Renowned illustrator Chris Legaspi reveals how he establishes the composition and brings his figurative art to life using light and shadow

Anatomy, gesture and line quality are key aspects of figure drawing. Joshua Black ’ s advice will enhance your character work

Being able to draw provides the confidence and perception to create a convincing representation of a subject. The skill creeps up on you through practise and ingrains as a habit making the act so much

Most artists agree that portraiture is the most difficult genre to conquer when drawing or painting. Achieving a large percentage of a likeness can be dragged down by minor inaccuracies. The first and

Alla Prima is Italian for “at the first” and in painting terms means completing a painting at once, in a single sitting or session. The overall aim is to capture an immediate impression of the subject

1 Painting a subject because it is beautiful or stimulating isn’t enough. You must first identify with precision what it is you want to convey, whether it is the effect of light, colour, pattern, move