Before we go on to the next exercise let's talk about another skill that
is absolutly vital to know -
measuring. I know measuring sounds like a very logical, "symbol-like" thing to do but follow along with me here. When doing drawing it's very helpful to have a "standard unit of measurement" for your drawings. Measuring helps you to place objects in the correct place and also helps to maintain
perspective and proportion in the drawing. If you measured for
where each shape was placed on your contour chair drawing it
would look just like the chair and the size would not be
"off". A standard "ruler" that we'll use is one that's already in your hand -
your pencil.
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Hold the pencil like this. |
To measure something, hold the pencil like this with your thumb extended along the body of the pencil. We'll measure going from the tip of the pencil to the tip of your thumb. You're able to slide your thumb up and down the pencil to place the tip of your thumb at the end of the object you're measuring and the tip of the pencil is at the other end. Find an object in your
subject that you can use as a base to measure everything else with. This
"standard unit" is different for each drawing, it's
not like using a ruler where an inch is always an inch (one twelfth
of a foot). For example, when drawing a human face, use the
width of the eye as the "standard unit", or if you
were to draw a tree, use one branch length as the
standard.
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The fruit. |
Let's do a classic art piece and draw a still life of
fruit. In this exercise we'll find an object in the photo we
can measure and use that as our "standard unit", then
we'll use that measurement to measure everything else in our
drawing.
Get ready to do a drawing by putting a new sheet of paper on
your drawing board and sharpen your pencil. Put the paper
horizontally on your board because that's the orientation of
the photo. You'll be drawing
this picture of fruit on the right. Click the photo to see how
large it looks for you. Is your monitor big enough to have the
picture open and read this page as well? If not I suggest you
print the photo out. Get comfortable with your drawing board
in front of your computer so you can draw and read as well.
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