10 Tips for Creating Realism
1. Start small! Start with an item and draw it everyday until you are confident. When you first do a full picture start with a small canvas so you do not feel overwhelmed. 2. Break your piece down into individual sections, this will also help you “see” what you are drawing instead of what you think you should see. 3. Realism is like a puzzle made up of small abstract shapes. Train your eye to look for those shapes. 4. Do not be afraid to push your values! High contrast usually makes for a more interesting image!! 5. When starting out, if you struggle with color, work in black and white to get a feel for detail and values. You can always glaze later if you want to. 6. When working in color, use a view finder if you are having trouble figuring out what color you are trying to recreate. Take a white piece of paper, punch a hole in it and put it up to your reference, this will help you to identify the color more easily.