Rule 2 | Work with line bundles

Lesson 4 | Snowballs

15 min. |

Follow every form from the surface with more than just one line. Some lines together narrow the form to its essential. Snowballs are good objects to imagine and draw. 

Step 1 | Go through the slider of snowballs

Start with feeding your brain with details from real objects

Get the details information. How do lines run? Where is the darkest part? How far can forms and lines freak out but still be part of the overall form?

Script

We still work with bundles of lines. We try to draw snowballs. You know what snowballs look like!

They are about round, but yes, they are not really round. They also have dents, because our fingers press on them and we press more into the round, which means that snowballs are not really round.

We draw a line, and immediately we correct. 

And now you can attempt to put some lines into the shape. Then it will look like a snowball relatively quickly.

But yes, as always, the light. So we make the lines a bit darker at the bottom, that creates the impression of light and shadow. But not only the lines, maybe a slight shadow for the surface on which the snowball lies. The drop shadow is on the inside, i.e. in the core, which is why it is also called the core shadow, always a little darker than on the outside. And by the way, an object has no drop shadow, then it gives the impression that it is flying and that is not what we want here.

So, that’s it. Now it’s your turn, draw ten snowballs and practice the crossing lines. This way we can practice the feeling of how much a line is allowed to shear out, so that the whole thing is still perceived as a form.

In the beginning there are a lot of things to include

Even it is not on spot of the exercise these hints above help you to improve faster. So try to include them.

Try it out with different materials

Below you can find a watercolour from Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The draftsman uses the brush like a pencil with fluttering lines but with the possibility to lead the stroke even broader and blend it even to an area.

Snowscape with church, Adolf le Comte, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

You may try it out by yourself with watercolor.

ASSIGNMENT | Draw ten snowballs and practice the crossing lines.

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