Realistic drawings: which is more important, detail or form?

[Lúthien Séregon]

Do you think that realistic drawings/paintings should firstly consist of details that then make up the general form, or an overall shape that must be depicted before any details?

I know a lot of art guides always state that the latter option is the right way to go, but I’ve always found it’s easiest to just do detail as I go along with the drawing, rather than afterwards. Does anyone else find this is easiest, or does this just make it more complicated?

[goofoofighter]

I don't and can't do very realistic drawings, but I do try to get as realistic as I can easily do in my cartoonish drawings.
I find detail easiest to do first, personally, though simple first is probably better.

[Scatha]

Simple first, make sure the dimensions are correct, including composition, then add the detail.

Doing it the other way around, you may end up with a detailed picture of which the dimensions are wrong. That would really be a waste of work.

[goofoofighter]

I was going to mention dimensions, but the bell rang and I had to finish up and leave. Especially because I'm not supposed to be on this site during school. *lol*

[celebdraug]

i love fantasy art and cartoon art more. Especially anime stuff:D
But there is nothing wrong with realistic art:)

[Eledhwen]

I like the form to be right. The detail just follows, depending on how much time you want to spend on it.

I only like fantasy art where the forms are not over-distorted, though formalised or abstract art can also be appealing, but even then, it has to be a symphonic whole - balanced, and satisfying to look at.

[Lúthien Séregon]

I’m not sure why I find drawing the form to be harder than first drawing the detail, and letting the form just evolve. Like if I was drawing a cat, I would draw first the eye, then probably the nose, then a bit of eyebrow detail, then the other eye, then the top of the head, the ears, etc, all with finished detail and shadowing that I don’t go back to afterwards…rather than first a sketch of the overall head, then detail.

With painting I’m the opposite though – first the sketch, then the detail. Perhaps because it’s much harder to paint in detail and maintain form than in drawings.

I love fantasy art as well…especially by Schim Schimmel:

http://www.geocities.com/area51/lair/9579/schimmel2.html

[arisen pheonix]

someone who can draw much detter than i told me i had potential but i soudnt try to cram all the details in right away....he said to draw what i wanted lightly in a very simplified way and then add the important details and then the not so important details in layers so that everythings even....and i must say my drawing are improving

[jejeje]

With faces, i always draw the eyes first. or maybe the nose. But any other type of picture i'd get the form right first. but hey, just stick to whatever suits you and feels right. You dont have to conform, man!

[Nagemhgiel]

Realistic can be a combination of both, but it also depends what ur drawing. for Humans or humanoids it is either full body pics or just faces or waist up or what. for full- bodies, you want form. faces you ';d want detail, liek the lines of the iris.and for Animals, youd also want both. like a bird. you should see each intricate feather, yet still see the form and motion in the inanimate,like a stillshot.
this is a very poor example, and for its a X-Men character,and people usually dont have tails,nor 2 toes,3 fingers,and blue fur, but here it goes.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/thekopes/nightcrawler/fanwork/duoradon_art1.htm
no, i didnt draw it!!someone else did.

[JennyDolfen]

Most artists will indeed tell you that it's better going from genera to specific, I do it as well. Even as a child, I always drew outlines first, then filled in eyes, mouth, clothes and such. I was so centered on form that it took me an eternity to work out how I could even incorporate any detail at all into my drawings.

Today, I'm very concerned about the composition of my overall pictures, and worrying about form first and details later helps with that. Details can bog a picture down. I often see pieces that make me want to cry because they obviously took such an incredibly long time, but it's impossible to make out much on them because the eye gets totally confused.