What Is Freehand Drawing? (Plus Top Tips to Improve)

Today we wanted to talk about freehand drawing, what is considered freehand drawing and what isn’t, as well as some tips to improve your own freehand drawing.

Freehand drawing is creating an artwork using only a drawing implement and canvas without the assistance of any tools or mechanical devices.

Freehand drawing means the artist created the artwork with only pencil and paper and without the assistance of any mechanical or digital devices. For some, freehand drawing is the purest form of art and for others using the assistance of tools can help create more accurate and realistic pieces.

Key Takeaways

• Freehand drawing refers to the process of creating art without the use of guiding tools or aids, relying solely on the artist’s hand, imagination, memory, and observational skills.
• Freehand drawing only involves the artists imagination, pencil, and paper (or any other medium/canvas)
• It does not include tools used to assist the artist like projection, tracing, gridlines, rulers, or refence images.
• Many artists use freehand drawing as:
  • a warmup
  • for initial sketches
  • to enhance creativity
• However, most professional artists will commonly use tools and aids like rulers and reference images.
• While you are certainly able to use tools to practice drawing, you shouldn’t incorrectly market your work as freehand if using some form of assistance like tracing, gridlines, projections (many believe these stifle creativity and aren’t true pieces of art).

Here is a table that categorizes tools into those used and not used in freehand drawing:

What Is Free Hand Drawing?

Again, Freehand drawing can be defined as the practice of creating sketches or images using only your hand and a drawing implement, without the assistance of any tools or mechanical devices.

It relies on the artist’s accuracy, precision, and keen observational skills.

As an artist, your hand is your primary tool, which means that mastering the art of freehand drawing can feel like learning to speak a new language. It’s a raw form expressing creativity and imagination that also tests your visualization and spatial understanding skills.

What Are the Rules for Freehand Drawing?

The main rules for freehand drawing are:

1. you can only use medium and surface
2. try to rely on your imagination
3. start with basic shapes first
4. work from general to specific
5. focus on effective shading
6. try to maintain consistent line quality
7. generally, no other tools, materials, or references images are used

What Method Do Most Professional Artists Use for Drawing and Painting?

Most professional artists will rely on certain tools to create more accurate works of art.

Professional artists will commonly use reference images, rules, and even previous sketches to create art.

While many professional artists use some tools, most do not rely on tracing, gridlines, or projections. It’s likely they spent years to hone their craft and therefore have develop keen observation skills.

Beyond these basics, the method employed by professional artists often depends on their preferred medium.

• For instance, an oil painter might start with an underpainting to establish tonal values, then gradually add layers of paint to create depth and detail.
• On the other hand, watercolor artists might start with a loose wash of colors and then refine their work with more precise brush strokes.

Interestingly, many professional artists employ the technique of “sight-size” or “relative measurement” while drawing or painting. This involves comparing the size of the subject to a fixed point in the diorama, thereby maintaining accurate proportions in the artwork.

Lastly, some creators (like myself when I attempt to draw or paint something realistic) may rely heavily on a single reference image to help capture accurate proportions and likeness.

See below for one of my drawings and reference image:

Do Professional Artists Draw Everything Perfectly Freehand?

Contrary to common belief, no, not all professional artists create every work perfectly freehand. Their work is often a combination of their observational skills, creative interpretation, and technical competency and the use of some tools like reference images and even rulers.

Most importantly, the aim of an artist isn’t always about achieving ‘perfection,’ but often about expressing an idea, an emotion, a perception.

“In art, perfection is not the aim; it is rather the honesty and authenticity in the portrayal,” as noted by Pablo Picasso.

Hence, whether an artist draws freehand or uses aids, it is their unique creativity that cascades life into the artwork, making it resonate with the audience.

Why Is Freehand Drawing Important?

Freehand drawing is the purest form of drawing that solely relies on an artist’s observational skills, precision, and imagination.

Three reasons why its important are:

• it fosters fine motor skills, visual analysis and the hand-eye coordination

This combined effect sharpens an artist’s ability to imprint their perceptions onto paper with heightened accuracy.

Side note: A study conducted by the University College London revealed that artists have more developed observational and visualization skills compared to non-artists. Freehand drawing is likely a substantial contributor to this enhancement.

Lastly, freehand drawing enhances creative thinking. It lets your pencil simply explore the page and doesn’t confine you with rules, reference images, or even scenes found in reality.

Freehand Drawing vs Tracing vs Projections vs Gridlines vs Reference Images

Freehand drawing differs significantly from tracing, projections, gridlines, or using reference images, primarily through the acquisition process and the skills involved.

Again, freehand drawing is an uninhibited expression of creativity that relies exclusively on the artist’s observational skills, eye-hand coordination, and intuition. There is no help from external tools.

Here is a comparison table outlining the differences between freehand drawing, tracing, projections, gridlines, and using reference images:

Different Types of Freehand Drawing

Freehand drawing primarily falls into three categories, namely: observational, memory, and imagination drawing. Observational drawing, as the name suggests, involves drawing from real-life objects or scenes directly. Artistic renditions are created with an eye on the object or scene, mirroring the elements present in real life.

Memory drawing, on the other hand, is based on recalling information from your past experiences. Unlike observational drawing, this type requires the artist to rely on memory to recreate a scene or object. This type is often employed by artists when the object or scene isn’t physically present or available.

The third type, imagination drawing, doesn’t require a physical representation or prior memory. This type circles around an artist’s creativity and imagination. Often artists leverage this kind of drawing to venture into fantasy, surrealism, or conceptual art genres. Each type of freehand drawing helps to enhance certain skills, like observational skills, memory recall, and creativity.

Here are some further examples of the different types of freehand drawing:

1. Doodling: Doodling is a spontaneous and often subconscious form of drawing, where the artist creates simple shapes, patterns, or figures without a specific plan or intention. It’s a casual and relaxing way to express creativity, often done during idle moments.
2. Single Line Drawing: This technique involves creating a drawing without lifting the pen or pencil from the paper. The continuous line forms a cohesive image, emphasizing fluidity and simplicity. It’s a challenging but rewarding style that often results in unique and abstract forms.
3. Contour Drawing: In contour drawing, the artist focuses on capturing the outline and major edges of the subject. This method emphasizes the form and shape of the object, often ignoring details and textures.
4. Blind Contour Drawing: Similar to contour drawing, but with a twist: the artist does not look at the paper while drawing. Instead, the focus is entirely on the subject. This technique helps improve observational skills and hand-eye coordination.
5. Gesture Drawing: Gesture drawing aims to capture the essence, action, or movement of a subject, often in a quick and fluid manner. It’s commonly used in figure drawing to grasp the posture and basic form of the human body.
6. Shading: Shading involves using variations in tone to create depth and dimension in a drawing. Techniques such as blending, gradation, and varying pressure with the drawing tool are used to suggest form and light in the image.
7. Hatching and Cross-hatching: These techniques involve drawing closely spaced parallel lines (hatching) and layers of crossing lines (cross-hatching) to create texture and tonal effect. The density and angle of the lines control the depth and intensity of the shading.
8. Stippling: Stippling uses small dots to create values and shading in a drawing. The density and placement of the dots determine the depth and texture. It’s a time-consuming process but can produce highly detailed and precise imagery.
9. Scribbling: Scribbling is a freeform and expressive technique, where the artist uses random and erratic lines to create an image. It’s often energetic and emotionally driven, making it a liberating form of expression.
10. Cartoon or Caricature: This style involves creating exaggerated or stylized drawings, often of people, in a humorous or satirical way. Cartoons and caricatures simplify and amplify key features, conveying character and emotion effectively.
11. Wash Drawing: Wash drawing combines drawing with a wash (a thin, semi-transparent layer) of ink or watercolor. It’s a technique that blends line drawing with tonal work, allowing for a range of textures and depths.

Benefits of Freehand Drawing

When it comes to the benefits of freehand drawing, there are numerous advantages that directly impact an artist’s growth in the field of art. Here are some other benefits I’ve found for freehand drawing

1. Can Be Used as a Warm-Up: Freehand drawing is an excellent way to warm up before embarking on more complex or detailed art projects. Often I’ll draw some 3D shapes like boxes, cubes, or human limbs to get my brain and hand working before diving into a larger piece.
2. Helps Enhance Creativity and Imagination: Engaging in freehand drawing exercises the imagination and fosters creativity. This form of drawing encourages artists to explore ideas and concepts without the constraints of strict guidelines or rules. It allows for experimentation with shapes, lines, and compositions, leading to the development of unique and innovative artistic expressions. By regularly practicing freehand drawing, artists can expand their creative horizons and find new ways of visual storytelling.
3. Increases Spatial Awareness: Freehand drawing requires a good understanding of space, proportions, and perspective. Regular practice helps artists develop a keen sense of spatial awareness, which is crucial in creating accurate and realistic drawings. This skill is not just beneficial for artists, but can also be valuable in everyday life, enhancing one’s ability to judge distances and spatial relationships in various contexts.
4. As a Form of Stress Relief: Drawing has therapeutic qualities, and freehand drawing, in particular, can be a very effective form of stress relief. The free and uninhibited nature of this type of drawing allows individuals to express their emotions and thoughts without judgment. The focus and concentration required can also serve as a form of mindfulness, helping to calm the mind and reduce anxiety. Many people find that engaging in freehand drawing is a relaxing and enjoyable way to unwind and take a break from the stresses of daily life.

Related Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between Sketching and Freehand Drawing?

Sketching can sometimes utilize tools like reference images while freehand drawing generally does not.

The main thing that separates freehand drawing from other types of drawing is the use of tools. Again, freehand drawing only involves medium and canvas.

Sketching can be used as a brainstorming session or as a way to map out a later finished piece. While freehand drawing is used to explore creatively and draw solely from imagination or memory.

Are Using Gridlines Considered Freehand?

Gridlines, while extremely convenient and beneficial in achieving precision, cannot be labeled as tools used in freehand drawing. The essence of freehand drawing lies in the unrestricted flow of creativity, using nothing but your own hands and observational skills.

Gridlines, on the other hand, serve as guides or aids, providing measurement and alignment assistance. Using them can result in accurate proportions and symmetry, but it shifts the task from a purely imaginative endeavor to a more structured and controlled process.

Which Tools Are in Freehand Drawing?

In its truest interpretation, freehand drawing does not involve the use of any mechanical tools or aids. Instead, artists use only simple drawing instruments – usually a pencil or pen, and paper.

For instance, when you’re freehand drawing, you wouldn’t utilize rulers to create straight lines or compasses to draft perfect circles or reference images to better capture likeness.

Is Freehand Drawing a Skill?

Absolutely, freehand drawing is a skill that can be nurtured and developed over time. It calls for a blend of various abilities including fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination, observational ability, spatial awareness, and the capacity for visualizing the representation of objects on a two-dimensional medium. These are skills that can be honed with dedicated practice and a keen understanding of light, shade, perspective, and form.

What About Tracing vs. Free Hand Sketching for a Painting

While both tracing and freehand sketching may serve as initial stages in creating a painting, they differ significantly in intent and technique.

Tracing focuses primarily on copying an existing image onto a canvas with precise accuracy. Tracing provides an exact blueprint, showing an artist where to paint. This process, while effective for beginners and helpful in detailed renditions, may somewhat stifle personal creativity and style. It’s more of a mechanical process of reproduction rather than an artistic exploration, thereby narrowing the scope for personal interpretations and deviations.

On the contrary, freehand sketching for a painting heavily depends on an artist’s observational and interpretational skills without employing any physical guides or aids. Essentially, freehand sketching is an act of artistic interpretation, a personal and subjective representation of the observed reality versus a photographic replication.

Zack

Zack is the creator and main author of LateNightPortrait. As a late starter himself, he believes that anyone, regardless of age, can create something special through practicing art. He spends most evenings drawing portraits and figures while listening to music. When not drawing or painting he can be found going for walks with his wife and attempting (and often failing) to train his dog.