Drawing Basics | Vivienne Reay

Line

Lines are elements used to outline shapes, create forms, and convey various visual information. They can vary in length, thickness, direction, and style, playing a crucial role in defining the structure, texture, and overall composition of a drawing.

Line Quality: Line quality refers to the characteristics and expressive traits of a line used in a drawing or artwork. It encompasses factors like thickness, length, smoothness, roughness, and the overall style of the line. Artists intentionally manipulate line quality to convey different emotions, create textures, and add depth to their work. For example, a confident, bold line may evoke a sense of strength, while a delicate, wavy line can suggest fragility.
Line Contrast: Line contrast is the variation in characteristics and attributes of lines within a composition. This includes differences in length, thickness, direction, and style of lines used. Artists intentionally manipulate line contrast to create visual interest, emphasise certain elements, and guide the viewer's attention. For example, combining thick, bold lines with thin, delicate lines can enhance the sense of depth and hierarchy in a drawing.
Contour Lines: Contour lines are lines that define the outer edges of shapes and forms. They follow the contours or outlines of the objects being depicted, helping to create a sense of three-dimensionality and structure in a drawing or painting. Contour lines are often used to define the boundaries of objects, emphasising their shapes and conveying their volumes. Artists may use both continuous and broken contour lines to capture the intricacies of the subject, providing a visual representation of its contours and defining its presence within the composition.
Continuous Contour Drawing: Continuous contour drawing is an exercise where an artist draws the contour, or outer edges, of a subject without lifting their pen or pencil from the paper. The goal is to create a single, unbroken line that follows the contours and details of the subject. This exercise is particularly beneficial for developing hand-eye coordination, enhancing observational skills, and improving the ability to perceive and reproduce shapes accurately.

Shape

A shape is a two-dimensional, enclosed area defined by boundaries, such as lines or edges. Shapes can be geometric, like circles and rectangles, or organic, with irregular, freeform contours. They serve as fundamental building blocks for creating images and compositions.

Geometric Shapes: Geometric shapes are precise and regular, often characterised by well-defined edges and mathematical formulas. These shapes include familiar forms like circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, and polygons. Geometric shapes are commonly associated with man-made objects, architectural elements, and designs that exhibit symmetry and clear boundaries. Artists often use geometric shapes to convey order, structure, and a sense of precision in their compositions.
Organic Shapes: Organic shapes are irregular and asymmetrical, lacking specific mathematical definitions. These shapes are free-flowing and often found in nature, reflecting the fluidity of living organisms and natural elements. Examples of organic shapes include the contours of leaves, clouds, and various shapes derived from the unpredictability of the organic world. Artists leverage organic shapes to introduce a sense of dynamism, randomness, and a more natural, flowing aesthetic into their artworks.
Underdrawing: In underdrawings, artists commonly use basic geometric shapes such as circles, ovals, rectangles, squares, triangles and trapezoids. These shapes serve as a foundational framework to establish proportions, structure, and the overall composition of the artwork.

Form

The objects we see around us can be broken down into four main forms.

Sphere: A three-dimensional round object, like a ball.
Cube: A three-dimensional box with six square faces of equal size.
Cylinder: A three-dimensional geometric shape with two parallel circular bases connected by a curved surface.
Cone: A three-dimensional shape with a circular base that narrows to a point at the top.

Value

Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a colour or shade. It is a crucial element that adds dimension, depth, and realism to an artwork. Values are created by varying the intensity of light and shadow, and artists use different shading techniques to represent these variations. A full range of values, from the darkest darks to the lightest lights, allows artists to convey the illusion of three-dimensionality and create a sense of form and volume in their drawings.

High key values emphasise lighter tones, creating a composition dominated by mid-tones and highlights, imparting a sense of brightness and positivity. On the other hand, low key values focus on darker tones, incorporating pronounced shadows and subdued highlights for a mood of drama, mystery, or somberness. The choice between high and low key values allows artists to convey different atmospheres and emotions within their artwork, influencing the overall visual impact and storytelling.

Texture

Artists use contour lines to create texture in drawings by adjusting the characteristics of the lines. Varying the thickness and intensity of lines helps simulate different textures, with bolder lines suggesting roughness and finer lines conveying smoothness. Adjusting the spacing and density of lines plays a role too, where closely spaced lines imply a dense texture, and more spaced-out lines suggest smoothness or openness. Artists also manipulate the direction of lines to mimic the texture's flow, utilising techniques like cross-hatching for darker areas or stippling with dots for various surfaces. Broken or dashed lines can convey irregular or fragmented textures, adding diversity to the visual representation.

Space

Space in art refers to the illusion of depth and distance within a composition. Artists use various spatial techniques to convey depth.

Overlapping: Overlapping is a technique used in art to create the illusion of space and depth within a two-dimensional composition. It involves placing one object in front of another, partially obscuring the object behind it. The object that is fully or partially covered appears farther away, giving the impression of depth.
Size: Creating space using size involves making objects that are closer to the viewer larger and those farther away smaller.
Placement: The placement of objects along the horizon line determines their perceived distance and relationship to the viewer. Objects closer to the viewer are placed nearer the foreground, while those farther away recede into the background.
Detail: Objects closer to the viewer often exhibit more detail, while those farther away may appear less detailed due to distance and atmospheric effects. By incorporating varying levels of detail, artists can create a convincing sense of depth.
Value: By manipulating values, artists simulate the way light interacts with objects in space, creating highlights, shadows, and gradients. The further away something is the lighter it is going to appear.
Perspective: By employing techniques like linear perspective artists can accurately convey how objects relate to each other in space.

Perspective

Perspective is a technique that creates the illusion of depth and three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional surface. It involves representing objects as they appear in space, considering how they diminish in size and converge toward a vanishing point. In one-point perspective, parallel lines converge to a single vanishing point on the horizon, suitable for portraying scenes viewed head-on. Two-point perspective involves two vanishing points, appropriate for scenes viewed at an angle. Three-point perspective introduces a third vanishing point, often used for dramatic angles, emphasising height or depth. The horizon line represents the viewer's eye level and is where the sky seems to meet the ground.

Perspective Techniques

One-Point Perspective: In one-point perspective, parallel lines converge to a single vanishing point on the horizon.
Two-Point Perspective: Two-point perspective involves two vanishing points on the horizon, making it suitable for scenes viewed at an angle.
Three-Point Perspective: Three-point perspective introduces a third vanishing point, often used for dramatic angles or when the viewpoint involves looking up or down.
Zero-Point or Fisheye Perspective: In zero-point or fisheye perspective, there is no vanishing point, and lines curve outward, creating a distorted, panoramic effect.
Curvilinear Perspective: Curvilinear perspective involves curved lines instead of straight lines, often used for spherical or cylindrical objects.
Aerial Perspective: Aerial perspective considers atmospheric effects, where distant objects appear lighter, less detailed, and slightly blurred, contributing to the illusion of depth.
Foreshortening: Foreshortening involves distorting proportions to depict objects or body parts that appear shorter due to their orientation in space. In foreshortening, parts of the object that are closer to the viewer appear larger, while parts that are farther away appear shorter.
Isometric Persective: Isometric perspective is a non-conventional method of representing three-dimensional objects in a two-dimensional space. Unlike traditional linear perspective, isometric perspective maintains parallel lines and does not involve convergence toward vanishing points. In an isometric drawing, all three axes (length, width, and height) are equally foreshortened, resulting in a more balanced and uniform representation.
Rough in perspective Rough in perspective refers to a quick, preliminary sketch or drawing in perspective, capturing the basic shapes, proportions, and spatial relationships without detailed precision. It’s a loose and spontaneous representation that helps artists plan and conceptualise before creating a more refined artwork.

Notes on Art & Design: Drawing Basics Jan 17, 2024