How to start a drawing

Breaking it down into simple shapes!

An easy way to start a drawing is, to break it down into simple shapes, like ovals, circles, squares, and rectangles. You will forget what you are drawing and concentrate on shapes and lines instead.

How to start

Before you start drawing, don’t rush into it. Look at the image for a moment. Search for shapes and dominant lines. Imagine where on your paper you want your drawing to go. I tend to trace with my hand over the paper and imagining the composition. Then start your lines.
Sketch lightly, with a loose grip, you are searching for the shapes. Holding your pen at the far end keep your wrist loose. (If you draw on a big canvas, use your arm) Draw your circles, ovals, lines and move forward slowly but consistently, mostly looking at the reference picture or your real object.
I am aware that you probably would like to jump right in and do a lovely drawing immediately, but all these exercises are part of getting a solid foundation and an understanding of what you are drawing.

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Let’s practice drawing simple shapes

• Look for any direction, than place an ax for guidance
• Decide what shapes would be best to use, ovals, circles, or squares?
• Add some details, if you wish

Practice:
Draw for a whole week, anything you see, in oval, circles, squares, and rectangles. It can be from real or use some reference pictures.
This is not just a beginners exercise. Whenever you struggle with a drawing at a later stage, go back to this method.

A few images to practice:

Some more references pictures to practice
https://unsplash.com/collections/34878268/looking-for-shapes

Find the next drawing foundation: Outline drawings! Two tips that will help you improve!

Find the page that links to ALL foundation posts: click her

Feel free to share you drawing in the comments below or on my closed FB group: Yvonne Morells ART Community

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