Your Art Portfolio & Direct Observation
When preparing your art portfolio for a college application, you may see the words direct observation. Many students are unsure of what this means.
Direct observation means that you looked directly at an object or person and drew or painted what you observed. You might avoid direct observation because it’s more challenging than drawing from a picture.
Why?
When you’re drawing from a picture, much of the hard work is already done for you. The 3D object is flattened, allowing you to make fewer decisions.
Schools want to be able to see if you’re able to observe and translate what you see to the paper or canvas.
If you’ve never drawn from observation before, start simple. Select a cup, bowl, or other object that isn’t very intricate.
- Create a contour line drawing of the object
- Create a blind contour line drawing of the object
- Draw the object as fast as you can
- Draw the object as slow as you can
- Draw the object as complex as you can
- Draw the object as simple as you can
Now select a different more complex object, or keep the object that you just drew, and add another 1 or 2 objects, as you start to create a still life. Go through the same steps as above, helping you to become more and more comfortable with drawing what you see.