Try this fun drawing exercise!
items needed:
-paper
-drawing utensil (pencil, pen, marker, crayon)
-object to draw (a real object works best but a photo or image will work too)
STEP 1 – SET UP YOUR SPACE
Set your object somewhere in front of you, far enough away or at an angle where you cannot see your hands while you are drawing. Drawing something across the room is usually a good space. Get yourself comfortable and take a few moments to study the object. Look at the lines and the shapes. When you are ready continue on to the next step
STEP 2 – GET READY TO DRAW
For this example I am using an image of an elephant on my computer screen.
Take your drawing item in your hand and place the tip somewhere on the paper. (Remember to give yourself enough space to draw, so not too close to the edge!) Put your eye on one spot on the edge of the object. As your eye traces the outline of the object your hand should be in sync with the movement of your eyes. Do not let your eyes speed ahead! Move slowly.
step 3 – draw your object (no peeking!)
Draw the outline of your object first, do not lift your pen from the paper. The drawing should be one continuous line. To start, just try the outline. If you are adventurous try some other details but do not lift your pen!
Once you get used to this exercise you might be impressed with the results. My elephant isn’t fantastic but you can see that the general outline is there. The slower you go, the more you let your hand mimic what your eye sees, the more accurate the lines will become.
RESULTS
Ok, so it looks maybe like a child has drawn this elephant. That’s okay. These are not meant to be perfect. Try it several times with different objects. You may be surprised to see that you get better with each attempt. Once you can connect your hand with your eyes it can help you sketch quicker, drawing what your eyes sees as it sees it. Please share your drawings! I’d love to see how everyone else is doing with the exercise!
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