You can see. I'll help you draw with confidence.
Hi there!
You're here because you want to know how to draw what you see. Deep down what's holding you back is fear. The reason for your fear is that you don't know how to see. Of course you can see. But you don't really know how to see.
My name is Darren R. Rousar and I have been helping aspiring artists learn how to confidently draw what they see for well over 30 years. We do that together, using Sight-Size.
I have learned some tremendously valuable lessons that are already helping my drawing and painting and most importantly training my eye to see more accurately!
R. Levin
Thanks for the exercises. I have discovered that I can now rely on my eye as well as measurement, leading to a more accurate overall rendition.
J. Bagwell
With all of the searching I have done, books I’ve read, videos I’ve watched, there has been NOTHING that compares to the thorough and understandable way you have presented this topic in your books and on your website.
R. Way
If you have searched high and low for a way to learn Sight-Size, your search is over. Darren R. Rousar is a master teacher and made the whole process so simple and easy that we were amazed we had ever struggled.
D. Hendrickson
When you can see accurately,
you too can draw with confidence.
Sight-Size assures accurate sight.
What is Sight-Size? Sight-Size is simply an arrangement of the artist, subject, and artwork that allows the artist to see their subject and artwork one-to-one.
There are 3 elements to Sight-Size.
ELEMENT 1:
SIDE-BY-SIDE ARRANGEMENT
ELEMENT 2:
CONSISTENT VANTAGE POINT
ELEMENT 3:
DRAWING WHAT YOU SEE
Shown above is what is known as a 'Bargue Plate'. It appears as if the drawing is on the left and the source on the right. Drawing from photographs or other drawings is called copying from the flat.
A Side-By-Side Arrangement
Element #1 is a side-by-side arrangement between your subject and artwork. It is only this arrangement that assures a visual one-to-one comparison.
That's true whether your subject is flat (like a photograph), or round (like nature). In both cases you need the subject and artwork visually next to each other.
Remember: To make accurate comparisons your subject and artwork must be visually side-by-side.
There are 3 elements to Sight-Size.
Shown above is what is known as a 'Bargue Plate'. It appears as if the drawing is on the left and the source on the right. Drawing from photographs or other drawings is called copying from the flat.
A Side-By-Size Arrangement
Element #1 is a side-by-side arrangement between your subject and artwork. It is only this arrangement that assures a visual one-to-one comparison.
That's true whether your subject is flat (like a photograph), or round (like nature). In both cases you need the subject and artwork visually next to each other.
Remember: To make accurate comparisons your subject and artwork must be visually side-by-side.
A Consistent Vantage Point
Element #2 is maintaining a consitent vantage point. When your subject and artwork are visually side-by-side in Sight-Size, from the proper vantage point you can see both in one glance and in a one-to-one relationship.
When in Sight-Size you'll need to stand aways back from the arrangement to make all comparisons. Even though you draw at the easel, you always view from the vantage point.
Remember: Never look at your subject when actually working on the drawing. Always stand back to compare.*
*When copying from the flat (as shown in the Bargue Plate image for Element #1) your vantage point is predetermined for you and is often at arm's length.
Shown above is the typical Sight-Size arrangement for a left-handed artist. Right-handers would have the source (a cast in this image) on the left side of their drawing. The vantage point (where I'm standing when viewing the arrangement) was 8 feet back.
Shown above is the typical Sight-Size arrangement for a left-handed artist. Right-handers would have the source (a cast in this image) on the left side of their drawing. The vantage point (where I'm standing when viewing the arrangement) was 8 feet back.
A Consistent Vantage Point
Element #2 is maintaining a consitent vantage point. When your subject and artwork are visually side-by-side in Sight-Size, from the proper vantage point you can see both in one glance and in a one-to-one relationship.
When in Sight-Size you'll need to stand aways back from the arrangement to make all comparisons. Even though you draw at the easel, you always view from the vantage point.
Remember: Never look at your subject when actually working on the drawing. Always stand back to compare.*
*When copying from the flat (as shown in the Bargue Plate image for Element #1) your vantage point is predetermined for you and is often at arm's length.
Drawing What You See
Element #3 is drawing what you see. A consistent comparison between your subject and artwork through the one-to-one relationship of Sight-Size will help you achieve an accurate likeness.
Due to Elements 1 and 2, you can represent the subject in the same way your eye sees it. Sight-Size assures that you accurately perceive what’s visually in front of you and then draw, paint, or sculpt that observation.
Remember: Before you subjectively deviate from nature you must first be able to accurately represent it. Sight-Size helps you do that.
Drawing What You See
Element #3 is drawing what you see. A consistent comparison between your subject and artwork through the one-to-one relationship of Sight-Size will help you achieve an accurate likeness.
Due to Elements 1 and 2, you can represent the subject in the same way your eye sees it. Sight-Size assures that you accurately perceive what’s visually in front of you and then draw, paint, or sculpt that observation.
Remember: Before you subjectively deviate from nature you must first be able to accurately represent it. Sight-Size helps you do that.
You can eliminate the fear and learn how to confidently draw and paint what you see.
And you can begin today!
Why is learning to draw
using Sight-Size so effective?
This question is best answered by briefly explaining one of the alternatives which is variously called Comparative Measuring or Proportional Drawing. Regardless of the chosen term, the process is centered on scaling your artwork to your source. In other words, you are drawing what you see either larger or smaller than you actually see it.
Conversely, Sight-Size more easily teaches you to accurately see because your drawing is meant to be done in the same size that you see the source. You do not have to visually scale. You see your source and artwork one-to-one and can draw it with confidence. And, when you can see accurately you can confidently draw anything you can see. You’ll not be limited to subjects for which you know the formula.
Plus, after your eye is trained, should you then desire to draw proportionally it becomes a simple matter to scale your accurate vision.
Sight-Size is the only approach to drawing that puts the focus firstly on objective, accurate sight. You will learn to see, and that's what this site, as well as the Sight-Size approach itself is primarily about. Through the site's ever increasing number of articles, you will read about Sight-Size artists of the past, as well as currently practicing artists who were trained to see in Sight-Size.
If you want to learn how to confidently draw what you see, I can help.
That help begins with your free eBook, Drawing with Confidence.
When you can see accurately, you can confidently draw anything you can see.
To help you overcome the fear of drawing what you see I created a free PDF eBook, Drawing with Confidence. The guide is yours for free.
- Simply fill out the form.
- Confirm your email address.
- Receive a link to Drawing with Confidence in your email.
Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions.
To help you overcome the fear of drawing what you see I created a free PDF eBook, Drawing with Confidence. The guide is yours for free.
- Simply fill out the form.
- Confirm your email address.
- Receive a link to Drawing with Confidence in your email.
Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions.
FAQs
Yes! But it takes consistent practice. Missing is a trained eye giving you critiques. To a limited extent, Sight-Size helps you mitigate that problem.
Most people begin with the free guide Drawing with Confidence, and then move onto either the book Cast Drawing in Sight-Size or the á la carte videos that follow the book's lessons.
Sure. Although many articles on the site explain aspects of the Sight-Size approach, here's one that more fully explores what it is.
Although this may be the first time you've heard about Sight-Size, it's nothing new. Take a look at this article here.
