Drawing Concepts

The first thing we do when beginning to draw is contour drawing, which is another name for drawing the outline and inner details of objects. Contour Line Drawing

Blind Contour Line Drawing Blind Contour drawing is a favorite with drawing teachers to develop hand-eye communication. Blind contour drawing means drawing the outline and inner details of the subject without looking at the paper. The end result doesn't matter - what is important is carefully observing the subject.

VALUE SCALE MIDDLE GRAY

WAYS TO SHOW VALUE SHADING/BLENDING GRADATION HATCHING CROSS HATCHING STIPPLING SCRIBBLE

SHADING/BLENDING

Shading Examples

GRADATION

HATCHING

CROSS HATCHING

STIPPLING

SCRIBBLE

Drawing Basic Shapes All objects are made up from four basic shapes—cube, sphere, cylinder, or cone. You can use the box method to accurately draw these shapes to round out your body of knowledge of all basic shapes needed to create accurate drawings. If you learn to see objects as basic shapes, you will more easily be able to draw the objects.

SPHERE

To the right is a study of shading which add dimension to a flat object. The circle is flat and has no dimension. As we shade the circle it become a ball. Cast Shadow Highlight Tone (color of object) Halftone (turning away from light) Shade (turned away from light) Direction of Light Shading

CONE

CUBE

PYRAMID

CYLINDER

Circles and Ellipses To draw a perfect circle, first draw a square and then draw a circle inside the square. Drawing an ellipse is a simple process. Begin by drawing a perfect circle using the previous technique, except draw the square in perspective this time. When drawn in perspective, the circle in the square is an ellipse.

Definition: Artists obtain this perspective effect through an oblique representation of the object, as though it were either moving away from or moving toward the spectator. In order for the illusion to be apprehended correctly, the length of the object must be: shortened - hence the term "foreshortening" for this representational technique. Foreshortening Forced perspective is an optical illusion that makes things look bigger or smaller than they actually are. It makes objects of vastly different sizes, that are at significantly different distances, appear to be of proportionate sizes and at the same focal length. Forced perspective uses visual tricks to give a warped perception of reality.

Proportion Proportion is the comparison of dimensions or distribution of forms. It is the relationship in scale between one element and another, or between a whole object and one of its parts. When drawing a still life the first object that you draw will determine the size of all the objects in relation to it. It determines the proper size relationship

Composition The composition is an arrangement of elements of the artwork that unites the elements into one whole.

THUMBNAIL SKETCH Term used by artists to describe a small drawing on paper (usually part of a group) to explore multiple ideas quickly. Thumbnail sketches are similar to doodles, but include as much detail as possible.

Three Point: ‘when lines appear to converge at three given points either to the sides of the picture plane or at the top or bottom of the page, depending on where your eye level line is.’ One point: ‘when parallel lines appear to converge and disappear at one point on the horizon.’ Perspective Two Point: ‘when, from a given edge, parallel lines converge at two single points on the horizon line at opposite sides of your paper.’

Creating a 3-D look on a 2-D surface

Looks flat like a circle instead of a sphere

Creating a 3-D look on a 2-D surface Add Perspective Perspective

Creating a 3-D look on a 2-D surface Add Proportion Perspective Proportion

Creating a 3-D look on a 2-D surface Perspective Proportion Add Cast Shadows Cast Shadows

Creating a 3-D look on a 2-D surface Perspective Proportion Cast Shadows Add Shading Highlight Halftone Shade

Creating a 3-D look on a 2-D surface Perspective Proportion Cast Shadows Highlight Halftone Shade Now a Sphere

Creating a 3-D look on a 2-D surface Perspective Proportion Cast Shadows Highlight Halftone Shade

Creating a 3-D look on a 2-D surface Perspective Proportion Cast Shadows Highlight Halftone Shade

Creating a 3-D look on a 2-D surface Perspective Proportion Cast Shadows Highlight Halftone Shade

Perspective Proportion Cast Shadows Highlight Halftone Shade Creating a 3-D look on a 2-D surface

Example of a glass drawing

Example of a chrome drawing

Example of a wood drawing

Example of a cloth drawing