Week One: Lines and Shapes

I really enjoyed getting to know all of you on Friday! We've got an EXCELLENT group of sketchers this year!

I know it was a challenge, but everyone got the hang of holding the pencil on its side (overhand grip) and moving your whole arm and shoulder while drawing.

This week, if you're doodling on a piece of paper (in between class assignments, of course), try a few warm up sketches of angled, curved, and vertical lines (like you did last Friday). Maybe you'll create a cool abstract design. Keep practicing the overhand grip; it will get easier and will help make drawing easier in future lessons. :-)


Above: Miranda's pencil warm-up sketch

Everyone also got a great start sketching light lines (guidelines) then drawing darker outlines to finish. You worked on comparing the size (proportions) of shapes you drew to the reference picture you were looking at. This Friday, we'll be drawing with lines, shapes, and proportions again and we'll explore overlapping.

Your lessons are shown below. Be sure to click on your drawing to view it larger. --Rob

Emily

Fantastic line work, Emily--lots of control and style! You've got an excellent eye for looking at things then drawing them. The proportions of the toucan are very accurately drawn, compared to the reference picture you were looking at. As you continued sketching the crab the proportions became more accurate. I also see a lot of inventiveness in your sketches. You might want to explore drawing comics or graphic novels.

I want to point out some important things about your warm-up sketch. You adapted really well to drawing while holding the pencil sideways. Your control and quality of lines are amazing! More importantly, you have a natural sense of composition (how you arrange elements on the page). Your ability to compose quickly and spontaneously is a great foundation for drawing and visual art. Keep it going!

Zach T

This is an excellent start, Zach!! Your lines are drawn confidently and show a lot of control. Overall, the measurements (proportions) of the shapes of the crab and puffer fish are drawn very accurately. Each time you sketched the shapes of the crab they became more accurate, compared to the reference picture you were looking at. Keep sketching light guidelines until you get a shape you like, then add darker outlines. The gray tones you added are a nice touch! Cool facial expressions on your characters. Do we see animation or character design in your future? :-)

Matt

Awesome start, Matt!! Lots of energy going on in your line work. The measurements (proportions) of your shapes became more accurate each time you sketched the crab and puffer fish. I really like the facial expressions you've drawn. We could explore character design in the future. Keep checking your drawing to make sure proportions are drawn accurately, like the size of the crab's claws compared to its body. Seems like you really like to invent characters and put them in situations. We might want to explore animation or making comics.

Miranda

Alright, Miranda! Great start! I really like the way you made lots of sketches to capture the shapes of the crab and puffer fish. Learning to draw with the pencil on its side is challenging but your positive attitude got you to produce confident lines and shapes. Each time you drew the crab and puffer fish the measurements (proportions) of the shapes became more accurate. Keep comparing the proportions of what you're drawing (like the size of the crab's claws compared to its body) to the reference picture you're looking at. You'll be amazed at how fast you'll improve!

Jamee

Glad to have you back in drawing class, Jamee!!! Nice, clear line work. You're off to a great start with your lines, shapes, and character drawings. I really like how you tried a lot of different study sketches of the crab and puffer fish. This helped you get accurate sizes (proportions) of the shapes of the characters. Check the size of the claws of the crab in your drawing compared to the reference picture. Are the claws accurately drawn? Cool facial expressions! Let's think about creating scenes for your characters, like the dragon you drew last year.

Elvis

Welcome back to drawing class, Elvis!!! You jumped right in with excellent line work. I really like how you practiced sketching large shapes (using your whole arm and shoulder) and loose guidelines to study your characters. Keep this going! The proportions of their bodies are accurately drawn. Keep looking for the edges of what you're drawing as we progress to drawing realistically in the future. We may want to get you drawing in a sketchbook in the future.

Arianna

Wow! Arianna! You dove in and did lots and lots of cool sketches. This is a great start! I know that holding the pencil on its side was tricky for you at the beginning of class. But with each sketch of the crab the shapes became more accurate. Keep sketching light guidelines of the thing you're looking at until you get a shape you like. Then draw darker outlines to finish. Great facial expressions on the crab and puffer fish! :-)

Nick

You're off to a great start, Nick!! At first, holding the pencil on its side and looking at the shapes, then drawing them, was challenging for you. But you kept sketching! More and more accurate shapes started to appear. The proportions (sizes of shapes compared to other shapes) of the puffer fish became more accurate each time you drew it. Keep looking for the basic shapes of things of things you're drawing. Then lightly sketch guidelines of the shapes before finishing with darker outlines. Keep comparing the proportions in your drawing to the thing your looking at. Cool facial expressions on your characters!

Student Pics '08/Spring '09