Paint Draw Paint, with Ross Bowns

Drawing Basics: Value pattern and form

2021-08-10T00:39:00.002-07:00

Value is a powerful tool when illustrating the appearance of realistic form. When we look around our environment, we experience the three-dimensional aspects of the objects around us through the values we see. If we can interpret three-dimensional form as a collection of values, we are one step closer to drawing realistic form.

Value is a property of color. It is the color property that provides us with some of the information we need to understand the depth and dimensions of our environment.

The illusion of depth and sense of form is, in part, constructed through this color property. When we shade a drawing to show depth and dimension, we are setting up a value pattern. A value pattern is the arrangement of values into a visual structure.

Figure Drawing: Placing and sizing the eyes drawing demonstration

2021-08-01T12:00:00.008-07:00

This drawing demonstration is a follow-up video to the Figure Drawing: Placing and sizing the eyes presentation. In that presentation, we explored using proportions guides to place the eyes on the head.

In this presentation, we learn how to use these guidelines in our drawing practice. I demonstrate drawing the guidelines to place and size the eyes on the head when drawing the head accurately. I draw a basic head shape, then sketch the figure proportions guides we use to set up the positioning and size of the eyes.

If you would like more information about using the head proportions guides to set up the eye placement and size, click on the link below.

Figure Drawing: Placing and sizing the eyes

Enjoy drawing! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Figure Drawing: Placing and sizing the eyes

2021-07-25T13:00:00.015-07:00

One way to improve our ability to draw a face or head is to learn where the features fit relative to each other and their approximate sizes compared to the head.

To do this, we can turn to the figure proportions guides. These figure proportions guides are maps to drawing the human body created by artists who observed some commonalities between the shapes and forms of the body. They developed these guides based on these commonalities to help the rest of us.

We can draw a person more accurately and quickly using these proportional guides.

Today, we will look at some proportional guidelines to place and size the eyes correctly. Learning to position and size the eyes is a great place to start learning the proportions of the head. Using these guidelines not only helps us with the eyes, but it will also help us draw the facial features more accurately.

The Height of the Head: Our first unit of measurement

The first thing we need to find is the height or length of the head. This measurement is an important one. Many proportions guides use the head length as a primary or base measurement. The guides compare the sizes of the body's forms to the length of the head to find the correct size. The proportional guides describe lengths of the body's parts as measured in head lengths.

We measure the length of the head from the top of the head down to the chin. Be careful to measure the top of the head and not the top of the face. We find the top of the head above the hairline, within the body of the hair.

As it pertains to drawing the head, we use the head length to find the position of the eyes along the vertical axis of the head. We divide the head length into smaller measurements to determine how high up on the head to place the eyes.

Figure Drawing: Drawing an Ear Demo

2021-07-17T13:00:00.115-07:00

This video is a follow-up to the previous video, Figure Drawing: Understanding the structures and anatomy of the ear. In that video, we look at the ear anatomy to better understand the forms that make up the ear that we need to draw when drawing the ear. In this video, I draw an ear to demonstrate how we can that information as we draw.

Figure Drawing: Understanding the structures and anatomy of the ear

2021-07-10T10:00:00.021-07:00

Ears can be challenging to draw because there is so much happening with all the shapes we see within an ear that it can get a little confusing. Ears are surprisingly complex forms. On top of this complexity, everybody’s ear looks a little different. The shapes we see within an ear differ from person to person just enough that we can get tripped up by what we see. How can we make it easier to draw ears? One thing we can do is learn about ear anatomy. If we understand the ear anatomy, we can interpret the shapes we see within the ear, using an understanding of that anatomy to guide us. Doing this makes it easier for us to identify the relevant structures and organize the shapes more readily as we draw an ear. Today, we will look at the ear anatomy to see how these structures combine to form an ear.

The Ear Anatomy

The anatomical structures that shape the ear are the Helix, Antihelix, Concha, Earlobe, Tragus, and Antitragus.

Learn to Draw a Honey Bee

2021-06-28T12:10:00.011-07:00

This week I demonstrate drawing a bee, and this demo walks you through the steps to draw a bee from start to finish. From this tutorial, we learn to use the basic shapes and forms to step up the structures of the bee, then learn how to add the details onto that structure.

We will also practice some shading and change the line weight of our linework to finish the drawing.

This demo starts at the very beginning of the drawing process and ends with a completed drawing, with no skipped steps in between. You will see everything I do, even my adjustments and corrections.

Enjoy the video and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

A Simple Practice Exercise to Improve your Drawing Skills

2021-06-21T11:00:00.005-07:00

As with any complicated skill, it takes practice to get good at it. Just like learning to dance, play a sport, or learning a musical instrument, learning to draw requires that we practice. One thing that is often forgotten about or ignored when we are first learning to draw is that we can practice our drawing techniques.

Our drawing technique is the method in which we engage with the tools we use as we draw. Our primary tool is the pencil. The pencil is a very versatile tool and, if we learn how to use it to take advantage of that versatility, we'll improve our skills. As a result, our drawings will be a higher quality of craftsmanship. A more confident artist will have created these drawings as well.

As we explore different techniques, practicing helps us better understand them. It is through practice that we truly learn each technique. Let's take a look at an easy exercise to practice how we use the pencil to draw lines.

The Exercise

In this exercise, we are practicing drawing fluid, confident lines. We are also practicing our control of the movement of the pencil as we draw.

For this exercise, we will draw a bunch of boxes. As we draw these boxes, we will focus on the lines we draw to make those boxes. We will pay attention to and practice how we draw those lines.

Fill the sketchbook page with as many boxes as will fit on the page.

To explore and practice our linework, we want to draw as many boxes as we can. We should fill each page of our sketchbook with boxes until there is no more room for any more. We also should fill several pages of our sketchbook this way to give ourselves enough practice.

Draw each box small enough to fit several boxes on the page. Depending on the size of the paper, 10 to 20 boxes per page is a good range.

Figure Drawing: Drawing an Arm

2021-06-13T12:15:00.011-07:00

In this video, we are drawing an arm to see how we can separate elements of the arm drawing to make it easier to draw. Drawing the human figure can be a difficult thing to do. It can be challenging because the figure is a complex form that we are accustomed to seeing. This complexity and familiarity require us to pay attention to many different elements if we want to draw the figure accurately.

The arm is an excellent example of the problems we might encounter as we draw. Though we regularly see arms, we are, likely, not as familiar with the different structures of the arm as we might think. Nor are those new to figure drawing necessarily familiar with the various elements we need to consider when illustrating the arm.

To make it easier, we can separate the elements that go into drawing an arm into stages. Then we can focus on them at different times, allowing us to address one part at a time. That is what we do in this demonstration.

Steps

Let's look at how we can separate the different elements of drawing an arm to make the process easier. The list below shows how I separated those elements and the order in which I drew each.

Basic Shapes

Let's look at how we can separate the different elements of drawing an arm to make the process easier. The list below shows how I separated those elements and the order in which I drew each.

The first thing we can do is translate the main parts of the arm into basic shapes. Here, I converted the hand, upper arm, and lower arm into three rectangles.

Drawing these basic shapes allows us to work on the general positioning and portions of those parts. We use these basic shapes to see if we have the right size for each part of the arm relative to each other. We can also use these basic shapes to make sure that the length and width of each part of the arm are correct.
'We can also use these basic shapes to place the parts of the arm correctly. We want to draw them to have the joints connecting accurately. We can also work out the angles that each segment points to get the directions lined up.

Drawing Basics: Drawing a Barn

2021-06-06T16:00:00.029-07:00

If you are just beginning to use the basic or simple form to draw, this step-by-step demonstration provides some tips on how to set up a drawing using simple forms.

This video shows us how we can use one of the simple or basic forms to draw a building. I demonstrate how we can use the box to establish the underlying structure to work out the positioning, proportions, and perspective as we draw a barn. We also take a look at how to set up some drawing guidelines to center or align parts of the barn to keep it appearing symmetrical.

Underlying Structure

This drawing technique looks for the hidden or underlying structures of objects to make drawing these objects easier to do. The underlying structure is the framework of shapes and forms that the complex visual information and details hang on. We can reinterpret each object into simple geometric shapes and forms. We can then use these simple geometric shapes and forms to understand how all the parts of the subject come together within three-dimensional space.

The simple forms used to set up the structure of the drawing of the dog.

Drawing Basics: Drawing a box and understanding its shapes

2021-05-29T18:00:00.009-07:00

If we draw simple or basic forms to set up the underlying structure of our drawings, we need to make sure that we can draw those forms accurately. In this lesson, we'll look at drawing a box. More accurately, we'll learn to identify the critical elements that go into creating a precisely shaped box.

We'll look at some tricks to help draw a box to appear as if it is a three-dimensional form. Those tricks are all derived from the linear perspective guides.

We'll discuss one of the guides, but we won't be using any perspective grid in this demonstration. We will look at the edges of each side of the box and examine how and why we draw each edge to fit the structure correctly.

Drawing a Box

We will, first, do a quick walk through some steps to draw a box. The steps below are not the only way to draw a box. However, if you have never drawn a box before, these steps set a simple process that makes drawing a box easier to do.

Drawing Basics: Drawing using the Simple Forms

2021-05-22T09:00:00.017-07:00

We can improve our drawing skills by drawing the things we see around us. Drawing from observation helps us by refining our observational skills and teaching us how to organize our drawing method.

We can organize our drawing process by focusing on well-defined chunks of information at each step of completing a drawing. Rather than simply trying to mimic what we see, we can approach drawing conceptually by organizing these tasks around separate bits of visual information. We can use conceptual frames of reference to understand what we are drawing.

One way one frame of reference we can use is to identify the underlying structure of our subject and draw that first. If we can learn to identify the underlying structures, we draw we will improve our ability to draw more accurately. Our accuracy improves because we can lay out some fundamental features of our subject matter correctly before investing time in the details.

A great approach to identifying and drawing the underlying structure is to illustrate that structure in simple or basic forms. Let's look at why this is and how to do it.

The above video explains the simple forms, why we use them, and demonstrates drawing an object using the simple forms to set up the underlying structure.

Drawing Basics: Line weight

2021-05-14T20:01:00.005-07:00

A simple technique we can employ to add variety and direct our audience's attention is by varying the weight of the lines within our sketch.

Line weight is the visual strength or intensity of a line. We can achieve different line weights or intensities by changing the thickness of a line or changing how light or dark a line appears. We can even do both by changing the thickness and the darkness of a line.

Holding the pencil to draw

2021-05-08T17:58:00.004-07:00

There are a few differences between using a pencil when drawing versus writing, and I want to cover a few of the basics of using a pencil as related to drawing. Understanding these basics will make drawing and sketching easier and more exciting.

As many of us are self-taught artists up to this point, we could benefit from the information below to improve our drawing technique. As self-taught artists, we may not have been introduced to these techniques.

Let's start by looking at how to hold a pencil.

How we hold the pencil is an often overlooked but essential part of a good drawing technique. I am sure that we all have struggled with drawing a line or mark as we sketched at one point in time. This struggle happens because we put our hand into an unnatural position to draw a line angled in we couldn't otherwise draw. If we find that we are rotating the sketchbook often, we are doing this for the same reason. We can't position the pencil as we need to move the pencil in the direction we want. Anyone who has drawn before has developed cramps or pain in the fingers and hands as they draw. There is a solution to all these problems. That solution is to adjust the way we grip the pencil.

When we hold the pencil appropriately, we will have more control and flexibility as we draw. We find that the pencil becomes easier to use as there is a greater range of movement within the fingers, wrist, and elbow.

We can hold the pencil in a variety of ways to help us when we draw. Let's look at the two basic types of grip.

About Graphite Pencils

2021-04-30T18:08:00.006-07:00

Graphite pencils come in various levels of hardness. The graphite within the pencil is processed to have different degrees of hardness or firmness. Some pencils are made of firmer or harder graphite, creating lighter lines and shading. Some pencils are made of softer material, creating darker lines and shading.

As an artist or designer, we can select the correct type of pencil for the task at hand. For example, when we start a sketch, we might use a pencil with firmer graphite to draw the light lines of the initial setup of the sketch. After we work out the light lines of the initial sketch, we might want to shade the drawing using a pencil with softer graphite.

Drawing Basics: The basics of light and shadow

2016-01-14T13:33:00.004-08:00

Drawing a realistic object begins with the understanding of how we visually perceive light and shadow and how these two work together to give us the sense of three-dimensional form. We can look at how light interacts with form and identify several distinct characteristics that appear in the scene.

It is through light and shadow that we see form or the three-dimensional representation of both the shape and volume of the object. We use this visual information created from the interplay of light and shadow on an object to understand the shape, size, and mass of that object. This is because light behaves consistently affecting every object in the same way, creating consistent patterns on the object. Our brains then interpret that pattern into a three-dimensional form.

Once we identify these characteristics we can use some basic principles as a guide to illustrate form realistically. If you understand how the light behaves then drawing a realistic object becomes easier.

Let's look at the different elements or parts of the light patterns on the form.

Color Basics: Properties of color

2015-12-09T10:47:00.004-08:00

Today we are going to look at the three properties of color. A color is composed of three parts; hue, value, and saturation. Understanding what these three properties are will help us understand the nature of color which will give us more control and flexibility when creating our art.

For example, when we look at a red apple we are seeing three properties that give us that particular red that we see. We see that it is red but we also see that it is a dark red. We may also see that it is a strong red. We can break apart those distinctions we see into three different components. Those components are the properties of that color. We see the hue of the color is red. We see the value of the color is dark. We also see that the red is very red or is a saturated red.

Let's take a look at those parts a little more closely.

Color Basics: The Color Wheel

2015-10-21T10:50:00.003-07:00

In the previous post, we learned about the additive and subtractive color approaches to color. Each one using different principles to blend and create color. Each approach can be applied to different media. The subtractive approach can be used for painting and print. The additive approach can be used for digital media, such as video.

Today we are going to dig a little deeper into this by looking at three different color wheels. We will look at the color wheels with red, yellow, and blue (RYB); cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMYK); and red, green, and yellow (RGB) as the primary colors.

Let's take a look.

Drawing Basics: Simplified Skeleton and Figure

2015-01-28T19:58:00.003-08:00

As part of a structural approach to drawing the figure, the simplified skeleton is a good place to start studying how to draw the human form. This approach helps the artist resolve many of the underlying concerns in drawing the figure before working on the details. Some of the things this helps with would include working on proportions, mass, balance, gesture, and action.

When drawing the simplified figure we are identifying the main structures of the body. By identifying and simplifying the main parts of the body first, we can take our focus away from the surface and the details. This allows us to break up the process of drawing the figure into easier bite-sized steps rather than trying to do it all at once.

Drawing Basics: Simple way to draw feet.

2014-04-14T08:04:00.004-07:00

Here is a simple shortcut used to start drawing the foot. It is helpful in positioning the foot and dealing with the problems of foreshortening.

Today, we are looking for ways to focus on one or two parts of the drawing process to make troubleshooting problems much easier. This technique has us simplifying the forms of the foot to focus on positioning and sizing it accurately prior to worrying about the contour of the form and the details of the anatomy.

Let's take a look. To see the rest of the post click on the read more link below.

Drawing Basics: Using line weight to show depth

2013-10-07T11:10:00.002-07:00

Simple figure sketch.

I thought I'd show something quick and easy this time, a simple trick that has a powerful effect when used in a line drawing. This post is about using line weight to help convey a sense of spatial depth in a drawing.

Today, I'll use a drawing of a simplified figure to demonstrate how to use the visual weight of the line to suggest that the figure is leaning forward.

After the jump, we'll begin with working out what line weight is.

Drawing Basics: Simplified Skeleton Drawing

2013-04-04T08:23:00.003-07:00

Here is something to help you practice setting up a figure drawing. The following exercise is a way to help simplify the process of drawing a human figure.

Why would we simplify the human figure when drawing? There are many reasons to do this. One reason may be the need to draw quickly. For example, you may only have a minute or two to draw before the model changes the pose so the need to simplify becomes necessary.

Another reason is that those who are new to drawing the figure find it very difficult to do. The human figure is a complex collection of forms and can it feel a bit overwhelming at times trying to draw this complexity. One solution to this is to pick and choose the elements that you are going to work on first in order to create a process that allows you to work on the drawing one step at a time.

There are several ways to organize and divide the process into simple steps. I would say that there are as many approaches to the process of drawing as there are artists. How you choose to organize your drawing process is up to you. Just remember that looking for ways to simplify the drawing in order to focus on one or two things at a time will help you troubleshoot problems and make drawing the human figure easier.

In the steps I show below I look for the skeleton within the figure, then drawn it simplistically to work out the gesture and the relative sizes of the forms or parts of the body.

Let's begin. To see the rest of the post click on the read more link below.

Anatomy Basics: The chest muscle

2013-01-28T04:00:00.001-08:00

Most artists that draw the figure are familiar with drawing the chest muscles as they fit on the torso. Not everybody is as familiar with how these muscles connect to the arms. This is a critical component to understanding how the shapes of the arms and torso come together as well as how the muscle moves the arms.

Today, we are going to look at how the chest muscle connects to the skeleton and what kind of shapes these muscles make.

Drawing Basics: Drawing the head, a step by step of the constructive method

2012-11-26T07:54:00.003-08:00

This time around, I thought I'd demonstrate how to draw the head by building up to the features from basic shapes and forms in a step-by-step approach.

The method I demonstrate below is a combination of techniques I have learned over the years. These are fairly universal techniques that can be found in many resources and are taught at most schools that offer foundational art instruction.

Here, I want to show how to construct the head as we draw rather than just mimicking the features that we see. This will give us a better understanding of the forms of the head and face and allow us to make up the head in different positions without requiring us to look at a reference every time we need to draw the head.

Let's begin.

Drawing Basics: Contrapposto pose, how the body adjusts to balance

2012-10-15T08:51:00.003-07:00

This is a brief post to help those who struggle to get the figure in their drawings to feel like it has weight and is not just floating on the page.

The body is always adjusting and balancing itself. One of the ways we can learn to see how the body balances is to study a pose called the contrapposto pose. It is a pose that has been used by artists for a very long time to create a natural stance. It is also a great way to introduce how the body will react to gravity.

Let's take a look.

Anatomy Basics: Just having fun drawing the back

2012-08-13T12:36:00.001-07:00

Charcoal drawing of a back

Every weekend I run a workshop for the students at the school I teach at. Usually, I don't draw during the workshop as I am going around assisting the students. This time, however, the model struck a pose that I found so interesting I that could not resist.

Later after the workshop one of the students was asking me about where all the muscles of his back were in my drawing. I was doing the best I could to explain but not all the lines in my drawing were representing muscle boundaries and interpreting someone else's drawing can be tricky.

So, for him, I took the drawing home and did it again, showing where all the muscles are. If it can benefit one person it can benefit others, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Take a look.