered it slightly for the final artwork.

Studies are a way to learn how to draw realistically and accurately. Taking the time to really study one specific feature, especially something you struggle with, helps you to improve and expand your abilities. Basic structures are present in almost all faces, yet every face is different. That’s why it is important to practice a variety of structures from people of different ages and races. The rest of this lesson focuses on creating studies of different facial features.