Drawing tutorial 030 - Three point perspective

Three point perspective uses three vanishing points. If you have not gone through single point and two point perspective then please read them. Two of the vanishing points can be set on the horizon line. The third vanishing point can be above or below the horizon line depending on the position of the observer. Once the three points are set, it will look somewhat like the figure below:

Drawing tutorial 029 - Two point perspective

Vanishing points and single point perspective has  been discussed in earlier post. Single point perspective renders the three dimensional world on paper in a way that the object that are distant tends to vanish to one point which is called as vanishing point. Single point is good to describe scenes that has straight tracks like road or rail track that is tends to disappear in a distant horizon towards the line of sight.

However, for wide scene where the objects and elements in the frame are so far in both left and right of the viewer that they appear to vanish at a distance both side of the viewer it is necessary to apply two point perspective. This is useful while rendering objects like city view that spread both sides to long distances.

Drawing Tutorial 028 - Single point perspective

Single point uses the very basic technique of rendering the depth of three dimensional world on  ২ dimensional surface such as paper. As discussed in the earlier tutorial, perspective drawing uses two main terminology. One is horizon line and other is vanishing point.

In case of single point perspective, there is one horizon line and one vanishing point. This is the simplest way of depicting the three dimensional world in two dimensional drawing surface. The idea behind the single point perspective is that distortion is rendered in only one axis.

Horizon line is chosen depending on the height of the observers eye level in respect to the frame being rendered. The point on the horizon line where everything would be so small that they would seem to disappear is the vanishing point.

Drawing tutorial 027 - Basics(Part 5) - Perspective

When we start to draw things from memory as beginner we tend to draw them in a way we perceived the object in our brain rather than how we saw it. A good example is to draw hair - we are tempted  to draw hair by hair. We know that individual hairs make the whole volume of the so called 'hair' on the head. But do we generally see individual hair?

In a similar way, we as a beginner, tend to miss how we see dimensions such as length, breadth and height of objects around us. As a result, we draw a rectangular building as a rectangle. It may sound crazy, but we do not see it as a rectangle but our brain perceives it that way.

How big an object appears to us depends on the angle that is created by the object in our eye. We have experienced it. It is for this reason, things appear smaller when its away. Our brain can still perceive, in most cases, the actual size of the object by comparing other parameters such as how far the object is, known objects around it, Colour variation etc.

Drawing tutorial 026 - Basics(Part 4) - Drawings forms

In drawing sketching or painting form is a term that is used to depict the actual volume and shape of an object. Visual representation of an object is made on a surface which is 2D whereas in reality things have volume. In line drawing, this volume can not be depicted but as we have discussed in our tutorial on tonal values, by using tonal variation the illusion of volume can be created successfully.

Basic shapes that are building block of all complex drawings, are sphere, cube or cuboid and cylinder. Cone can also be treated as a fundamental building block. When tonal values are added to these basic shapes we create form of different shapes and volume.

Saturday sketch 26 - The last leap

I sketched out this drawing on a print paper and then traced it on light pad using microns. Light to medium wash was added on line drawing.

Drawing Tutorial 025 - Basics(Part - 3) - Tonal values

Tone, as a drawing term, is the degree of lightness or darkness in an area of the drawing. When light falls on any object, light is reflected by the object depending on its surface. Depending upon the position of observer and light source, some areas of the object shall be bright and some will be in shadow. Also, there will be some area which will seem to be balanced i.e. not too bright and not too dark. Taking in terms of tone, a bright area will be referred as highlight, balanced lighting will be referred to as mid-tone and dark area as shadow.

Saturday Sketch 25 - Solitary girl

Sketch made with sailor fude de manned and baoer fountain pen. for black lines used Noodler's booletproof, and for red used pilot iroshizuku brown. Light wash with brush pen. And then a filter applied.

Saturday sketch 024 - Girl sitting

This sketch has been made in my tiny A6 size drawing pad using Kurutoga pencil with Calmin 0.5 lead and minimal use of eraser. Time taken - 30 min approx.

Drawing Tutorial 024 - Basics(Part - 2) - Hatching and tones

Hatching is one simple technique used for tonal variation in sketching. Though in realistic graphite drawings this technique is seldom used, but in quick sketches it is used frequently. Also, in finished drawings, hatching is used specially with ink drawings and it gives a unique look and feel to the drawing.

Hatching, in its primary types, can be divided in three groups.

1) Simple hatching

2) Cross hatching 

3) Contour hatching

Saturday Sketch 023 - Love forever

This drawing was made on A5 watercolor paper with watercolor and edited digitally afterwards.

Drawing Tutorial 023 - Basics(Part - 1) - The line

The basics staff will be chiefly for those young kids who wants to take up drawing as a hobby or wish they could draw like a pro and are yet to set foot on the track of learning. Today we will be discussing the very basics of drawing that are fundamental and building blocks to a finished drawing.

The line
When you sit to draw something with a pencil and a paper(the most popular drawing kit for a beginner), the first marks are always in the shape of a line. The novice eye tends to see and define everything by some lines. A children would probably draw a human eye something like the one below:

Drawing Tutorial 022 - Drawing materials(part 2)

In our last tutorial on drawing materials we covered paper, pencil, eraser and sharpener, the basic tools with which one can start drawing and sketching.

Today we will look into one fantastic sketching and drawing tool and medium. PEN and INK. Pen and ink is considered one of the most bold drawing instrument/medium. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that unlike most of the drawing mediums it cannot be erased once applied and that limits the wrong strokes by deliberately being more careful with each stroke. Though it may seem to restrict the creative freedom, on the contrary it bolsters confidence by eradicating use of erasers or other masking layer to cover up errors. It helps learning the importance of strokes and therefore leads to minimizing unnecessary strokes creating a wonderful story.

Having said so, pen and ink can be used over light pencil drawings for a controlled and intricate drawings. But it still holds true that marks cannot be erased in most cases although white inks can be used to add some make up over erred ink lines.

Pens can be used to draw line drawing, drawings with hatching of different styles or with brushes similar to watercolour. Different application styles give distinction in the final result and is appealing in their own merits.

Saturday Sketch 022 - random sketch

Drawing Tutorial 021 - Figure drawing(Gesture)

In last 10 weeks or so we have drawn face its elements and basic head shape and human body proportions. Here comes the stage which we all want to jump into straight away and create something believable and fluid. But, without the basics gone through (majority of us cannot perfect the basics before we try advanced) its not possible to create realistic human figure drawing. It takes practice, years practice to hone the skill so that the muscles draw what we want them to draw.

Its hard not to be impatient with the learning process any new but fascinating skill. Any skill that help excel creativity is so much overwhelming in every step of the learning process that it comes with overwhelming flow. At that time it feels like breaking all barriers to create anything without any bounds. Unfortunately, the flow gets obstructed by the skill.

There are systematic ways that can lessen the agony in the path of learning but never without pain. It takes enormous amount of time and energy to develop the skill to draw without hesitation and true to life figures.

Saturday sketch 020 - Dreamland(02)

Saturday Sketch 019 - Portrait of a smiling woman

This portrait drawing was made on notepad mechanical pencil with HB lead . I used little bit of smudging to the graphite hatching. The drawing was then digitally altered to add some filter.

Drawing Tutorial 017 - Drawing lips

Drawing lips for a face which is facing straight and without much expression is comparatively easier. Therefore this week we are not doing step by step instruction. Here is a step by step drawing with tips how to draw lips in front view with how to add tones.

Saturday Sketch 018 - Portait of a man

This portrait drawing was made on sketchbook with graphite pencil (HB to 8B) and to some extent using charcoal powder. I usually draw on table but this was drawn on easel and I can attest that the getting proportions correct is easier while drawing on easel.

The drawing was then digitally altered to add some filter and framing.

Saturday Sketch 017 - Hatch Scratch and scribbles

This hatch and scribble drawing is bit old from my DA wonderlust sketchbook which I consider of my worst sketchbook buys in Amazon. The pages bleed very badly with ink pen. But the Pigma microns works like magic on this paper. And this one, a highly casual, leisure time sketch is kindof tribute to India's passion for cricket. Size- 5"x8".