You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way to Learn to Draw in One Month or Less (13 page)

6. Sketch in the two near lid flaps slanting down in front of the box.

7. Once again, using the bottom of the box angles to guide your line directions, complete the near flaps, aligning them up in direction NE and NW. I will be repeating this idea often: Use the lines you have already drawn as reference angles to draw additional lines. By always referring to the lines you have already drawn and by continually checking your angles against the Drawing Direction Reference Cube, your drawings will look solid, focused, and, most importantly, three-dimensional.

8. Draw the short “peeking” line at the back interior of the box. I am still delighted (after all these years) with the visual power that one little line has on the overall three-dimensional illusion of a drawing. This little peeking line at the back of the box creates the “BAM!” (as Emeril would say) moment in our drawing—the one precise moment that the sketch transforms from a two-dimensional sketch into a three-dimensional object.

9. Establish your horizon line and your light source position.

10. To properly draw the cast shadow, use the Drawing Direction Reference Cube as reference. Draw a guide line extending from the bottom of the box line in drawing direction SW. Droop alert! This is the most common point where students tend to droop the cast shadow guide line. Notice how my cast shadow lines up with my guidelines.

Be careful not to droop your cast shadow like this.

11. Darken under the two front overlapping flaps as I have done, creating the undershadow effect. Undershadows are terrific little details that successful illustrators exploit to pop out objects, refine detail, and sharpen edges. In this specific drawing, undershadows have the power to really pull the overlapping lids toward your eye, while pushing the actual box deeper into the picture.

 

12. This is the most rewarding step of each lesson. Clean up your sketch by erasing the extra sketch lines, and sharpen the outside edges of the drawing by darkening the outline. This will thrust the image out away from the background. Finish shading the left side of the box and inside the box, away from your light source. I always encourage you to have fun with these lessons by adding lots of extra details, neat little ideas you creatively conjure up to spice up your drawing. I’ve put a few small items in the box, just barely visible. Notice how even these little details add a lot of visual flavor and fun to the sketch.

Speaking of adding extra details to enhance your drawing, let’s expand on the cardboard box lesson. How about a treasure box overflowing with pearls, coins, and priceless loot? We are all so stressed about the economy, our mortgage payments, and health insurance premiums, so let’s take a reality vacation and draw our own wealth.

 

 

1. Beginning with our basic cube, go ahead and draw in the Drawing Direction Reference Cube direction lines for good practice and memory imprint. Slant the sides in just a bit.

2. Draw two parallel lines slightly opening the top of the treasure chest.

 

 

3. Using the lines you have already drawn (sound familiar?) as reference, draw the top edge of the lid in the NW direction.