The Ctrl+Paint unplugged series is here to help you improve your basic drawing skills, and this video will show you what to expect in upcoming entries. Basic drawing doesn't seem as exciting as digital painting, so it's often skipped by beginners. Don't make this mistake!
In order to add details to a simplified 'dress-form' under drawing, you need to know how to think in proper 3D. This short video explains the importance of following the surface contours of your 3D form.
Make sure to catch the other parts of the constructive form miniseries!
In this second part of our werewolf drawing it's time to get detailed. With the 'manequin' drawing complete, I am able to confidently add in the specific costume and facial details that bring a drawing to life. (Note that the werewolf character is property of Blizzard entertainment, this is a fan-art drawing.)
Make sure to catch the other parts of the constructive form miniseries!
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As you practice traditional drawing, you'll want to indicate a light source and cast shadows. Though shadows can be rendered in a variety of ways, crosshatching is a great way to quickly build up tone and volume with a pencil.
Drawing shape, from observation, is a fundamental skill for all illustrators. This is what art students pay big bucks for in their first year at art school. In this video we'll put the previous lessons on shape to use in a still life drawing. No matter what level artist you are, still life drawing is challenging and worth practice. This is how you improve, so have fun with it!
Sometimes the best way to see an object is by looking at the space surrounding it. No, this is not abstract zen wisdom - it is called "negative space". Learning to see negative space is just as important as the subject itself (the positive space). Eventually, when you're designing characters and environments, you'll be using the negative space intentionally - so get used to looking for it in your still life drawings!
Another way to draw from observation is by observing angles. In this video I describe the "linear-block-in", and how it can be useful for accurate drawing. The basic concept is to work from basic to complex: starting with a large "envelope" that encapsulates the entire form. As you work, the envelope is refined into smaller and smaller angles, which can eventually rounded out into curves. This is a very academic way of drawing, and can be a good practice for training your eye.
There's a variety of ways to describe form with a pencil, and the most common is 'contour'. This is a linear approach to drawing, focusing on creating descriptive outlines. The trick is to draw the unique contour you're observing, and not a generalized outline drawn from your memory. Beginners often fall into the trap of drawing 'symbols' instead of actual objects -- even if they are sitting down with an object directly in front of them. As children we're taught to draw symbols, and becoming an artist requires you critically look and record.
Basic drawing doesn't need to involve many tools, but the two described in this video are essential: pencils and erasers. Here you'll find a basic introduction to the types of pencils and erasers commonly used in drawing. Additionally, I explain how colored pencils (including non-photo blue) can be used in a line-drawing to construct form. The lesson ends with a quick homework assignment to test out your new knowledge!
For traditional drawing, it doesn't get any more basic than the HB pencil. That said, its versatility keeps is relevant for even the most skilled artists! The ctrl+Paint unplugged series is all about traditional drawing, and this is the major tool you'll be using.
Drawing is at least 50% 'seeing'. In order to capture the subject that you're looking at, you need to be able to critically look at it. One of the methods that artists use to accurately observe an object is called "visual measuring", and it's described in this video.
Capturing the 'gesture' of an object is not limited to figure drawing. The exercise shown in this video is one of the most direct and active way to sketch, and doesn't require a computer.
And make sure not to miss the other videos in the Unplugged Series!