$135
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Full course
This course is a style bootcamp, taking you through a series of increasingly complex exercises that you can follow through to develop your style.
$135
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comments 4
I loved taking your class and watching you draw, thank you for this course, Eliza! I look for what resonates with me in the artists I admire, but never for what I love in my own work. Your teaching on the speed of gesture and confidence in decision-making has truly made me reconsider my approach. I've always lacked this confidence, and I hope all these lessons will allow me to go further on my journey. 🩷
LESSON NOTES
What's in Premium?
We are taking things a step further by approaching a drawing with a reference but adding creative twists. I show you how to start without a concrete concept and let the idea emerge as you work. In this full demo, I turn a standard figure reference into a celestial being by mixing realistic anatomy with a stylized, cartoony face.
You will learn how to balance academic life drawing with playful design elements. I explain my process for developing a personal "shorthand" style by leaning into natural doodling habits. We also discuss the importance of maintaining a daily drawing routine to build your creative muscle.
Get this lesson and more in the premium course!
DOWNLOADS
how-to-use-reference-creatively.mp4
439 MB
how-to-use-reference-creatively-english.txt
10 kB
how-to-use-reference-creatively-spanish.txt
10 kB
how-to-use-reference-creatively-english.srt
16 kB
how-to-use-reference-creatively-spanish.srt
17 kB
COMMENTS![]()
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You don't need a concrete concept to begin a drawing.
It is often better to start sketching and let the idea emerge naturally as you work. This demo shows how to combine strict anatomy with playful shape language so you can turn a standard reference into a unique piece of art.
Hey everyone,
I thought it'd be fun to do a drawing of a falconer but I think I may have stuck too close to the reference. I'm not super happy with how the figure in the bottom-left turned out, I think because I didn't have much of an intention with it as I was drawing so it came out a bit generic. I added a quote from the poem "The Second Coming" and tried to put the two subjects in conflict a bit. I'd love to hear what y'all think!
Hi, Eliza. Loving the course so far.
How would you go about introducing aspects from imagination into your sketching? It's something I want to do but sometimes I feel like I'm not sure what to add or if I do choose somethin whether I've got the skill to bring it in. Is it best to do this in terms of a larger project, perhaps? Thanks!
Eliza, your work and your words are so inspiring. You are my number one go-to when I'm feeling discouraged or unmotivated. Your down-to-earth advice is so helpful and your work is just stunning.
Thank you for taking the time to share what you have learned over the years.
I loved taking your class and watching you draw, thank you for this course, Eliza! I look for what resonates with me in the artists I admire, but never for what I love in my own work. Your teaching on the speed of gesture and confidence in decision-making has truly made me reconsider my approach. I've always lacked this confidence, and I hope all these lessons will allow me to go further on my journey. 🩷
