Oakton College - Drawing Demo: Using Organizational Lines for Accurate Proportions (Still Life)

Materials needed:
One sheet of 18"x24" newsprint paper
One stick of willow or vine charcoal
Kneaded Eraser


Find really simple geometric forms for your still life.
Spheres: any kind of ball, from a tennis ball to a basketball. Or a perfectly round fruit, like an orange or melon.
Boxes: Tissue boxes are good if you need something smaller. Try to find something without too much distracting writing. You can always paint a food box if necessary.
Cylinders: These are easy.

Do not draw from a photograph—it will prevent you from learning. Start with a quick gesture drawing and then use organizational lines to adjust the proportions. One thing I forgot to mention in the video: when you make a mistake, always draw the correction first—before erasing the mistake. (The last few seconds of the video are just an outtake.)