How to Sketch a Pear

The pear is a perfect study for drawing.

The pear has been a classic still life subject for both master artist and student for centuries. It's one of the best fruits to practice value placement and contour drawing, which is the eye-to-hand discipline of drawing simple lines. In this study you will be introduced to drawing a pear using one pencil with guided instruction in contour drawing, pencil pressure and finger blending.

Things You'll Need

• 2B pencil
• Sheet of typing paper
• Drawing paper 90 pd or higher
• Kneaded eraser
• Desk lamp

Instructions

Drawing a Pear 101

1. Choose a pear of visual interest, either real or imitation as a model. Be sure it has a stem.

2. Place the pear upright on the center of the typing paper on a table. Position the lamp approximately 3 feet on the right side of the pear. This will create a value, or shadow, on the white paper beneath the pear as well as a light and dark side to the pear itself. Manipulate the light until there is clear visual definition of these light and dark values.

3. Look carefully at the pear. Visually break the pear up into two basic circles one on top of the other. You will see the bottom circle will be wider or fatter then the top. Using the 2B pencil, lightly draw the two circles in the center of the drawing paper, one on top of the other. Connect these circles as you would when drawing a snow man with the top circle resting on the bottom circle.

4. Continuing with the light pressure on the pencil, draw a horizontal line along the outside center, where the two circles join; one on the left and one on the right to connect the two circles with a curve similar to a woman's waist-to-hip line. Erase the inside lines that defined the two circles.

5. Draw the stem and make the small contour line adjustment to the top of the pear where the stem originates. Note how the stem has a light and dark side. Look at the bottom of the real pear and notice how the bottom is slightly flattened to allow it to sit upright on the table. Make simple line adjustments on the base of the bottom circle erasing the round line and replacing it with an adjusted, flatter line.

Creating Values

1. Sit back and look carefully at the pear, identifying the shadows and reflections of light on the pear and on the paper it sits on. Map out mentally on the drawing where these value changes need to be placed. Do not mistake the colors of the pear for the values. Since this is a one-pencil lesson, try to discipline your eye to see only the lights and darks caused by the lamp. Don't forget to evaluate the stem as well.

2. Using heavy pressure on the pencil point, start at the bottom of the drawn pear and recreate the darkest spot as seen on the model. Observe where the paper touches the pear; it will be an almost black area. View the picture attached to this article for an additional example.

3. Using the side of your pinky finger, press on the line just drawn at the base of the pear and pull finger away from pear imitating the values seen on the paper and pear model. This pulling away from the dark line will smear the lead across the paper, and the lead will lighten the longer the pull. Continue this process of laying down the line under the pear and then pulling the lead, until the value on the drawing paper looks similar to the value on the paper under the pear model.

4. Continue drawing the inside of the outlined pear. Identifying the darkest areas first, then laying the pencil lead on its side, using medium pressure, translate those light and dark values on the drawing.

5. Use the side of the finger once again to soften the edges of the values blending and pulling the lead with finger, pulling from the darkest point to the lightest side of the drawn pear. Since the pear is round, pull the lead in rounded movements or finger swirls.

Eraser and Fine Finish

1. Knead the eraser as you would a small lump of clay. This will soften the eraser, making it very pliable.

2. Visually identify the lightest areas on the model pear. These may be spots or clumps or shapes that appear white.

3. Press the eraser firmly on the same area in the drawing where these spots should be. When the eraser is pulled off the paper it should pull most of the lead off the paper. If the spot is not white enough, shape the eraser into a dull point and rub the area with it, until it resembles the values seen on the model.

4. Add the dots on the pear, using the tip of the pencil in the same configurations and sizes as seen on the model. The harder the pressure applied to the pencil, the darker the dot will be. Adjust pressure according to the spots seen.

Tips & Warnings

• The discipline of visually studying simple objects for value definition takes practice. Take your time with this lesson. Manipulate the lamp and observe how the values change and move with the light. Draw more than just one pear, do three, four, or even five renderings of these value changes. The better you become at seeing, the better your drawing will be.

References

• Learn to Draw: The Elements of Drawing
• Art and Perception: Three Pears
• Visual Arts Cork: History of Pencil Drawings

Resources

• Highly Recommended Pencil - The Ebony Graphite