🐢🐟🐠 Back to Basics for Proportions ~
Sitting and drawing the other day, I noticing how wrong my proportions are. This got me thinking about getting back to the basics. Not 10 minutes later, my husband walks up on me drawing and says that there are some really good books on drawing, and that I should get one and take a look. Yes! Great idea! So, I pick up a fun drawing
book that we have and start back with basic shapes.
I had originally gotten this
book (Draw Really Cool Stuff), long ago for the kids and me. Of course, we had given it a try, but mostly the book just sat on a shelf.
Personally, I had never really understood about starting with shapes, I didn't get it. It was a step that I missed all these years. Even when drawing a face, I would try to start with an egg, sure, and try to make the lines, but usually did not follow anywhere near any of these in what I saw or would draw. I just didn't get it. Now, after all these years of trying to learn how to draw, trying to figure out how to express what is in my head, I pick up this book and something has change....
Suddenly the idea of seeing the shapes, mapping them out, it just makes more sense!
Kind of like reading a dance book, you can read it, but until your body actually grasps the movements, you will not be able to put it together.
I'm not sure what clicked, but if you want my opinion and my advice, it was all the practice that I've been doing lately. In practicing everyday, I've learned more and more. I'm learning things like how to hold the pencil more efficiently, how to work more quickly, better shading, etc. All these things get better with practice.
Below are a few drawings that I have done from the book so far.
They are for proportion and using the basic shapes method, which, I think really helped.
In the past, I had hated having to erase those shapes that you do in the beginning, but as Doug Dubosque, and other instructors point out, you should do these shapes with light pencil marks, to be erased, or simply drawn over, later. This lightness was something that I am only recently beginning to master, and it is very helpful.
Here are a few drawings I did from the book so far;
💚 🐢.
After making this little fish, he seemed so lonely, so I found another fish, and the crown of thorns starfish in the book, and they got added to the picture.
I can't wait to see what else comes from this doodling adventure! We would love to see your latest doodles, if you would like to share, leave them in the comments below.
In life, the way we see things changes with time.
Be patient with yourself, keep at it, and practice, practice, practice :)
Thank you for stopping by.
Best wishes and happy doodling!
