Drawing from the outside then inward?

[Ryan K]

Example: starting on the construction of the head, before drawing the features? Is this a basic rule of thumb? Or does it only come down to personal preference?

[Elwell]

Is this a basic rule of thumb?

Yes.

Or does it only come down to personal preference?

Not only. but yes.

[JeffX99]

Generally you want to start with the big shapes - the broad construction, and refine as you move through the different stages of the drawing or painting. It just seems to be the most succesful approach for the most people. It can be very difficult to begin say, drawing an eye and working out from there and keeping everyting placed correctly, in proportion, etc. Very accomplished artists who have intensively studid from life for 50-60 years can manage an approach like that and pull it off (Richard Schmid being the only one I know of).

[JeffX99]

And yes, for some reason I seem to be following you around Elwell!

[George Abraham]

I found loomis 5 P's and 5 C's the saving grace when you start attempting projects when you didn't have a strategy.

Composition are done outside in
Construction follows composition and is done inside out

There's allso idea generation or free Conception or doodling that's done outside in, but correction and checking is done inside out.

There's allso the concept of bulk compostion, tone or shapes vs line compostion. I think like is gestural and it's just feelings of movement and flow and nothing to do with real lines. Imagine never having descovered pencils and you grew up drawing with cut outs.