9 WEEK MINI COURSE
Learn Art Skills Lesson 3
How to Draw 3D Forms & Objects
 

Art Knowledge: Lesson 3
This lesson describes two kinds of space, 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional. You will learn how to recognize both kinds and how to transform 2d into 3 dimensional masses:
SPACE AND FORMS: 2D spatial divisions have the appearance of flatness. 3 dimensional forms exist in 3 dimensional space. 3 Dimensional space requires 3d forms
To transform 2d forms 3 dimensional first locate & add necessary *planes. Second you will need to suggest tone and shading to suggest solidity of that surface. For this you produce tonesl use a tonal media. Tone can be produced by using pencil shading, pastel shading, or liquid wash media.

*A plane is a surface. *Media is a material or substance the artist uses to give his creation form.

           

Here are two Picasso pictures that use flat, 2 dimensional areas. Although there is color or tone within each area, there is no attempt to produce 3-dimensional mass.
Below you will notice that common objects are made up of some variation of basic geometric masses (3d forms) Here are some basic geometric forms. sphere, cube, cylinder,
pyramid, etc.

  
THE SHAPES BELOW CAN LOOK MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU USE LINE AND SHADING


Here are some imaginative 2D forms. Notice that the shapes above appear flat. They show only two dimensions. Use your imagination and add lines that show where surfaces change - inside edges - are located;

ACTIVITIES FOR LESSON 3:
Try to interpret internal surfaces and add shading to the forms from this page. (above) Practice modeling (shading) of the forms so that both dark and light tones can be found.

Art Skills: Lesson 3
SKILLS TO WORK ON IN THIS LESSON: Continue drawing the E-Z way to produce straight and curves Applying tone (gradations light to dark) brush tonal shading using dry medium (chalk, pastel)
Recognizing logical positions of the surfaces (planes) that comprise any  3d form.
Techniques that produce tone or shading:
1. Practice using varying amounts of pressure with strokes side by side to produce a graded tone, (gradation) You may use an ordinary school pencil. Softer lead pencils may be denoted HB or #1. The Dixon No.1 is a good value.

2. Practice using a brush and a liquid media containing a light mixture of color. Use water color or another colored solution.
Tones applied with a brush should not be scrubbed or worked on too long. Take fewer strokes where each stroke touches and flows into the edge of the previous.

3. Practice using a dry pastel medium.
Take a half of a stick of a oil color stick or dry pastel stick. Remember we are using this medium for tone rather than matching colors.
Firmly stroke an area of color on a piece of paper so that you have a concentration of that tone to use as a palette. Use a piece of a cotton ball or a q-tip to add tone to the area you want to show as shadowed.

These two Picasso pictures have been developed to  to produce 3-dimensional mass. Notice that planes show where surfaces change and what kind of surfaces are present, flat, curved, etc. Then light and shadow tones bring a sense of illumination, light and shadow. These bring completed dimensions to the work. SCULPTURAL ABSTRACTIONS demonstrate how light imparts highlight and shadow even on objects of one color.

The above examples are developed with tone or color with  the intention of bringing out their 3 dimensional structure. BELOW: First find the edge where the surfaces change, then add toning and shadow to bring out the weight and mass of the form..

ACTIVITIES FOR LESSON 3 CONTINUED:
Try using pencil, or liquid washes or dry pastel applied with a cotton swab, or by using a brush and a liquid wash. You can suggest a light source, this results in highlight and shadow areas falling on the surface of objects.

Places to see the work of great artists.