Everything is created from something. In this lesson, I’m going to show you the building blocks I use to create my illustrations.
Simply knowing how to draw lines and basic shapes is all you need to create more complex drawings.
Let’s start with the basics – Straight Lines!
(1) Anyone can draw a dot. And if you can draw a dot…
(2) …Then you can draw a line
(3) Lines can be drawn in a repetitive sequence to form a pattern. Here we have a pattern of horizontal lines and vertical lines.
But do you know what’s even cooler than vertical and horizontal lines?
(4) Designs become way more interesting when you incorporate diagonal lines.
Getting sick of straight lines? Then by golly…
…Wait until I tell you about Curves!
Curves are another great tool for creating interesting designs. The two main types of curves are C-Curves (5) and S-Curves (6).
In art, things can be simplified, as long as the message is still there. If you simplify the C-Curve and S-Curve into straight lines and angles. they are no longer curves, but you can still see a C and an S.
We’ve just covered lines and curves…
Let’s now build things up a bit more…
(7) If we put these simple curves into a repetitive pattern, they become a Wave.
(8) And straight lines and angles become a Zig-Zag.
Now! Let’s talk about Line Variation (9). This can be done by pushing your pen on your surface at different levels of pressure, or just using pens with different brush sizes.
I’ve included a dotted line on the right to show you that you can create the illusion of a thinner line by breaking up your line into smaller parts.
Being able to draw lines is super important. And if you can draw a line…
…You can draw a Shape!
(10) For lack of a more interesting caption: this is a Square, a Circle and a Triangle
These shapes look awfully empty, so let’s look at some shading…
Shading is just lines
give this square some shading, using some simple thin lines. Now let’s make the shading twice as dark by adding another layer of lines. This is a simple form of a cross hatch.
And let’s say that you don’t want to see any white in your square at all, then just simply fill it entirely with black.
Where to From Here?
Once you are confidently able to draw lines and shapes, you will be able to use them to design drawings.
I have drawn six heads here – each one is similar to the one before it, but with a gradual increase in complexity.
If you can draw Face 1, then you can definitely draw Face 6. All you need is a few more lines and shapes.
Mini Challenge
Fill a page with the lines and shapes that we’ve covered in this lesson. Repetition will lead to more confident and accurate designs!
Once you’ve warmed up, have a go at drawing the six heads!
