If you’ve never done it before, life drawing might seem a little intimidating. Staring for a few hours at a nude stranger probably isn’t your standard evening activity. However, life drawing is a fantastic practice and can offer all sorts of benefits, even if you don’t consider yourself an artist. Here are a few reasons why you should try out a local life drawing class.
Improve Your Drawing Skills
Of course, the most obvious benefit of life drawing is improving your drawing skills. Life drawing encourages you to look carefully, use hand-eye coordination, be freer with your mark-making, try out different materials, and more. Many professional artists swear by a regular life drawing practice to keep their skills in tune.
Improve Your Observational Skills
Close observational skills are not just beneficial for drawing. Really looking, rather than drawing what you think you see, can have applications in science, technology, communication, and more.
Relax & Destress
Life drawing is incredibly meditative. It’s a few hours spent in a quiet, peaceful setting where all you need to focus on is the task in front of you. Don’t worry about the outcomes, immerse yourself in the experience and feel your stress melt away.
Nourish Your Creative Side
Taking time to be creative, even if you don’t think of yourself as a creative person, is great for your mental well-being. Nourishing your creativity allows you to approach problems in other aspects of your life more innovatively. It may also boost your mood, improve your self-esteem and help you think outside the box.