| Drawing by copying is useful for beginners. It lets one | | | | relative proportion, or practice drawing them until you |
| practice style and methods of drawing without being | | | | can. Then, from memory, add a third object to this |
| concerned about the exact subject matter. Accuracy | | | | scene, drawing it in relative proportion to the two |
| in eye measurement comes with copying. | | | | objects already there. |
| Copying also gives training to the eye by allowing one | | | | Do this exercise over and over with the same starting |
| to correct mistakes in the estimates of lengths. | | | | two objects (box and apple) but add different third |
| A second type of drawing, perspective or object | | | | objects from memory. |
| drawing, gives a knowledge of form and construction. | | | | How to Measure Hold a pencil up with your arm |
| The relations and relative sizes of objects to each | | | | extended away from you. Mark the length, width or |
| other are learned through drawing them. | | | | height of the object with your thumb on the pencil. |
| Finally, imaginary drawings enable an artist to express | | | | Transfer this measurement to the drawing and use it |
| thought and impart ideas. | | | | as the standard measurement to which others will be |
| These three types of drawing support and help the | | | | gauged. For example, when drawing a house, hold the |
| others: | | | | pencil out and line up the end with one corner of the |
| -- Copying shows one how. | | | | base of the house. Put your thumb on the pencil at the |
| -- In object drawing one sees how. | | | | point where the other side of the house is located. |
| -- With imaginative drawing one thinks how. | | | | Transfer this to paper and use this measure, the width |
| Eye Measurements Practice measuring by eye with | | | | of the house, as a standard for making other relative |
| this simple exercise: | | | | measurements. |
| -- Draw a line four inches long and divide it in half, just | | | | Scale Of Drawings One of the biggest mistakes |
| by looking at it with the unaided eye. | | | | beginners make is to draw on too small of a scale. In |
| -- Draw another line and divide it into thirds. | | | | copying pictures from magazines and books the |
| -- Do it yet again, dividing the line into fourths. | | | | beginner naturally copies it as is, at that size. The |
| -- Repeat this exercise with lines of different lengths. | | | | beginner usually does not know that the original |
| To check your progress, measure the length of each | | | | drawing from which the picture was made was |
| segment after you've divided it solely by eye. Did you | | | | almost certainly much larger. |
| come close to halves, or thirds? Practice until you do. | | | | Varying the scale of drawings is good practice to |
| Proportion Accurate eye measurement is required to | | | | keep measurement and proportion skills up. Repeat the |
| draw figures in proper proportion. If the head is drawn | | | | same drawing at different sizes for a simple exercise. |
| twice as long as it should be, the whole figure looks | | | | Drawing from Models Use simple objects you find |
| out of proportion because the head seems unnatural. | | | | around you as models. Draw them singly at first and |
| Body sizes should be compared to each other, and | | | | as you advance group them together. Use objects |
| made in sizes relative to their proportions. This takes | | | | with dull surfaces. These have simple areas of light |
| practice, close observation and an ability to measure | | | | and dark shade on their surfaces. Shiny objects reflect |
| with the eye. | | | | light and cast complex shadows. |
| An effective exercise for learning to draw relative | | | | Models with a single color are best at first. The eye will |
| proportions is to use some ordinary object as a | | | | focus on form, not color. |
| standard measure and draw it carefully. Then place | | | | Place your model objects against contrasting |
| other objects next to it and draw them. Use simple | | | | backgrounds. It is difficult to discern form when there is |
| objects of different shapes and sizes. | | | | no contrast. If the object is dark, place it on a white |
| For a more advanced exercise draw place two | | | | background. If it is white, place a dark background |
| objects of different sizes together, such as a | | | | behind it. |
| cardboard box with an apple on top. Draw these in | | | | |