How to Make Your Own Line Drawing From a Picture
A line drawing is usually the first step in the process of making a more complex drawing. This type of drawing is represented with a series of outlines around the subject and objects in the background, without the addition of shading or textures. Line drawings can be later filled in with shadows and textures to give the drawing a three-dimensional quality. Line drawings can also be used as studies for more complex pieces like paintings or sculptures, to give the artist a greater sense of form and proportion.
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Instructions
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1
Find a photograph to draw from. The photograph should be large, in focus and detailed.
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2
Draw the basic shapes of the figures in the photograph using a hard pencil (3H or harder). For example, if you are drawing a person, break down the figure of the person into shapes that correspond to the parts of the body. Draw an egg shape for the face, an oval for the body, long ovals for the segments of the arms and legs, rounded rectangles where you will see the hands and feet, and a pair of lines connecting the head to the body. Use of a hard pencil will ensure that the lines are light enough that you can erase them later.
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3
Look back and forth between the drawing and the photograph to check that the figure you drew looks proportionally accurate compared to the photograph. Make adjustments as necessary.
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4
Draw the outline of the figure around the shapes you drew in Step 2. Switch to a 2B or softer pencil to make darker marks. The shapes you drew in Step 2 should serve as a frame for your figure, to provide structure and guidance. Now you are drawing the outline of the figure in more accurate detail. For example, if you are drawing a person, you will draw a long line connecting all the segments of the body. This outline should include details like hair and clothes.
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5
Repeat Step 3, looking back and forth between the drawing and the photograph, checking for mistakes and correcting them where necessary.
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6
Draw the details inside the figure. In the case of a person, you'll draw details on the clothes like buttons, and details within the face like eyes, nose and mouth. Do not draw shadows or textures. Look at the photograph frequently as you do this.
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7
Repeat Step 3, flicking your eyes back and forth between the photograph and the drawing, checking for mistakes.
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8
Erase the light guide lines you drew in Step 2.
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Tips & Warnings
Line drawings are also known as contour line drawings.
Contour line drawings can also be drawn by placing a thin drawing paper over a photograph so the details of the photograph can be seen through the paper. The artist can then trace the subject.
Try not to draw the contours in "sketchy," broken lines. The lines should be long and continuous and confident.
References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
