Do you remember what some of your very first drawings looked like when you were just a child? You might look at them now and wonder, “What was I thinking?” Some of your earlier drawings could have been of stick figures standing under a bright sun with fluffy clouds in the sky. Sure, they were far from realistic, but the symbols were easy to read and recognize.
Shapes, symbols and patterns have been drawn by humans for thousands of years. I recommend doing an internet search of ancient cave paintings so you could see what I’m talking about. Now compare those images to your childhood drawings. Did you notice how much they have in common? When you look at a subject, your mind immediately sees and recognizes shapes and patterns. By applying those shapes and patterns to a drawing, we create a representation, or symbol, of that subject.
This brings me to a drawing exercise that I like to call Shape it Up, Draw it Out.
If you’re happy with your artwork you could send a copy of it along with a photo of your subject to the email link, or message us, on our Facebook page (the link can be found at the top or bottom of this page). If you include your Facebook username, we will tag you in the post. It is entirely up to you if you want to remain an unknown artist, but why wouldn’t you be proud of something you created. Remember to respect the Terms of Service with regards to Facebook, I will only post images that do not violate Facebook’s policies. Keep on drawing and Follow us on Facebook if you want to see more exercises like this.