What gives you the inspiration to try something new?

Is it watching someone do something incredible or fascinating?

Or, maybe it's looking at something already created that you find interesting or amazing. You see it and think, "Wow, I'd love to be able to do that!"

Whether it is learning how to do something new or trying to make something new, most people get the desire to learn a new skill after seeing it done, or modeled, by someone else.

When it comes to drawing people, many people who do not draw that often get inspired to take up the habit after seeing works of art by other artists.
<h3>Drawing Under the Influence</h3>
I can tell you from a personal standpoint that, long before I started watching people in the process of drawing, I saw completed images of drawn people everywhere. As a kid I saw them in sketch books my friends had, in books, magazines, posters, comic books, on television in the form of cartoons...you name it. I wanted to replicate those simple images of people. I remember even creating characters to my own fictitious comic book and cartoon series, writing out the story lines and drawing the characters in action poses on the pages. The artwork from these media sources <strong>influenced </strong>my own art.

It wasn't until I got much older that I discovered the possibilities of realistic people drawings completed in pencil. Once again, this came from stumbling across the works of other artists. Those works that I saw in books and galleries modeled the possibilities and inspired me to want to do the same. Once again, this work <strong>influenced </strong>me to create work like it...realistic pencil portraits.

The more I sketched or drew people and shared my work with family, friends, and others, the more I heard them respond that THEY would love to be able to do the same. Now my artwork was <strong>influencing </strong>theirs!

Just like a recording artist grows up listening to music that influences the music s/he eventually records, a portrait artist has experience viewing artwork that influences the artwork s/he creates.
<h3>But What If I Am Already Inspired?</h3>
I assume that if you are on this website and reading this post, then you are already inspired to draw people. So, should you still look at people drawings done by other artists? <strong>Absolutely!</strong> There is much to learn by studying the works of other artists. Regardless of the ability level of the artist whose artwork you are viewing, you can still discover something regarding technique, method, subject matter, style, etc. that can cause you to reflect on your own work. You may even get reinspired to try a new approach with your artwork!

I still like to take a look at sketches and drawings of people by other artists before I make a portrait drawing of my own. I am not saying it is necessary before every drawing you make. It is a good habit to at least take some time on a regular basis to sit down and study the works of other artists.
<h3>What Should I Look For?</h3>
While it is nice sometimes to just sit (or stand) back and admire artwork, it is best to view portraits with a purpose in mind. This is especially true if our goal is to learn from what we see and enhance our own people drawings. The following is an assembly of just a few things to look for while looking at drawings by other artists.
<h4>Make Careful Observations</h4>
Hone your powers of observation. This means real-life people watching and looking at photographs of people, as well as portrait drawings and sketches of people.

Watch how people look when they are moving and when they are still. Be aware of the nuances of their movements, the changes in their faces and bodies, how they hold their hands, how they cross their legs, how their feet and arms appear when they are walking, reading, gesturing or eating, etc.

Make mental notes of all the obvious and subtle differences between like <a title="How to Draw Faces: Tips, Techniques and Short Tutorials" href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/how-to-draw-faces-tips-techniques-and-short-tutorials/">facial features</a>. How does one nose differ from another? What does an artist include in the drawing of eyes to relay character and personality? How do two different artists make unique representations of  similar hair styles? Be very mindful of the details.
<h4>Identify Techniques the Artists Used</h4>
See if you can identify the <a title="Simple Drawing Techniques for Realistic Pencil Portraits" href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/simple-drawing-techniques-for-realistic-pencil-portraits/">techniques</a> an artist used to create a particular effect. Did the artist use graphite pencil, charcoal, or mixed media? Did the artist obtain a desired effect with a simple line drawing, or were several tones used? Did the artist leave behind any signs of basic shapes, guidelines, or grid lines to help get started? Was shading accomplished with pointillism, hatching, crosshatching, or circulism? Also look for things like positioning of subjects, use of perspective, and the use of light and color. Identifying an artist's technique and trying to replicate it to get the same effect can do wonders for building and sharpening your own skills.
<h4>Note What You Want to Replicate - and What You Want to Avoid</h4>
As mentioned earlier, you should view people drawings by artists with a range of abilities. Look at simple sketches and detailed portraits that cover the spectrum.

On one end of the spectrum, look at drawings done at a skill level lower than yours. It does not matter if you look at a drawing and think "I can draw better than that." Don't approach it with that attitude. It is okay to see things done in a drawing that you want to leave out of yours. Just remember, not everything that looks like a mistake to you is actually a mistake. Sometimes artists make parts of a drawing look a certain way for a reason. Better yet, look for the positives in a drawing. Quite often I see parts of a drawing that I'd still like to replicate, even though the artist has been drawing for far fewer years than I have.

On the other end of the spectrum, look at drawings done at a skill level above yours. Look at what you already do in a similar fashion. Then look at what you struggle with and analyze that area in the drawing. If you struggle with drawing lips that are smirking, look at a well-done drawing of a person with a smirk. How did the artist form the pencil lines and tones in an effective way? Then try to emulate at least part of the drawing for learning purposes. Your finished drawing may not match the original, but at least you are improving. Just remember this Confucius quote: "If you shoot for the stars and hit the moon, it's okay."
<h4>Compare What You See to Your Drawing Style</h4>
Is it a clean and crisp drawing with all stray pencil marks erased, or is it a loose sketch with guidelines and stray marks still visible? Either method can be used on purpose by an artist to fit a certain style of work.

Look at people drawings that match your current style AND drawings that are in a style very different from yours. Your own style may stay the same or you may find it evolving in a positive way over the years, becoming influenced by the inspiring works of fellow portrait artists.
<h3>Where to Begin Looking at People Drawings</h3>
So as you can see, people drawings made by both beginner and experienced artists can be especially useful and informative, so use them whenever you can. Analyze them, admire them, and learn from them. You will notice your own talents improve over time as a result.

The places where you can view portrait work by other artists are too many to even begin to list. Why not begin with our own <a title="Portrait Galleries" href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/category/portrait-galleries/">portrait galleries</a> right here on LetsDrawPeople.com? It is a great starting place to view drawings of people by artists with varying levels of experience. The galleries will be updated regularly, so there will always be something new to view.

If you are interested in submitting your own drawings to an online portrait gallery of ours, click here to see how.

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