...between drawing based on a photo or a real life model? I was once told many years ago by my art teacher that drawing based on photo is not as good as the real life model, but I dont think I can afford art lessons especially with real life models.

First of all learning to draw by real life objects or people teaches you skill you can't learn by photographs. With photographs it is already in 2d. But drawing from life teaches you to turn 3d life into a 2d drawing

Shadeing is different as well. Photos look flat, cause they are, shadows can be to dark or washed out. Real life has demension. A really good drawing should to some degree have a 3D look. That is really had to learn from drawing from photos alone. It's pretty hard to learn to begin with. Not that you can't, alot of people have. You don't need a life drawing class, you already have a model if you have a mirror.

lol yep

Real life models are all around you, you don't need to sign up for a class to draw them. Family, friends, strangers all are models. They don't have to be nude to be models.

Still life objects are models. Draw your breakfast, what's on the table, your phone, the cat......

Yes, drawing from life gives you better practice than drawing from photos. There is nothing wrong with drawing from photos, but don't tie yourself to them. Experience the 3 dimensional world. Go on, you can do it.

Drawing plants and flowers from real life is also great practice, observing how they bend away and towards you, and judging how to draw it just as you see it, not as you assume it should be drawn.

One thing i am starting to notice with photos is this

We look at a photo and it seems out brain excepts what ever is on it ,, its a photo so it has to be what it says

now when trying to draw a photo you have to look to see if it will make sence on paper we humans are far more critical to a drawn image and what looks great in a photo does not always make sence in pencil so you may need to change things to make them work

hope this makes sence rofl im not good at being sensible

Thanks for all the input

I used to draw in high school, mainly still life drawings but was never really good at it. This year 2010 I intend to make a difference and unlearn all that I have learn about drawing and relearn everything. I do have a question; if I want to be a good conceptual artist which area of art should I start with?

As I said before I did mainly still life drawings back in high school, it didnt seem to do much good when I tried to draw landscapes, buildings or people.

Thanks for all the input

I used to draw in high school, mainly still life drawings but was never really good at it. This year 2010 I intend to make a difference and unlearn all that I have learn about drawing and relearn everything. I do have a question; if I want to be a good conceptual artist which area of art should I start with?