Drawing Lesson 5 :: Hollow Cubes

We are continuing our weekly drawing class. We are using Mark Kistler’s book, You Can Draw in 30 Days. Instead of completing the book in 30 days, we plan to take 30 weeks, doing a new lesson each week and then spending time during the week practicing what we have learned. Although I am teaching the class, I am also student and learning every bit as much as the wee ones. Michelle has a degree in fine arts and she adds tons of helpful hints. It is a very exciting time for us all. If you would like to join us, simply pick up the book You Can Draw in 30 Days, and start at Drawing Lesson 1 :: The Sphere, and follow along at your own pace. Each Lesson will be linked to the first Lesson, the previous lesson and the next lesson. Happy Drawing!

Lesson 1 :: The Sphere

Lesson 4 :: Cubes

Lesson 6 :: Coming soon.

Last week in Lesson 4 :: Last week we began our study of cubes. The primary law of drawing we discussed was “foreshortening”. We learned to “squish” the top of our cube creating a 3-D affect. We also discussed “point of reference”, using the sides of the paper, and previously drawn lines, as a point of reference when drawing new parallel lines. Because of illness and spring vacation, it has been several weeks since our last lesson. To bridge the gap everyone was encouraged to take some of the concepts we have learning and apply them to their drawings. Below are some of our favorite drawings.

Pixie’s favorite from the last few weeks.

Fairy’s favorite 2 drawings from the past few weeks.

Bug’s favorite drawing from the past few weeks.

Kimara’s favorite drawings from the past few weeks.

This week we continued our study of cubes, focusing on hollow cubes. We discussed parallel and perpendicular lines. Parallel lines are two lines going in the same direction spaced equally apart. Perpendicular line are two lines that intersect at right angles to each other.

We discussed how most drawings do not use perpendicular lines, lines at 90 degree angles, but the angles tend to be “squished” or foreshortened. We all drew a foreshortened compass, or as Mark Kistler calls them, “Drawing Direction Reference Cubes”. This helps you position your lines consistently in proper alignment.

Of course, in all our drawings we are ever mindful of fundamental laws of drawing.

The Nine Fundamental Laws of Drawing – from Mark Kistler’s book :: You Can Draw in 30 Days

1. Foreshortening: Distort an object to create the illusion that one part of it is closer to your eye.
2. Placement: Place an object lower on the surface of a picture to make it appear closer to your eye.
3. Size: Draw an object larger to make it appear closer to your eye.
4. Overlapping: Draw an object in front of another object to create the visual illusion that it is closer to your eye.
5. Shading: Draw darkness on an object opposite the positioned light source to create the illusion of depth.
6. Shadow: Draw darkness on the ground next to the object, opposite the positioned light source, to create the illusion of depth.
7. Contour lines: Draw curving lines wrapping around the shape of a round object to give it volume and depth.
8. Horizon line: Draw a horizontal reference line to create the illusion that objects in the picture are varying distances from your eye.
9. Density: Create the illusion of distance by drawing objects lighter and with less detail.

Here is the classwork from today’s lesson.

Pixie’s Hollow Cube