I've watched enough students improve to know that ANYONE can learn to draw better. It always amazes me. It's all about seeing the world the way an artist does. We don't just see a cat--we see shapes, angles, lighting. Everything is in relationship to everything else.
Our dear cat Leo, who died a few years ago. He used to sit like this all the time!
To keep it simple, you start with the gesture. It conveys attitude, movement. I learned that from animators at Imagineering. You attach shapes to the main lifeline—spheres, ovals, cubes. All humans and animals have 3 basic shapes: the head, ribcage, and hip carriage. Our gesture line (the main attitude) threads everything together and gives a pose life.
Gesture drawing. It's usually so light, it's hard to see in this photo.
Next, you train your eyes to work with your hand. You start with the biggest shapes first, then break them down into smaller ones. Silhouettes and angles. This is the part that takes the most practice. But it can be learned--and with some patience, it becomes a tool to draw anything.
The outlines come next. Here's where I make adjustments to my original sketch, based on actual measurements and proportions.
The icing on the cake is the shading. Making things three-dimensional. Most beginners over-render the highlights and shadows. But once you learn the rules of values, why light behaves the way it does (which I learned from my father, oddly enough), it all makes sense. I call that "The Story of Light."
The shading is the fun part! When I draw on a toned paper like this, the background acts as a middle value, which makes it easier to focus on highlights and shadows.
3 simple steps. Gesture, shapes, and light.
Of course, within each step there's a list of complexities that can take a lifetime to learn. But that foundation will hold up a lifetime of experimentation.
I geek out over these things because I love to share this gift. Even if you never draw a thing, isn't it cool to understand why we see things the way we do?
PS Whenever you’re ready to start working with me, here are three ways:
1. Want to learn the basics of drawing and find your unique voice, without pressure or doubt? Sign up for my next 6-week online workshop, "Draw Like You Mean It." Lessons include weekly office hours and one-on-one guidance from me.
2. If you're already comfortable with drawing and want to delve into creating new work, check out Take a Piece from Start to Finish.
3. Not sure where to begin? Schedule a free 30-minute consultation and I’ll ask you the single most important question to help you become the artist you’ve always wanted to be.
