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Building your drawing skills

A few simple lines make it easy to draw

It is a myth that in order to recognise a picture all the details need to be present, in fact the reverse is often true. Paradoxically, often less is more. You would be amazed at how little you need to draw in order to create a recognisable image. This is because of the brain’s astonishing ability to make meaning. In terms of perception the brain is very good at interpreting very limited visual information and making sense of it. This is why just a few lines will do the trick.

Therefore there is a huge benefit in economy of line when drawing. The fewer lines you have, the easier it is for you to draw. It is actually quite possible to draw recognisable pictures with just a few strokes. This means that, even with no previous experience, you can soon be drawing great pictures. When you find a sketch easy to do, you can quickly make it automatic by repeating it just a few times.

So let’s get drawing

This is a practical section in which we look at how to build up your ability to draw and think in pictures.

People – faces and expressions to depict emotions

We sketched our character Spike earlier on and you may well remember the sequence in which we drew him. In this case we are going to use him as an example of how easy it is to draw a range of different expressions conveying different emotions.

Have a go

First have a go at drawing Spike again and see if you can remember the sequence of lines.

Draw Spike several times to get the learning into the muscle.

You might notice the lines do not always turn out exactly the same and that is just fine. We are not aiming for perfection, we are simply trying to sketch an image that is good enough to convey an idea. It is natural not to get everything exactly perfect to start with and, with practice, you will become more consistent.

You have already learnt how to draw thousands of characters

Yes, you might want to read that again because actually…

The secret is in the sequence

Whilst you may think that you have learned to draw just Spike, the fact is that you have learnt a strategy that will enable you to draw endless different characters with all kinds of expressions and emotions.

It really is that simple

The same sequence you learned for drawing Spike can be used to draw lots of other expressions and also different characters.

Stick to the sequence – but just make slight variations to your lines

All you need to do is use the same sequence but then make variations to your lines, for example a downward line for the mouth would make him look unhappy. Drawing different hair would create a different character altogether.

Let’s start experimenting with some variations for spike

First we will give Spike some different expressions.

Use the same sequence of lines again but this time notice that we are changing the expression.

Have a go

Just draw a downward mouth to make Spike look unhappy.

Just a circle shaded in for the mouth for a shocked expression.

Just a dot for the mouth makes him look puzzled.

The same sequence can be used to create lots of other characters with different emotions. We will draw some examples later.

Now let us see how easy it is to draw action.

Simple figures to depict action

Here we look at drawing stick figures. When we want to draw people, stick figures work just as well as trying to draw more complex full figures. Remember that when we are drawing for communicating it is not about the finished result. Rather it is about drawing pictures that can be recognised and easily recalled. The brain will find it just as easy to remember a stick figure as it will a much more realistic representation of a person. Furthermore, stick figures are an excellent way to show action and any sort of movement.

Have a go

Just draw the figures below and create some variations of your own.

Stick figures in different situations

Now let us see how easy it is to put our stick figures into different situations.

Have a go

Just sketch the pictures below.

Our simple stick figures are really useful for all kinds of pictures.

Symbols and simple pictures

We will now learn how to draw simple pictures that are good enough to convey the idea we want to get across to others. Remember this is not about being able to do fantastic drawings. We just need to be able to draw images that will help us to explain ideas.

You can create thousands of pictures from basic shapes

In this exercise you will get used to building up pictures.

Have a go

All you have to do is look at the shapes below and draw them on your piece of paper. Then what I would like you to do is to look at each shape in turn and think about what it could be. By adding more lines or shapes, you can turn it into something that we would recognise. I have drawn examples below. Have a go at those and see if you can draw something different.

These simple shapes can be transformed.

How did you get on? Inevitably some drawings will be better than others. The key thing is to be able to make recognisable pictures.

To draw something – just think of the first shape you need

Some pictures are composed of a number of simple shapes put together. When we think of drawing in this way it makes it much easier to attempt to draw a picture that previously we may not have tried.

Have a go

Copy my drawings below. Just start with a basic shape and then add in the details.

Now let’s draw different characters

In this exercise we learn how easy it is to draw a range of different characters and thereby immediately expand your drawing repertoire.

Notice how we can build up the drawing with lines in the same sequence as when we drew Spike. Then we just begin to create some variations to make totally new characters.

Have a go

Just draw the characters below. Then have a go at creating other characters of your own.

Now let’s see how easy it is to draw characters from the front

Drawing from the front is really simple. In fact pictures such as these are often good enough to use rather than adding other features such as hair and clothes.

The pictures below are quick and easy to draw so really useful to have up your sleeve when using pictures to communicate ideas.

Have a go

Just try these and see how easy they are.

One drawing can depict many emotions

Lines and shapes that communicate ideas

It is not all about pictures. By using simple lines and shapes we can communicate ideas really well. All you need is to be able to draw a range such as those below. You can create all kinds of models and diagrams with your lines and shapes. You can combine them with the pictures and symbols to get your ideas across in imaginative and engaging ways. They can just be drawn freehand and fairly quickly.

Have a go

Draw the examples below and create some variations of your own.

Putting it all together

See below how easy it is to combine our basic shapes and lines to create pictures to express ideas. Even a quickly drawn sketch can convey lots of useful information in an easy-to-understand way.

People can literally see what you mean with a quick sketch

Teams can sketch ideas together to express their thoughts

Keep practising – you will be amazed how quickly your skills develop

Even doodling when you have an idle few minutes can help to build up your drawing ability. You will be amazed how quickly many of the drawings become automatic for you. It only takes several practices for you to get the skills into the ‘muscle’.

Summary

• Keep your drawings simple – they are then easier and more memorable.
• All objects are composed of basic shapes – so just start with a shape.
• Adapt Spike to create other characters.
• Draw faces from the front by drawing a circle or oval.
• Draw stick figures to show action.
• Get used to drawing various arrows, shapes and lines.
• Add simple details to create variety in your repertoire of shapes and symbols.