The importance of building.

Hello again, today is Wednesday and we're starting the month. Also, like every Wednesday, I'll try my best, if work allows (you know I currently have an elderly puma and a redhead to support), and I'll be sharing drawing tips and short lessons that I know will help you, or at least that's what they're intended to help you with. :) Last week, a community member, whom I'm grateful for writing to me expressing his drawing questions, showed me his drawings, and I told him what was wrong with them was that they weren't constructed. Today we're going to focus on constructing. I often see drawings, what I call "Egyptian Style," that remind me of the paintings the Egyptians made on the pyramids. They were beautiful, yes, but absolutely flat. This is where we're going to start.

And I often see drawings, what I call "Egyptian Style," that remind me of the paintings the Egyptians made in the pyramids. They were beautiful, yes, but absolutely flat. This is where we'll start. People always start drawing with a uniform line (I've already planned a class on strokes) and directly, that is, without building up.

That's why I'm giving you an example of how you should do it if you want your drawing to gain volume and consistency: Trizia, who has once again offered to help me, you'll notice that she looks odd in the first drawing, and that's because she drew directly with lines, the eyes are uneven, the legs are different sizes, and the arms and the rest of the body are flat and devoid of any form.

Let's build it like the second drawing: First, draw a transverse axis on the circle of the head to keep the eyes at the same height and the nose and mouth in place. Note this. And then, build it using circles and ovals. How to do it? Simple. Take the example of a Barbie doll or a store mannequin. You'll see that the arms, legs, and joints fit into their corresponding places. Think of your drawing as a Barbie or Ken, which you must build using circles and ovals. Once you've done it, the easy thing to do is to add your line over it. Try it out and you'll see the difference. I hope this mini-class has been helpful. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to write to me, and I'll be happy to answer them as much as possible. Until next class, you know what, let's draw. :)