Attending a life class is an essential part of traditional art training. Often life drawing groups are run by community centers and art groups, so that even if you can't attend one at an art school, you can still have access to a model. Getting started can be a bit daunting - the figure is such a complex subject. I like to begin with drawing structure - building the figure from the inside-out. 'measuring up' using the thumb-and-pencil method is a useful skill to bring to your life class. Once you've got a grip on the basic proportions, and have begun thinking about volume and mass, you'll want to explore line and contour drawing.
Attending a Life Class blog entry and article
Figure Drawing: Structure
Figure Drawing: Line and Contour
Measuring Up - Blog Entry and article
Parental advisory: these articles contain low-key artistic nudity.
Photo: Female Structure, (c) S. McKeeman, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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