Should You Use Projectors or Tracing Paper? - How I Improve My Sketching

Embrace the struggle and learn how to draw free-hand. In this video, I share the tips and techniques for how I free-hand paint and how I overcome the struggles that come with it. Watch as I take you through the process of creating a beautiful pair of wolves without the use of grids or other aids. Whether you're an experienced artist or just starting out, this video is a must-watch for anyone looking to unleash their creativity, embrace the struggle, and take their painting skills to the next level.
Get access to full length painting videos and reference photos through my KZbin channel memberships (Join button) or my Patreon which is here: / chuckblackart
Both include the same perks and access to the same Discord server.
I used MH oil paints for this piece with a little bit of walnut oil medium and only a very tiny amount of liquin to aid in the drying of the painting. I painted this on a hardbord panel with gesso.
-- Supply list for this painting (affiliate links) --
Brush I used to block in: shrsl.com/3w1ef
Dagger brush: amzn.to/3VeYbzS
Panel: shrsl.com/1qg3i
Gesso used: shrsl.com/1qg41
Oil colors are: shrsl.com/3n0kq
Liquin impasto: shrsl.com/2aqvv
walnut oil: shrsl.com/3w636
Here is a list of the #art supplies I use to create: bit.ly/2t5ftGV
My Favorite Brush I used: shrsl.com/2aqvg
===How I Film My Paintings===
The main camera I use: amzn.to/3aWeavg
16-35mm lens
Microphone: amzn.to/2RmUAka
Tripod: amzn.to/3aKUASN
Tripod arm: amzn.to/2URhDpk
The lighting I use:
5000k 96 CRI Fluorescent lamps: shrsl.com/1qp6n
Used with 4ft shop light fixture
My website: www.wildlifeandart.com/
Facebook: / wildlifeandart
Instagram: / chuckblackart
tiktok: / chuckblackart
timestamps:
0:00 Misconceptions of wildlife art
0:33 My process for sketching accurately
01:52 How I've got here
04:08 Sacrificing quality for improvement
06:30 Biggest lesson I've learned
10:01 Most important aspect of free-hand
11:00 Most significant thing I've overcome

[@billpliske]

I'm with you 100% on the freehand. As I see myself getting better at free-handing something, it's very rewarding ... much more so than if I had something look perfect from gridding it.

[@kevinclark4165]

Your paintings are truly amazing, I don't understand how anybody can critisize your art work, you are one of the best artists in the world without a doubt. Thank you for sharing your beautiful art.

[@julieismert4874]

What you have accomplished in your painting style I find amazing and inspirational and gives me something to strive for in my own paintings. Thank you for sharing how you have gotten to where you are now.

[@chuckblackart]

Thank you so much and it's my pleasure

[@strick33]

I am frustrated by artists who think I have used aids, when I in fact, had not. I try to always free hand my work, as you described, to discover my own abilities. There is always a group of critics who want to bring your work down, instead of appreciating your talents. Thank you for all of your very explained methods, and honest thoughts!

[@emrsngs]

I 100% agree with everything you've said. When I first started painting, I would block things in and I would work light to dark, no master what medium I used. My instructors always marked me down for this and told me if I ever wanted to paint like the Masters, I would build my paintings with many layers and glazes. Well, while I enjoy their paintings, I didn't want to paint like them. I wanted to paint like me. That wasn't good enough for my instructors or anyone else I tried to explain my work to. You are correct, no one will hear the same song you hear. No one will see the same Mountain you see, even though we all are looking at the same mountain. I love your work and kudos for following your own intuition.

[@roofieandraggy16]

Hey, im the guy that used a projector to paint a fighter jet. Great video. I am getting better and better, there is one thing i have realized about art in my own short journey so far. There are always going to be the critics, but art is about relationships. The people that resonate with you and love your art are the people that are going to want you to paint them a picture. I love what you do, i dabbled with a couple dog portraits, posted them on my facebook and am already working on one for somebody.

[@elendilion5947]

This might be the most honest and candid explanation I have ever heard of the overall process and development of art technique

[@carolahlgren5656]

Chuck your artist path has led you to perfection. Thank you for all your videos.

[@otacos4106]

I had two wolf pets. They were half wolf/German Shepard (navar), and wolf/malamute (mooki). Mooki was my favorite.

[@user-ew4jt4rn6f]

Amazing Chuck! It takes a lot of courage to put your craft and your development as an artist first on the priority list above praise and what would seem like growth as an artist. I really admire you for this and to watch your skills develop since you started is nothing short of an honour!

[@garralynnrenville7328]

There are still more techniques and processes that some artist won’t divulge. Smart idea to show some secrets and on Patreon. I think I’ll will join the club

[@zoraidaherrnandez-id7tg]

👋😁😳wow amazing Beautiful painting, thank you for all your tips , Bravo 👏👏👏👏👏all the details,I love wolf’s, thank for sharing 👌👍😉

[@yaakovwaxman4807]

I listened to this with background play through my headphones because I love your soothing commentary and thoughts, and near the end of the video I opened it to look at the wolves and was stunned by their beauty and boldness. It was great to hear about your journey of learning to freehand and the struggles that came with it.

[@user-ml8ku9zq6e]

I did free hand till my right hand started getting arthritic or muscular contractions so the Anunnaki know luv ur paintings been watching u a long time Great Art

[@lorigilmore5521]

Mean people suck! I hate it that anyone ever said hurtful things to you. Especially about your beautiful art. I appreciate your perspective. I admire your skill. I enjoy the peek into your soul that you give us when you share your talent and skill with us. I have not been drawing since I was a child like I have heard you say you have. I had a sister who had real natural ability when it came to drawing. And I guess I felt disqualified. So I really didn't start my art journey until my 20s. My landscapes are done completely free hand. And often without actual reference. The composition comes from whatever has inspired me recently. But I still need the tools to just get any sort of realistic image of a more complex object like an animal on my canvas. I use a ruler for sure. And sometimes, if the object is very technical, like a well known building for example, I use a modified grid. It looks sort of like a sliced pie in the shape of whatever rectangle I am painting on. It helps me. Maybe someday, I will be able to free hand complex items like you. But not just yet. So... Here's to you Chuck Black. A wonderful artist, and a heck of a guy.

[@bobrutan4735]

great explanation and I really like the pair. thanks for sharing.

[@InLiquidColor]

This is a really interesting conversation and really shows the vast differences we all experience as artists. It's wild to me to hear you ever had pushback regarding freehanding your artwork. I don't say this because I don't believe you or am trying to invalidate your experience, but because I've always been in awe of your incredible work, and I can't imagine anyone criticizing you for that. I also say this because so, so many people I know, myself included, have had the opposite experience. I cannot begin to convey the inferiority I have felt over the years for not being as skilled at drawing as my peers. My chronic pain makes finding time for art difficult, so I have to choose which skills to work on. For a long time, I've chosen to work on painting because that's what I enjoy, but doing so, I often have to rely on tracing due to my body's physical limits. I don't ignore that my drawing skills have been on hold, it just is what it is. At the end of the day, I don't think anyone should be shamed for how they approach their artwork (of course provided they aren't lying to themselves or others, plagiarizing, or breeching copyright). Everyone is on their own journey and finds joy in their own way.

[@YunusArts]

Your all'videos are lovely 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 great artwork dear friends 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

[@onlyintime9914]

I am so incredibly proud of you. I can tell in your voice, your brushwork, your values, your thoughts that you are really harnessing and pursuing what speaks to you in your work and you are giving it your all. I feel like I used to think of you as the Lisa Frank of North American wildlife art in a kind of cheesy way but seeing you take risks like this is really interesting and inspiring. Well done! I noticed you are letting some shadow edges merge with others which I believe helps out the realism. Keep going!

[@matthewalexander2436]

Beautiful work bro, keep it up. ❤

[@marywebb1138]

Thank you. This is one of the best videos I've watched. I try grids and tracing but it never works out for me. I feel pressured into using them. Not anymore. Thank you so much😊

[@shaunglade2466]

I am impressed every time I watch your videos. So insightful. Thank you for sharing your story and talent

[@TomMeath]

I really have learned alot from your art and teaching Chuck. As a fellow Minnesotan I'm proud of your work.

[@bobdoyle5945]

you are amazing .. and great speaker

[@donproctor3445]

Dude your wildlife figures are incredible. The detail and realism is amazing

[@drumcircler]

Thanks for the wonderful free lessons, Chuck. Your artist chops are matched by your educator chops! I’m motivated again!

[@Captain-Buzzsaw]

Great work I have missed the recommendations for your channel. Great paintings 👍

[@melaniebrown155]

Well said! Keep doing what you enjoy. Beautiful work!

[@johnelkins4958]

Amazing! Chris.

[@sylviakerry3189]

I love this video! I also am a realist artist and I struggle with getting proportions on my natural creature paintings right. But as you bring up here the more I freehand my subjects the better I get. Thanks for sharing this.

[@vladimiralekhin2316]

Beautiful philosophy. Perfect job. Thx for the video.

[@lauriejones5464]

Gorgeous work

[@rajendrajagtap9823]

Great No, 1 artist .

[@coramuller6065]

👋A wonderful tutorial, Chuck, thank you so much ! Magnificent painting ! Those wolves look so life-like. - Have a nice weekend.👍❤

[@thechurchofnewbeginningsro5607]

Beautiful!

[@mikeplunkett2041]

I’ll never understand why people feel the need to be so rude, crude and just plain nasty. Maybe they’re jealous. You have the ability to do something that 99.999% of us will never be able to do, (at least not at your level). I’m not jealous. You’ve put in the work and you’ve developed an extraordinary talent for drawing and painting. I applaud you for that and I enjoy looking at your work. I hope you’ll find a way to ignore all the “noise” from those negative people and enjoy your journey. Thank you for allowing us, who do appreciate your talent, to help you enjoy your beautiful paintings.

[@pointzeroblack]

You inspire me alot to get into painting. I drew alot back in the day havent for awhile. But I really would like to learn how to paint. I can hear the passion in you that you have for the subject. Your work is incredible and I appreciate you for sharing.

[@chuckblackart]

Thank you so much for the support!! Really appreciate that. You should, it's a great way to relax and take in your subject matter. My pleasure thanks again

[@zoeuphoria]

Following you for a couple of years now, and you can tell when you decided to challenge yourself and I personally love your newer work and am trying to follow your lead with how you paint now. Your past paintings were full of detail and slightly surreal which is great too but now it comes together cohesively and I love it! Keep doing you and ignore the critics who probably dont know anything about art anyway x

[@chuckblackart]

Thank you that means a lot. Funny you say they used to be more surreal, because still to this day want them to be surreal in that I want them to feel like a dream. Hard to explain, but my hope is to clash realism with the surrealism of my thoughts and dreams.

[@josianeholbe]

Super beau, magnifique !😃❤❤🇫🇷

[@QBee79]

Amazing, I’m definitely not good at wildlife or people 🤣🤣 Love your honesty. Lots of artists don’t share like you do.

[@cosmicfxx]

Wow very impressive and inspiring

[@tusk242]

i use my friends Husky to catch the light, and bone. I can understand about being more automatic. I have an Idea in my head, so what your are doing is Grisaille type of work. I get very little feed back, Can not afford to show , enter, pay hidden fee or matt and frame. I can not afford to belong to an art GUILD, but I paint. But at the moment more acrylic, because I could not afford the oils. and still have a place to set it aside until it dried. I do love the wolf which far too many humans have doomed it not for what it is but for what we deliberately, and mistakenly perceive it to be of little worth.

[@kadeemcgill9907]

This was fantastic advice. I also love how you only used one paintbrush for all of that.

[@sameeransariArt]

Well said ❤️❤️❤️

[@antoniomaisano6205]

Molto bello bravissimo pittore ciao Marisa

[@jb3746]

So interesting, thank you for your advices (Oilpainter from France)

[@ACryin_Shame]

Due to mural joe I've been trying to freehand all my animals. I just think it's more up my alley while being a newbie, because I don't want to and can't spend the money for all the extras. Most the time I paint on free wood I find.

[@irmawassing140]

Geweldig mooi! 🤩👍

[@pointzeroblack]

Thanks!

[@motorpurrr]

Ya, I hate when I am painting windows or murals and people ask me where I get the stensils or simething like that. They are not even observant.

[@pastmasters9591]

I have seen you use outlines for animals before. I've been an artist for over 40 years and I'm here to say... It is not cheating! It still takes the artistic ability to finish the painting or drawing

[@chuckblackart]

yes I have a bunch of photos I took at the wolf center near my home. Definitely didn't say it's cheating! But I do think it limits our growth. I used to draw pencil freehand and then transfer the outline, but even that I got tired with. Thanks for the comments

[@haraldhonk4650]

I suspect that Chuck has practiced so much that each of his paintings goes through the entire history of painting. "Blank with just the sienna wash in the background", as stone age people used to call it, a more realistic depiction of wolves starting to appear at some point. The renaissance-like play of light and dark when he puts the dark touches at the floofy butt of wolf #2. And in the end it's the peak of art, a 2023 Chuck Black painting.

[@chuckblackart]

Much appreciated, thank you for the support

[@ankeshmbbs]

how beautiful is this!! is this done entirely in one sitting?

[@0utSideTheBox]

Photographer's tell me, this doesn't work, that doesn't work, but put the photo in front of joe citizen, and they love the very aspect of the photo the "pro" photographer dismissed. All in the eye of the beholder, you have a lot of beholders.

[@chuckblackart]

True stuff. Thank you I appreciate it

[@XanBos]

Being an artist, and creating works of art is definitely an individual thing. No two artists will approach their art in the same manner. Your approach to landscapes and animals have truly benefited from being free with your strokes, and not rely on using tools. But I don't think that is true for all types of paintings. Yes an artist does grow from his/her diving in and trying new techniques. I never was one to do the grid method, and I don't trace. But I use a ruler when doing buildings in perspective, or try to get the best edge I can on any straight object. Sometimes a tool like that is essential to getting it right, and still be acceptable in the art community. I actually approach my work very different from you, yet even I look at your process, and wish I could do that as well. I tend to draw everything out, line by line, so that i know where every element is suppose to go. I admire your loose sepia tone rendering, as you tighten up while applying colors. It's a method I have not taken into my painting process, but may try it some day. I've watched you for the past 5 years, and I have to say that what you have done to improve you work has served you well. There has been a vast improvement in your realism, your composition, and your color choices. I don't think that you would hurt yourself any, if you had to use a "tool" to get your results, but I will also say that if you are not using any tool aid, then much praise goes to you and your talents. For those artists out there that feel the need to use a tool, or to use the grid method, don't feel like you are lacking in talent, or not growing. You can produce wonderful art, and eventually find your niche in how you create. I use to think that using any tool was wrong, and cheating... but now I just look at it as a means to an end. No matter how complicated the "journey" is, the end results are what matters when it comes to art.

[@chuckblackart]

100% and for the record I always thought that I didn't have the talent or ability to work without the use of some kind of tool. I just hope that maybe it can be an example of how you can learn a lot about yourself when you step outside the realm of comfort. But I agree, art is individual and the meaning of art is the expression of one's self. Seeing tools as a means to an end is how some artists should view that because were all different indeed. I think it's important to keep your ears to the ground and be on the lookout for new possibilities though. Thanks for sharing your insight on this!

[@XanBos]

@@chuckblackart I agree, there are always new challenges that can become assets for an artist. Thanks for the heart, and I’m always eager to see what you are doing next!

[@juriaan13]

Doing portraits on commissions I trace for a few reasons. Time and the clients want to see perfect likeness. Can I do it freehand? Yes, but it takes longer and time is money

[@user-sp7ir2im9g]

СПАСИБО!!!,,,

[@chrisgriffith1573]

My problem is just the opposite, I go off my reference too far, and this usually lands my artwork in a place where I need to do a lot of course correction to fix my assumptions about what I remember of the scene, and not doing what IS in the scene.

[@lauriejones5464]

What kind of brushes do you use.

[@AdiityaAdiitya-jl4wd]

Sir, can this be made on a sheet or canvas is compulsory?

[@chrisgriffith1573]

I see no real difference in freehanding from reference, and using a projector, but, believing that wildlife is only accurately done with these tools is folly. There are artist who draw the human form flawlessly from memory only, no aids, projectors, photo references or anything. It comes down to the comfort level and experience level that someone has achieved.

[@chuckblackart]

The difference I see is not a moral one or that one's better than the other, but rather a difference in how much you'll be able to learn and train yourself. If a projector is what an artists loves to use then more power to them, but there's no way I find growth in my ability to sketch and perceive proportions when using a projector.

[@grysharp3137]

The difference is time

[@kevinclark4165]

I like great artists like John Constable, Chuck Black, yes you are as good as Constable easily, but I don't like Vincent Van Gogh, I understand lots of people rave about Van Gogh but its not for me. Chuck Black paintings are far more valuable than any Van Gogh to me any way. if I had a Van Gigh painting I would sell it, but if I had Chuck Black painting I would be very proud to hang on the wall.

[@chuckblackart]

You're too kind! I'm humbled thank you for the support and kind words.

[@VictorinesGamer]

wow u have talet

[@pastmasters9591]

Are you looking at a reference?

[@Epicsportfix]

I cant draw but i can paint

[@josianecarey8977]

Supe

[@summerlakephotog8239]

I won’t watch a video that uses a drawing aid like tracing paper or grids. Drawing free hand is more natural and spontaneous. Ray Harm wouldn’t even copy from a photo. He would only sketch etc. from blinds outdoors and use his sketchbooks.