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Art & Art History vocabulary · Painting & Drawing

Life drawing

Meaning in art & art history, with examples

nounCommon term

In art & art history, life drawing means: Drawing the human figure from a live model, often nude, who poses in a studio; also a class where this is practised.

In Turkish: canlı modelden desen, model çalışması, modelden çizim

How it is used

A traditional part of art education. Students attend life drawing classes and draw short poses (gesture drawings) and long poses. Life class and figure drawing are similar terms.

Example sentences

  1. Life drawing on Thursday evenings starts with ten two-minute poses.

  2. Her life drawings show a real understanding of anatomy.

Common collocations

  • life drawing class
  • life drawing model
  • life drawing session
  • short poses
  • drawingA picture made mainly with lines, using a pencil, pen, charcoal or chalk; also the skill or activity of making such pictures.
  • charcoalA black drawing material made from burnt wood and used in sticks or pencils; it makes soft, dark lines that are easy to smudge and rub out.
  • proportionThe size of one part of an artwork or figure compared with another part or with the whole, for example the size of the head compared with the body.
  • sketchA quick, rough drawing or painting that records an idea or a scene, often made to plan a larger, finished work.

More terms: Painting & Drawing

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