Brian Lee, Wed May 7 20:23:44 PDT 2025
Most photos are terrible.
I know that sounds dramatic, but when it comes to figure drawing, most photos fall flat. The models might be gorgeous, the poses dynamic, but something crucial goes missing: the sense of depth, the dance of limbs through space, the way a body twists and turns through volume.
For me, the greatest challenge in figure drawing has always been internalizing the human form — not just its surface, but how it lives in space. A live model teaches this instantly. You can walk around them, lean in, step back — it’s like circling a campfire, watching the flicker of light and the shift of shadow. But most online reference photos? They freeze that magic. You get one angle, maybe a dramatic close-up, but rarely those essential equi-distant views that let you “walk” around the form with your eyes.
Did you know sculptors routinely rotate the model about 45 degrees every 15 minutes? It gives them a fresh perspective and helps them grasp the full volume of the form — like turning a gemstone in the light, seeing every facet flash. It’s also brilliant for working through tricky foreshortening, especially in three-quarter views. While constant turning isn’t strictly necessary in drawing or painting, I’ve found that artists with a deep understanding of the human figure consistently create stronger, more moving work.
And why does that matter? Because in a powerful drawing, the lines almost disappear — and I connect with it on an emotional level. But when small errors or awkward anatomy stand out, they pull me right out of that moment. That’s just how I experience it; it doesn’t mean mistakes ruin a piece, but they do break the spell.
Evenly spaced photo angles can mimic the sculptor’s approach. And with printers so accessible, students can easily print high-quality references — and they should! Reference prints get smudged, creased, bent, and loved into usefulness, like a well-worn map guiding you through the unknown. Reprinting keeps the learning process alive without worry.
Take Scott Eaton’s Bodies in Motion — I admire the energy and athleticism in those Muybridge-style frames. They capture gesture and weight beautifully, but you still miss the full 360° sweep you’ll find on posespace.com. I like posespace for its multiple angles and variety of models, but even there, it falls short in offering references specifically designed for teaching anatomy and form. It’s like having a gorgeous travel album when what you really need is a step-by-step trail guide.
Some of my most treasured references come from the textbooks of Russia’s Imperial Academy of Arts. I’ve learned so much from them. Every time I return, I notice how thoughtfully the artists chose the lighting and poses to guide the student’s eye — it’s like having a master whispering in your ear, showing you where to look. That’s what makes printed resources so valuable: they become lifelong teachers, waiting for you to revisit and discover something new each time.
Lighting, to me, is everything. A flat, evenly lit photo is like a sandwich with no filling — technically complete, but lacking flavor. Good lighting sculpts the body, chiseling out peaks and valleys, spotlighting landmarks like the clavicle or deltoid. That’s why I always encourage beginners to study lighting alongside experienced artists. It’s not just about “showing forms well” — it’s about making the important parts sing.
And the shadows — oh, the shadows! They’re the quiet heroes of figure drawing, curling and creeping across the form, carving dark shapes against the light. They whisper where highlights shout, and together they create a rich symphony of form.
Even after eight years of practice, I’m still searching for a reference library designed purely for instruction. A photo might highlight a few key forms, but if I want to study something specific — say, the armpit with a raised arm — top lighting won’t cut it. We’d need side lighting, or maybe light from slightly below, depending on the model’s build and the artistic goal. Creating a private, fully instructive library would be expensive unless a company steps in to invest in educational resources made for artists.