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Learning To Draw The POSItive Way

One of the most crucial things to learn once learning to draw is realizing the formula almost every artist applies to fill a blank sheet with more and more lines until she completed the drawing. Although seemingly complicated this formula consists of several separate and simple tasks.

Many creative persons follow intuitively these individual tasks step-by-step in the proper order. Unluckily when starting to learn drawing, you lack the experience to adopt this strategy intuitively. But rather than waiting for the necessary experience, you should use this shortcut.

I created a system close to this process most creative persons understand and stick with by instinct. It is composed of four steps: Placement, Outlines, Shapes, Illumination. These four steps are rather simple and follow the common process to make a drawing. I shortened this system P-O-S-I - a POSItive way to learn drawing.

So let's get going:

1. Placement of the objects in your drawing

This makes up the first step. Have a look at the whole scene, identify the particular objects in the scene and seek to understand it. Focus on the particular objects' positions and their position relative to each other. Ultimately if you believe your understanding of the scene is adequate enough, mark on your sheet wherever you would like to lay out the particular objects.
Seek out to be as accurate as possible unless you possess some competence in the art of pictorial composition. Experienced artists know how to alter the scene for a stronger impression without disturbing realism.

2. Drawing Outlines of the particular objects

Now you know where to place the objects it is time to outline them as simple drafts. Look carefully at every part of the scene and try to understand its outline and form. Then depict its outline - only the silhouette - in a couple of faint lines. Restrict yourself to the external lines of each element. Replicat this step for every element in the scene. Ideally you begin on objects in the background and continue to the foreground areas.
After finishing the sketch of the whole scene this way, it is time to have a concluding judging look (but not overly judging although!). In this stage it is still easy to reposition any element or to adjust one or another line. Only do not be overly critical and keep in mind: every good drawing comes alive thanks to minor deviations from reality.

3. Draw the Shape of the particular objects

Now it is time to turn our attention to the objects' anatomies. Start adding the inner structures of the scene's parts with few and fine lines. Place strokes in the right directions to follow and form the shape of the components of every element.
For arced objects use curved lines and in flat sections use straight lines. But still limit you to few and faint lines. Just try to catch the contours properly. As there are still exclusively fine and faint lines on the sheet you have still the opportunity to adjust a line here and there.
Finally your picture has gained a stronger perspective and depth appearance. Time to fill out the blanks and complete your drawing!

4. Illuminate your Drawing

Until now we only worked on laying out the scene using faint lines. Sketching the outlines and contours of all objects in the scene we produced a line drawing that portrays the scenes lookout reliably.
But for producing real naturalism something is missing: texture, light and shadow. In that last step we'll fill in these elements that give volume to our drawing and finally make it look realistic. So in this last step our opportunities for completing a great picture are great but as well is the risk of damaging it beyond repair.
What to do? Again look carefully at every section of the scene. Notice how light, shadow and the different surfaces are forming the textures and what the colors look like. Most important is the surface - as even if a surface is all one color, its structure and texture creates different nuances.
The same goes to shadows. Look how the objects cast shadows on themselves and on objects around them. Add these darker areas by first drawing their countour, correcting and honing it and then filling it with darker tones.
While adding all the shadows and textures to your picture always seek to work from the background to the foreground. Whilst doing this go from lighter tones and weak contrasts in the background to strong tones and sharp contrasts in the foreground. This creates a stronger volume and depth.

Congratulations! With this terminal step you finished your drawing. Make one step back and enjoy. And keep in mind: when the little critic in you comes to life, store your drawing away, the more you will enjoy it in some months!

Article Source: http://blisspublisher.com

This is another article of the six element series about how to learn drawing and drawing. Read the upcoming part of the learn drawing series. Here you can also get more drawing instructions.

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