In times when everyone copies photos... I appreciate this debate very, very much. Not everyone is able to draw from life. I have a huge respect to those artists that not only do this, but prefer this method for all sorts of deep reasons that "photocopying" people don't seem to understand. Yes, I use photographs as references too, but practising sketching from life is so much better.
Thank you for your videos. You are such an inspiration to us! I learn something from you in every video.! You make a difference...and for that I'll always be grateful.
Maestrissimo, BRAVO (as always)!! Let me add that a big problem with working from life is that the poses a live model can take or hold is extremely limited. Working from photos gives the artist a range of poses that is tens of thousands of times greater than working from life. Many ordinary, everyday poses are too painful for the model to hold. The catch is, of course, that it is much, much harder to produce a successful painting from a photo: the artist has to have a profound mental understanding of the forms, whereas sight-size, for example, allows the artist to simply copy the model (albeit producing a rather lifeless work-sight-size discourages imagination). While it is true that the vast number of paintings painted from photos are awful, the vast number of paintings painted from life are also awful-it's not a valid argument, in spite of its being a common one.
Thanks!! In academies poses are limited and it's ok. Because the goal is to study the figure. But after mastering and understanding the human form masters were able to create amazing poses from observation of real life movement. The best paintings of people were created without photographs. Yes, indeed it's a comfortable tool of our time but just because it can capture a difficult pose, doesn't mean the action will be grasped by the artist. Lovely conversation
this kind of video format is also great where u draw and talk about your art and your student days at angel academy and philosophy on art and any thing related to art. take care
I think we should learn from real life, and learn how reality works. But not using photographs (and videos) in the age of the internet is like shooting yourself in the leg. We have billions of instantly accessible images of subjects that the old masters would have killed to be able to access. A close up of a roaring tiger, a village on the other side of the world, a person in a complex, dynamic pose. The key is to pick good photos and to analyze the photo instead of copying it
Agree Peter wholeheartedly. People don't know about or choose to remember the massive effect on painting the development of the lens had all those years ago either.
The years at art school have me a wonderful happy time but I’ve learnt far more from you. The ease in which you produce your art never fails to inspire me, and many, many others I’m sure. Take care.
I prefer to draw people from photographs. I use a lot of photography books as reference. Since I do it for my own enjoyment I can improvise. I also draw using paintings as my reference. Excellent lesson. Thanks
Hermano usted, es un maestro, perfectas clases y además un excelente inglés que está tan bien pronunciado que yo que no lo hablo perfecto fluido llega el momento que hasta creo que lo comprendo todo, gracias César eres un genio, saludos desde Hialeah 🇺🇸
Your thoughts here are 🔥! I've had so many moments where I've wanted to completely abandon art because things are getting too complicated. But I keep coming back to it and realize as a practice it can be simple, it's all the other life stuff that needs to be simplified. It's hard to do. I really appreciate your views on thinking as an artist, and driving to become a craftsperson, something which many artists never achieve. It's inspiring, and helps me feel like this unique path is worth pursuing.
i hope so much i can meet you one day! it would be amazing to me and to my art journey! it's a long time i think and wish about that! greetings from Sicily
If we were an idea before we existed...I would think picture comes first...what a character you drew, looks like he's up to something. Thank you for the video Cesar Santos.
Looking at your portrait in this video reminds me of Leonardo's silverpoint drawings. Like the linear quality with the pen. The question of whether or not to use photographic reference to my mind is only a problem when the artist has not gained experience in drawing from life. This skillset can be transferred to a photographic image to produce a result beyond just a copy of the photo, you can inject a feeling of emotion into the work.
I like the "nothing static". Life has movement and flow. I have been working from life vs photos and i am hooked. Very different feel when i use photos. Both are good but i feel more in touch with the sketches i do live...if that makes sense.
Hello Again, This is A great response to a comment I left in a video that let me in to your personal channel! Thank you so Mucho! Gracias Hermano! Muchas Gracias!
Use whatever is useful to make art you do make art in a great way, thank you for the videos you make they are useful and entertaining at the same time keep on painting, greetz from the Netherlands, afz, Henk
First of all... a photograph is a good reference, being outside, observing Nature is a perfect reference. Unfortunately, I cannot paint outside as I would wish to. Second, know the values, and study color. When one understands color and value there will be no more boundaries between him representing Her on canvas. The one will see in the photo the colors (hue, chroma, complementary hues nonetheless and value) that are not even there in the photo but where in reality at that instant of taking the picture. It so much movement in color, especially in the shadows that I think it wouldn't be enough even three buxom books to describe the mesmerizing phenomena.
Lets not forget about the development of the lens too. That had a massive influence on many famous artists methods that we , today , call geniuses ! I've studied from life and from photos. I use photos now for portraiture purely due to the time aspects. Most modern people have no discipline or time to sit for a formal portrait . But understand , respect and prefer sitting for a10 to 15 minute photo shoot.
Creating art can be very intimidating for many. Painting from life isn’t always an option and not accessible to all. If a photo inspires then encourage it. Ive seen some incredible art come from photo reference. If your argument held true then the immense power that photography provides to the art world wouldn’t exist. Painting from life is wonderful, I agree. But better? Making art is best. It’s independent of inspiration.
Mano un agrado verte, eres uno de mis youtuber, pero mas que youtuber , uno de mis artistas actuales mas favoritos, desearia alguna vez en esta vida si Dios me permite poder, interactuar aunque sea por un par de minutos con vos, porque te miras una persona humilde y amistosa, gracia mano por comparti, Dios te siga bendiciendo manito.
Like a few others here, I draw and paint from both sources. Interesting lecture, attacking the subject from both sides. I believe the drawing featured was done from a photograph, adding weight to drawing from photos
Wonderful drawing Cesar and very insightful talk about the use of photographs as a reference, I was thinking that maybe painting live and having the photograph for later use in the studio might be another option? Just a thought...
Art is not as simple as most people think! Try to digest this: "When our mind is connected to an external environment, the current flows and thus some amount of energy flows... " :)))
Very interesting to hear you talk about this, thank you! I have been thinking about this subject a lot recently as I usually draw from life in a studio and over the last few months have enjoyed drawing models over zoom! The advantage is that on zoom you can sometimes be closer to the model than in a class. However, like photography, it seems to sometimes slightly distort the proportions. Thank you for sharing your passion and skills in your videos!
I believe you can learn more about shadows, lighting and volumes from study the real life than from photos. But using photos as reference also works for look at fine details. Jejej!
I prefer to draw from the real thing if its possible. Sometimes its not. Like you cant stand in the middle of a highway to paint.. I prefer to pose my image before using photo reference. This way it's just reference so I create the feel I felt and not the dead image the camera got
I think we must learn Mostly from life so that when we use photography we can learn to recognize what is missing and have the knowledge and experience to improve upon it.
Hi Caesar I’m so enthralled about your bold move to Venice..it appears to be your “calling”! Full circle coming to fruition? Out of interest what pens are you using if anything your prefer? Best regards - Fernand ( from the UK, born French Belgian and educated raised in South Africa- a true global BEING 🤔 HUH.
Miss your sharing. I painted only from live models for fifteen years. The last five from photos only. I miss the free flow of only having a model for an hour or two. I have a Asaro head and I constantly go back to it to remind me . I feel for people who think using a photo is the same as real life. I was so fortunate the California Art Institute existed for some 25 years mainly using live models.
I also say the image comes before the object. the object is just a line that we draw in our mind. The image will not be contained inside the object, sometimes the value with be existing both within and outside of the object - the saturation and hue are the same way - that is not really bound by what we call object. When it comes to image for animals though , I think they care , my dog watches the computer sometimes, especially when there is other animals on it. I think they care about different images then us because they have different objects. They draw a line in their minds to what is useful to them same as we do. It is just my guess.
I agree that Photos can be helpful, but they can also distort. Also, I agree that technology is pulling us further and further away from each other. I believe God created us to interact with one another to really live.
the painting is the final othority on it's quality. The painting is the testimony and the only testimony we have. You can talk for hours and explain to people I went there, I did this, I used that, I went to the rainbow and brought angle dust, I went to the under world and broke the devil's horns to use in my work, I pay my taxes or give everyone a sub story to cry over and ....... the thing is and the very thing is that they take one look at your painting and make a decision my friends. Now go to the moon and back!!!
Hey cesar im planning to go to the angel academy of art what do you think is it worth it and do student do figure drawing and painting from the beginning.
Only if you think you need it, no school will make you an artist, but they'll teach you a painting process! Yes they work with the model from the beginning.
Contrary to popular belief, we never draw "from life"!! We always draw what we see, which is subject to many things!! I can see 50 shades of green and 175 grades of red! But most of people can only correctly perceive 7 shades of gray!!! So here you go, folks....do your math!
I did a sketch in biro of a street in Belgium while standing on the balcony in the mist. I also took a photo. When that photo was developed, yes pre digital. And I compared, man was that photo ordinary, and I had drawn the tower bigger then it was but it caught my eye and imagination. That photo was useless in every way as reference. It was so dead. So yes i prefer reacting to the real thing in the moment if possible.
I think my art starts as an idea, but not perfect, then I find reference material that reflects that idea, but not perfectly. Then I modify the reference to match the original idea and try to paint it, but it's almost never perfect. That's what I'm working on. My idea today is DaVinci invents a bicycle, and then he and Michelangelo are in a race. Now what would that look like?
Photos never capture what I actually see :(, so I always wonder if I just see things way too differently... still, I can't just go places and draw due to other responsibilities and ease of access. So I still take pictures, try to remember what I saw and draw it the way I saw it with help of the reference picture.
Too much superimportant information simply squashed into 11 min video!!!! One can easily writes dozens dissertations based on what you are saying. Please record longer videos if you can!!!!
Of course, averybody can do what they like, and be happy. But, if one wants to be an artis, during the learning proccess, which takes years, fotos must not be used. It is like using an electrich bike when training for a bike race.
It was two people outdoor and probably they knew each other. Anywhere indoors, in public buildings where people are allowed to stay, you’ll see the majority of people wearing their mask very carefully. I’ve seen a much more relaxed attitude about wearing masks here in Switzerland where I live.
Drawing from life feels more real and express more depth when we see the finished drawing.
I seems like it has it's own soul.
In times when everyone copies photos... I appreciate this debate very, very much. Not everyone is able to draw from life. I have a huge respect to those artists that not only do this, but prefer this method for all sorts of deep reasons that "photocopying" people don't seem to understand. Yes, I use photographs as references too, but practising sketching from life is so much better.
I think it's much more a matter of mindset instead of right or wrong. Draw or paint the way your prefer -- and be happy.
i agree, but classically trained artists love to follow rules.
There's nothing wrong with conforming to rules. Sometimes too much freedom makes us numb.
@@shreyasshankar4109 well, maybe so.. but with art it's best to learn the rules, then break every single one of them.
Thank you for your videos. You are such an inspiration to us! I learn something from you in every video.! You make a difference...and for that I'll always be grateful.
What a wonderful discussion! Thank you!
Que laburo!!!! Fantastico!!! It looks so easy when you do it😁
Good job Cesar
A historical master artist. Thank goodness.
Maestrissimo, BRAVO (as always)!! Let me add that a big problem with working from life is that the poses a live model can take or hold is extremely limited. Working from photos gives the artist a range of poses that is tens of thousands of times greater than working from life. Many ordinary, everyday poses are too painful for the model to hold. The catch is, of course, that it is much, much harder to produce a successful painting from a photo: the artist has to have a profound mental understanding of the forms, whereas sight-size, for example, allows the artist to simply copy the model (albeit producing a rather lifeless work-sight-size discourages imagination). While it is true that the vast number of paintings painted from photos are awful, the vast number of paintings painted from life are also awful-it's not a valid argument, in spite of its being a common one.
Thanks!! In academies poses are limited and it's ok. Because the goal is to study the figure. But after mastering and understanding the human form masters were able to create amazing poses from observation of real life movement. The best paintings of people were created without photographs. Yes, indeed it's a comfortable tool of our time but just because it can capture a difficult pose, doesn't mean the action will be grasped by the artist. Lovely conversation
this kind of video format is also great where u draw and talk about your art and your student days at angel academy and philosophy on art and any thing related to art. take care
This drawing reminds me of a Rembrandt etching. Amazing stuff!!
Yes, It Is similar!
Great video, and great sketch, thanks Cesar, good to see you back, :-)
Welcome Back Cesar🥳
I think we should learn from real life, and learn how reality works. But not using photographs (and videos) in the age of the internet is like shooting yourself in the leg. We have billions of instantly accessible images of subjects that the old masters would have killed to be able to access. A close up of a roaring tiger, a village on the other side of the world, a person in a complex, dynamic pose. The key is to pick good photos and to analyze the photo instead of copying it
Agree Peter wholeheartedly. People don't know about or choose to remember the massive effect on painting the development of the lens had all those years ago either.
That's the point! Thanks!
The years at art school have me a wonderful happy time but I’ve learnt far more from you. The ease in which you produce your art never fails to inspire me, and many, many others I’m sure. Take care.
Thank you for this
I prefer to draw people from photographs. I use a lot of photography books as reference. Since I do it for my own enjoyment I can improvise. I also draw using paintings as my reference. Excellent lesson. Thanks
I find it useful to draw or paint interchangeably from nature and photos. I have no trouble with it, I tend to take liberties with either one.
Thanks idol I was inspired with your previous video to make more artworks 😍
Hermano usted, es un maestro, perfectas clases y además un excelente inglés que está tan bien pronunciado que yo que no lo hablo perfecto fluido llega el momento que hasta creo que lo comprendo todo, gracias César eres un genio, saludos desde Hialeah 🇺🇸
beautiful
❤️❤️ me encantó! Asere gracias por estar de vuelta!
Your thoughts here are 🔥! I've had so many moments where I've wanted to completely abandon art because things are getting too complicated. But I keep coming back to it and realize as a practice it can be simple, it's all the other life stuff that needs to be simplified. It's hard to do. I really appreciate your views on thinking as an artist, and driving to become a craftsperson, something which many artists never achieve. It's inspiring, and helps me feel like this unique path is worth pursuing.
Every tiny line adding value to the cherector of the model 🙏
Great lesson, sir.
i hope so much i can meet you one day! it would be amazing to me and to my art journey! it's a long time i think and wish about that! greetings from Sicily
Both? ❤️ Awesome to see you back!!
If we were an idea before we existed...I would think picture comes first...what a character you drew, looks like he's up to something. Thank you for the video Cesar Santos.
Looking at your portrait in this video reminds me of Leonardo's silverpoint drawings. Like the linear quality with the pen. The question of whether or not to use photographic reference to my mind is only a problem when the artist has not gained experience in drawing from life. This skillset can be transferred to a photographic image to produce a result beyond just a copy of the photo, you can inject a feeling of emotion into the work.
Wow! Your drawing and your words vibes inside on me. You're amazing!🔥
I like the "nothing static". Life has movement and flow. I have been working from life vs photos and i am hooked. Very different feel when i use photos. Both are good but i feel more in touch with the sketches i do live...if that makes sense.
Hello Again, This is A great response to a comment I left in a video that let me in to your personal channel! Thank you so Mucho! Gracias Hermano! Muchas Gracias!
What a great drawing!
Thank you, nice to see you on youtube again .
Use whatever is useful to make art
you do make art in a great way, thank you for the videos you make
they are useful and entertaining at the same time
keep on painting,
greetz from the Netherlands,
afz, Henk
Excellent video
Good to see you back here Cesar, hope the new videos keep coming.
First of all... a photograph is a good reference, being outside, observing Nature is a perfect reference. Unfortunately, I cannot paint outside as I would wish to. Second, know the values, and study color. When one understands color and value there will be no more boundaries between him representing Her on canvas. The one will see in the photo the colors (hue, chroma, complementary hues nonetheless and value) that are not even there in the photo but where in reality at that instant of taking the picture. It so much movement in color, especially in the shadows that I think it wouldn't be enough even three buxom books to describe the mesmerizing phenomena.
I love your theory about image was prior to object!
Ciao cesare! Always amazing watching your videos. Let's go to Italy on a painting trip 😁
Lets not forget about the development of the lens too.
That had a massive influence on many famous artists methods that we , today , call geniuses !
I've studied from life and from photos. I use photos now for portraiture purely due to the time aspects. Most modern people have no discipline or time to sit for a formal portrait . But understand , respect and prefer sitting for a10 to 15 minute photo shoot.
It"s been some time since I have watched your videos. I come back after a few months and you look like a Jedi and you are
That was beautiful how you connected human experience into art making and nature. We are always changing with nature, as the rest of the universe.
Creating art can be very intimidating for many. Painting from life isn’t always an option and not accessible to all. If a photo inspires then encourage it. Ive seen some incredible art come from photo reference. If your argument held true then the immense power that photography provides to the art world wouldn’t exist. Painting from life is wonderful, I agree. But better? Making art is best. It’s independent of inspiration.
Mano un agrado verte, eres uno de mis youtuber, pero mas que youtuber , uno de mis artistas actuales mas favoritos, desearia alguna vez en esta vida si Dios me permite poder, interactuar aunque sea por un par de minutos con vos, porque te miras una persona humilde y amistosa, gracia mano por comparti, Dios te siga bendiciendo manito.
Greetings from Riyadh.... Thank very much for the tips... Now I will be travelling with my sketch book
😲😲😲
Like a few others here, I draw and paint from both sources. Interesting lecture, attacking the subject from both sides. I believe the drawing featured was done from a photograph, adding weight to drawing from photos
Beautiful drawing! Loved it ♡
Wonderful drawing Cesar and very insightful talk about the use of photographs as a reference, I was thinking that maybe painting live and having the photograph for later use in the studio might be another option?
Just a thought...
True
Art is not as simple as most people think! Try to digest this: "When our mind is connected to an external environment, the current flows and thus some amount of energy flows... " :)))
I hope to improve one day. Your sketches are amazing!
Oh my goodness! I got to rewind. Hehehehe
Very interesting to hear you talk about this, thank you! I have been thinking about this subject a lot recently as I usually draw from life in a studio and over the last few months have enjoyed drawing models over zoom! The advantage is that on zoom you can sometimes be closer to the model than in a class. However, like photography, it seems to sometimes slightly distort the proportions.
Thank you for sharing your passion and skills in your videos!
O notice you use your little finger to steady your hand. Helpful.
amazing!!
❤❤❤
❤
Very nice sir 🤩🤩😍😍🙏🙏❤❤
I believe you can learn more about shadows, lighting and volumes from study the real life than from photos. But using photos as reference also works for look at fine details. Jejej!
I prefer to draw from the real thing if its possible. Sometimes its not. Like you cant stand in the middle of a highway to paint.. I prefer to pose my image before using photo reference. This way it's just reference so I create the feel I felt and not the dead image the camera got
Las dos .. digo la q sea más oportuna
I think we must learn Mostly from life so that when we use photography we can learn to recognize what is missing and have the knowledge and experience to improve upon it.
“Hey, madonna, che bel lavoro!” ❤️
👌👌👌👌👌👌
...from life...and from a photo, as long as you understand what you are seeing and what you dont see
Hi Caesar I’m so enthralled about your bold move to Venice..it appears to be your “calling”! Full circle coming to fruition? Out of interest what pens are you using if anything your prefer?
Best regards - Fernand ( from the UK, born French Belgian and educated raised in South Africa- a true global BEING 🤔 HUH.
I prefer my beautiful intuition + intellect, as fine artists our job is to religiously follow nature... 😉💛
Miss your sharing.
I painted only from live models for fifteen years. The last five from photos only. I miss the free flow of only having a model for an hour or two.
I have a Asaro head and I constantly go back to it to remind me .
I feel for people who think using a photo is the same as real life.
I was so fortunate the California Art Institute existed for some 25 years mainly using live models.
Sir I'm from India would you teach us how to do construction of any faces 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I also say the image comes before the object. the object is just a line that we draw in our mind. The image will not be contained inside the object, sometimes the value with be existing both within and outside of the object - the saturation and hue are the same way - that is not really bound by what we call object. When it comes to image for animals though , I think they care , my dog watches the computer sometimes, especially when there is other animals on it. I think they care about different images then us because they have different objects. They draw a line in their minds to what is useful to them same as we do. It is just my guess.
I agree that Photos can be helpful, but they can also distort. Also, I agree that technology is pulling us further and further away from each other. I believe God created us to interact with one another to really live.
It's been a looooooong time bro. Want new video
Bro
plz upload this video colour mixing or colour wheel
Buongiorno, mi piaci la tua penna😊
the painting is the final othority on it's quality. The painting is the testimony and the only testimony we have. You can talk for hours and explain to people I went there, I did this, I used that, I went to the rainbow and brought angle dust, I went to the under world and broke the devil's horns to use in my work, I pay my taxes or give everyone a sub story to cry over and ....... the thing is and the very thing is that they take one look at your painting and make a decision my friends. Now go to the moon and back!!!
what pens are you using ? Love your videos!
Hey cesar im planning to go to the angel academy of art what do you think is it worth it and do student do figure drawing and painting from the beginning.
Only if you think you need it, no school will make you an artist, but they'll teach you a painting process! Yes they work with the model from the beginning.
Contrary to popular belief, we never draw "from life"!! We always draw what we see, which is subject to many things!! I can see 50 shades of green and 175 grades of red! But most of people can only correctly perceive 7 shades of gray!!! So here you go, folks....do your math!
why are there dislikes? wow
new home
Nope! Airb&b! Soon!! Lol
I did a sketch in biro of a street in Belgium while standing on the balcony in the mist. I also took a photo. When that photo was developed, yes pre digital. And I compared, man was that photo ordinary, and I had drawn the tower bigger then it was but it caught my eye and imagination. That photo was useless in every way as reference. It was so dead. So yes i prefer reacting to the real thing in the moment if possible.
I think my art starts as an idea, but not perfect, then I find reference material that reflects that idea, but not perfectly. Then I modify the reference to match the original idea and try to paint it, but it's almost never perfect. That's what I'm working on. My idea today is DaVinci invents a bicycle, and then he and Michelangelo are in a race. Now what would that look like?
Great vid indeed! And hey are you dying your beard? Barba Negra!
Haha never!!
@@santocesart 😁👍🏻
Photos never capture what I actually see :(, so I always wonder if I just see things way too differently... still, I can't just go places and draw due to other responsibilities and ease of access. So I still take pictures, try to remember what I saw and draw it the way I saw it with help of the reference picture.
I wonder what wildlife artists think about this topic? I suspect they only use photos.
The real ones go to study the movements and behaviors, in zoos and in safaris. They would use life's info beyond a flat photo.
@@santocesart Yes, I guess that is a good point. Thanks for your reply. Hope you are enjoying your new life in Italy!
Hi good morning cesar santos
Many many happy Divali
Too much superimportant information simply squashed into 11 min video!!!! One can easily writes dozens dissertations based on what you are saying. Please record longer videos if you can!!!!
Johny 5 is alive 🤖
I think your either unnecessarily overcomplicating your explanations. Or I’m just simpler and can’t quite comprehend and appreciate your genius
But sometimes you don’t life models & so you have no choice of using photos
Yes, but it won't be life drawing or life model.
disturbingly well placed vectors
I yet have to find ppl that are willing to sit and pose for 8 hrs.
I agree. Especially hard if you are just starting to learn to draw/paint figures or portraits.
Of course, averybody can do what they like, and be happy. But, if one wants to be an artis, during the learning proccess, which takes years, fotos must not be used. It is like using an electrich bike when training for a bike race.
please go to oil color my bro >>>>
Lol! As soon as I get my studio ready. Drawing is the key to painting though, I don't rush the experimentation period.
I like the way Italians wear masks 😂👍 That’s effective.
It was two people outdoor and probably they knew each other. Anywhere indoors, in public buildings where people are allowed to stay, you’ll see the majority of people wearing their mask very carefully. I’ve seen a much more relaxed attitude about wearing masks here in Switzerland where I live.
@@fgrilli lol, more relaxed about everything too. No fear in this people, and hard to brainwash. The mask is mandatory but the smile is voluntary.
When you draw press down harder on your pencil !! Nobody can see what your doing unless the camera is 4" from your drawing ! ...😯
he looks like drake
With a mechanical pencil my dudes WITH A MECHANICAL PENCIL
Looks more like a ballpoint pen