How to Draw: Basic Shapes (Patreon)

It occurred to me that I often talk about the importance of being able to draw basic 3D shapes but I’ve never created a dedicated video about how to do it!

So here it is!

YOU CANNOT SKIP THIS STEP FRIENDS!

Every drawing resource you go to will highlight the importance of being able to confidently draw basic shapes in 3 dimensions. There is no shortcut. You have to go straight through the middle of it and do the damn thing!

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What do I mean when I say Basic Shapes?

I mean boxes, spheres and cylinders.

As artists, we are creating the illusion of 3D forms on a 2D plane (the paper). Capturing 3D volume in our drawings is more important to the learner than the details of the anatomy. If you want to draw good anatomy, you have to be able to draw good basic shapes.

Solid drawing will not only allow you to draw the model in front of you, but will give you the limitless ability to draw anything from life or from imagination. And who doesn’t want that super power?!

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The resistance I often see with this practice is that the forms make our drawings look super technical and unappealing. And it's true!

This is just the exercises we do to get comfortable with these tools and in time, they exist mostly in our mind’s eye and will be less obvious in our drawings.

We will learn how to imply the feelings of these forms without drawing them in full detail.

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A CHALLENGE:

Can you make 5 minutes at the beginning of your drawing practices to exercise this skill?

• Waiting for the model to arrive and prepare? Draw some boxes.

• Waiting for your teacher to arrive to class? Draw some spheres.

• Preparing to work on your own personal project? Draw some cylinders.

Do this regularly over the coming weeks and see if you notice a difference in your ability and confidence.

Gillian

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Recommended Reading:

Glen Vilppu: The Vilppu Drawing Manual

This book has wonderful examples of this exact practice. If you are able to get your hands on this book IRL or digitally, it is a great one to have in your arsenal.