How to learn to draw sketches for beginners. What is sketching? Setting up a comfortable place for drawing

Canadian illustrator, portrait painter and forensic artist Brenda Hoddinott uses a variety of drawing tools such as graphite, technical pen, colored pencils, chalk pastels, charcoal, crayons and oil pastel. Today she shares her tips for creating quick sketches from life:

"Rough sketches are usually drawn very quickly, sometimes in less than a minute. The benefit of these sketches is the process itself, to get the hang of it. It doesn't necessarily mean creating a stunning piece of art! So your goal is to capture a mood, words or gestures and draw them on paper.

This lesson contains basic information and Useful tips for drawing quick sketches. It is recommended for all artists. It is easy to perform both at home and in art schools.

Necessary materials: pencils with hardness 2H, HB, 2B, 4B and 6B, vinyl eraser or kneading (special plastic eraser - approx.), sharpener, sandpaper and drawing paper good quality.

LOOKING AT THE SKETCHES.

A few simple sketches presented in this section will demonstrate how just a few lines can quickly and accurately convey basic shapes and volumes. human body. Drawing sketches is the creation of a rough, quick drawing or outline of the depicted object. Only in some cases can a sketch be considered a finished work of art.

Outline drawing consists of several quick lines that outline the edges of the depicted object. Contours are formed when the edges of a space or object close in. Contours can be used to convey an entire object, its small sections, and even small details.

A competition sketch falls into one of the following categories:
1. Rough sketch - a quick drawing to convey the basic pose.
2. Gesture Sketch – depicts past, current or potential movements.
3. Action sketch – quickly conveys certain actions or movements.

Needless to say, looking at the model is just as important as drawing. By at least I spend half of my time carefully studying the contours of my models' bodies.

Each of these sketches was drawn in less than 5 minutes. They dont have complex parts like faces or fingers and toes:

Quick sketches should not contain a lot of details, precisely adjusted proportions or anatomically correct shapes.
Proportion is the ratio of the size of one component of a pattern to another.
Volume is conveyed in a drawing using shadows; they can convey the three-dimensionality of an object - this is how a circle turns into a sphere. The sketch can convey volume by emphasizing the contours of various anatomical elements.

Look carefully at the thin light lines under the dark ones in my drawing. These lines helped me outline the correct proportions before clearly drawing the outline. As you can see, the final version is not drawn exactly on top of the construction lines. Looking at the model while working, I constantly made adjustments to the drawing.

Sketching is a continuous process, and only after trying it will you be able to fully understand it. The more often you draw people, the better you will get at it. This will allow you to become more familiar with the shapes, contours and volumes of the human body.

To allow yourself to experience this sketching process, I highly recommend that you try each of the sketches in this section. It is much easier to learn how to draw sketches from other sketches than from a photo or, especially, from a live model.

Your goal is not to create realistic drawing, but simply collect and depict a sufficient number of details so that you can understand that the sketch is a living person.

CHOOSE A MODEL.

Practice drawing non-living models first, such as photos/sketches of people or mannequins, before your skills become established and your drawing speed increases. Then, once you feel relaxed and enjoy combining your speed with precision, you can start drawing from life.

When you draw a relaxed person, calm person, these feelings are involuntarily transferred to the drawing. Family and friends should be pretty honored if you ask permission to draw them. Sketching greatly develops visual memory. Try drawing your loved ones while they are watching TV, or sitting relaxed in a chair in front of the fireplace, or doing their usual household chores...

I encourage you to sometimes take a few extra minutes to add extra details to your sketch. Below in the sketch young man, sitting in the lotus position, shows a little more detail than in previous sketches. While the hands remained outlined only in general outline, I depicted the face in more detail to convey emotions and feelings. This sketch took me about 15 minutes.

Compare my sketches of my grandson Brandon from the next lesson to the end of the lesson. Each drawing took from 15 to 30 minutes; I marked the main features of the face, fingers and toes, and simple details of clothing.

Drawing children is a lot of fun. Their poses and gestures are always very natural, and their bodies are surprisingly flexible. Some parts of the body bend easily different directions, while others can bend, turn or twist. Try drawing children! If you don’t have children in your family, at worst you can borrow a child from friends.

Most children simply cannot stand still for a long time, quickly switch attention from one subject to another, and, as a rule, are easily distracted, so it can be very difficult to draw children from life. Try following a child with a camera for just a few minutes and you will get enough references (photos that the artist consults during the drawing process - approx.) for a whole ton of sketches. Be patient and prepare to press the camera shutter button very quickly!

Also, take photographs of the adult model you plan to work with. Adults tend to feel more comfortable in front of a camera when they are focused on posing rather than on the fact that someone is watching them through the lens.

Most people have a better developed left hemisphere of the brain, and they are not used to working under the control of the right hemisphere, which is responsible for Creative skills. The process of quickly drawing doesn't have to involve your analytical left brain to analyze what you're doing.

Your creative right hemisphere likes to be imaginative and exaggerate a little. Therefore, you shouldn't expect everyone to like your sketches. Luckily, the more you practice, the faster your skills will develop and improve!

Make more sketches different people. When there is no model at hand, draw your reflection in the mirror. If for some reason you avoid drawing people, try drawing objects around you - dolls, stuffed animals, birds, squirrels and even pets! With each sketch, your drawings will get better and better.

THE BASIC PROCESS OF DRAWING SKETCHES.

In this section for five simple steps I'll show you how to draw sketches from live models or from high-quality photos. I will also tell you about drawing tools, and share some techniques and useful tips.

1. Select convenient tools

Sketching requires only drawing paper and pencils, although there are many other materials available. A hardcover sketchbook or sketchbook is ideal for drawing people. Sketchbooks come in different sizes, colors and types. If you are working with a live model, try using a sketchbook that is at least 16-20 inches in size (40-50 cm - approx.). A sketchbook or album can be placed on an easel, but only in a safe place so that it does not accidentally fall on the floor.

If you prefer to draw on separate sheets of paper rather than in a sketchbook, a tablet (drawing board, drawing board - approx.)– the best alternative. You can buy it at an art store, or, if you (or someone you know) has the tools, you can build it yourself. To do this, you simply need to cut a piece of thin plywood of the appropriate size and sand it to make it smooth.

Many art stores sell special tapes or clips for securing paper to the tablet. Personally, I prefer clips - the tapes can damage the paper.

It is preferable to draw on large sheets of paper as this will allow you to feel the freedom of movement of the shoulder and not just the wrist.

Soft pencils are more suitable for sketching than hard ones. Buy yourself a few soft pencils, from 2B to 8B.

2. Set up a comfortable place for drawing

You'll need a lot of paper, a couple of sharp pencils, and some objects to draw on!

When drawing quick, rough sketches, time yourself so you don't have to spend too much time on simple drawings and at the same time notice your progress. Over time, the lines will become more flexible and precise, and your powers of observation will increase. Start with a few one-minute sketches and gradually work your way up to five minutes, increasing in depth and detail.
Find a quiet place where no one will disturb you.
Keep art supplies on hand.
Place the drawing object in front of you, at a comfortable distance.

3. Check the proportions of the drawing object

With practice and patience, both speed and accuracy will come to you.
Keep a clock or timer nearby to keep track of time.
Close your eyes, relax, and take a few deep breaths for a few seconds before you start drawing.
Look carefully at the model and note the basic pose and general proportions.
Identify special shapes and visually measure proportions.
Mark areas where parts of the body bend, turn, stretch, or compress.
Note parts of the body where there are angles or asymmetries, such as when one shoulder is higher than the other.

4. Use simple lines to outline the shapes you see.

Start your sketch with thin lines to place the shape on the paper. Draw the final lines a little clearer.

Don't use an eraser or stencil to touch up your original sketch. It conveys the character of the sketch. You can draw sketches with a pen so that you are not tempted to erase any lines.
Look at the model more often. You should spend more time looking at the model than at the paper.
Try to convey the general pose as quickly as possible, without bothering with careful drawing of the details.
Press the pencil lightly until you feel that all the proportions are correct.
Notice and try to depict small movements - after all, even a slight bend of the back can add expressiveness to the drawing.
Draw as freely as possible, using your shoulder and not just your wrist.
Draw your sketches with long, flowing lines rather than short, broken strokes.
Keep in mind that almost all lines of the human figure, such as the line of the back, should be smooth and curved.
You can draw a few broken lines to highlight moving parts of the body or simply outline potential movement to breathe life into gestures and actions.
Pay attention to details, but don't try to convey them all absolutely accurately.
Constantly adjust the contours by drawing darker lines over light ones.
Don't overuse the eraser. Just draw new outlines on top of the old ones.

5. Check the object and make any final changes.

Check the proportions and adjust the drawing before the measured time runs out.
Take another sheet of paper (or turn the page of your sketchbook) and sketch your model from a different angle.

And finally: Draw five sketches a day for a month. If you don't have a model, find some photos of figures in motion, such as dancers or athletes. However, try to draw at least half of your sketches from life! You can even sit comfortably in a crowded place like a park and draw the people around you.

The first steps in drawing are perhaps most convenient to start with. Making sketches is quite simple and with their help you can learn to avoid serious ones when drawing in more detail.

Sketch like artist's notes

Any paper, pen or pencil is suitable for creating a sketch - the choice is yours. Small-sized sketches are like original notes made by an artist, sketches of a future painting. They are done without corrections, on the fly.

Sketches - assistants and drawing tools

Pencil sketches can serve as memory aids. With the help of sketches, you can quickly outline the main features of an object or make a quick sketch of the picture as a whole. Artists also often use sketches for general planning of the next painting. Without worrying about details, sketching allows you to quickly manipulate objects, the horizon, and other parts of your sketch to create future form or indicating movement.

How to draw sketches

Imagine your subject to be almost devoid of detail, as if you were looking askance or in low light. All that remains of your “hero” is just rough lines and some shapes. now make a rough little sketch. Maintain proportions and arrange objects (or orientation) as for the future large drawing. Clearly outline key shapes and use shading to define dark areas. And one more thing: there is no concept of “right / wrong” in a sketch - this is a completely individual work.

Adding Color

Sketches are convenient to use to indicate color spots for a future design. Pencils, markers, and watercolors are used. You don't have to paint the entire surface. It is enough to make only certain sketches that clearly show the colors, but do not distract from the main details.

Make notes and working sketches

Once you've created your sketch, you may want to make some other notes next to it. For example, about the position of the sun, the play of colors, or make a couple of very small sketches specific items. You can also make a working sketch. It can be the same size as the finished work. With the help of such sketches, you can work out problem areas in advance or more accurately depict some aspects of the picture.

Drawing a person can be the most vivid and profound experience in an artist's life. Today we have prepared for you advice from a famous Italian artist Giovanni Civardi from Drawing the Human Figure. Let this knowledge become a source of inspiration and creative stimulation, helping to convey moods and memories in the form of a drawing.

You can draw a human figure and a portrait using any materials - from pencils to watercolors. The pencil is the most common tool due to its low cost and versatility. Charcoal is great for making quick drawings with strong tonal contrast and is less suitable for detailing small parts̆. For ink, thick and smooth paper of good quality is recommended. Mixed media is a simultaneous combination different materials in one picture.

Experiment to find your own techniques that will bring out the most expression, and try to take advantage of random effects.

Basics of plastic anatomy

Artists study anatomy with the goal of meaningfully depicting the human figure. To reproduce it reliably, you need to not only see, but also understand what you are drawing.

Thanks to knowledge of anatomy, the image becomes more convincing and alive than nature itself.

In general, the shape of the body is determined by the skeleton as the main supporting structure, the muscles that cover it, and the upper layer consisting of fat. It is useful to learn and remember the relative sizes of the articulating bones and their proportions relative to each other and the entire skeleton, because without this information it is impossible to “translate” a figure onto paper and acquire the skill of logically and consistently depicting it.

Below are the main bones of the skull and neck along with skin, cartilage, fat, muscle, hair and more in layers.

Skeleton of the male torso, enclosed within the contours of the body, in the frontal, lateral and dorsal planes. These drawings will help expand your understanding of body shape.

Upper and lower limbs in different planes. As in the previous figure, the skeletal structure is shown within the contours of the body.

It is important for the artist to consider three main aspects of muscle: its appearance (shape, size, volume), location (where it is located relative to the skeletal structure and neighboring muscles, how deep or superficial) and its mechanism (function, direction of muscle pull, corresponding changes in shape and etc.).

Proportions

To make the drawing believable, it is necessary to take into account the proportions of the body and head. The height of the head from forehead to chin is often taken as a unit of measurement to determine body proportions. The height of a standard figure is approximately 7.5-8 heads. Remember a few more proportional relationships: the head fits three times into the total height of the body and neck, the length of the upper limbs is also equal to three heads, and the lower ones - three and a half.

Despite the differences between individuals, they can be divided into three main groups of types with similar characteristics within each - ectomorphs, mesomorphs and endomorphs.

Hands and feet

It is easy to understand why the hands and feet, with their structure and the variety of possible gestures, are considered the most difficult parts of the body to convincingly reproduce, both in drawing and in painting and sculpture.

Drawing your hands and feet is the best way to study them in as much detail as possible. You will be able to make sure that the resulting studies are quite decent, comparable to facial drawings, and maybe even more expressive.

First, a quick (but diligent) sketch is made in the desired angle and pose, then, using its “geometrization,” the necessary anatomical information and volume are conveyed, after which details and individual outlines are clarified.

Just as for the head and body, knowledge about the structure of the bones of the feet and hands will be useful.

Draw your own hands and feet in different positions. You can use a mirror. Take different objects in your hands and convey the dynamics and mood of the gesture in the drawing.

Head, face, portrait

The main interest for the artist has always been the face and figure. A portrait is not simply a reproduction of physical features for the purpose of recognizing a particular character. This is a story through facial expressions about his personality, thoughts and emotions.

We described in detail how to draw a head and facial features in the article.

Sketches of a man in a sketchbook

A sketch is a quick, spontaneous drawing from life, completed in a short time with a few informative lines. Drawing people in natural settings, who are not posing deliberately and probably have no idea that they are being looked at and depicted, will seem difficult at first. But there is no real reason to be afraid or lost - it is unlikely that anyone will pay attention to what you are doing.

Ability to portray strangers̆ in any position and under any circumstances is important for the development of technical skills and value judgment. And, of course, regular sketching practice will sharpen the gift of observation and interpretation, teach you to look deeper and make quick, confident, understandable and accurate decisions.

Some quick tips on how to sketch from life:

• Make it a habit to always carry a pencil and a small sketchbook - one that can easily fit into your bag or pocket - with you in case something catches your attention or seems interesting.
• It is worth striving to increase observation and the ability to isolate the main thing and at the same time coordinate visual perception, value judgment and hand movements while drawing.
• Don’t try to reflect on paper everything you see in real life. Given the limited amount of time and the risk of the model changing her pose at any second, focus on what matters most.
• To learn to use your memory to reproduce the sequence of basic phases of movement, you will need maximum concentration in observing people.

If you're still nervous about the idea of ​​drawing people from life (keep in mind that if someone notices what you're doing, some might be flattered and others might walk away in displeasure), drawing statues can help you mentally prepare for it and gain some confidence. and sculptures in museums or monuments in public places.

Find out if you can do sketches in the museum, and if so, feel free to go there and sketch the sculptures from different angles.

This is how drawing is taught in Paris - in the courtyard of the Louvre with sculptures.

Drawing stages

If you're drawing a whole figure (clothed or naked), you can first draw a few quick, light lines to outline the space it will occupy on the piece of paper ( maximum height, maximum width, etc.). Then outline the main body parts (head, torso and limbs) taking into account relative proportions.

Finish the drawing with significant outlines, shadows and details that cannot be omitted. Erase the construction lines if necessary.

In the book “Drawing the Human Figure,” each section is analyzed in as much detail as possible; there are detailed images of the human skeleton in different planes. It is described in detail how to draw the figure of a man, woman, child, elderly person, how to depict nudes and a person in clothes.

Sketches of a person occupy the first positions in importance in artistic practice among all types of quick drawing. Learning to sketch occupies the main part of the overall learning process. It is aimed at solving several problems in creating a full-fledged drawing of a person’s figure and separately his head. You can also gradually learn the living form and expand your horizons through this technique. So how to draw a sketch of a person?

Head

Mastering the sketching technique helps you learn how to select and display on paper the most characteristic and typical features object of contemplation, thus conveying the deep content of nature.

A sketch of a human head, done from life, must convey movement and proportions. Drawing from a photograph can only be done under the guidance of an experienced teacher. Therefore, sketching a person’s face in pencil in the early stages of learning is recommended from a living figure, thus the ratio of the parts of the face and head is respected.

Getting started, choosing a position

The small size of the sketch helps develop a sense of relationships and scales, and trains you to determine the proportions of the human body.
Work on the figure sketch takes place in a quiet home environment as part of the process of creating an educational drawing. Before starting a voluminous task, it is worth making a sketch to get acquainted with the shape or figure. Finally, sketch the person again to secure it.

If some parts of the form are not visible from your vantage point, change the location and make additional sketches. Make a sketch of the person in profile, from the front, and so on. The final drawing should have excellent conciseness and confidence in the depiction of nature. After some time, complete the sketch from memory, thus firmly consolidating the acquired knowledge.

Such classes should definitely be carried out when getting acquainted with the human figure. This contributes to the development of a constructive view of the figure and the embodiment of previously acquired anatomical foundations.

Sketch of a man in simple poses

It is necessary to start working with sketches by sketching a person in full height standing in a simple pose with a clear body position. You are given 15 to 20 minutes to sketch. Try to familiarize yourself with the pose by making sketches from different locations relative to nature.

When drawing a figure, it is important to start by determining the ratio of the mass of the body to the plane of the legs. To do this, imagine a vertical line from the inner ankle, which bears the entire load, upward. It determines the position of the remaining components of the figure.

Man sitting

A sketch of a seated human figure requires determining the relationship between the supporting plane and the direction of the body, that is, the pelvic plus the femoral part and the torso. Don't forget to mark the seat.

It is necessary to take into account the fact that the legs inevitably contract if the figure in the figure is in a half-turn or in full face.

Do not forget that, despite the general physiological structure, the features of the figure are unique and are present in each case. They must be shown in the drawing. The degree of completeness of the drawing depends on its purpose, but the most important thing is to display the essential in nature.

The clothing in the sketch is shown in a general way, and only those folds that emphasize shape or movement are shown. The integrity of the drawing and figure is paramount, and nature must be perceived as a whole.

Nude figure

The nude is drawn indoors in a sketch along with a full-fledged drawing. Such sketches can be easily done on your own on the beach or in sports activities, moreover, the speed of switching positions in such situations improves the generalization of vision.

You should start sketching a naked person by determining the supporting places and proportions. Pay attention to the ankle and knee joints, as well as the wrist, elbow and shoulder, pubis, navel, breast nipples and the location of the jugular fossa. Look for the internal connection in the relationship, not the pinpointing of points in a mechanical process.

It is important not to connect your vision with relative edge points, but to focus on the supporting points. To understand the plastic nature of the pose, it is necessary to understand the relationship between the horizontal lines of the shoulder and pelvic girdle. If the figure stands, leaning on two legs, then the line of the pelvis is almost parallel to the floor, and if one leg is free from weight, then the pelvis leans towards it.

If you are placed in front of a nature, determine the midline. From the back, use the vertical position of the spine; its mobility determines the position of the pelvic and shoulder girdles in different positions.

Further sketches are made without the use of auxiliary methods in constructing the figure. A sketch of a person should confidently and freely convey nature.

Study time does not provide a chance to study the plastic positions of the human figure through the creation of a long drawing. This problem can be solved by additional independent studies on sketches. The skills developed in the above way will help build story compositions with the inclusion of a person.

After exercises with simple poses, you should start practicing with a naked male figure in a turn.

Difficult positions, perspective

It is important to work out sketches of nature in complicated turns, tracking the midline of the torso from the pubis to the head in the bend. The back pattern pays attention to the spine.

Sketches of nudes in difficult positions are aimed at consolidating knowledge about the transfer of perspective cuts in live form. It should be taken into account that surfaces extending into the distance are greatly reduced, and frontally located planes are displayed in natural size. Perspective reduction of living things is based on rules for simple geometric bodies.

The nature for such sketches is located in a reclining position diagonally towards the artist, and the direction of the form goes deeper. Sufficient removal of nature from the painter contributes to the creation correct proportions, otherwise they may become distorted. Such sketches should show the design and harmony of the main forms that are located in different angles regarding you.

It is necessary to try out a sketch of a naked man in active movement, for example, while lifting a load or the like. These sketches convey the relationship between the support plane and the torso, as well as the tension in the muscles involved.

The staging of the two should be based on a plastic relationship.

Conclusion

Draw in every free minute, practice sketching the human body in a variety of poses and activities. For example, sketches of people at work should convey the features of the profession or work process. Graphic means should even reflect the worker’s attitude to his work through laconicism and sparseness of drawing. So now you know how to sketch a person. Good luck with your creativity!

In relation to drawing, it means sketch of the future drawing.

And literally, translated from English "sketch", it means "sketch","sketch", "sketch".

“Sketch is an ideal genre for a beginning artist.”

Drawing such sketches is quite simple. Sketch allows you to improve your skills, learn how to use a pencil and feel confident in your abilities. After such training, you can easily take on more complex work, which require detailed drawing and mastery of more complex materials.

“Everyone who starts with sketches then makes fewer drawing mistakes. "

Artists make their sketches as they go, without making any corrections to them. The sketch should be compact in size, no larger than a landscape sheet. For work, paper of any quality and density is used. The work is done with a pencil or pen.

Writers and journalists make notes in notebooks for future texts, and artists draw sketches for future paintings. At the same time, everyone has the same goal - to create short and quick notes with which you can quickly remember what you wanted to capture.

“The main thing is to catch and have time to transfer an important moment to paper. That's what a sketch is."

A few confident strokes on the clean surface of the sheet - and you get a sketch of the future picture, from which you can immediately see how objects are located or in what poses people are, all the features of the shape of this or that object are clearly visible. After some time, the artist returns to his sketch and uses it to draw the entire scene in detail. Sketches allow you to plan the main parts of the plot: the location and shape of objects, the horizon line, movement, shadows, and so on, without going into details.

“Working with sketches is a kind of exciting game. And like any game, it, of course, has its own rules. The main rule is to maintain the presence and location of the main elements.”

How to learn to draw high-quality and fast sketches?

The technique for performing the sketch is quite simple. The process includes three stages.

1. Look through the eyes of an artist. Squint, mentally dim the lights, and discard the details. Only the main lines of the shape will remain. Make a rough sketch, while maintaining the proportions and location of objects, the distance between them. Shade the dark areas.
2. Add color. Sketches are not always black and white. Sometimes, along with the location, size and shape of objects, it is necessary to record their color. Then pencils, markers, felt-tip pens, and watercolors are used. It is not necessary to paint the entire surface; the main thing is to show the presence and location of color spots.
3. Use notes. The drawing may contain any kind of notes and short notes. Sometimes artists sketch some details separately on the same sheet: for example, a sketch of a small gesture or facial expression.

An experienced mentor will help you master the art of sketching.

Our EurekUM Academy will always help you get in touch with the world of art. Works with us wonderful artist, our illustrious fellow countryman

PESTOV ANATOLY VASILIEVICH

Participant of city, group, family, regional, zonal, regional, interregional, republican, union, all-Russian, personal, international art and design exhibitions. Member of the Union of Artists of Russia.

In Anatoly Vasilyevich's classes, real miracles happen to children. Mischievous hands suddenly become obedient, whims give way to enthusiastic activity. Not even a month has passed before a real meaningful face of a person with a deep gaze is already looking at you from a sheet of paper. Guys who come to our circle for one course often stay in it for several years, which determines their future life path. No matter who our students grow up in the future, the art of quick sketches will forever provide the child with good taste And aesthetic view for life.

You can sign up for our club by calling 57-43-43.

Classes are held all year round. And during the holidays, Anatoly Vasilyevich happily teaches drawing to the pupils of our city camp.