When learning to draw, observing your subject
accurately can be a challenge, because we are in the habit
of making 'mental notes' about objects. There's too much information
for our eyes to be able to take in and process everything,
so our mind registers only the essentials. When drawing something
familiar, it is harder, not easier, as your mind gets lazy.
There are several approaches to trick your mind out of drawing
what it 'knows' and into drawing what you really see. Click
headings for more.
1) Draw the Negative Spaces
That is, look at the 'empty' shapes adjacent to the shape
you are trying to draw. The shape between the nose and lip,
or the space between the limbs of the tree. Practice doing
some Negative Space drawing exercises so that you become used
to observing Negative Space and can use it when working on
a more important piece. Though it seems difficult at first,
after a while, it becomes second nature.
Use the 'thumb and pencil' method of measuring the relative
lengths of whatever you are trying to draw. You can take many
small comparisons and draw guidelines to help you place features
or objects. Click through to the next page of the linked article
for more on using this method to judge angles.
Draw a grid of one-inch squares on white card and place behind
your subject, or draw one on clear plastic to look through.
Having precise reference points will help you make accurate
judgments.
Drawing upside-down makes everything look unfamiliar, drawing
an inverted image forces you to look carefully. Try it as
a warm-up exercise. Take a picture or photograph, and place
it upside-down on your drawing paper. Copy it carefully -
your picture is upside down too, of course - you don't have
to mentally rotate it!
5) Check the Mirror Image
To double-check your accuracy, try using a mirror to view
your drawing. Having everything flipped around makes it look
unfamiliar, and errors in observation will be more obvious.
In negative space drawing, instead of observing the positive
shape of an object, you draw the shape of the space around
the object. This may include any background detail or pattern,
or it may be drawn as a simple silhouette. In many drawing
books, you'll find an example which begins with drawing an
outline of the object, and shading all around it. Although
it is a silhouette, this is NOT correct negative space drawing.
As you draw the outline, you are doing a POSITIVE drawing
- focusing on the positive spaces - the solid shapes of the
object.
The in-progress example below has been drawn that way, looking
at the shape of each part of the object, and drawing its outline,
then shading. This method will not help you achieve the objective
of the negative space drawing exercise, which is to understand
the shapes and spaces around an object.
An incorrect approach to negative space focuses
on the form of the object while drawing.
Negative Space Drawing - Observing
Shapes and Spaces
The correct approach to negative space drawing involves observing
the shapes formed between different parts of the object, or
between one edge of the object and a boundary. By drawing
the background spaces or shapes between the edge of the object
and the opposing edge or boundary, the positive form of the
object is left 'undrawn', resulting in a correct negative
space drawing. This is the reverse of normal positive space
drawing, where you would be looking at the form and drawing
its edges.
In the in-progress example below, note how a sketched border
closes off external shapes. The stripes in the background
cloth allow the observation of small shapes which add up together
to reveal the silouette of the object. The most obvious example
of clear negative spaces in this drawing are the arches and
triangles, which are easy to observe.
Applying Negative Space Drawing
Seeing negative spaces correctly is a skill worth developing.
Negative space is used a great deal when you want to avoid
outlining and create true value drawing. It is needed when
you have a texture like light-colored hair or grass, when
you need to focus on the dark shadows behind and underneath
the strands. The 'foreground' - the positive shapes of light
hair or grass - are 'left behind' as white paper while the
shadows and darks are drawn with dark charcoal or pencil.
A sound understanding of negative space drawing is critical
for watercolor painting, as a watercolor is built through
a progressive overlaying of negative-space areas, working
from light to dark.
In the photograph below, note how the red-outlined dark areas
lock together to reveal the form of the foreground shapes
of the leaves.
Focusing on the leaf forms is fine for a line drawing, but
if you want a shaded value drawing, you'll need to observe
the negative spaces as shown, so that you can leave behind
the positive space, drawing the leaves lighter, and leaving
the white edges and veins of the leaves clear.
Measuring Relative Proportions
Relative Proportions of the Body
A common problem in figure drawing is getting everything
in proportion. While there are lots of subtle differences
between individuals, human proportions fit within a fairly
standard range, though artists have historically looked for
idealized standards against which the rest of us don't always
measure up! In figure drawing, the basic unit of measurement
is the 'head', which is the distance from the top of the head
to the chin. This handy unit of measurement is reasonably
standard, and has long been used by artists to establish the
proportions of the human figure.
The proportions used in figure drawing are: - An average person, is generally 7-and-a-half heads
tall (including the head).
- An ideal figure, used when aiming for an impression of nobility
or grace, is drawn at 8 heads tall.
- An heroic figure, used in the heroic for the depiction of
gods and superheroes, is eight-and-a-half heads tall(beware
of creating a 'pinhead!') Most of the additional length comes
from a bigger chest and longer legs.
For most figures, the standard proportions are a safe bet,
and lightly placing your seven horizontals at the very outset
can be a helpful way to ensure your figure will fit on the
page. Then more careful measurements can be taken according
to your individual subject. Remember that these proportions
are for a basic standing figure, and changes in pose will
affect the height.
Measuring the Model
Have you ever wondered what artists are actually doing when
they peer at something over an outstretched pencil-top? Now
you know: they are measuring up the model (or object). Ok,
so a pencil-top is a pretty rough measure, but it is an immense
help in getting down the proportions of your subject.
Using this method, it is important to stand in the same place,
and to keep your head as still as possible when measuring,
and to extend the arm fully with elbow straight, each time
a measurement is made. You should not be too close to the
model.
Remember that the basic unit in figure drawing is the model's
head, from top to chin. Holding your pencil in a fist with
the thumb upwards, and arm stretched out fully, close your
non-master eye and align the top of your pencil with the top
of the model's head, and slide your thumb down the pencil
until it aligns with the model's chin.
There you have your basic unit of measurement on the pencil.
Repeat this step whenever necessary.
Now, to find how many heads tall your model is, drop your
hand slightly so that the top of the pencil is at the chin.
Observe carefully the point on the figure that aligns with
your thumb - this should be roughly below the breastbone.
(2 heads - you count the head itself). Drop the top of the
pencil to that point, and so on, down to the feet.
To place these measurements on the paper, simply make seven
equally spaced horizontal lines down the paper. The actual
distance doesn't matter, so long as they are even. You are
scaling the observed information to fit the page. Your top
division will be the head. As you begin to draw the rest of
the figure, check the placement of key points against your
head measurements. The armpit begins just above the second
head line, the hips at the third, for example. Naturally this
will vary depending on the body shape and pose of the model.
The head unit can also be used to check the size and relative
placement of other parts of the body, as demonstrated by the
red lines in the diagram above. Use the 'scale' you have established
with the height to judge the correct distance on the paper.
In this example, the wrist is one head-unit away from the
body.
A Simple Aid to Accurate Drawing
Estimating angles against convenient verticals is a useful
way of checking that the direction of lines within the pose
are accurate. Sometimes existing features - a doorway behind
the model, and the edge of the paper - provide this reference.
An alternative method, handy for smaller detail within the
page, is using two pencils as a sort of protractor. This is
an excellent way of minimizing error and ensuring a correctly
proportioned figure.
Hold them both in the one hand as shown in the example, arm
outstretched, such that one pencil is vertical. Use a doorframe
or corner to check if need be. Viewing the model behind the
pencils, move the second pencil so it is aligned with whatever
body part needs to be located. Then, being careful not to
move the pencils in relation to each other, line them up against
your drawing, extending an imaginary line from the angled
pencil to draw the required line.
This method is particularly useful for correct alignment
of the limbs. Of course, you can also use it to check the
size of non-vertical angles - such as a bent leg.
If you find this method useful, a handy measuring tool can
be constructed by using a split pin to hinge two strips of
strong card together.
Use a Grid
Choosing a Picture and Grid Size
Grid Drawing - Copying Pictures Using a Grid Squares
When selecting a picture to copy, make sure it is large and
clear. You might wish to photocopy or do a computer printout
rather than drawing directly on a photograph. You need an
image with clear lines and edges - a blurry image makes it
difficult to find a line to follow.
Decide on your grid size. If the grid is too large, you'll
have to do too much drawing in between each square. If the
grid is too small, you'll find it difficult to erase, and
it can get very confusing. There is no definite rule, as the
size of your picture and the subject can be so varied - but
something from one inch to half an inch will be about right.
You don't have to divide your photo up mathematically - if
the last squares are only half filled, that's fine.
These grids are too large and too small for
the image.
Drawing Your Grids
Measure up your grid, drawing the lines with a fine black
pen. Dark grayscale photographs may need a white gel pen to
show up. You can also use a computer to add a grid to your
picture, as in this example - using the 'grids and rulers'
in your graphics program as a guide, and drawing horizontal
and vertical lines in a contrasting color.
Copy the grid onto your drawing paper, using a sharp, B pencil
(medium hardness) and a light touch, so that you can erase
it easily. Beginners should draw it the same size as the grid
on the original picture. Once you're comfortable with the
process, you can use larger grids to scale up drawings.
The best way to learn this process is to try it - why not
print this picture out and have a go?
a girded picture ready to draw
A Few Squares at a Time
When copying the picture, use spare sheets of paper to cover
some of the image, so you can focus on a few squares at a
time. This is especially useful for large pictures which can
become confusing. Place your drawing and the original picture
close together, so you can look directly from one to the other.
Grid drawing in progress
Following Shapes and Using
Negative Space
Look for clear edges in your picture. With this example,
you can clearly see the outline of the jug against the background.
Notice where the shape crosses the gridline - this is the
reference-point that you can use. Don't try to measure where
it is on the grid, but rather judge its position (halfway
up? one-third?) and find the same spot on your drawing grid.
Follow the shape, looking for where the line next meets the
grid.
The area shaded gray shows a NEGATIVE SPACE formed between
the object and the grid. Observing these shapes can help you
follow the shape of the line. Notice how the gray space looks
fairly triangular, with a couple of chunks taken out - that
makes it easy to copy.
The grid lines act as reference points to help
you draw your line in the right place.
The Finished Grid Drawing
The completed grid drawing will include all the major lines
of the object - outline, important details and clear shadow
shapes. If you want to indicate the position of subtle details,
such as a highlight, use a light dotted line. Now you can
carefully erase your grid, patching up any erased parts of
your drawing as you go. Then you can complete it as a line
drawing, or add shading. If you need a very clean surface,
you might want to trace your completed sketch onto a fresh
sheet of paper.
a completed grid drawing, showing the main details of the
picture
