How to Draw from Photographs

Understanding Lighting

Making a subject appear three-dimensional on a two-dimensional surface is the challenge every pencil artist faces. Working for a photo of a properly lit subject makes that challenge less daunting, as the correct lighting can bring out the best in the subject, enhancing the form with a proper balance of light and shadow.

Look for Defining Shadows

These flowers are on the same bush—but the cast shadows make them very different subjects. On the first, the center is in a curving shadow, which brings out the depth and shape of the form. The lighting creates a gently curving cast shadow over the petal, which helps define the form of the stamen and pistil as well the petal itself. But in the second photo, the shadows are scattered ...