| visit my store |
 |
Artistic Images/ Drawing Tips/Using a straight edge-
Dissecting your subject.-
Create lines across the picture, to compare what falls across those lines.
You don't have to literally draw lines across the picture, you can also do this by using the outer edge your pencil as a line, or lightly trace across the picture with your pencil, lining up things as you go. Of course if you have a disposable picture and you want to literally draw a line, that will work, but it will also fill your photos with lines so you it's best to draw them very lightly. If you are a newcomer to this method it might help to take a piece of tracing paper put it over the drawing and draw all the lines you want. I used to give my students a piece of acetate and a marker so that they could draw on top of the photo without spoiling it.
This not only works with portraits. you can use this method with any subject. like buildings. (see -buildings). Just look at different points that you'd like to line up. This can help accurately lines things up and help with difficult perspective. Since you are actually looking at a flat image you can line things up and draw things correctly with out any knowledge of perspective. You can do the same thing in life if you imagine what you are looking at is a flat image. Pretend it has a window if front of it, and line things up just as if it were a photo.
Example;
When drawing form life, Hold you pencil out with arm straight, and close one eye. This will give you a straight edge that you can use similarity to the way I am using actual lines here. See sample photos here.
-------
If you are unsure about the placement of this right eyebrow, drawing, or
imagining a line straight across the picture will show you how high it is
compared to the other one.
With this second photo I drew a line from the corner of his right eye to see
what lines up around that. This helps you get a difficult perspective like this
three quarter view drawn more accurately. Notice how the starting point-the right
corner of the right eye lines u0p with the top of the left eyelid. Also the bottom
of the left eyelids close to this same line.
By drawing a line straight down
from this eyebrow, I can see that it lines up directly above the tip of the
nose( right before it starts to rise on the left side.. small things like this
are important because they may be things you will miss by just looking at the
photo) also it lines up right above the beginning of the lips.
Even something like
the outer edge of this eyebrow provides information. You can see where the outer
edge of the right eyebrow falls on his jaw line.
Drawing a line ( or imagining a
line) from the outer edge of the bottom of the right eye- This will help you see
where it lines up with the left eye. You can see from this photo it lines up
with the top edge of the left eye.
Now lining up with the bottom of the left eye, is the bottom of the eyelid on the right side.
You can also use this method of lining things up with less obvious points. Like where the angle of chin starts to change. This helps you to notice things that you probably wouldn't have seen before.
If you were to draw
a line straight up from the corner of the chin (right before it angles up) , you can
see the how outer edge of the right eyelid falls directly above that. Even though
the eyebrow, and eye do not fall on this line directly, it gives you and idea
where to place them.
Also at this point if you were to draw a line across horizontally from the bottom of that line, it will help you see that angle of the chin better.
In other words, by doing this you have created a negative space.
you can now see a shape between
the edge of the chin and that line. It will help you draw that angle of the chin
correctly.
I did the same thing again with a larger piece.
I
drew a line straight down from the outer edge of the face. I now can see how far
away that point of the face is from the rest of the face.
I outlined the outer edge of
the face here so you can see the negative space it forms.
P.S. the best way to draw when using lines like this is to sketch out the drawing first. Lightly. Give yourself an idea of where you think things should be, then use lines, as aides to correct your mistakes and help you see things more clearly.
Using a straight edge part two-life
Using a straight edge -part three-buildings
| More tips at : Artistic Images |
