|
Drawing Lessons
Basic Drawing Terms & Skills:
1. Line
- line - a "dot" that moved along the paper.
A line establishes boundaries, separates areas and creates edges.
By its direction and weight, a line creates a sense of movement and volume.
- contour - outline of a figure, body or mass; surface of a curving form.
- edge - rim or border, the place where two things meet:
the background (negative space) meets surface of objects.
- shared edges - when folds of drapery/skin meet to form a wrinkle.
- contour line - a shared edge drawn as a single line.
- Parallel and cross-hatched marks simulate textures and create three-dimensionality.
2. Proportion & Relationships
- comparison - how 'this' compares to 'that' in size, angles, horizontal to vertical, width versus length, etc.
From certain views, a form may appear to be narrower that you know it to be.
Draw what you "see" not what you know.
- scale - progression of size, larger to smaller or vice versa.
The scale of an object or structure is determined by the size or scale of some other object or structure.
- proportion - size relationship: an apple is smaller than a 5-gallon bucket.
It also includes the relationship of the width of a particular object to its own height, one part to another. An example is the figure.
The edges of a sheet of paper are horizontal & vertical. To enlarge a drawing by the grid method, the larger sheet has to be proportional in length and width to the smaller sheet for the composition to fit correctly.
3. Value, Tone, Light & Shadow
- value - differences in tones of light & dark.
Light tones are "high" in value, dark tones are "low" in value.
Values create form, the shape of the image and a sense of volume or 3-dimensionality.
The use of different kinds of lines and dots, alone or in groups, and cross-hatching can also create tonal values & texture.
- value scale - a series of steps from pure white to black with thousands of grays in between.
- When light falls on objects, it results in the 5 tone values which should be incorporated into your drawings and value sketches.
- For more information on value and tone, see the Five Tone Values.
4. Positive Shapes & Negative Spaces
- positive shapes - object/s or person/s, distinct forms.
- negative spaces - the empty areas between distinct forms.
- composition - the way the contents of a drawing are arranged in a format or on the picture plane.
- format/picture plane - the space on the surface of your paper; the length & width of the bordering edges of a surface.
Positive shapes & negative spaces fit within the format.
The shape of the format controls the composition.
Imagine a tree in a square format; imagine it in a triangular format, then in a circle, etc.
Shapes & spaces fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
Varying shapes, sizes and values create interesting compostions.
5. Perspective
- perspective - movement through space in a drawing or painting;
overlapping planes, scaled figures, carefully measured architectural space.
- linear perspective - things diminish in size the further away they are from the viewer
and vanish on the horizon (the viewer or artist's eye level.
Parallel lines converge at eye level.
- aerial/atmospheric perspective - the depiction of space by gradations of tones, shapes and colors.
Things become more and more muted and indistinct as they diminish into the distance of the atmosphere.
- For more information on aerial perspective, see Color and Landscape Painting.
Drawing Lessons•
Pastel Notes•
Watercolor Lessons•
Watercolor Terms
Color and Landscape Painting•
Five Tone Values•
Basic Color
Oil Painting Lessons•
Oil Painting Tips•
Oil Painting Methods
© Copyright 2000-2007 Carol Santora
|