How to Render Primitive Shapes in a Composition

A basic shapes template will have sets of shapes from small to large.

Seeing a composition as a collection of simple shapes makes drawing simpler. A composition is an arrangement or organization of some group. Most drawings break down into basic shapes. By reversing this process, you build a composition by using basic shapes and arranging the shapes into a composite. This will help form the foundation of the forms of the objects you are drawing. Practicing this process is a good way to discover how easy it can be to shape the structure of a composition.

Things You'll Need

• Tape
• Drawing paper
• Shapes template
• Sketch paper
• Scrap paper
• Eraser

Instructions

1. Place your reference image where you can easily see it during drawing. Tape your drawing paper to the board.

2. Look at the largest object in your reference image. Look at the largest part of that object and ask yourself what basic shape it looks like the most. Use a basic shapes drawing template and trace the shape onto your drawing paper in the general location where you want that element to be located. Look at your outline and decide if it is the right size for the overall size of your composition. Change the size if you need to.

3. Look to the right of the first area you drew and see what that looks like. Hold the template over the right side of your outline and test out the size of the shape you want to draw. The template is transparent and makes it easy for you to test out several sizes before drawing the one you think is right. Continue this process working around the center point in all directions and building outward to the sides of the paper or composed area.

4. Link your basic shapes together by sketching a conjoined shape. Check the scale of your drawing to your image resource. This will help you develop an eye for scale accuracy. Look at the details on your resource image. Note how the details are also composed of basic shapes. Go to the first outline area you drew and inside that shape draw your detail shapes. Follow the same process from one outline to the next and finish by conjoining the lines.

5. Note how the shadows of your objects also cast shapes that are basic shapes. Use the same process to detail your shadow areas. At this point your drawing structure is probably developed far beyond the point where you would normally be developing the drawing. Compare that scale and composition to similar works you've drawn in the past to see if drawing shapes is producing a more accurate and detailed structure.

6. Develop, draw and finish your drawing by using the same technique for any aspect of the drawing that you see is composed by shapes.

Tips & Warnings

• Often a new technique will feel awkward or time consuming at first. However, a careful attention to scale and composition development often significantly improves the finished work so exploring new techniques is usually a good choice.

References

• Explore Drawing and Painting: Learning How to Draw Made Easier: Look for Geometric Shapes First