By Matt Fussell
Drawing is about seeing. Learning to draw is actually about learning to see. There are many ways to see objects as an artist would. If your goal is to create representational drawings, you may choose to look at objects as shapes. In fact, any object that you may draw can be broken down into simplified shapes. By learning how to determine which shapes to draw and how to construct complex forms from shapes, you will become better at drawing. Some common shapes that can be found in more complex forms include the circle, square, rectangle, oval, and triangle.
If we are to approach drawings as a collection of shapes, then we must be prepared to create an illusion of form from the shapes that we draw. Therefore, it is important that we are able to transform flat two dimensional shapes into three dimensional forms. Or, at least create the illusion of form. Simple shapes become more complex through the application of value and shadow. This creates the illusion of a light source and in turn, the illusion of form. Therefore, a circle becomes a sphere, a square becomes a cube, and a triangle becomes a pyramid. These are the basic forms that make up the complex objects that we draw.
By practicing drawing shapes and transforming them into forms through value, we gain a better understanding of the fundamentals of drawing.
The following video gives you a demonstration of how you can transform shapes into forms through the application of value...
