Recently, my grand-daughter, Olivia, sent me a Facebook message mentioning she was ready to get back into her art, now the wedding was over and she was back from her honeymoon. She asked if I had some suggestion of what she might want to concentrate upon as a subject to depict. My answer: PEOPLE. Why paint or draw people?

Overall, an artist’s depictions of people will end up being the ones done with meaning and closeness of personal connection. Having an interest in drawing or painting people opens up a plethora of rewards. The possibilities are endless.

Imagine the endless poses, combinations of colors and lighting conditions that might be employed, each one resulting in a different painting. Just the slight change in a tip of the eyebrow or tilt of the head can strikingly alter the mood of a drawing or painting.

Remember, there are few professions offering entrance into so many different ways to meet interesting people as that of an artist. If you would like to spend your time experiencing the world in a much more personal and fulfilling manner, spend the time painting the people around you. I’m not discussing portraits here. Although, that’s a wonderful art pursuit if it’s your passion. No. I’m talking about painting people in their environment in a fine art way.  If you have the talent to paint portraits, that’s fine. However,  creating scenes that have people in them make wonderful paintings. Painting or drawing people around you helps you see how other people live and think. It can offer you a unique personal and fulfilling opportunity to experience the world.

When considering the complexities of the human head, you find it to be an endless array of interesting shapes, textures and colors. There are an unimaginable number of poses and possibilities for artistic expression. Textures such as wrinkles, beard stubble, hair, and props such as glasses, pipes, and clothing make for visual interest and narrative to a painting.

It helps if you are intrigued by people, their unique and diverse characteristic, the passion of exploring the endless and exciting possibilities  of capturing humanity on paper. Over my life I’ve spent hours roughly  sketching different scenes with people in them. More than not on napkins in restaurants. It usually comes when I see anything that intrigues me. I may never use the sketches for a finished painting, but I’ve made a habit of filing  them under the description of what prompted my inspiration. They may just become a part of a painting someday. An example of this is the different people I used as part of the crowd in the painting in progress: Pappy’s Break (not shown in the segment of the painting above).

Once you’ve established yourself as an artist in your community, it will surprise you how many people, friends, and family members are willing to model for you. You will also have the opportunity to meet many different people in your lifetime. Some who may also be influential and inspirational in helping establish a professional art career.

Whether your art work hangs on the walls at your house, or in galleries and other public places, you will be creating your on legacy. You will be leaving behind proof of existence, of having lived a rewarding life, a life of passion punctuated with engagement. As artists, we are continuously engaged in using our “special gift” we’ve been given to interpret the world around us into a definable image made of paint or graphite on paper or canvas. It is a remarkable privilege.

Remember, the world is filled with all types of living creatures that deserve to be painted or drawn. Of all of these, my favorite is people. There is little else that can compete. That’s why I prefer to paint and draw people interacting with the world around us.

Be sure to sign up for the Art Center Newsletter (Upper right)

Check out the galleries at the top of page.