SEE THINK DRAW ●
●
AN EASY GUIDE TO REALISTIC DRAWING AND BEYOND
SCOTT MAIER
SEE•THINK•DRAW
SEE THINK DRAW •
•
AN EASY GUIDE TO REALISTIC DRAWING AND BEYOND
SCOTT MAIER
Get Creative 6
NEW YORK
Get Creative 6
An imprint of Mixed Media Resources 19 West 21st Street, Suite 601, New York, NY 10010 sixthandspringbooks.com Connect with us online: instagram.com/getcreativebooks Editor Pamela Wissman Art Director Irene Ledwith Designer Jennifer Markson Chief Executive Offer Caroline Kilmer President Art Joinnides Chairman Jay Stein
Copyright © 2022 by Scott Maier All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage-and-retrieval systems— without written permission of the publisher. The written instructions, photographs, designs, projects, and patterns in this book are intended for the personal, noncommercial use of the retail purchaser and are under federal copyright law; they are not to be reproduced in any form for commercial use. Permission is granted to photocopy content for the personal use of the retail purchaser. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Maier, Scott, 1978- author. Title: See, think, draw : an easy guide to realistic drawing and beyond / Scott Maier. Description: First edition. | New York, NY : Get Creative 6, [2021] | Includes index. Identifiers: LCCN 2021045099 | ISBN 9781684620401 (paperback) Subjects: LCSH: Drawing--Technique. | Realism in art. Classification: LCC NC730 .M244 2021 | DDC 741.2--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021045099 Manufactured in China 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 First Edition
CONTENTS Introduction. . .......................................... 6 How to Use This Book.............................. 7
CHAPTER 4
People & Portraits.......................... 92 Hand.......................................................... 93
CHAPTER 1
Hair............................................................ 96
Basic Materials & Approaches.... 8
Mouth...................................................... 100
Art Supplies................................................. 8
Eyes and Nose......................................... 104
What Is Optical Drawing?........................... 13
Skull......................................................... 108
Drawing vs. the Drawing............................ 13
Man...........................................................112
CHAPTER 2
Essential Skills................................... 14 Line: Drawing a Cup................................... 15
Woman......................................................116 Child........................................................ 120
CHAPTER 5
Shape: Drawing a Tomato.......................... 23
Scenes & Skies................................ 124
Light and Shadow: Drawing an Egg............ 29
Country Road........................................... 125
Texture: Drawing an Eye............................. 38
House....................................................... 129
Linear Perspective: Drawing an Old
River......................................................... 134
Schoolhouse............................................... 45
Railroad.................................................... 138
Atmospheric Perspective: Drawing a
Sunset...................................................... 142
Landscape.................................................. 54
Farm......................................................... 146 Clouds...................................................... 150
CHAPTER 3
Waterfall................................................... 154
Flower........................................................ 59
Index........................................................ 158
Apple......................................................... 63
About the Author..................................... 160
Fabric......................................................... 67
Acknowledgments.................................... 160
Objects & Animals.......................... 58
Leaf............................................................ 72 Glass.......................................................... 76 Bird............................................................ 80 Cat............................................................. 84 Orange....................................................... 88
INTRODUCTION I hear it all the time: “I can’t draw.” Let’s explore what that means. Drawing is simply the act of making marks on a surface, something anyone can do, and there are many reasons why people draw. Drawing can be abstract, expressive, imaginative, narrative, or simply a means to work through a particular problem. It can be everything from a simple mark on a surface to a highly rendered reproduction of a photograph. What most people mean when they say, “I can’t draw,” though, is “I can’t make a drawing that looks realistic.” This book explores realism, but I hope it doesn’t limit you to drawing in a particular way. My hope is to deliver an expansive view of drawing by providing fundamental tools to help develop hand-eye coordination and observational skills. I use the term
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“optical drawing” to describe the process of looking and drawing with the intention of creating an image representing what you observe. From this foundation, you can leap into as many forms of art-making as can be imagined. I hope you explore abstraction as well as classical realism. Dive into illustration or graphic design. Embrace conceptual and socially engaged work. Express excitement through wild marks, or let the process bring meditative peace. The point is, let this book be a beginning, not an end. My core belief, and the mantra by which I create, is “Marks are thoughts.” The marks we make originate as mental energy, traveling down our arms, through our hands, into our pencils, and onto our paper, like a seismograph recording the Earth’s energy
during an earthquake. Drawing is a powerful and often undervalued human act. Through mark-making, we can look back in time at ancient cave drawings created more than 40,000 years ago to find a shared human connection with that unknown individual. We can look at Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches and see the inner workings of a genius. And you can look at your own drawings and see marks that express your unique mind. I hope this is the start of something great for you. You’re in charge of what drawing means to you. —Scott
CHAPTER 1
Basic Materials & Approaches
In this chapter, we’ll go over essential materials and what to look for as you experiment to find what works for you. You’ll learn about drawing materials and how to use them, as well as thoughts on observation, how to improve your drawings through practice, making corrections, challenging yourself, and finishing.
ART SUPPLIES If you’re just starting out on your drawing adventure, it can be helpful to narrow your options and focus on the fundamentals of drawing before exploring the innumerable options for drawing materials available. The demonstrations in this book will be completed using the commonly available materials of graphite and charcoal. The papers, erasers, and additional tools are also widely available and easy to find. My hope is that you’ll explore a wide variety of drawing materials to find what works best for you.
Experimenting with new materials can be a great way to build and solidify your understanding of these concepts, so I encourage you to try these drawing exercises with various media. If an exercise in this book is completed using graphite, you might also try it with charcoal, for example. Drawing is a relationship between an artist, materials, and a surface. It’s helpful to use quality art materials, but you can make a great drawing with anything that makes a mark. If you have the urge to draw, do it. Don’t wait until
you have the “right” materials! However, if you’re at a point where you’re intending your drawings to last, you’ll want to use higher quality materials, especially your paper, which will be discussed later in this chapter. As you continue to build your drawing habit, you may enjoy exploring other drawing media. Manufacturers are constantly developing new products and refining current lines, including wax-based or oil-based products.
Learn the Basics, and You Can Draw Anything
Drawing is a lifelong pursuit that favors a slow, steady approach, but your growth will also come in rapid bursts. This hare, drawn with graphite, is an example of one type of subject you’ll be equipped to tackle throughout this book once you learn the basics. Take your time to master these fundamentals, then you’re off!
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Graphite
Graphite is one of the first drawing materials many of us are exposed to. Think of those yellow school pencils we start writing with. Those common pencils hold a special place in my heart and I consider them to be one of my favorite art materials. Why? Because they are easy to find, versatile, and they encourage spontaneity. As you build your own drawing habit, however, you’ll most likely want to explore some of the artist-grade materials available. It can be confusing at first, seeing those large sets of professional pencils on the rack of your local art supply store. With just a bit of context, however, you can build your confidence. While I don’t feel comfortable telling you precisely what to buy, I can provide some context for your exploration. Graphite starts as a naturally occurring or artificially made mineral, which is ground to a powder and mixed with clay and water. The mix is hardened to use
as a drawing material. Graphite can be used in blocks and sticks, but it’s commonly found in pencils, with the graphite and clay being extruded into thin rods and encased in wood. The ratio between the graphite powder and clay affects the hardness and tone (lightness or darkness) of the material. With more clay in the mix, the drawing material becomes harder and lighter. With more graphite in the mix, the material becomes softer and darker. Graphite pencils often indicate this on the casing through the use of an alphanumeric code, such as 4H, HB, 2B, 4B, etc., representing a range of grades from hard to soft. Pencils identified with an H are harder, while those identified with a B are softer. There is also an F rating, which stands for firm (slightly harder than HB). The number in front of each letter describes the hardness. The higher the H value, the harder and lighter the graphite. The higher the B value, the softer and darker.
These codes are generally consistent between pencil manufacturers, but they can vary. A 2B pencil by one manufacturer may be equivalent to a 4B from another. The quality of graphite can also vary. You may find some pencils are smoother, scratchier, shinier, duller, stronger, or more brittle. Through experimentation, you’ll come to find what works best for you. I usually prefer to use a softer material, like an 4B or higher graphite pencil. However, in this book, I also use H pencils, which are fairly hard, as well as B pencils, which are softer. While many artists use harder, lighter pencils to initiate a drawing, I find that softer materials work best for me. With harder pencils, I can sometimes scratch or emboss the paper, which can give me trouble later on in the drawing. With softer graphite, I may need to use a delicate touch to make lighter marks, but those marks can be gentler on the surface.
Graphite Drawing Materials 9
8. REFINING DETAILS AND DOOR Fill in more values and details, then use the rubber eraser to refine the door as well.
ANALYZE YOUR WORK Analyze your drawing to determine what worked well and what could use improvement. What would you do differently if you were to create this drawing again? What parts were challenging? What did you discover? Here are some things to consider for a second attempt: • Did you have trouble erasing the charcoal? This is typically an issue with the paper, so experiment with another brand of paper. • Are you looking for finer lines and details? Try this drawing with graphite and smooth paper.
9. FINISH Finish up the rest of the shadow details. You can decide what details and shading would make the drawing feel finished. In this example, there are no details added to the landscape in the distance, and the ground is left as a sketch. You can choose to erase any old marks and clean up the drawing or leave the ghostly image of the initial gesture.
• Would you like more depth in the drawing? Look at the edges and line variations. Use lighter marks in the distance and harder, darker marks in the parts that are closer. • Does something seem off with the windows and doors? Double-check the proportions, starting by looking at the width of the windows. Check the negative space and look at the spaces between them. Make sure the vertical edges are straight. Keep the marks light. If the window lines are too dark, they can appear too heavy and compete for attention with the main structure of the building.
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Understanding Value Contrast Earlier in this section, you were introduced to the difference between high contrast and low contrast. The greater the difference between steps on the value scale, the higher the contrast. The smaller the difference between values, the lower the contrast. You can use contrast to create the illusion of depth through the use of atmospheric perspective, with the general principle being areas closest to the viewer have higher
contrast, and areas receding farther from the viewer have lower contrast. This approach to value contrast is particularly helpful with landscapes. We’re highly sensitive to subtle value changes, particularly when we focus intensely on the subject. You may find that squinting and blurring your vision help you see value relationships more accurately. Practice this in your own surroundings by sharply focusing on any object in the distance. Then,
with your eyes locked on the same object, squint and let your eyes lose focus. Take note of what part of the object seems to disappear or blend together. When that happens, it’s an indication that the parts that blend together are more similar in value than you may have initially observed. Allowing your eyes to come in and out of focus as you draw will help you to observe value relationships with greater accuracy.
BACKGROUND VALUES
MIDDLE GROUND VALUES
FOREGROUND VALUES
Value Contrast Range
Compare the values in the reference image to a complete value scale. The landscape can be simplified into three distinct areas: • Background (the sky and distant mountains) • Middle ground (closer hills) • Foreground (the large trees, road, and ground plane) The value scale on the right can be used to compare the contrast in the three main areas. The background consists of lighter values that are close together on the scale. The middle ground consists of values that are closer together in the middle of the scale. The foreground consists of values that are of higher contrast, including the darkest values.
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5. FLOWER CENTER REFERENCE Use this reference photo to focus on details in the center of the flower.
6. FLOWER CENTER DETAILS Add details using the softer 4B graphite pencil. Use hatching and crosshatching to darken the center, suggesting light and shadow shapes. 61
7. CREATE FORM AND DIMENSION
CHAP TER 3: OB JEC TS & ANIMAL S
With the soft 4B graphite pencil, use cross-contour and hatching lines to start creating form and dimension in the outer petals.
8. FINISH DETAILS AND CLEAN UP
Use the soft 4B graphite pencil to refine the contour lines on the outer petals. Add details and clean up with kneaded and rubber erasers.
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6. REFINE THE BACKGROUND Refine the background with a 2B charcoal pencil.
7. CREATE SHARP EDGES
Use a strip of paper to create sharp edges.
CHAP TER 3: OB JEC TS & ANIMAL S
8. FINISH THE OPENING AND HIGHLIGHTS
Shift your focus to the opening of the glass. Use the 2B charcoal pencil to establish the darks, then use a rubber eraser to clean the light areas and lines along the edge of the opening. Pull out some highlights in other parts of the glass as well.
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Bird
This silhouetted heron perched on a log presents some unique opportunities to build your drawing skills! In this project, you’ll practice drawing the form of the bird and capturing the subtle texture of the feathers. The reflections and ripples in the water may look challenging, but following these steps will make it less intimidating. WHAT YOU’LL NEED
• Smooth white drawing paper, 9” x 12”
• • • •
3H and 4B graphite pencils Blending stump Rubber and kneaded erasers Paper towel or soft rag
CHAP TER 3: OB JEC TS & ANIMAL S
1. BLURRED REFERENCE Use this simplified, blurred reference to establish a quick gesture drawing in step 2.
2. GESTURE DRAWING Use a 3H graphite pencil with an overhand grip for light, loose marks. 80
REFERENCE
CHAP TER 3: OB JEC TS & ANIMAL S
6. MORE SHADOW DETAILS Wipe down the drawing using a soft paper towel or rag. Use a blending stump to smooth marks and indicate more shadow details.
7. REFINE SHAPES
Refine larger shapes using a 2B charcoal pencil with rubber and kneaded erasers.
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8. SHARPEN EDGES AND START TO ADD DETAILS
Use a soft 4B charcoal pencil to sharpen edges further and add details to the darks. Use an overhand grip to suggest fine details in the fur.
6. REFINE THE BACKGROUND Refine the shape of the orange and start on the background using a 2B charcoal pencil. Use an overhand grip to create fine lines that suggest the grain of the wood surface, and refine the orange shape with an eraser.
7. RENDER SHADOWS
Render the shadows of the peel with a 2B charcoal pencil using an overhand grip. Smooth marks and add details overall using a blending stump. Then use a rubber eraser to clean up the light areas and lines along edges.
CHAP TER 3: OB JEC TS & ANIMAL S
8. CONTINUE FRUIT SHADOWS
Render the shadows of the fruit using the 2B charcoal pencil with an overhand grip. Once again, smooth marks and add details using a blending stump. Then use a rubber eraser to clean up light areas and lines.
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CHAPTER 4
People & Portraits
The projects in this section focus on the human form. You will draw various body parts and facial features to challenge your drawing ability. These complex and forms provide unique opportunities to further develop your skills with proportions, value relationships, shading, and edges.
Features, Faces, and Figures
People provide an endless supply of great subjects for drawing! In this chapter, you’ll build essential skills for drawing people, from studies of individual features to full portraits. After completing these projects, you might try taking on subjects like this, capturing the expressive quality of eyes, then move on to larger drawings featuring full figures.
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6. REFINE THE LARGE SHAPES Refine large shapes with an H pencil. Use an overhand grip to keep marks light. Clean up old angle-sighting, measurement lines, and gesture marks using your rubber or kneaded eraser.
7. REFINE THE PROFILE
Refine the profile by looking closely at the negative space in the darker background.
CHAP TER 4: PEOPLE & PORTR AITS
8. ESTABLISH DARKER FORMS
With an H graphite pencil, establish larger dark forms. Use an overhand grip to create broad marks and avoid getting caught up in details. Use a blending stump to smooth these areas, following the direction of the flowing hair.
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CHAP TER 4: PEOPLE & PORTR AITS
6. ESTABLISH LARGE SHADOW SHAPES With a 2B charcoal pencil and an overhand grip, establish large shadow shapes. Clean up excess angle-sighting and measurement marks with a rubber or kneaded eraser. Focus on the edge of the forehead, cheek, jaw, and left chin (to your right), along with other shadows and darks.
7. BEGIN TO REFINE DETAILS
Use the blending stump to render the details on the light side of the portrait, particularly focusing on the eyes and lips. Notice the eyes and lips are suggested as subtle shapes with just a few contour lines. Use a 4B charcoal pencil to further shade the darks, bringing depth to the darkest parts in the larger shadow shapes. Blend and smooth using a blending stump.
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Woman
Complete this portrait of a woman with charcoal, focusing on capturing her likeness through accurate proportions, value control, and delicate lines. The turn of the head and strong lighting make this a great practice exercise to build your portrait drawing skills! WHAT YOU’LL NEED
• Charcoal paper, 8” x 10” or larger
• • • • •
Vine charcoal 2B and 6B charcoal pencils Rubber and kneaded erasers Blending stump Paper towel or soft rag
CHAP TER 4: PEOPLE & PORTR AITS
1. BLURRED REFERENCE Use this simplified, blurred reference to establish a quick gesture drawing in step 2.
2. GESTURE DRAWING Use fine charcoal with an overhand grip to create light, loose marks, quickly establishing a gesture drawing. 116
REFERENCE
9. FINISH
Add final details to the remaining parts of the drawing. Use a rubber eraser to lift hair highlights. Use the 6B graphite pencil with an overhand grip to create the fine, dark lines in the shadows. Smooth areas of the face with a blending stump and soften the background with a paper towel or rag as needed.
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CHAPTER 5
Scenes & Skies
Landscapes, buildings, and natural elements are subjects for the projects in this section. You’ll test your understanding of value relationships, challenge your skills with perspective, and learn to trust your materials to suggest details rather than be overwhelmed by them.
Enjoy the Scenery
The landscape offers an endless supply of subjects, from wide-open spaces like this drawing of the Grand Canyon, to the house next door. Practice with the projects in this section to help you take on more complex landscapes, or stick to simple nature studies. A large subject like this can seem overwhelming, but once you learn the basics taught here, you can do it!
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3. ANGLE-SIGHTING
Correct angles and proportions in step 5 below using this angle-sighting guide. This helps to establish the large shapes before applying details.
CHAP TER 5: SCENES & SKIES
4. IDENTIFY PROPORTIONS This measurement guide uses the height of the road to compare to the height and width of the tree. Notice here how the height of the tree is three times greater than the height of the road. The width of the tree is then slightly greater than its height.
5. ADJUST PROPORTIONS Use a light overhand grip and 3H graphite pencil to keep your marks light. Transfer the angles and measurements from the reference images directly onto your drawing.
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8. FINISH THE TREE
CHAP TER 5: SCENES & SKIES
Refine the entire shape of the tree using the medium F pencil. Use an overhand grip, relying on the tooth of the paper to suggest the texture of the leaves. Add the darker shadows using the softer 6B graphite pencil.
9. FINISH THE ROAD Finish the road with both the F and 6B pencils. Use a blending stump to smooth and add texture to the ruts in the road. Then, lift light lines in the road using a rubber eraser. 128
River
Play with depth, atmospheric perspective, and texture in this scene. Using gray-toned paper challenges your understanding of value contrast to create depth. Try not to get overwhelmed by the texture of the water and grasses in the foreground, and simply enjoy the mark-making process! WHAT YOU’LL NEED
• Gray-toned drawing paper, 9” x 12”
• • • • • •
Vine charcoal 2B and 4B charcoal pencils White charcoal pencil Rubber or kneaded eraser Paper towel or soft rag Blending stump
1. BLURRED REFERENCE
CHAP TER 5: SCENES & SKIES
Use this simplified, blurred reference to establish a quick gesture drawing in step 2.
2. GESTURE DRAWING Use vine charcoal with an overhand grip for light, loose marks to quickly establish the larger shapes. 134
REFERENCE
7. DRAW THE BACKGROUND MOUNTAINS
Smooth the background mountains for an even tone using a paper towel or rag. Finish the background with an H pencil. Use an overhand grip to keep the marks lighter where they need to be, using atmospheric perspective to make each line of mountains lighter as they recede. Clean up old angle-sighting, measurement lines, and gesture marks using your rubber or kneaded eraser in that area.
8. REFINE THE MIDDLE GROUND
CHAP TER 5: SCENES & SKIES
Finish the middle ground with an F graphite pencil for middle values and a 6B pencil for the darker trees. Blend between layers with a paper towel or rag and use a blending stump to further refine this area. Use a rubber eraser to lift light areas and create a variety of marks.
9. START THE FOREGROUND Using a soft 6B graphite pencil, add details to the foreground. Use an overhand grip to create broad strokes that reveal the tooth of the paper. Leave general paths for the tracks, which will be refined in the final step.
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9. MORE SILO DETAILS AND GROUND Continue using the straightedge, 6B pencil, and rubber eraser to add silo details. Draw the ground plane using the F and 6B graphite pencils with an overhand grip to reveal the tooth of the paper to simulate grass and rocks. These marks contrast against the sharp edges of the buildings.
10. FINISH
Finish the drawing by adding details to the remaining building and ground. Clean up the drawing using the rubber and kneaded erasers as needed.
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Clouds
Clouds are one of those subjects that we often start drawing at a young age. For this project, we’ll look closely and work on creating realistic clouds catching beautiful late-afternoon light. You’ll need to rely on your skills with value and texture for this assignment. WHAT YOU’LL NEED
• Gray-toned drawing paper, 9” x 12”
• • • • •
Vine charcoal 2B and 4B charcoal pencils Blending stump Rubber and kneaded erasers White charcoal pencil
CHAP TER 5: SCENES & SKIES
1. BLURRED REFERENCE Use this simplified, blurred reference to establish a quick gesture drawing in step 2.
2. GESTURE DRAWING Use vine charcoal with an overhand grip for light, loose marks to quickly establish the larger dark shapes. 150
REFERENCE
CHAP TER 5: SCENES & SKIES
6. CONTINUE TO REFINE THE DARKS Keep refining the darks using a blending stump. Use rubber and kneaded erasers to clean up unwanted lines and refine the dark shapes further.
7. MAP SHADOWS IN LIGHT AREAS
Start mapping out the shadow shapes in the light areas of the clouds using a blending stump.
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8. BLOCK IN LIGHTS
Use the white charcoal pencil with an overhand grip to block in the light areas. Refine the shapes of the clouds in the light areas. Smooth and shape these areas with a clean blending stump (it needs to be clean so that you don’t drag any unwanted darks into your light areas).
9. FINISH Continue using the white charcoal pencil and establish the brightest highlights using greater pressure. Smooth and shape these areas with a clean blending stump. If needed, use the 2B charcoal pencil in the negative space behind the white clouds to sharpen edges and details. 153
Waterfall
The star of this project is the falling water, but the entire landscape is important here. Start with the large forms, then move into the finer details to pull this drawing together. It’s easy to be intimidated by all the trees, but trust the process and your materials to suggest those details. WHAT YOU’LL NEED
• • • • • •
Charcoal or rag paper, 9” x 12” Vine or willow charcoal stick Rag or paper towel 2B and 4B charcoal pencils Rubber and kneaded erasers Blending stump
1. BLURRED REFERENCE
CHAP TER 5: SCENES & SKIES
Use this simplified, blurred reference to establish a quick gesture drawing in step 2.
2. GESTURE DRAWING Use the vine charcoal with an overhand grip to do a quick initial drawing. Gently wipe down with a rag or paper towel. 154
REFERENCE
6. REFINE LARGE SHAPES
CHAP TER 5: SCENES & SKIES
Continue to work on the large shapes of the drawing using a 2B charcoal pencil, rubber and kneaded erasers, and blending stump.
7. ADD BACKGROUND DETAILS
Add background details using a 2B charcoal pencil, rubber eraser, and blending stump. Sketch the trees using an overhand grip with short, varied, horizontal strokes.
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INDEX A
E
L
analyzing your work 53 angle-sighting 48 apple 63–66 art supplies 8–12 blending stump 12, 24 charcoal 10, 11, 32 eraser 12 graphite 9, 11, 32 paper 11, 54 sharpener 12 atmospheric perspective 54–57
edge 46 egg 29–37 ellipse 17 eraser 12 eyelashes 41 eyes 38–44, 104–107
landscape 54–57 layering 24 leaf 72–75 light and shadow 29–37, 40 line, contour 21 cross-contour 22 horizon 52 plumb 48 shape versus 18 skill, developing 15–22 straight 46 linear perspective 45–53 line of termination 34 low contrast 32
F
B
fabric 67–71 farm 146–149 flower 59–62 form shadow 34 freehand straight line 46
bird 80–83 blending stump 12, 24
G
C cast shadow 34 cat 84–87 charcoal 10, 11, 32 charcoal paper 11 child 120–123 clouds 150–153 compressed charcoal 10, 11 contour line 21 contrast 32, 55 correcting 13 cotton rag paper 11 country road 125–128 cross-contour line 22 crosshatching 30 cup 15–22
gaze, indirect 33 gesture drawing 19 glass 76–79 graphite 9, 11, 32 grip, pencil 16, 17, 24
depth and scale 48–49 dimensional hatching 31 directional marks 40 disjointed hatching 31 drawing, gesture 19 negative 25, 26 optical 13 drinking glass 76–79
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man 112–115 mark-making 41 masking 46 modified grip 16 mouth 100–103
H hair 40, 96–99 hand 93–95 hatching 30, 31 heron 80–83 high contrast 32 highlight 34 horizon line 52 horizontal guide 49 house 129–133
I D
M
illusions, value 33 indirect gaze 33 intersection point 49 isometric perspective 47
K kneaded erasers 12 knife, utility 12
N negative drawing 25, 26 nose 104–107
O objects and animals 58–91 apple 63–66 bird 80–83 cat 84–87 fabric 67–71 flower 59–62 glass 76–79 leaf 72–75 orange 88–91 old schoolhouse 45–53 one-point perspective 47 optical drawing 13 orange 88–91 overhand grip 16, 17, 24
P paper 11, 54 parallel hatching 31 pencil, charcoal 10 graphite 9 holding 16, 17, 24 people and portraits 92–123 child 120–123 eyes and nose 104–107 hair 40, 96–99 hand 93–95 man 112–115 mouth 100–103 skull 108–111 woman 116–119 perspective atmospheric 54–57 isometric 47 linear 45–53 one-point 47 two-point 47 plumb line 48 positive space 25
schoolhouse 45–53 shadow and light 29–37, 40 shadow shape 34 shape 18, 23–28, 34 sharpener 12 skills 14–57 atmospheric perspective 54–57 landscape drawing 54–57 light and shadow 29–37 line 15–22 linear perspective 45–53 shape 23–28 texture 38–44 skull 108–111 smooth drawing paper 11 space 25, 26 squinting 33, 35, 41 stones 40 straightedge 46 straight line 46 subtractive masking 46 sunset 142–145
R
T
rag paper 11 railroad 138–141 razor blades 12 rhythmic marks 41 river 133–137 rough charcoal paper 11 rubber erasers 12
terminator 34 texture 38–44 tomato 23–28 tone 26, 30–31 toned paper 54 tree bark 40 tripod grip 16, 17 truth 13 two-point perspective 47
S scale and depth 48–49 scenes and skies 124–157 clouds 150–153 country road 125–128 farm 146–149 house 129–133 railroad 138–141 river 133–137 sunset 142–145 waterfall 154–157
value illusions 33 value scale 32, 54 value wash 30 vanishing point 47, 52 vine charcoal 10, 11
W waterfall 154–157 willow charcoal 10, 11 woman 116–119
U utility knife 12
V value, about 24 creating 30–31 relative 33 understanding 32 value contrast 55 159
About the Author Scott Maier is a professional artist, instructor, and video producer in Fort Collins, Colorado. Originally from Bath, Maine, he has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art and a Master of Fine Arts in painting from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. He has taught at various colleges and universities for more than fifteen years and is Artists Network’s video producer. He gives live drawing lessons weekly on his popular livestream, “Drawing Together, with Artists Network,” on the ArtistsNetwork YouTube channel—which has 297,000 subscribers and more than 37 million views.
Acknowledgments Thank you to all who have guided me throughout my journey. To my parents, who nurtured my artistic dreams. To all the teachers and fellow artists who’ve expanded my knowledge. To Owen, Elliott, and Teryn, to Rachel and Britton, Amy, Erik, Kathleen, Mike, Christy, Erik, Lucile, and Sawyer, and all my family and friends. Your love and support mean more to me than I can describe and I thank you all deeply for it. To you, readers, who’ve allowed me to play a role in your artistic growth, thank you. It’s humbling to know that you’ve trusted me to help you on your journey. Trust yourself. Never stop learning. Never stop growing. Your work is a statement that says, “I was here,” whether you keep your work private, or share it with the world. —Scott
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ART TECHNIQUES • DRAWING
Learn to draw realistically with 30+ step-by-step drawing demonstrations! Drawing is fun, but it also takes practice and patience. This book provides support and direction for beginners to establish healthy, steady habits while learning the basics of drawing. You’ll work through a set of easy-to-follow decisions to act on throughout the process:
• See: Sharpen your skills of observation • Think: Improve the choices you make with your art • Draw: Get subjects down on paper more accurately These exercises are designed to help you explore specific topics, techniques, and concepts, allowing you to master one skill before moving on to another. You’ll learn to apply the same approach to any of your favorite subjects, no matter what they are, and enjoy successful results. So let’s get drawing together!
$24.99 US • $32.99 CAN ISBN: 978-1-68462-040-1
