30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 23- Linking Shapes with Shadows

30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 23- Linking Shapes with Shadows

Linkage is a design fundamental that describes the process of bringing unity to a piece of art by building connections.  Connections bring harmony and balance and all kinds of good design qualities to your work.  These connections can be made in many ways, but actual physical linking of shapes isn't always possible or may not make sense in your composition.  This is where shadows can play a very convenient role!

Designing better shapes is something we should all be thinking about.  Linking shapes is a really great way to achieve this.  For example, it's often a good idea when possible to take a series of repetitive small shapes and bring them together with connecting shapes.  This can create larger and more interesting shapes, or bring variation to what would otherwise be simple repetition. Again, this is a role that shadows were born to play!

Shadows can be anything from short and stubby to long and lean.  They can go in any direction.   They can GROW if needed to fill gaps.  They can also have color!

(We explored Color and Shadows in Day 21 of our 30 Day drawing challenge- Here's the link in case you missed it: 30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 21: Shadows/Color )

For all these reasons shadows are the perfect means for designing better shapes and creating linkage within your work.

An example of how you can GROW shadows to connect otherwise disconnected shapes ©Rebecca Zdybel 

Today's Challenge: 

Step 1: Draw 3-5 disconnected shapes using a contour drawing and ink.  I love clothespins as a subject, but you can pick anything (toothbrushes, brushes, pencils, crayons...etc.)

Hint: Leave gaps here and there in the contours of your objects to allow for color to visually flow in and out of the shapes and allow for a sense of bounced color from shadow to object. 

Step 2: Use shadows to connect your shapes and form a unified drawing.  Watercolor, watercolor pencils, or watercolor crayons would be a great to use in order to create colored shadows, but colored pencils or markers could also work well. 

Note that my shadows are not realistic, but they serve to connect my shapes together and create linkage.  They also provide a cool complementary color to the warm oranges of the clothespins.  

Step 3: Send a photo of your final result to me:   rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Have fun with this drawing and file the idea away for future compositions when you sketch!  As we learn to draw, these little tricks of the trade can make our work so much better, and they are not that hard.  You just need to spend a little time digesting them. =)

Here are some drawings from the sketchbooks of more fellow Drawing Challengers:  

These all illustrate a very great danger in going down the Zentangle path...IT'S ADDICTIVE and very meditative...and BEAUTIFUL when done like these drawings demonstrate. Wow!  If you missed that lesson, it's available following this link. If you go there beware of the risk of instant addiction! 30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 20- Zentangle

I'm already looking ahead to later this week.  I will be breaking out my Tombow marker in burnt sienna color -947 for a sketch or two during the final couple of weeks of this challenge.  If you would like to get one, it's around $5-6. Here is a link:  Tombow 947 Marker- Amazon

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor

Art Lessons: Drawing, Watercolor, Acrylic, Collage, Mixed Media

Myrtle Beach, SC

rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share any of this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

Join me on Google+ Rebecca Zdybel Google+ 

30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 18- Draw a Cube

30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 18- How to Draw a Cube

We've been having such fun with drawing contours and vignettes, but this drawing challenge would be incomplete without touching on a subject that involves perspective...the dreaded "P" word!  It's something which most non-artists don't understand.  I've also found that many of my adult students of art have skipped right over this subject on their way to painting pretty pictures.  It's possible to paint or draw without knowing perspective, but it's a fundamental of drawing which will undermine your work if you don't understand it.

The best way I know to sum up perspective is with these 3 points:

• Every realistic image you draw or paint has a horizon- and that horizon is always at the viewer's eye level.  Hmmm, let's think about that.  So what I'm saying is that the horizon will always be located at the level of the eye of the viewer. Plain and simple.  Not hard, right?
• Due to the earth curving away from us, parallel straight lines will seem to recede to one point as they move away from us. That point is called the "disappearing point".  That disappearing point is ALWAYS SOMEWHERE ON THE HORIZON LINE.  Ok..that isn't too hard either, right?
• Parallel lines will always recede to the same point.  So this means that any line which is running in the same direction as other lines will recede to the same point. 

3 points, but none of them are too tough, right?  

Ok, then let's draw a box.  It's not easy, but it illustrates this concept.  Don't stress...just follow the steps and use my drawings as reference.  Trust me!  If you've never done this before, it's information worth knowing. 

Step 1:  Draw the closest corner of the box with a vertical line.   This is always how I would recommend beginning to draw a cube. This line representing the closest corner is going to be referred to as Line A.  

Step 1 and 2

Step 2: Draw a horizon line going across the page.  Make a mark somewhere to the left of the paper and another mark toward the right edge of the paper.  These will be your disappearing points.

Step 3

Step 3: As in the drawing above, draw a light line from the top and bottom of the line in Step 1 to each disappearing point.  This will form 2 triangles.  These lines will serve as guidelines for forming your box.  Eventually we will erase portions of them.  

Step 4

Step 4: Using the guidelines, and my drawing above as an example.  Draw two vertical lines- 1 left of Line A and 1 right of Line A.  Keep them within the guidelines.  These lines will form the right edge and back left edge of your box. 

Step 5:  From the bottom of the back left edge line, draw a line  connecting it to the same disappearing point as the bottom of the front of the box.  They both recede to the same disappearing point because they are parallel.  

step 5 and 6

Step 6:  From the Top of the Right edge draw a line to the disappearing point on the left.  It recedes to the same point as those lines from the left side of the box, because why?  Because they are parallel, or running in the same direction.

Step 7: One more line to create, and it's a bit tricky, but just look at the photo if it's confusing.  Connect the bottom of the right side to the left disappearing point.  This is creates your final line of recession and should form an "x" under the "x" above it.  Connect between the two "x's" with a line to form the back right corner of the box.  Here's another photo with arrows pointing to the "x's"...

Step 7 again

Step 8: Draw a line connecting the two "x's".  This will form the back right corner as in the photo below. 

Step 8- A Cube in 2 point perspective

There you go!  You've drawn a cube in 2 point perspective.  This shape forms the basis of most architectural drawing and can be helpful drawing many other forms as well.  

Step 9: To reinforce your understanding of drawing the cube, I would suggest you draw it again.  Refer to my directions ONLY if you forget what to do.  Try to draw the cube until you feel like you own the concept.  
Once finished, take it easy and let the understanding sink in for today.  If you've drawn it 2 or 3 times, then you've done enough. 

Congratulations!  You have learned a VERY important concept about perspective!  You are officially a little bit smarter now.  Enjoy the rest of your day and I'll meet you here tomorrow...

PS- If you haven't sent me any photos of your drawings lately...be sure to send them my way so I can include them in future posts...anonymously of course.  Be sure to tell me what lesson you are illustrating and what tools you used in your sketch.  Can't wait to see what you've done!

I'm already looking ahead to later this week.  I will be breaking out my Tombow marker in burnt sienna color -947 for a sketch or two during the final couple of weeks of this challenge.  If you would like to get one, it's around $5-6. Here is a link:  Tombow 947 Marker- Amazon

Happy Drawing!!

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor

Art Lessons in all media

Myrtle Beach, SC

rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share any of this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

Join me on Google+ Rebecca Zdybel Google+ 

30 Day drawing challenge Day 4- Blind Contour figure

Ok, so he may not be an artist, but he does SEE differently ;-)

Here we are on Day 4 of our Drawing challenge already!  We are learning to draw, but we are really learning to SEE.  How ironic is it that we are learning to see like artists by putting the blinders on?  Seeing differently than everyone else is what can help make an artist great.

Today our Blind Contour Drawing subject will be a person.  That's not you whining is it?  Contour drawing AGAIN?!  I'm not being mean...I promise. Blind Contour drawing deserves reinforcement and this is why...  

The best drawing book I know is "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards. I really love the book and taught a class on it.  In that book, after over 40 years of teaching drawing, the author emphasized that whenever they skipped Blind Contour drawing in her courses, the students didn't make as much overall progress.  We want progress, so I am going to trust her experience and we are going to put the blinders on, and try this again with the figure!

Drawing people is something which scares most of us, yet it's a universally interesting subject for everyone...viewers and artists alike.  Probably because the figure has infinitely variable form. I think the figure is intimidating, because everyone knows what a face looks like, whether or not they are an artist.  Because everyone is familiar with faces and human form, everyone feels qualified to tell you when something is off in a portrait.  

How can we render the figure effectively?  Notice that I did not say "perfectly"...I said "effectively".  An effective portrait or figure study is not always perfect.  One way, is to create contour drawings.  The way we will draw the figure today is not meant to be perfect, but it can be one means to  convey an effective artistic impression.

Materials: 
Sketch paper and either a pen or a pencil (I'm not in a bossy mood today, so you get to choose =)  I like the quality of the line in pen drawings, so I'm going to use my Micron 05 Sepia (dark brown) pen with archival ink.  I'm drawing my image in my Aquabee Super Deluxe sketchbook and I'd suggest you do your series of drawings in a sketchbook.  It will provide a great record of this 30 day adventure. =)
You will also need to find a photo of a person in motion or action.  A photo with a gesture will work really well for this.  I am going to use a Greek folk dancer, because I have wanted to do a drawing of them since I went to Greece. You could use a sports figure, dancer, fashion photo, or a kids magazine.  The best thing to do is find a photo you like.

What is a Gesture? A gesture is a pose that implies some kind of movement. These poses often appear frozen in time or caught in action.  Once you find your image (you could use mine if you like) proceed to Step 1.

Step 1:
Look first and survey the edges of the figure.  Decide which area you feel is the most important area in your figure.  With the figure, it's often the head. Make sure this part of your subject will be in a good location on your paper, perhaps ⅓ of the way down from the top edge and ⅓ of the way over .  Avoid the dead center of your paper for the focal area.  Place your pen where you think the focal area will be. This way, the most important part of our drawing will be well located.  

Step 2: 
Begin moving your eyes and your pen or pencil together to create the edge.  Be sure to turn away so you can't see the paper.  Peeking is allowed, but only to replace your pen if it goes astray.  Follow those edges slowly with your eyes.  Your pen should move with your eyes.  This is a slow process, so don't move your eyes ahead of your pen or pencil.  Feel your pencil move.

Notes and hints: 

Gaps in the drawing are OK so don't feel the need to connect every edge.  This can allow for some "lost edges" later if you decide to take the drawing a little further.

Talking to yourself is allowed.  I find it helps me when I do this.  When you talk, there are some words to avoid.  If your kids or grandkids are around, try to avoid any expletives, haha, but more importantly avoid naming what you are drawing (like noses or hands for example).  Instead, say things like, "Up and then over to the right a little, now down and to the left...etc. "See if it makes it any easier, but be sure to avoid labeling the parts of the body, just tell yourself which direction to move in and then try to make your hand connect with your eye.  Remember we are training our brains and our eyes and our hands to all work more closely.  If we do this more, they will become a better drawing team.

Here is my drawing for today. Yours may look like a crazy cousin to my guy, or it may be more restrained.  Remember that BLIND contour drawings even at their best, will always look "wonky".  They are not supposed to look right.  That's the beauty of them.  It's not about the drawing, it's about enjoying the process and training our eyes and hand...

Whatever you end up with will be perfect.  It's the best you can do, so what more can we ask, right?  The more you do, the better you will get. Ur already well on your way to becoming better at drawing simply by committing to this challenge. Mad skills, that's what we want! Thanks for hanging in there and subscribing to this blog.  

Have fun and Happy Drawing!!!  

Check out my Facebook page to see some of your fellow challengers' drawings.You can share the challenge or any of my blogs with your Facebook friends if you want to encourage others to join us.  While you're there, please "Like" my facebook page: Rebecca Zdybel- Artist

See you tomorrow!

I read every comment and it means a lot to know you are out there reading.  Post your photos on my Facebook or instagram page with the #30daydrawingchallenge, #learntodraw and we can follow one another's progress...

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor

Art Lessons in all media

Myrtle Beach, SC

rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share any of this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

Join me on Google+ Rebecca Zdybel Google+