Drawing with shapes is kind of like painting with numbers, in the way it allows us to concentrate on one part at a time, and makes completing the end product feel less overwhelming. Shapes offer proportion and structure, providing us with a framework to build the sketch from. Instead of considering the picture in its entirety, try breaking it down into simple shapes and mapping them out on your paper. We’re good at complicating life as adults, but we don’t need to over-complicate our drawings, too. It’s an effective technique that has limitless applications you can use shapes to draw landscapes, people, and even animals, as you’ll see in the fun videos below! From a young age, our brains make sense of pictures by dismantling them into smaller counterparts, or different shapes. How would you draw a house? For example, you might draw a square for the walls, a triangle for the roof, smaller squares for windows, and a rectangle for the door. Turns out, they were handy little tool kits! With the simplest of shapes - such as a square, a rectangle, a circle, an oval, and a triangle - you can draw just about anything you like. Best of all, drawing is rewarding no matter where you are in your artistic journey.Who remembers shape sorting buckets? You know, where you have to drop different plastic shapes into a bucket through corresponding holes in the lid. Follow instructions, practice, and drawings are guaranteed to result. There are basic skills that can be applied in the same way one learns to play the piano or to drive a car. Not only do I love to draw, but I passionately believe that everyone can learn to draw. Go to the gallery to see a recent ink and watercolor I did of this scene.ĭrawing has always been my favorite thing to do. Next I add value with vertical lines to give the scene more depth.Īdding values moves your eye into the drawing strong contrast by the boat creates a focus point.Īnd finally just a few more lines for interest. I did that to further accentuate that part of the drawing. The second shed is shorter and the tall pole now comes up behind the boat. You’ll notice that I changed some things. There’s still a lot of things here, but it is simpler. I put in all the elements that I choose to use in this drawing. I start by laying in a line drawing of the buildings and the dock with the boat on it, first lightly in pencil, then in ink. Because even this will take too long for a video, check out the progress sketches below. I’m going to do just a quick sketch to demonstrate. The wonderful thing is that it will be different for each of us. Now, you might prefer the pilings, or the reflections in the water. The layers of the basic shapes of the net sheds are important to add context, but much of the other stuff is not. That speaks to me of someone using this area for their trade. As I look at it, though, I’m drawn to the upside down boat on the dock. Even the ripples and reflections on the water add to the detail. Standing in front of this view, my eye was pulled in all directions at the weathered wood, the piles of things on the docks, boats beyond the and houses and other structures on the distant hill. They are used by the local fisherman and, as you might be able to see, there’s a lot of – for lack of a better word – junk in the picture. These are net sheds along the waterfront in Gig Harbor, Washington. Here’s an example of a scene with a lot in it. What is necessary to communicate that idea? What is it about this scene that inspires you or, intrigues you? To find that one object, ask yourself some questions as you look at the scene before you: If you are looking at a complicated subject, focus on one object. Whether you’re doing a sketch in a journal or working on a more detailed drawing, simplicity is key. Notice I wrote AN idea, not several ideas. The best drawings are those that communicate an idea. One question I’m frequently asked is, “How do you know what to put into a drawing and how do you decide what to leave out? Whether you’re standing before a busy scene, or even looking at a photograph, all the “things” in the subject may be saying, “Draw me draw me!”
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