Exercise 🎨 - Breaking down Portuguese icons into basic shapes (Patreon)

Good morning everyone!! 🤗

For this month’s drawing exercise, we’ll focus on simplifying Portuguese icons. You will learn how to break down detailed reference photos into simple shapes, so you don’t feel overwhelmed and can draw with more confidence! With an example of my approach (from reference to simplified base layer to final illustration) 😊

It’s completely okay if your drawing doesn’t look like the reference. This exercise is about simplifying, not copying

1. Choose your references

To make this exercise easier, I’ve included a small selection of references for you to use, which you can download below. You can choose 1–3 images from the selection, or find your own if you prefer.

If you want to search yourself, try:

Portuguese sardines

Trams in Lisbon

Portuguese tiles azulejos

Algarve coast cliffs

Portuguese market fruit

Tip: Don’t pick something too detailed at first. Simpler images make the exercise easier and more fun!

2. Create a Base Layer ✏️

Create a sketchbook page using your chosen references. Instead of drawing everything you see, focus on simplifying the image.

Keep it simple:

Draw the essence of the object, not every tiny detail.

Break everything down into basic shapes (circles, squares, ovals, rectangles, triangles).

Focus only on the biggest shapes first.

As you can see in the example below, I broke down each illustration into basic shapes:

The sardines consist of three triangles, with a circle as the eye

The Portuguese tile consists of four triangles and one square

The tram consists of rectangles, stripes, and a circle

Helpful tips:

Squint your eyes to reduce details 👀

Limit yourself to 2–5 shapes per object

3. Finish them with colored pencils

Last but not least, finish with a pencil layer to add details, shading, and depth to your illustrations. Again, keep it simple:

Only add details that support the overall shape

Don’t overwork it, less is more

Sharing

As always, I’d love to see your results! Post your sketches in our group chat or in the comments below. I can’t wait to see what you create! 🤗

Happy drawing!

Celyn 🌸