Rebecca Zdybel - Myrtle Beach Artist and Art Instructor: how to draw a cube with shadows

Friday, May 22, 2015

30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 21- Shadows/Color

A couple of days ago we explored the values and form of shadows by drawing a 3-D cube. Value or light and shadow is definitely the key to making a cube look 3-D. However, for me the beauty of imagery is often found in the exploration of color! I love color!

Shadows have COLOR. We may think of them as gray, but as artists, we need to see what others may not see and appreciate the fact that color lives in those shadows! This is a phenomenon that is attributable to bouncing light. As light hits, it bounces and carries with it the inherent color of the object reflecting the light into the shadow. This means that there is an exchange of color between surrounding objects which can be found in the shadows. Check out these photos as examples:

Do you see the green color being bounced into the form shadow of the pear? The green of the surface turns this red pomegranate almost black as the colors mix to form a neutral dark (red+green=black or gray).

Do you see that this house has different color shadows in relation to the surrounding surfaces? The reverse would be true if the surface was white and the house had color.

Today's Challenge:

Materials:

Pen (permanent marker) +watercolor, pencil+water-soluble markers, or colored pencils could all work for this exercise.

Paper

Objects to draw

I experimented with the Brown Elegant Writer marker and watercolor here. I asked myself, "What if?" and this is what happened. Note the warm shadows under the radishes (yes, that's what they are! lol) and the warm bounced red into the blue glass bottle. This is an example of how color can be found in shadows and exchanged between objects. No dull gray shadows here...instead lots of vibrant color!

Step 1: Do a contour drawing of an object(s) from life with a pen. No photos today, practice drawing something in front of you. Make it a contour drawing, but with this special instruction: leave some gaps in the contour. Don't enclose the outside entirely with lines. As you explore some of the edges and follow them in from the outside edge, don't worry about sealing that edge up with a line. Let it breathe here and there! Open edges will be helpful in creating some color exchange between our objects and their shadows.

Step 2: Bring color to your drawing and think about showing the following:

color exchange taking place between objects and their shadows
color exchange taking place between objects via bounced light
bounced light effects from the surface back onto the form of your objects

Have fun with this drawing and use it as an opportunity for incidental color...colors which may or may not be there, but which you take the liberty of injecting. You're the artist, so add your personal touch!

Congratulations on being more than ⅔ of the way to the finish line in our 30 Day Drawing Challenge! Those of you who have been participating can look forward to a real sense of accomplishment and progress at the end of your 30 days. I'm so excited for you!

Examples of drawings of cubes from our previous challenge on Day 18 of the 30 Day Drawing Challenge
In case you want to learn this process here is a link http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/2015/05/30-day-drawing-challenge-day-18-draw.html

This great sketch of an owl uses Zentangle as a patterning technique. The sketch below is another example of how patterns can make for interesting drawings. For more on this method see the instructions for Day 20 of the 30 Day Drawing Challenge- http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/2015/05/30-day-drawing-challenge-day-21_21.html

I'm 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!

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

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Tuesday, May 19, 2015

30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 19- Cube with Shadows/Value

30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 19- Shadows

How did you do with your perspective drawing of a cube yesterday? I hope it felt as if you were enlightened with a simple way to digest 2-point perspective. Today we will build on that concept a bit, and bring life to our cubes with shadows.

In today's free drawing lesson, I will challenge you to think about shadows. Shadows are definitely what brings a line drawing to life. They add dimension and form. They give a sense of light, and depth. They bring mood to our subject matter. It's important to understand them, and once you do, you'll find it will help you with all kinds of artwork. Whether you draw or paint, these concepts are really important!

There are some simple ideas surrounding shadow, which we should all know about. First of all, there are two kinds of shadows:

Form shadows are found on the surface of objects in areas where the object turns away from the light source.
Cast Shadows- are shadows created when an object blocks the light from hitting an adjacent surface. Every object that blocks light has a cast shadow associated with it.

Cast shadows are always opposite the source of light. So, they change. As the source of light changes, so does it's cast shadow. The closer to the horizon the light source is, the longer the shadow.

Cast Shadows also vary in intensity or darkness. As artists, we could also say that they vary in VALUE.

The general rule of thumb is: shadows are darkest in value closer to the object casting the shadow.

If the object is a reflective object, then things change, but for most objects, you can assume that the shadow will be darkest closer to whatever is casting the shadow.

Form shadows are found on the surface of objects and are determined by the shape of the object which is turning away from the light. Generally, the more steeply the object turns away from light, the quicker the value shift or change in value will be.
(For more on how to draw a rounded shape you can follow this link - Link to 30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 11- Drawing Rounded Forms.)

To show an Angled corner, create a dramatic value shift, and this will tell us that a drastic change in direction of the surface has occurred.

Today we will build on the knowledge gained yesterday in learning how to draw a cube. We will add shadows to make our cube look 3-D.
(In Case you missed yesterday's challenge, here is a link: 30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 18- How to Draw a Cube)

Note:

The darkest cast shadows are found closest to the object and where there is the least amount of bounced light.
The shadows become lighter as they move away from the object.
Drastic changes of value tell us that a dramatic change in direction of the surface has occurred.

Today's Challenge How to Draw a Cube with Shadows

(Make it Look 3-D)

Materials:

Graphite pencil

Eraser

Paper

Step 1: Draw a Cube in Perspective. You could draw a box from life, or you could make one up. Your cube can be solid as in the first reference photo above, or it can be an open box as in my drawing above. (In Case you missed yesterday's challenge, here is a link: 30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 18- How to Draw a Cube)

Step 2: Determine your light source and add light and add form shadows to the surfaces of your cube. The lightest areas will be those getting hit by sun at a 90 degree angle. Less Direct light will be slightly darker. Those surfaces away from the light entirely will be darkest. (You may need to adjust your values as you go along, because all values are relative to one another. Your pencil may not be able to get as dark as what you see.)

Step 3: Now draw the CAST SHADOWS. Remember that the shadow will get lighter as it moves away from the object casting the shadow.

A Couple of hints for you:

Pay attention to the edge quality of the shadow. Sometimes shadows are hard or crisp edged (usually in areas of dramatic shadow), and other times they are softer(as the shadow fades, sometimes the edges will get softer or more "smudged" in appearance).
Sometimes it's helpful to leave a little gap of light between the base of object and the deepest part of the cast shadow.

I hope this challenge allows you to work through the problem of creating a sense of light and shadow. Adjusting values can be necessary...making sure that the areas receiving less light are darker than those getting more light, and accounting for "bounced light" can be tricky. Practice is always a good thing, so have fun and send me photos of your finished work so we can share.

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

Here are a few of the dedicated 30 Day Drawing Challengers who are steadfastly chipping away at this challenge. I'm so proud and happy that you are doing this with me! I know you'll be so glad you did it...maybe you already are ;-)

Day 16- Draw Your Drink
Don't you love the drippy letters?!

Day 17- Vignette background

Day 17- Vignette
Nice use of water and spatters to create an obscure background vignette!
Watercolor in combination with the Elegant writer.