Drawing: The Sketch

A great artist can easily be compared to a great engineer as both must lay out the foundations of their project before setting their final draft into motion.  Many who struggle with art may not realize the importance of planning out a project, as it is one of the most crucial steps in producing a masterpiece.  When it comes to drawing, this preparation phase is often referred to as the “sketch.”  A sketch is an artist’s way of putting down his or her ideas to paper in the most simple way possible.  The images created are often refined later in the drawing process to create the final picture; a sketch is integral for the groundworks which it sets.  However, creating the perfect sketch comes with a number of obstacles  — many of which are a result of incorrect proportions, and an inability to determine where to begin when tackling a detailed image.  Both problems are easy to fix; however, it will require time and a little practice.  

The most simple way to find the perfect proportions may seem like the most obvious: before sketching a scene with items of varying shapes and sizes, take some time to study everything you observe.  Make sure to take note of the various dimensions of each object, and try to get a good idea of where everything is positioned in relation to each other using placemarks.  Once you finally have an idea of your subject’s proportions, it is important to lay out the basic figure of the object.  To accomplish this, you must recognize that everything visible can be broken down into basic geometric shapes and components.  For example, a human head taken from a profile perspective should be broken down into roughly two components: a circular shape for the back of the skull, and a rectangular shape for the jaw.

Photo Credit: http://www.drawinghowtodraw.com/drawing-lessons/tutorials/Newspaper-Art/drawing-the-human-figure_newspaper-art-word-text_Picture8.png