Monday, November 28, 2016

Structural Sketches

Growing up I was never very artistic, I always thought that I wasn't very good at it. But I recently decided that I should try something new and see if I actually like to draw or not. So far it has been pretty fun and I'm learning a lot. I hope that I end up becoming a good artist with a lot of new skills. In this post I'll show how I did my two structural sketches.

In the book, Drawing for the Absolute Beginner, it starts off with showing you how to do small and easy sketches that can be done by almost anybody. If you're a new artist you should focus on doing more sketches than drawings because, "A sketch is a work in progress... Drawing is an activity that is begun with the intention of producing a finished piece of art" (Willenbrink 14). This shows that sketches will help you with the techniques and structures needed in order to do an actual drawing.

For both of my drawings, I followed the same simple steps but with two different objects.

Displaying IMG_4101.JPGDisplaying IMG_4090.JPGThe first step I did was to sketch the basic form and the structures of the coffee mug and of the man. This step helps you focus on the placement and proportions of the elements (Willenbrink 16). Although this seems like it may be the easiest step, it is also the most important. I had to redo this step a few times to get it just right.
Displaying IMG_4109.JPGDisplaying IMG_4117.JPG
                                                          The second step of this sketch is to add more structural lines. These include bigger details that will help you put the sketch all together at the end (Willenbrink 17).
     


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The third and final step of these structural sketches is to add small detail lines and finish the sketch. At this point you can erase any lines that you don't need anymore. Here, my final sketches look relatively like the subjects I was using.

Overall, structural sketches are a simple task to understand, with only 3 simple steps. I feel like I did pretty good at these two sketches, but I know I still need to practice more to improve the overall quality of these sketches.

Do you have any tips on how to improve my sketches? Is there anything that you guys enjoy drawing?

Willenbrink, Mark, and Mary Willenbrink. Drawing for the Absolute Beginner: A Clear & Easy Guide to Successful Drawing. Cincinnati, OH: North Light, 2006. Print.
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4 comments:

  1. UnknownNovember 30, 2016 at 7:20 PM

    Hi Renee! Great drawings! I personally would like to improve my drawing skills as well so my dad bought my sister and I some drawing books (let me know if you'd like to borrow these one day). I myself enjoy drawing animals or flowers so maybe (if your book mentions it) try one of those out. They take a lot of work but I think that they're worth it in the end. Quick Tip/suggestion: maybe try some shadowing or different dimensions :)

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    1. UnknownNovember 30, 2016 at 9:10 PM

      Thanks Angelina! It's great that you're trying to become a better artist too. I also enjoy drawing animals and some flowers as well, luckily my book does include some of these. I'll definitely try and do these for some of my next posts. :)

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  2. UnknownJanuary 24, 2017 at 10:00 AM

    You did a great job on your drawings Renee! I am always looking for ways to improve my drawing skills, and I have found that shading is going to be your best friend. If you add shading to your drawing it helps your drawing look a lot more realistic. I enjoy drawing flowers and people, although most of the time they turn out looking a little weird. I also enjoy shading, because it helps my drawings have a little more depth. Overall I think you did a fantastic job!

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    1. UnknownJanuary 24, 2017 at 10:08 AM

      Thank you Ritu! As I've been doing more drawings, I realize how important shading is, it's a quick and easy thing to do but it really does a lot to improve the final picture. I enjoy drawing flowers too, and I also tend to end up with the same results. But practice makes perfect, right?

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