Drawing Fundamentals: Learn the Essential Skills Every Artist Needs

1. Welcome to drawing for beginners: Hello, and welcome to this course on drawing fundamentals. If you have ever felt that your drawings don't look quite right, it is often because the foundations are missing. In this course, we focus on the essential skills, lines, shapes, contours, and shading. You will learn how to observe, simplify and build your drawing step by step. Everything is explained clearly with simple exercises and a complete project to help you apply what you learn. This course is designed to give you a solid base so you can draw with more confidence and understanding. You want to improve your drawing skills in a structured and accessible way, you are in the right place. 2. Essential drawing materials for beginners: Let's take a look at the materials you will need. When it comes to drawing, paper is an essential element, and there are many different types to choose from. For example, here I have two types of paper, a paper pad like this one, where the sheets of paper are detachable, allowing you to work on individual sheets, a sketchbook which is bound like a notebook so you can draw directly inside. There are also spiral bound pads like the one here, which give you two options. You can flip the pages and use it as a sketchbook, or if you want, you can also tear out the sheets of paper as you are completing your drawing. There are also different paper size and formats. Paper comes in various sizes, and choosing the right formats depend on your needs. Here, I had an A free size pad, which provides a larger workspace. In contrast, this sketchbook and paper pad are A four format, which is a standard and versatile size. There are also A five sketchbooks, which are more compact and portable, and additionally, you can find individual sheets sold separately in standard size. The texture of your paper also plays a crucial role in how your drawing will look and feel. This texture is referred to as the paper's grain. For example, on these sheets of paper, I have a light grain paper. You can see its effect when I shade with the side of my pencil. The grain causes some areas of the paper to remain white as the surface doesn't fully cover the surface. If you zoom in, you will notice that tiny white spots appear between some pencil strokes. This happens because of the texture of the paper, which prevents the graphite from filling every tiny crevice. There are different types of paper texture depending on the grain. There are some very smooth paper. It has a little texture allowing for shading with no grainy effect. It's ideal for highly detailed work and smooth transition. There are light grain paper like this one that I am using, which offers a subtle texture helping to create natural shading effect. And rough or evey texture paper, which has more pronounced grain, which leaves even more white gaps in the shading. And this type of paper is great for expressive and texture drawing, but can be harder to work with for highly detailed realism. So the right paper will depend on your style of drawing that you want to achieve. In this sketchbook, for example, the paper is slightly smooer. This means that when I work with my pencil, the marks appear less pronounced compared to the previous paper. If I zoom in, you can see that there are fewer visible gaps in the shading. This is because the texture is smooer and doesn't have many small crevices where the graphite skips over the surface. And so there are also ultra smooth paper like the Bristol paper, which I have almost no texture at all. Personally, I really like this paper because it allows for a very smooth surface, making it easier to achieve realistic shading and fine details. However, paper choice is entirely personal and depends on what feels best for you and what suits your drawing style. So experimenting with different texture will help you find what works best for your technique. Of course, you will also need pencils, and there are many times from a variety of brands, each offering great qualities. Personally, I prefer the fiber castle pencil and especially matte graphite pencil. And it's really important to underline this the mat aspect because the matte finish really makes a difference because most ordinary graphite pencils tend to produce reflections when applying heavy pressures, or creating very dark areas. This is because graphite has a natural shen which can make some parts of a drawing look shiny depending on the light angle. However, mad graphite pencil completely eliminate this issue. This is a game changer as it enhances the overall look of the drawing by maintaining an even deep tone throughout. For example, if I press hard with a regular graphite pencil, the darker areas will catch the light producing unwanted reflection. You might not always notice it on camera. But in person, this reflection can be distracting and not something we really want. With a mad graphite pencil, there are no reflections, and the color remains consistent no matter the lighting. Additionally, mad graphite pencil tend to appear closer to black rather than gray, which is a great advantage when working in black and white drawings. This allows for richer and deeper contrast, making the artwork stand out even more. Now we might ask ourselves, why have so many pencil? Here, I had purchased two sets, one containing six pencil and the other 11. They are organized this way to keep the pencil properly arranged. So the question is why have so many pencil? Quite simply, the pencils we use don't all have the same darkness or brightness. Some are darker while others are lighter, allowing for a greater range of shading and contrast in the drawing we are making. To measure the darkness, we can use a value scale and which we create later. The standard pencil is HB. The higher the B number, the darker the pencil. For example, 14 B is the darkest in my set, and the higher the H number, the lighter the pencil. Personally, I only use two but there are also 46 up to ten which produce very light mark. And that's why it is useful to have multiple pencils, allowing you to create a wide range of gratons from light to dark. Having just a few pencil is good, six is good, but ideally, a set of 11 provides a greater variety, making it easier to achieve smooth gradients and precise shading. At the top of each pencil, you will find its great value. For example, this one is labeled four B, which you can see at the top. To make them easier to identify while drawing, I have also added small labels. This helps me quickly find the right pencil, and it also makes it easier for you to see which one I will be using during the lesson. A quick note about two H pencils. You won't find them in matt graphite sets because they are so light that they don't stead. The two H pencils can be purchased separately. Next, there's also this type of mechanical pencil, which is quite nice. It has retractable leads that can be added or removed as needed. This kind of pencil is great for initial line work, especially for outlining and sketching contours. However, it's not an essential tool, but it might be worth trying out to see if it suits your drawing style. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide if you find it useful. Erasers are also incredibly useful tools, and there are two main types that are particularly helpful in drawing. The standard eraser, this is the classic eraser that most people use, great for general correction in erasing large areas. The needed eraser is an amazing tool for artists because it can be molded into different shapes allowing for precise adjustments, and it has several advantages. First, it leaves no mark or residue when erasing, and then it can lighten pencil strokes instead of fully erasing them, which is useful for creating subtle highlights. For example, as you can see here, when I erase there are no smudges or traces left behind. As mentioned earlier, another great advantage of this eraser is that you can shape it as needed to work with precision and lighten graphite marks without completely erasing them. For example, by gently dabbing or lightly erasing, I can only remove a small amount of graphite, making the area slightly lighter instead of fully erasing. This technique can be used in different ways, and during the course, we'll explore how to brighten certain areas with this eraser. And of course, there's the traditional eraser, but I don't think I need to explain how it works. Another eraser I will be using is a traditional eraser, but in the form of a pen style eraser. These tools allow for precise erasing, making it ideal for detailed corrections and highlights. This pen, I am not just using it to remove mistakes or dark areas. I am also using it to create highlights. Instead of simply erasing because I am unsatisfied, I am intentionally removing graphi to emphasize certain bright areas in my drawing. Another eraser I use is the electric eraser. Some might see it as a gadget, but in reality, it's extremely useful. Like the eraser pen, it allows for precise erasing, but what makes it special is its power and efficiency. It is particularly helpful for removing very dark areas, which are usually difficult to erase. When shading heavily with a 14 B pencil, for instance, regular erasers might struggle to lift the graphite. However, with the electric eraser, it is strong enough to effectively remove these deep marks. It's great for corrections in dark areas, making it easier to adjust mistakes or refine details. For me, this tool is essential when working with intense shading, as it makes erasing faster, cleaner and precise. Another tool we will need, especially if we want to work on propulsion techniques using the grid method or with perspective technique is the ruler. And the larger the format we work on, the longer the ruler need to be, of course. Another very useful tool that we will be using a lot is the blending stuff. These come in different sizes from fine tips to larger one, and they help soften pencil strokes and make them less visible. Sometimes we need to use this technique, sometimes not, but it will be a very handy tool for this purpose, as we will see when working on shading during the lesson of this course. Other tools that can be used for blending include the flat brushes, like the one I'm showing you, which allows us to blend large areas, and we can also use tissue, cut on pads, and we'll explore these later. Another tool we will need is the pencil sharpener. There are all kinds, including standard sharpeners like these. Personally, I chose to switch to an electric sharpener. Some might think it's just a gadget, but that's not the case at all. I was really tired of pencil leads breaking or not being able to sharpen them perfectly with a regular sharpener. This electrical with this electric sharpener, every time I insert my pencil in just a few seconds, it gets perfectly sharp, long lead with that one break at the slightest use. So I made this choice, and I really don't regret it. I highly recommend it because it gives you flawless pencil tips. Another tool that can be quite useful is this one. It allows us to keep using our pencil even when it becomes very short. It's a shame to throw away a pencil when there's still a bit of length left, but using very short pencils can be quite difficult. With this tool, we can continue using our pencil even when they are extremely small. One last tool that can be interesting, even though it's not essential is a kind of sand paper that allows us to sharpen our blending stump and recycle them once they become too worn. For example, I have this blending stump that has a lot of black on its tip because I have used it to blend many elements. By rubbing the stump against this tool, I can gradually remove the dark residues. You can already see a slight difference, even though I would need to continue a bit longer for a full effect. And so for that, my blending stump become very much lighter. So this helps reset the blending stump when so that it can be reused. So I have shown you quite a few tools. I think the most essential ones remains the pencil and paper, a set of six pencil, a small sketchpad, and with that, a few blending stumps and eraser, meaning a regular eraser and a needed eraser and optionally, an eraser pen to be more accurate. I think all of that is enough to get started. There's no need to buy all the materials I have suggested. And with this basic kit, which should cost around 30 euros, you have a very setup for beginners. However, as you practice and progress and if you draw very frequently, the other tools I have mentioned, such as the electric pencil sharpener, the electric eraser, or the sandpaper for refining your blending stump can also be very useful. And for around 50 euros, you can get a fully professional set to achieve even better results with your drawings. 3. How to draw better lines and strokes: Welcome to this module dedicated to lines. Lines is just one of the fundamental of drawing. It is an essential step for making progress when drawing. Mastering the work online will help you to create some drawings that feel solid and accurate. This module will help you to take some good abs and avoid taking wrong ones that will slow down your progress when drawing. So we'll look at how to hold your pencil for smoother and precise line, and we'll do some basic exercise to master the lines properly. Exercise I'm going to show you will seem maybe a little easy, a little bit repetitive, but they are very important to make some progress. So now let's dive into work and see how to deal with that. Before starting to draw lines, let's first look at how we can hold the pencil. There are several grips. The main thing is to find a position where you feel comfortable. You shouldn't force yourself to use a grip that doesn't feel right or doesn't suit you for drawing certain elements. The first grip is the classic one, the same as when writing with a pen with the pencil held between the index finger and the thumb. I can use it to draw lines, and this grip allows me to have a certain level of precision. What makes it quite pleasant is that with it, whether I am drawing short or long lines, I can draw them fairly accurately. So that's the first grip that you can use. But there are others. There is one that is especially appreciated by many artists. It is called the overhand grip, as you can see here. The pencil is also held with the thumb and the index finger, but in a different way. It also rests on my wrist. This grip is quite useful for drawing long elements as well, since it provides a certain fluidity in the stroke. Personally, it's not a grip I use most of the time. Sometimes I will make use of the hohand grip, but not necessarily all the time. When I am working on contours, I might even hold my pencil like this, like a pen. In fact, it really depends on the situation. The grip I choose is simply the one I feel most comfortable with at the moment. Sometimes when I want to shade certain areas, had some pencil strokes and work with the side of the lead, I will hold the pencil this way, very similar to the overhand grip and very close to the paper. So I can really use the side of the tip effectively. What is truly important is to remember that you should choose the grip that feels the most natural to you and the one that is best suited to the situation. Sometimes I will use the pencil as I would a pen, and other times I will dit differently. Each time I adapt depending on what I feel is best for drawing the element at hand. So through the following exercises when you will be practicing different line strokes. And in the next module as well, when we will work on shapes, what I recommend is that you train yourself to draw lines and shapes using the different grips. That means the pen grip, which is the one we use most of the time, but also give it a try to the overhand grip, this way of holding the pencil with support from the wrist, which gives you a certain fluidity that can be really, really useful at times. And this way, you can try both and see which one you prefer the most. So that covers how to hold the pencil. Now, while we are learning how to use our tools, let's also take a look at how to use the eraser correctly. In the first part of the lesson, when we went over the materials, I mentioned that there are two main types of eraser, the regular one and the needed eraser, which is great because it doesn't leave any residue. This is really useful because sometimes when an eraser leaves small crumbs on the paper, shading over them can create unwanted marks that ruin the drawing. With the needed eraser, I can erase very easily and move it back and forth without any issues. However, with a regular eraser, there is a common mistake that almost everyone's make erasing in both directions. In school, we are taught to erase by scrubbing back and forth. But the problem with this technique is that it increases the risk of wrinkling the paper and damaging the drawing. It would be a shame to ruin your work this way. The solution is very simple. Erase in only one direction. Whether it's upward, downward, left or right, the key is to avoid going back and forth. Just make a single pass in one direction. And by working this way, I greatly reduce the chances of wrinkling my paper. And meanwhile, my overhand helps by holding the sheet in place to keep everything stable. As for using the razor pen, it's very simple. I use it like a pencil as if I were drawing small lines with it. This allows me to define planes and highlights more precisely in my drawing. To start working on lines, the first piece of advice I will give you is very basic but extremely important. Always have a well sharpened pencil. On the right, I have a properly sharpened pencil, whereas on the left, the tip is slightly dull. The difference in results is noticeable. For example, when I draw a line with the well sharpened pencil, I have no difficulty at all. However, with the dull one, the lines might not be as clean and can sometimes even be a bit uneven. Depending on which part of the pencil lead I am using, the dull tip may drag on the paper, making the line a little bit rough and imprecise. That's why it's essential to always keep your pencil sharpened. Take the time to do this regularly. Next, another piece of advice that I'm giving you for the first time, but that I will repeat countless times is this. Keep a very light touch on all the lines you draw throughout your sketch. The lines we are working on now and the ones you will be drawing throughout the course are meant to be erased. The first lines of a drawing are there to establish a rough outline almost like construction lines. At the beginning, your lines won't be very precise, and that's completely normal as you refine your sketch, you will gradually reach a final contour that will be much more precise. That's why your initial lines should be drawn very lightly so that they can be erased easily later on. The lines we use in our drawings come in all forms. We have vertical lines, horizontal lines, and oblique lines. We also have curved lines which can bend in different directions like this. There are many possible variations of the curve lines. Additionally, we can find broken lines with change directions multiple times. And then there are spirals or spiral lines. And finally, we have a shaped lines. These are the main types of line we encounter in our drawings, though the most common ones tend to be curved, vertical, horizontal and oblique lines. When drawing these lines, they don't need to be perfect. Otherwise, I will use a tool for that, my ruler. So it's completely fine if your lines are not perfectly straight because ultimately, they are just guidelines. And remember, we are drawing. We are not creating a mathematical or diometric construction. So if your lines aren't flawless, it's not a problem at all. Relax. A technique that will help us create the best possible lines is ghosting. This means pretending to draw the line before actually drawing it. For example, if I want to draw an oblique line, I first mimic the motion above the paper without touching it. And once I feel ready, after repeating the movement a few times, I can confidently draw the lines. I demonstrated it with an oblique line, but the same technique works for horizontal, vertical or curve lines as well. By using this method, my lines will be much smoother and more controlled. So as I was saying, I can apply this technique in different direction, and each time I will feel more comfortable allowing me to draw the best possible line. An important note that I forgot to mention earlier, I'm working on an A free sheet of paper because it allows me to practice drawing longer lines more effectively. A free is like 42 centimeters by 30. Also, there is no need to use special drawing paper for this exercise. Drawing paper tends to be more expensive than regular paper, and since we are just practicing lines, there's no reason to spend extra money on it. Regular paper will do just fine for this purpose. There are a few bad habits to avoid when drawing lines. For example, when drawing a line, it's better to do it in one continuous motion rather than breaking it into small disconnected strokes. When using a choppy, segmented approach, there's a tendency to press harder in some areas and lighter in others. And if these lines remain visible in the final drawing, they can give the impression that the artist lacks confidence. So whenever possible, try to draw some long and smooth lines in a single motion. You can ghost the movement beforehand to prepare. If needed, you can also go over the line multiple times to refine it, which can help you decide on the best line to keep still being light with your pencil strokes. Ideally, whether drawing a straight line or a circle, aim to do it in one continuous stroke thanks to the ghosting technique. However, it's okay to break it down into multiple paths if necessary. With practice, you will train yourself to make your lines smoother, more confident and more precise. What can help us draw the best possible line is, as I mentioned, ghosting the motion before drawing. But another key factor is finding the right drawing speed. Sometimes drawing more slowly might work better for you. Other times, drawing quickly can lead to smooth line. If never approach feels right, why not try finding a balanced speed, something moderately fast? And by experimenting with different speeds and combining that with the ghosting techniques, you will probably find and discover the best way to create smooth and confident lines that work for you. So that's another tip that can be useful for you to draw the best lines possible. Sometimes the speed at which you draw a line is determined by the line itself. For example, if I am drawing a very irregular line with many curves and turns, I have to adjust my pace and go more slowly to maintain control. In certain cases, adapting your speed based on the complexity of the line is essential. You need to observe what you are drawing and adjust accordingly to speed. Another simple yet effective trick to make drawing lines easier is rotating the paper. So far, you have seen me drawing lines in just one direction, but sometimes just turning the paper makes things become much easier. Depending on where I need to draw the line, certain angles might be more difficult for me as a left handed person, and the same applies to right handed person. Some angles will naturally feel more challenging, but by rotating the paper, I can adjust the angle and draw the line more comfortably. The simple act of turning the paper can make a big difference, so why not take advantage of it? Make things as easy as possible for yourself. One last thing about lines before we can start practicing. We can also control the darkness depending on how much pressure we apply with the pencil. By adjusting the pressure with your pencil, we can make lines very light, slightly darker or extremely dark and bold. However, when working on basic lines, we are usually focusing on outlining and outline should generally be light. So for now, we'll aim to keep our lines soft and delicate. Later, when we explore value scales, we'll see why keeping online light is also beneficial for another reason. Another parameter we can control is the thickness of our lines. If I use the tip of my pencil, I get thin and precise lines, provided my pencil is well sharpened. If I tilt my pencil and use the side of the lid, the line will become more and more thicker. So we can also play with line thickness to create different effects in our drawing. So now let's move on to practice with those lines. Now let's practice drawing these lines. I know it might feel tedious and you might be thinking, I signed up for a drawing course to learn how to draw, not just to practice line. Come on, but trust me, building strong fundamentals is essential before moving forward. So take your time and don't skip this step. So I will start by drawing horizontal lines. And as we discussed earlier, I can go the motion first, mimicking the line before actually drawing it. And once I feel ready, once I know my movement is controlled and accurate, I press the pencil onto the paper and draw the line. Also practice drawing lines in both direction from left to right, and then from right to left to develop better control. Once you have drawn plenty of horizontal lines, you can move on to vertical lines, and the process is the same. Goes the motion first to get a feel for the movement. Once you feel confident and in control, press the pencil onto the paper and draw the line. For well rounded practice, make sure to draw from top to bottom and then from bottom to top as well. For each type of line that you practice, aim to draw at least 50 to fill an entire sheet of paper or even two. And the more you practice, the better your control will be. Start with horizontal lines and draw a large number to build confidence. And then once it is done, you can move on to the vertical lines following the same process. Once comfortable with this, practice oblique lines from top to bottom, from bottom to top. And next practice practice with curve lines. Draw them in one direction first, then reverse and draw them in the opposite direction. And by repeating this dozens and dozens of times, the process will start to feel much easier and your line control will improve significantly. Here we are practicing long lines because if you can master drawing long lines smoothly, short lines becomes much easier. However, you can also practice shorter lines to experiment with different types of strokes. This helps you develop more versatile and control technique. Some reminders for line practice, keep your strokes light because the lighter your lines, the easier they are to erase and also avoid pressing too hard, therefore, because this makes erasing more difficult and you can leave indentation in the paper just like right now. Don't do that as well. Erase correctly. Remember, you should erase in one direction only to prevent wrinkling the paper. Once you have completed your first horizontal curved vertical and oblique lines, a new exercise awaits. This time, it's going to be a bit more challenging and will require more precision, as you will now be drawing from one point to another. Earlier, we were drawing lines freely across the page without necessarily aiming for a specific point. Now that will be the objective. When I draw a line, I will try to reach the point in front of me. If I'm not 100% precise, if it doesn't turn out perfectly, it doesn't matter. This is just an exercise, and these lines serve as a foundation for the final control later on. When you will be drawing something real. I mean, this is the kind of line that serves as a foundation. So again, there's no need to put pressure on yourself and not for this exercise or any other. Now, I will try to draw these lines, and if I succeed, that's great. I can do the same with points below. Don't forget if needed to go the line before drawing it to make the process easier. If you are struggling, here's what you can do. Bring the points closer together. Once you manage to connect them, repeat the exercise with points that are slightly further apart, and then keep increasing the distance until you reach the end of the sheet. Once you have filled the page, I invite you to do the same exercise, but this time with vertical lines. Just like before, place points at a certain distance from each other at both ends of the page, then draw lines connecting them. And once you have completed the entire page, you can probably guess what's next. You will repeat the exercise, but this time with diagonal lines or oblique lines, and so on. This way, you will become more and more precise, improving your control and getting increasingly comfortable with drawing different type of lines all over the page. The next exercise is similar to the previous one where we mark different points, but this time, instead of drawing straight lines, we had curves to create precise curve lines. Again, try drawing curve lines of different lengths to improve your control. Experiment with different curvatures, and sometimes why not add two curves within the same line. And finally, you can also practice S shaped lines. Start by drawing an initials and then go over it again. Don't hesitate to ghost the movement beforehand to get it right. Once you have drawn one S, try making a larger one and a smaller one. And each time, go over the same S shape to see if you can maintain precision throughout while carefully refining the line. And finally, the last exercise, these lines will be to draw figure eight or the infinity symbol and go over them multiple times. Try making them in different sizes to improve your control. And you can also practice drawing them vertically, keeping a relaxed heart movement to ensure the lines remain smooth and. And that's about it for the exercise with the line. You now have quite a few to work on. As I mentioned earlier, try to draw around 50 of each type to develop strong control and confidence in your lines. I know it's not the most exciting part of drawing, and it's probably not what you had in mind when you started, but it's truly essential to build a solid foundation with these lines. So congratulations for completing this work on the lines. Now, what I really encourage you to do is to do the exercises that I have shown you during this video. Take the time to fill several pages with curve lines, straight lines, cross lines, and you will see that you will make some progresses with your lines. You will gain some fluidity, and your lines will be more precise, more accurate with your drawing. And as an netra challenge, try drawing the lines that you see in your everyday life. For instance, power lines, the lines of the buildings that are around you, even cast shadow of different objects are some excellent training for mastering the lines properly. And to push it even further, pick an ordinary object like your couch, a chair, or a banana and try to draw the contour of this object during a limited amount of time, like 30 seconds to one minutes and try to draw the contour, but don't aim for precision. Just work like this with everyday object, and you will see that you will make some progress in your everyday life. You don't have to create something ultra realistic with the right proportions, with the shading, et cetera. We'll deal with that later. But just working like this will help you making some nice progress with your life. 4. Using simple shapes to draw anything: Welcome to this module on form. In this chapter, we are going to see how to simplify the world around us into basic shapes. It is an essential method to get started smoothly without feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of the objects around us. These fundamentals are really essential before moving on to more complex forms and more complex drawings. Simplifying objects into basic shapes like the ones we are going to see will help us to get some better foundation, and it will be easier for you to understand better the proportions and the structure of the objects that you will be drawing in the future. So take the time to apply this method. It will make the rest of your drawing journey more easier and will help you to get some better foundations with your drawings. So let's get started. Welcome to this third module which focuses on shape. Why spend time on shapes? Because every object we see in daily life, wherever simple or complex can be broken down into basic shape. In this module, we will focus on two dimension shapes, meaning shapes that have length and width or height and width. Let's go over the list of geometric shapes that will help us draw any object more easily. One of the first shapes we have is the square. The square is a four sided figure where all sides all four sides are of equal length. Whenever I draw these shapes, I try to do my best, but once again, this is not a geometry class. So if my lines aren't perfectly straight, it doesn't matter. All right? So the second shape we can use is the rectangle. A rectangle has two sides of leg, one length and two sides of a different length. I can draw a horizontal rectangle where it appears stretch out, or I can draw it vertically making it look taller. Next, another geometric shape is the triangle, which is a shape with free size. Then we can create another shape similar to a triangle, but this time, it's two triangles joined together, forming a rhombus or also called the diamond. Here I am drawing a middle line to illustrate my point, but normally it doesn't have this central line. It's just for the demonstrations purpose. Another common shape we often see is the trapezoid. A trapezoid is similar to a rectangle, but the top and bottom sides are not the same length. This means it has two non parallel sides. And that's it for polygonal shapes, the one made up of straight angles. Next, we have shapes that aren't made of straight lines, and one of them is the circle. Just like I did with the square and the rectangle, I can first ghost the motion, mimicking the shape of the circle in the air. Once I feel ready and have memorized the movement in my muscle memory, I will draw it. The first one isn't great, so I will do another one next to it, again, using the ghosting technique. This one is a bit better. But remember, these are just basic shapes that help us build the foundation of our drawing. They are not the final contours of the artwork. They are part of the preliminary structure that leads to the final outline. So I don't care if my circle isn't perfect. If I wanted a perfect circle, I would have used the compass. Another rounded shape that we can use and will be very useful while drawing is the oval, which I can draw in an upright position or in any direction. All the shapes I have drawn here are shown in their standard orientation, but they can be rotated, tilted, or positioned in any way to suit our needs when we draw. I started by drawing perfect shapes, the square rectangle, circle, et cetera, but we can also create imperfect shapes by combining different forms together. For example, I can draw two lines as if I were making a triangle. But instead of closing it with a straight line, I can use a curved line. So here I am mixing a circle with a triangle, creating a new useful shape. Similarly, I can start drawing a rectangle, but this time, I make one side longer than the other. This way, I create a shape that isn't a diamond, a rectangle or square, but a unique form that can be useful for drawing certain objects. The key is to create the shape that best helps us identify and construct the object we want. The secret to mastering these shapes is that there is no secret. The key is simply practice. All these shapes I have shown you need to be drawn and repeated 50 or even 100 times it's even better for each geometric form to develop a strong foundation. Try drawing them in different orientations and different sizes. To build flexibility. Each time you practice, you can start by gusting the movement to make it easier, and over time, you won't even need to do that anymore, I am sure. Also, don't put pressure on yourself. It doesn't matter if your shapes aren't perfect. If perfection was the goal, you'd be using geometry tools. Practicing these shapes is crucial because they are part of the fundamentals of drawing. Many beginners think that details are what make a drawing look realistic. While details do play an important role, you can't have details without a strong foundation. And a solid foundation starts with good proportions, and we begin working on proportion by drawing accurate shapes. Once you master your shapes, you will naturally develop a better sense of proportion leading to a more realistic drawing. And as the saying goes, before you're learning to run, you must first learn to walk. And in this case, all walking means developing strong fundamental shapes. The same practice with straight hedged shapes can also be applied to circles. Try drawing them in different sizes and practice dozens or even hundreds of times to develop your ability to draw almost perfect circles freehand. The goal is to become so familiar with these shapes that you can sketch them quickly and accurately when drawing. By repeatedly incorporating these geometric forms into my drawings, it has almost become second nature to me. Now I can easily draw a free hand circle, even if it's not perfect, it allows me to establish solid foundations for my drawings with confidence and mostly, most importantly, very quickly. Once you've gotten used to drawing these shapes and have practiced them dozens of times, you can start combining them. Try drawing freely, letting your imagination guide you. Draw a rectangle, then add a triangle, and maybe a circle on top. From there, why not add a trapezoid or another rectangle in a different direction? Even if these shape combinations don't resemble anything specific, the practice of combining them will train your brain to see and construct form easily, more easily. Later, when you need to draw real objects, this habit will make the process for you much more intuitive. 5. How to analyze subjects into basic shapes: What we are going to do now is this. I'm going to show you a series of subjects. We'll look at five. The goal is to observe them carefully and ask yourself what simple shape you see in these subjects, and into what simple shape you could break down each element of the subject. The idea is to do this within a set time. I will give you 20 seconds. If you want to spend a little longer on it, that's fine. Just pause. But try to think and quickly say to yourself, for this object, I see this simple shape. For that one, I would choose that simple shape. Do this mental analysis to identify simple shapes. So, right, let's get started with the first subject. So if I had to break down the steel life into simple shapes, I would start with the cookies. I would see them as stacked ovals. For these four cookies, the shape seems like a good base. The same goes for the cookies on the side. A oval work well and similarly for the one underneath. For the glass, I could imagine the top part as a rectangle with rounded edges, both at top and bottom. The top part would help form an oval to close off the rectangle. The bottom part would also have rectangles with slightly curved edges to create that shape of the glass. If I were analyzing them in three dimension, I might say the top part is made up of a cylinder, but since we are focusing on two D, that will be more than enough. For the bottle, I can imagine a large rectangle for the upper part and a small trapezoid for the lower part. I also see another elongated trapezoid on the top section before adding a thin rectangle at the very top and finally, an oval to close off the bottle cap. For the bundle of ropes, it's a bit tricky, but I see a somewhat complex geometric shape resembling a trapezoid. For the book and its spine, I see a very long rectangle to define its shape. And finally, for the small thing underneath, a novel to enclose everything seems like a good way to start to finish. So that's how I would break down this subject, even though other approaches could work just as well as long as we can faithfully recreate it afterward. Now let's move on to a new subject, a duck this time. And once again, I'll give you 20 seconds to try and break it down into simple shapes. So For this duck, I will start with a large oval for its body. Then to begin the neck, why not use a triangle, which I can close off by connecting it to the oval. Next, for the neck itself, I would use a long rectangle before moving on to the beak, which has a fairly obvious shape, a triangle. For the head, I can sketch it using a sort of oval or circle. And finally, I close off this next section with an oval triangle. So as you can see, the process is quite simple and quick, and from this base, I can refine the drawing fervor. Now let's move on to the new subject. If you were to focus on drawing the tree and the man standing in front of it, what shapes will you use to break them down? Et's start with the shapes that will make up the man. For the head, a circle works well with a small rectangle for the neck. A long rectangle will help define its torso. For the arms, I can break them down into two rectangles each because at the elbow joint, they bend and form a distinct shape. The same goes for the leg, which is slightly bend. It also needs two rectangles to represent its structure. Now we are going to work with the tree. The trunk can be represented with a small rectangle. The foliage could be drawn using a circle, but that would be too imprecise. Instead, I can break it down further. On one side, I see a distorted rectangle on the right. Whereas on the other side, I notice at the top a trapezoid and another geometric shape at the bottom. Now, let's move on to a new subject, this banana, a common everyday object. What simple shapes you would you use to break it down? This banana isn't as simple as it seems, and that's because of its curve. We could start with an ovel that encompasses the entire banana, including the top part, but in the end, that wouldn't be very helpful. So instead, it's better to break it down into flight and straight to geometric shape. What I see is a series of trapezoi or at least shapes that resemble trapezoil which help simplify the banana structure. By using this geometrical shape, it will be easier to reproduce later before refining its precise contours, rounded edges, and curves. The banana peel can also be decomposed into rectangles and trapezoids, making it much simpler to construct. And suddenly this fruit becomes much easier to draw as the volumes and curves of a banana make it more complex to draw than it initially appears. All right. Now let's move on to one last object. What shapes would you use to break down this leaf? So for this leaf, the key is to simplify it as much as possible. Its edges are very complex and detail, but for now, we need to ignore that level of detail and focus on the basic shapes. So I can see a rectangle for the central part of the leaf. For the side section, which are broader, I could use rectangles as well or some sort of trapezoid. Then them down to break down the more intricate parts, I will use a series of triangles to structure the leaf. Later, when working on the contours, I will refine the shapes and add more detail. Of course, I'll also include a small rectangle at the bottom to represent the stem. So that's it for this exercise. It's very simple. And now what I would like you to do is something just as simple. Start observing the world around you differently in your everyday life. For example, when you are at work, by the coffee machine, look at the furniture around you and ask yourself, What simple shape do I see in this piece of furniture? How could I break it down on public transport or when you are at home, try to do this mental analysis, breaking each object into simple shapes. And by doing so, it will become more and more natural. And when you later come across a subject you want to draw, the process will happen quickly and almost automatically in your head. So that's your task for now. In the next video, what we will do is take these objects that we have broken down into simple shapes and actually draw them in simple shapes or elves. No pressure. It doesn't matter if the drawings aren't perfect. We are here to practice and to train, and that is exactly what we will do with these five subjects. 6. Shape drawing practice with real subjects: Here we go. Let's get started working with simple shaves on the subjects we analyzed earlier. We'll begin with Duck. The first thing I will do is start with the oval, the large part. Why? Because I think of it as the central element, and it seems like a good idea to begin with that one first. So just before drawing the oval, I can trace it in the air over my paper to get a sense of the movement. And when I feel ready, I draw it. By the way, the video is slightly darkened, so you can see my lines better when I draw the outline. Because even though I press a bit harder than usual so that you can see, I still have the habit of drawing with a fairly light hand. You too should remember to keep your pencil strokes very light when doing this. The idea with using simple shapes is that they should hardly be visible in the end. That way, they can be erased easily once we move on to the final outline. So once the oval is done, I had this small triangle, which I'm going to adjust a little because I felt it wasn't tilted enough. So I drew it, and now we move on to the duck's neck, which I can make using a rectangle. And that covers the basics. And for the head, once again, we have a small oval, and I'm going to mimic it first. It is a bit trickier sometimes when the shapes are smaller. So take your time. You may also notice that I adapt my grip to the elements I am working on. For example, for the dog's head and for ovals or circles in general, I tend to use the overhand grip, the one where the pencil rests on the wrist. But for other shapes like the rectangle or the triangle, most of the time I go with the classic grip. So don't hesitate to adapt and use whichever grip feels most comfortable for you. Then I can draw the small triangle. And even though we are not focusing on proportions yet, to place the small triangle properly, I noticed it was about halfway across the width of the neck. So that's how I placed it. And then I can add another triangle this time to complete the beak. And here, too, I figure that this triangle is about the same size as the dog's head. So that's how I draw it. And there we have it of first animal or first element drawn using simple shapes. You see, it doesn't take very long to use this technique, but it really helps to get a good structure at the very beginning of our drawing. Now let's move on to a second example with this still life that we can see here. This time we have more elements to draw. And sometimes when faced with a subject like this, we have lots of things in it. We might wonder where to start. What I usually say in a situation like this, and it's the same in painting is start with what feels obvious to you. In this case, the most obvious element to me, the one I felt I could place most easily was the book. The book takes up almost the entire width of the page, and it is positioned at the bottom. So I decided to place the book first because once I have one element that is placed fairly well, it becomes easier to position all the other elements in relation to this one. Here, the book seemed simpler to place than the glass or the bottle. So I started with the book. It was the easiest. Then I could add the other elements, situating them in relation to the book. That is the case with the cookies, for example. I noticed they were set on the left hand side of the book, so I could place them fairly accurately this way. The key point when working with simple shapes is not to think of them as the final result or expect them to be perfect right away. Definitely not. When I work with simple shapes, I am just building a structure. I know that there will be mistakes. I know I will have things to adjust. But thanks to these simple shapes, I can already create a fairly coherent base. It is much easier to spot errors to spot mistakes after doing this with simple shapes than if I had tried to draw a very precise outline right from the start. And here, to place my glass correctly, I thought of it as being located about halfway across the book. So that's how I placed it. I also noticed that the top of the glass starts roughly at the level of the last cookie. So I use that as a reference as well. And even though we haven't yet gone over the propulsion techniques that I will share with you later in the course, you can already start developing a sense of proportion by comparing the elements to each other. This isn't really a technique as such. It is more of a habit to get into. Comparing each element with the others. For instance, with this bottle, I noticed that the bottle reaches about the same height as the last cookie and lines up with the beginning of the top part of the glass roughly. And using that comparison, I could place it correctly. So without even relying on propulsion techniques, I was still able to establish a solid base, a coherent structure simply by comparing the different elements with one another. And finally, we get to the small bundle of robes, which I can represent simply with a circle, and this natural little element depicted that way. And so there we have it to define structure for the still life. Now, let's move on to our next subject, which with this my standing in front of the tree. So I will start with the head, a small circle. As we saw earlier, for the neck, we can have a small rectangle just below. For the torso, I will represent it with a long rectangle underneath with a kind of point at the level of the neck. And so we'll keep progressing like this, placing the different elements one by one. So here the torso is finished, and so I can move on to drawing the leg. As noted, because of the knee joint, these legs need to be divided into two simple shapes like this. Then just next to it, I can draw the over leg with another simple form, noticing that this leg will reach almost the same level as the first one, even though it is just slightly longer. To place the arms, I will once again try to compare the elements with one another. I see that the arm at its first joint, reaches about the level of the stomach, and I also see that the hand ends roughly at the level of the pants, just a little lower. And I can use these reference points to sketch the over arm as well, still relying on those simple shapes. Next, I'm going to the trunk, and I notice that it is positioned roughly at the height of the head of the person I just drew. So that is where I place it. Next, I would sketch the outline of this tree using the simple shapes we defined earlier. These shapes are really very basic. I know that at first, when you do this exercise, it can feel like the result doesn't look at all like what you are trying to draw. Example, with the tree I am drawing here, once it is done with just these simple shapes, it is quite hard to even recognize it as a tree. And that is normal because right now we are not aiming for a final drawing. What we are doing here is just a step, a first step, a sort of skeleton, a guide to help us place our elements roughly in the right spots. The simple outline doesn't yet allow us to clearly identify the subject. And that is normal. It is only with the final outline, the final contour that we will draw later that things will start to take shape a bit more once we've gone beyond the stage of simple forms. And what will really make the difference afterward is working with the shadow and light. Shading is what gives volume, texture and transforms the simple assembly of once refined into a clearer contour, clearer outline into a realistic tree. So if for now, your drawings made from simple shapes don't seem to resemble much, don't worry. That is exactly how it should be. This work we are doing here is laying the groundwork. And it is because you have established these clear foundations that out in the final contour and then the shading, we will be able to bring your drawing to life. But in the meantime, we do need to go through these steps, even if I admit it can feel a little frustrating at first. Now let's move on to another example with the banana that we broke down into simple shapes. Once again, I will choose to start with this middle element, which is somewhere between a rectangle and a trapezoid. And I will begin with that one because it seems to be the simplest to draw and it's easy to identify. And from there, I can build the rest. I know that this part of the course can feel a bit tedious, and it might not seem very exciting at first. Drawing only circles, rectangles, triangles isn't what we usually imagine when we think about drawing. With much rap jump straight into portraits, animals, or landscapes. But this work is extremely important. It is the foundation of everything else. And by learning to see and draw with simple shapes, you will develop a new way of observing. You will be training your eye to break any subject down into manageable steps. And that is what separates someone who gets stuck in front of a blank page from someone who says, Okay, I can do this. I will start with a novel, then a rectangle, and little by little, the drawing takes shape because these simple shapes, anyone can do them, and you are capable of doing them. It is exactly the same logic as in music. Before you can play a complex melody, you first learn your scales, and these are your visual scales. And even though this isn't the most entertaining part, it is probably the one that will give you the most confidence moving forward. Once you have built the habit of simplifying things, no subject will ever feel too complicated to draw. So take this moment as an investment in your drawing skills. The more comfortable you become with simple shapes, the more free you will be to tackle any subject, knowing that you have a method to break it down. So that's it for the banana. The structure is fairly accurate. It is just the upper part that could still be improve a little. Even though we are not aiming for a perfect result here, it immediately struck me in just a few seconds that something wasn't quite right, so I will adjust it slightly. But there's no need to overdo it either. We are only working with a base made of simple shapes. Now let's move on to our last example. And if your simple shapes aren't perfect for now, that is okay. We don't become Michelangelo overnight. It is normal for some things not to work out at the beginning. What really matters is daring, daring to draw, daring to start and repeating the exercise while practicing others. Little by little, your eye will become sharper and your hand will grow steadier. Later in the course, we will go through proportion techniques that will allow you to create drawings that are more accurate and better structured. So above don't get discouraged if your first sketches don't look exactly the way you would like. Think of them as necessary steps. Each shape you put down, even if it is imperfect, is one more step toward greater precision and greater confidence. So now let's move on to this final shape, the leaf, and I realize that in the one I just made, right here, the alignment isn't quite right. It is too big and not well placed. I noticed this because I compare its position with the central element. And so there you go. I've shown you roughly how it should have been placed for this one, but it's no big deal. It's just practice. So it doesn't matter if it isn't perfect. So I will finish this one up, and then I will explain what comes next. So, there we go. The leaf is more or less finished. At this point, we have worked together on five subjects, which is already quite good. The first thing I recommend is that you also practice drawing them using simple shapes just as we have done here. Once you have done that, don't stop there. Keep going further. Take everyday objects, things you have right in front of you. For example, as I am speaking, I have my microphone in front of me, or I might have a camera, a coffee cup, or a piece of furniture. Try breaking them down mentally into simple shapes first and then draw them on your paper using simple shapes, just as we did now. You can do this with objects around you, or you can look up objects on the Internet and practice with those. Start, for example, by drawing one object from the front and then work on the same object from another angle, always training yourself to break it down into simple forms. The more objects you do with this, the more natural and intuitive it will become for you in the future. And once you have done that, the next video waiting for you is the creation of your first artwork. Together, we'll begin by breaking it down into simple shapes just as we have practice. Then we will keep working on that same piece in the contour module and later in the light and shadow module until to bring it to completion. Your very first finished artwork created alongside with me. So there is quite a lot to do in practice, but you will see you will improve significantly. 7. Project drawing – breaking the subject into shapes: Are now going to continue this module with the making of our first artwork together. We are going to create a project with a still life that we are now creating with the form module, and we will also be still doing it with the contour module and light and shading module as well. So what you are about to do right now, don't throw it away. Keep it for the next two modules. It will be useful for that. And now we are going to focus on the simple forms only. So don't go any further. We will do that later on. And for this exercise, for this artwork, you can use a really drawing piece of paper and not some casual paper. Now, this is our very first artwork that we are creating, so use some good paper. I really recommend it. Alright, let's get started with this project that will guide us through the modules on shapes, outlines, and light and shadow. So make sure to keep the subject carefully and the work you're about to begin on shapes. Hold on to that, too, as you will be used for the upcoming modules we will be working on. So I will be using this photocopy, which is a bit lower in quality to identify the shapes we'll find in our subject. Looking at the shapes, we can see that there is a circle, a very simple round shape. It can be this basic form. Next, for the vase, we are not going to worry about depth perspective of three dimensional form. No, we'll just try to break them down into simple shapes. I can see that the main part of the vase is made up of large rectangle. So that's the shape I am choosing for this area. Beneath that, there is a trapezoi. On the upper part, I also see a trapezoid that I'm going to draw right here. You can divide it with this trapezoid here and followed by a small rectangle. And finally, this long and narrow rectangle for the top section. And for the base, um that these objects are resting on, we also have this large rectangle. And for the depth, again, we could draw it in perspective using a vanishing point that the depth lines will converge towards like this, but we are not going to worry about that yet. We'll see perspective points later on in the course. So here, I can simply draw another trapezois. As for the leaves, I can break the large leaf down into a triangle and this rectangle. For the other one, also a long rectangle with a small triangle at the tip. And there you have it for the simple shapes. Now I'm going to try to reproduce them on my paper, and, of course, I encourage you to do the same at the same time as I do. So here is my paper, square measuring approximately 20 centimeter by 20, so that it matches the format of the printed sheet with the model. Since we haven't worked on proportions yet, at least we are focusing on some things that is at the same scale. So let's begin, and we'll start with the rectangle at the bottom part. I roughly estimate its height in relation to the subject, and then I also notice that there is a small gap on the side that is slightly wider on the left compared to the edge of my paper. So that's what I do, and then I can go ahead and draw the trapezoid for the depth of the base. We can see that the length of the diagonal I have drawn is roughly similar to the length of those vertical lines I traced a little earlier. Then I can go ahead and draw that small trapezoil at the bottom. Again, I roughly estimate its placement on the base, and I also notice that the top line of this small trapezoil aligns with the line of my base, so that's perfect. And next I move on to drawing this large rectangle of the base we identified earlier. As for the height, it seems to reach about halfway up my paper. Although when estimating, I would say that what I just drew is maybe a little too tall, so I am going to erase that a little bit and adjust it. You can't always eyeball things perfectly, so I will shorten it to it felt a bit too big the way I did it. And if needed, I can always enlarge it later if I realized it was actually the right side. So we will see that in a few moments. Then I can continue by drawing another trapezoid in the upper part. And just above it, I will be able to draw these two rectangles. Even here, I am adjusting the trapezoid a bit. I feel like I could have made it slightly taller. So now one rectangle and then another one that will be a little longer. And for this exercise, if the proportions aren't exactly right, it's not a big deal. It's not the end of the world. That's not the goal. If the vase ends up a bit too big or a bit too small, it's really not a problem. It won't be a major issue. The drawing can still be coherent. And we are not using any measurement tools for proportion here. So it's totally fine if your vase isn't perfectly proportioned. Personally, I feel like I may have made it a little too tall, but what matters here is the overall drawing and that the results remain coherent with nice contour, nice shading afterwards, and at first, the nice shapes. And that seems to be the case here. So I am happy with it, and let's start with the apple. Now for the apple, I see that it reaches about this height on the vase, around two thirds of the large rectangle or about halfway up the entire vase. And before drawing the circle, I can meme it out pretend to draw it, and then when I feel ready, I go for it and draw it. So this circle looks pretty good, but I would say it needs to be just a little closer to the vase more on the left and a little farther from the edge of the base. So I adjust that slightly. Next, I am going to modify the base a bit. I will enlarge it a little. I will chip a bit. You won't hold it against me, so we can later create a properly placed cast shadow. So I make these few small changes, erase the lines that no longer work, and we can continue. I would also likely erase some of the lines from the apple so that in the end, we only have one clean and clear outline. Now I am going to adjust the circle a little. I was about to tell you it was done, but I just realized I forgot the small rectangle at the top of the vase. I was so focused on talking to you and on my drawing that I completely forgot it. So now I am going to fix that. It means I need to erase the leaves, draw the small rectangle, and then redraw the leaves over it. So I hope you thought of that, too. And after that, we will be done with the shapes, and we'll come back to this drawing for the outline module, so don't lose it. And once you've watched the motto on outlines and complete the exercises, you will be able to return to this project and work on clean and well refined contours. 8. How to get accurate contours in drawing: Welcome to this module on contours. So after seeing how to simplify our objects into basic shapes, we are now going to see how to refine the contours to get something closer to the reality. So this is a very important step, as it will help you move from something very basic, very simple with these simple shapes to something more refined. And more realistic because the work on contour that we are doing now is the very first step for bringing your offer to something more realistic closer to what you actually see in your life. And by mastering contours, you will be able to better define your subject while keeping the solid foundation that you have built with the basic shapes. It brings accuracy to your proportion, and it lays the groundwork for adding more details later on and the shading to your drawing that will help you to create something realistic. So now let's see how to create a nice and very precise contour for your drawing. Here is the cypress tree that will serve as our model. It is an excellent subject for working on contour thanks to its irregular edges. So let's begin by breaking it down into simple shapes, just like we have done in the previous modules. So looking at the cypress, I can see it is composed of a rectangular base like this. Then at the top, there is a kind of small triangle with a flat tip. And above and just above that, I can see that we have this kind of rectangle well under, we have this kind of rectangle that is slightly trapezoidal. So we are going to reproduce these basic shapes in our drawing. What I noticed is that at the bottom part, we already have this little edge, so I start by adding that to draw the base of the cypress. And then I can go ahead and draw the first rectangle. I can mimic the gesture before doing it if I want it. And then I have this rectangle that is followed by one that narrows toward the top, forming a sort of trapezoid. And finally, for the very top of the cypress, I can go with this kind of rectangle, and there it is represented using simple shapes. Now we have our basic shapes, and we are going to try to get closer to the final outline using what is called the blocking technique. This isn't exactly the final contour we are aiming for in this second stage. But what we will do is break the outline down into various angles. So I will observe the angles that are formed, the different inclinations, and then I will represent them using straight lines, just like this. In the end, this brings us very close to the final contour, and it helps break it down, break it down, sorry, in a way that makes the process easier than if we try to go straight into the final outline. And once we have done the blocking on our drawing paper, all we will need to do is lightly erase some of these lines and then draw the final contour. This time with the correct angles but using softer lines. So I will go over the added lines with the silver pen so you can see them more clearly. So this blocking technique is going to be really helpful. We break the outline down into different straight lines with slight angles. And this way, it becomes easier to draw a final contour afterward. As we work on this blocking, what is really important to understand is that the goal isn't to make pretty, pretty or final lines. It is to analyze. We stop thinking of the cypress as an actual tree and we start reading it at a series of angles, slopes, and directions. It is a great exercise and a very effective technique to train your eye to see differently. We are kind of building the object like a puzzle piece by piece, breaking the contour down into straight lines. And it doesn't matter if it's not perfectly accurate right away. On the contrary, this is just a phase where we test things out, we adjust and we give ourselves a bit of wiggle room. And this will make the next step much easier. Once these lines are in place, all that is left is to soften them, refine them, and move on to the final contour with much more precision. It is a really valuable method to improve and make sure you end up with a strong and accurate outline. Now, what I can also do to help myself while drawing is look for points where angles line up horizontally. For example, I notice here that these two angles are at the same height, and so I could draw a line between them to guide me, and the same with these two over here. And these intermediate lines I am adding onto the object are super useful because they act as visual landmarks to help us place all the elements correctly with the blocking technique. And thanks to these little markers, our final control will be even more precise. What is interesting about this blocking stage is that it is a method used by many professionals, and even after years of experience, they still go through this step because it lays down a solid foundation. It's a bit like the foundation of a house. If it is unstable, everything built on top will be too. And this work with straight lines also helps you catch mistakes early on. It is much easier to correct a misplaced angle now than to have to redo everything once the final contour is drawn. And paradoxically, what even though it seems like an extra step, it actually saves time in the long run because once it's done, you know exactly where you are going, and you will need fewer corrections on the final contour. And this type of drawing also activates a different way of seeing. You are no longer just copying what you think you see, you become much more attentive to directions, lengths, and proportions. It really trains your eye and prepares you for more complex approaches later, whether in drawing or painting, especially when dealing with more delicate contour. And finally, thanks to this construction line, you will draw with more confidence. You've got your reference points. You fought through the structure, and you can move forward more calmly. Now, what I am doing is to erase these lines, but not completely, just enough to make them very less visible, so I can go over them and draw the final contour of my Cypress. And now that my lines are nicely softened and partially erased, I can go over them and draw the final contour with much more smoother lines, more natural lines. What I mean is that these lines will look far less geometric. We'll have something that feels much more organic than what we had up to this point. And as am I tracing this final contour, I can now include all the little irregularities we see along the curve. On the cypress, for instance, we can notice lots of small and even details, little branches sticking out of the foliage here and there. So I can add those as I go. And so thanks to these different stages, I end up with a clean contour that is looking realistic. We really took the time to observe it, to do it properly, and in the end, it only took about six or 7 minutes. And the more you practice this, the faster it will become. Eventually, it will take you very little time to do it confidently. So now we have drawn the outer contour of the tree. But as you will notice, there are also interior lines, and that are important, and we need to add them as well, because they help indicate and separate the different shadow areas. So I am going to try to identify a few. For example, on the entire left side, we can see this big section that is in shadow. So I can go ahead and mark that. Here, too, within the tree, there is a sort of foam that divides different parts of the foliage right here. So I will add that as well. And I am trying to mark the most obvious elements, the shadow zones that clearly separate from the areas of light. But don't worry about light and shadow. We'll work on that later. But for now, I am just trying to spot and place those distinct internal areas within the tree. I will head these here, and they seem to be the main ones to me. But if you feel like you will need more than just these few lines to build your shading later, you feel free to draw more. Personally, I usually stick to the main ones like this, and then I refine the rest gradually as I work on the drawing. And to draw these internal shadow areas, it looks a bit like the blocking method. I try to break them down into different angles. I observe where they sit in relation to the other control line I have already drawn. Realized I made a small mistake with the inner contour. The line wasn't quite right, so I adjusted it and corrected this part. And now we are reaching the end of this stage, focused on contour. We started with simple shapes then moved on to the blocking to establish the structure. And finally, we refine everything to get a smoother and more natural and more accurate final outline. So it is a step by step method, but it really makes a big difference. So take the time to practice it and you will see how much more confident and precise your drawings will become. There. Now, let's move on to our second subject with this mandarin. As you probably guessed, the overall shape of this subject, the shape we will use as a starting point is a circle. As always, I can mimic my circle, and this is especially the case with this geometric shape because the circle is one of the most complex forms to draw accurately. You can somewhat see it. My lines are quite light, but that's not a problem since we will be modifying it very soon. Before we start tracing the blocking lines, we are going to do it on the paper first so that you can clearly visualize all the angles involved in this mandarin. And I will use my red marker so you can clearly see the different angles on this subject. If you look closely, you will notice that this mandarin, due to the small segments that make it up, has many sole angles along these edges, and we will be able to recreate these angles in our drawing. So take a good look at the different angles before trying to replicate them. As always, I encourage you to practice these exercises along with me or if you prefer wait until I finish explaining and then try drawing the contours by yourself. And if necessary, you can also watch a first time and then do it while you are rewatching the course. So let's get started with the blocking technique with this mandarin. Just like we did with the cypress, I will carefully observe the different angles that can be seen on this mandarin and try to apply them in the same place on my heat. This blocking technique will help us better understand the proportions and angle involved, preventing major mistakes before refining the details. And it's true even with a round object like a mandarin that has some angles. These angles may be quite subtle, but they are due to the natural irregularities of the shape. And by tracing the simplified angles, we can see the subject from a new perspective by breaking it down into structured parts, making the task easier. One useful trick to check if I'm placing the angles correctly is to compare their relative positions. For example, the first angle here, if I draw a dotted line downward, I see that it lends around this area. Just right there. And when I do the same on my drawing, I see that I am roughly in the right place. So that's good. We are on the right track, and we should continue like this. If I notice a mistake, I don't hesitate to adjust it. Don't panic. It happens to me every day to make mistakes. The important thing is to correct them. These angles that I'm drawing now, they will serve later on as visual guides, allowing us to soften and refine the contour with more natural curves. And so I continue moving toward the side of this mandarin. Also, take note that sometimes I will adjust the way I hold my pencil, and at times I might switch back to holding it like a pen if I find it easier. So don't feel restricted to always using the overhand grip. You find it more comfortable holding it differently at certain moments, go ahead and do so. And finally, you can also see that I am really taking my time before drawing these different angles. I think carefully and estimate exactly where each one should land before committing to the line. And once I am confident, I go ahead and trace it. And finally, I can erase those lines before adding my final contour. Now, I want you to pause the video and take a moment to carefully observe this mandarin. Ask yourself, which interior lines are important. These are the lines that will help us create volume, define the shape, and separate the different sections of the mandarin. So in your opinion, which lines will be essential to draw before we start shading and truly bringing volume to our mandarin? So think about it. Which lines would you choose to sketch for this mandarin? Personally, the most important lines in my opinions are the ones that separate the different segments of the mandarin. Here, we can see one of these lines. Right next to it, there are dark shadowed areas which also help define the separation between the segments, these ones. They are very important in my mind. Then there are several dark lines that I could had to further emphasize these divisions. Next, why not include the one at the top. I think it is also important because it separates the different section and you can see that these lines they land. You can draw them until an angle that we have drawn on our paper with the blocking technique. And we could also had this one that are very light. Honestly, I think we can do without them. And even with just these essential lines, I believe they serve as strong elements to bring our mandarin to life, giving it a real sense of form and structure. To begin, we might ask ourselves how to draw this first line and its details in the center of the mandarin. Looking at my reference photograph, I can see that it forms a curve and shifts slightly to the right of the first angle we traced. If I compare the height of this element to the overall height of the mandarin, if I were to divide it into three equal parts, I would say that this dark element should be placed around the first third. And this spot looks like a good place to position it. So next, once I have done that, I can draw this purple line extending to the left, and I notice that it reaches one of the angles we previously traced. So I extend the line toward that specific angle. The lower line follows the same principle. I also reaches one of the angles from our blocking technique. This line consists of two curves, a very short one, followed by a longer one that connects to the indentation where the segments of the mandarin meet. And I can go ahead and trace that as well. Likewise, I see a new line originates from another blocking technique. And from that point, I can extend these lines and had the other structural elements that define the center of the mandarin where all the segments converge. And I will continue in this way, gradually adding each segment until I fully outline the mandarin and each section and each defining line that give it its structure. These interior lines help me realize that I made a mistake when applying the block in technique, since there are elements that no longer align correctly. So I will adjust my contour to connect the line leading to this angle all the way to the center. In the end, creating a drawing is a constant process of adjusting and readjusting based on new elements that serve as additional reference point. We continuously compare or work to the subject until we are satisfied with the overall structure. It's important to never assume that just because we have finished the first step, everything is set in stone and we can move on. More often than not, adjustments are necessary. And even after years and years of practice, I still find myself making adjustments to my drawing. And the same applies to my painting. I never create a painting that is perfect on the first try. There are always small details to refine until that I feel the piece is truly complete and satisfying. And so this happens with my drawings as well. You Now that I have finished with the blocking technique, I'm going to lightly erase my lines so that they are barely visible. This line we now serve as guides for refining my final contour. Since a mandarin doesn't have straight edges like the ones we initially drew, I need to rework the contour, making it more curved and rounded. And at the same time, I will focus on the texture of the mandarin because its surface isn't perfectly smooth. It has a slightly rough and uneven texture. So I will incorporate these small irregularities into my contour to capture that natural look. To do this, I will use my blocking lines as a reference, drawing over them while adjusting where necessary. I don't need to follow my subject 100% perfectly, since these are minor details in the contour that don't have to be exact. I work lightly, adding subtle irregularities throughout the contour of the mandarin. Once I have completed this final contour, that will be it, and we'll be ready to move on to the project. We started with the shape module, refining the precise outlines of the elements we initially sketched. Uh So congratulations for completing this module on contours. Now you know how to move from something very basic with the basic shapes to something more refined and closer to the reality. So now here are your homeworks. So just like you did with the basic shape module, I want you to observe the objects in your daily life to look precisely at the contour of these objects. Don't look at the objects as you did before. Now that you are drawing, you are developing an artistic eye, an eye that will look at the object differently, and that will focus on things that you didn't catch on before or you didn't pay attention to before, like the contour, try to observe the angles. How are the lines of this contour? Is there some kind of a curve? Is it straight? So try to observe the objects in the world around you in a different manner. And also, just like you did with the basic shapes module, I want you to draw the contour of different objects in your daily life. Of course, at first, you draw them with the basic shapes, and then you move on to a contour that is more refined and more realistic thanks to the technique like the blocking that we saw during this module. And just like we did with the basic shape, try to do the same thing with this object, but by watching them from a different angle on the side, on the free quarter view or from up there with a down view. This way, you will make some better progress with the contour. And most importantly, continue the project we did we started before with the basic shapes for the vase and the apple. Now that you have the basic shapes for your drawing, you can enhance it by working on the contour, and the next step will be the shading once you have watched the next chapter on light and shading. So remember, clean contours are the foundation to get a clean and accurate drawing. And the more you will practice, and the more you will feel confident with your drawing and get some contours that are nice and realistic. So happy practicing and I will see you in the next chapter on light and shading. 9. Project drawing – finishing the contours: Let's keep going our project with the work on the contour. So we are going to work on the contour of these elements to make them really precise and apply everything that we've seen during this module. Let's get started. Let's start working on more precise outline since our apple doesn't have the shape of the perfect circle. So I am using the blocking technique to try and mark out the different angles and inclinations of the apple, so I can later create a smoother and rounder outline, but one that follows the correct angles and really captures the shape of the apple. So here I go estimating the different direction of each of these angles breaking the apple down into different segments. And now I have an outline that is looking pretty good to me. Inside the apple, I can also sketch a small inner shape to help place the stem accurately on and I think that this apple is coming along quite nicely. Now, let's move on to the vase. This one will be fairly simple because the outline doesn't differ much from the geometric shapes we already drew. So I can follow that shape pretty closely, and overall the outer contour stays very close to what we add in our construction lines. Inside the vase, I can also draw this line, and I can see that this line right here lines up with this little line at the top, so I can use it. I can use that to place it correctly. There we go. Now this line clearly defines the depth on the front face of the valves, and I can also apply the blocking technique to my leaves, and that helps me realize that the first leaf on the left wasn't wide enough. So I have adjusted that. As for the second leaf, we can see that it starts out very narrow and then widens. So that's what I will replicate as well. And there we go. Now we can also draw the shape of the case shadow of the vase, as well as the shadow of the apple. Now, after taking a step back, I felt that the angle I made on the apple was a bit too sharp, so I am adjusting it slightly. And that's the same on the other side. I'm softening those angles a little. And before starting the shading of the apple and the vase, I can mark the shadow areas inside. This is part of the internal contours, and now this will make it easier to shade later on, since I will already know roughly where each shadow area is located. So I can mark them on the apple, as well as on the vase. You can see that there is a small shadow area there, too. Now, we haven't studied proportion techniques yet, but one very helpful method is to place elements in relation to each other. For example, I was able to position the shadow correctly because I noticed it was aligned with the small leaf just above it. Using a kneaded eraser, and now go over all the angle lines I had drawn earlier, since we won't actually have those kinds of sharp angles on our vase or apple. What I mean is that we won't have straight lines along those contours. So I erase them with the kneaded eraser, but not completely. I still want those lines to remain slightly visible underneath so I can work over them again. And now, with my pencil, what I am aiming to do is retrace my outlines, but this time with soft, smooth contours, drawing everything with a certain fluidity and using curves. For example, that small rectangle we drew earlier, you can see that along the edges, it actually has a more rounded shape, and the vase too features beautiful curves, just like the leaf. It's not a rectangular leaf. So I am working on that now to get a nicer contour than what I had before, and to produce my final outline that closely matches what we see in the photo. But this final outline is only accurate and solid because of all the previous work, the simple shape construction that helped us get closer to the object, followed by the blocking technique that allowed us to define the angles clearly. And now I can confidently draw the final contour, knowing that I am pretty close to what we see in our reference image. Over time, the more you practice and work on different subjects using these techniques, the more natural and quicker it will feel to draw them. You might not need to spend as much time on the blocking technique. For example, you will move more easily from simple shapes to kind of blocking final contour. And as you work on the angles, you will be able to draw your final outline at the same time. And the more you do it, the more it will become second nature. At the beginning, it takes a bit of time. You really need to train your eye to see all these angles, all the inclinations of the object and to try to give each angle the correct direction. So, yes, at first, it can be a little slow and tedious, but you will see that with practice, it gets much easier. So now I am going to finalize this outline. I am reworking the apple a little because in the end, I think the way I'm drawing it now looks a little bit better. So I am adjusting that and then we'll put this drawing aside once again. Once you've watched the module on light and shadow, I encourage you to return to this subject and begin shading it to move closer to the final result and bring life to your drawing. So that's it, and then I will see you next time for the part three of the subject, the work on the shading of these elements. 10. Light and shadow theory for drawing: Welcome to this module on light and shadow. This is one of the most important chapter in drawing because it is through light and shadow that you will be able to transform your drawing and to create some volume on your paper. Light and shadow is what will bring your forms to life because even if you have a very nice contour and a very nice structure, at first, very solid. If you don't work on the light and shadow, your drawing will be flat and you won't be able to create some volume and some depth in your drawing to bring some realism as well. So understanding how light interacts with your object is very essential to be able to create some volume. So this is why this module is divided into several steps. So at first, we will see what is the vocabulary of the light and shadow. So we understand everything nicely during this module, and we will some theory to see how the light interacts with the objects and create some volume. Then we'll create n value scale on paper to learn how to control our full range of tones from lighter ones to the darker one. Then we'll see the different shading techniques, to be able to create some different effects on our paper. And finally, the last thing that we will see are different blending techniques with the different materials to create something smooth and to be able to create something realistic in our drawing. Take your time to understand each step because mastering light and shadow will really help you to transform your drawing and to be able to create something incredible and something realistic. So let's go, and let's dive in into this light and shadow module. So let's begin this module on light and shadow where we will try to understand how these two elements work as they are fundamental for making our objects appear three dimensional. If I were to only trace the outline of this object, I would simply have a plain circle. However, when I had shadows and brighter areas, the object immediately appears three dimensional, and this is the magic of light and shadows at work. Before we start, we can ask ourselves, where is the light coming on this sphere? By analyzing the areas that are illuminated, we can deduce that the light is coming from the right. Well the entire right side is more illuminated and especially the upper part, which means that the light source is coming from the right and a little bit more from the upper part. Asking this question is essential for shading correctly, making sure that some areas appear brighter while others appear darker, and this becomes even more important when drawing from imagination, rather than from a reference photograph or something in front of us. In that case, we need to construct the entire light and shadow system ourselves. That's why determining the direction of the light is crucial. It allows us to shade objects and figures properly, ensuring that the shading is consistent and realistic. Now, if I look at my image, I can see that this sphere can be divided into two, one light area and one shadow area. Here, I can clearly see that the left side is generally darker, more in the shadow while the right side is brighter and more illuminated. However, the right side is not evenly lit everywhere. Some areas receive more light than others. The line that separates the dark areas from the light areas has a specific name. We call it the terminator. So this termination line also called the terminator is the tangent that separates the light side from the shadow. One useful trick to help identify it, since it can sometimes be a bit tricky to spot is to squint your eyes. And by doing this, the separation between light and shadow becomes much more apparent and easier to distinguish. Now, let's take a closer look at this sphere and examine the different elements that make it up, both in the shadow area and in the illuminated area. If we observe the sphere carefully, we can see a very bright, extremely luminous spot. This is the area where the light hits the strongest. This area is called the highlight. So this highlight will always be there with any of our elements that we draw and it's extremely light every time, almost every time. Another area will also be very bright, even though it is not as bright as the highlight. This is called the light center, the area where the light is the strongest after the highlight. In this light area, there is another area called the bright side. This one is another light area, but it is less light than the light center and even less light than the highlight. Then, like we said before, we have this terminator line that separates the light area from the shadow area, but we don't have a sudden transition from the light area to the dark area. Instead, it happens gradually. And to have this smooth transition, we have what we call the mid tone shadow, and this helps to go from the light area to the shadow one, the dark one gradually and smoothly. Then we have what is called the core shadow, and this core shadow defines the darkest area of shadow within the sphere itself. Now, if you look closely at the core shadow that I have outlined, you will notice that I did not outline the entire upper part and a small section on the left. Why do you think that is? I'll show you the original reference photo again and take a moment to observe carefully. The reason I didn't outline the entire co shadow is that within the shadowed area, there are slightly lighter section in certain spots. These lighter areas are actually due to reflected light or bound light. This happens because the light not only hits the sphere, but also illuminates the surface beneath it, such as this paper. That light then bounces back onto the sphere, subtly brightening certain parts of the shadowed area. So now you can see these bound light areas outlined on the sphere. For the sphere, all the areas are now outlined and identified. Now we need to focus on the shadow that is not on the sphere itself, the shadow that the sphere casts onto other object. And this shadow has a specific name. We call it the cast shadow. The cast shadow is the shadow that extends onto other surfaces due to the sphere blocking the light, and it is an important element defining the interaction between the object and its environment. Within the cast shadow, we can observe that the shadows does not have the same intensity everywhere. Near the sphere, the shadow is darker and more concentrated. And as we move further away from the sphere, the shadow gradually becomes lighter and eventually fades out. This variation have two specific names. The darkest area closest to the sphere is called the occlusion shadow. This is the deepest and most intense part of the shadow where very light can reach. You can see it marked in green. And the gradually fading shadow that extends outward is called the cast the drop shadow, sorry. This area becomes lighter as it moves away from the object. You can see it marked in red, and this extinction helps in creating realistic shadow with a natural transitional value. So this diagram is filled with many detailed information. However, the goal is not to overload you with too much information or vocabulary. I'm not asking you to memorize all these terms. Instead, the purpose of this diagram is to help you how light and shadow work. Even in a simple object like this sphere, we can observe many variations of light and shadow. Being able to recognize and reproduce this variation is key to creating volume in all drawings. So take notes of the following things. Highlights appear on certain areas. There are brighter zones and darker zone creating contrast, but there are mid tones as well that help to create a smooth transition from one light area to a darker one. And also the cast shadow does not have a uniform intensity. It varies in value and softness throughout its length. So these are all important details to pay attention to when you start creating your own drawings. Now we could apply the same light and shadow analysis to a cube, and we go through this a bit more quickly. Looking at this cube, which light and shadow areas do you notice? The answers here are quite obvious compared to a sphere. So breaking it down, the brightest area, the highlight is located on the upper part of the right face. You can see it's some sort of a line. The right face is clearly the most illimitd surface, and there is the light center in the middle of this face while the brightness gradually fades slightly as you move toward the right edge of this light face. The mid tone area is at the top face of the cube. It receives some light, but not as much as the right face. And within these mid tones, you can notice subtle variations. Some areas are slightly lighter than others. And the darkest area where there is the core shadow is the left face. It is in shadow as it receives very little direct light. The core shadow is most noticeable in the lower part and along the edges of this face. In the center of the shadowed face, there are slight variations in tone suggesting the presence of reflected light. While less pronounced than on a sphere, we can see subtle bounce light effect on this pace. Look at the lower. We can see it in the center a little bit, and also on the lower right corner of the light face, it meets the illuminated pace. There's a slightly brighter area. And so this reflected light comes from the surface below, bouncing back onto the cube and slightly illuminating this part of the shadowed face. So this analysis of the cube follows the same principles of light and shadow, but with flat up planes compared to a sphere, making the transition more abrupt rather than gradual like on the sphere. The lighting situation is quite different on this pyramid. Here we can see that once again, the right side is illuminated and the highlight is clearly visible along the entire ridge of the right face. The light center is concentrated on the lower part of this right face. The mid tones on the other hand appear on the central face of the pyramid. This face receives some light making it lighter than the left face, but still less illuminated than the right side. On the left face, we can observe very pronounced shadows. This side is mostly in shadow and contrast strongly with the other faces. However, on this particular pyramid, there is a very strong reflected light on the left face. This bounce light is quite noticeable as it brightens part of the shadowed area, preventing it from being completely dark. Another important element in understanding light and shadow is the position of the observer. The way we perceive light and shadow depends on our viewpoint. For example, in this case, I am facing the sphere and the light source is coming from my right. This means that I see one half of the sphere illuminated while the other half is mostly in shadow, as we have seen before. However, now I have changed my point of view and shifted to the left. And the way I perceive light and shadow has also changed. Now, I can see that only a small part of the sphere is in the light. The illuminated area on the right side has significantly reduced becoming much smaller. Additionally, the highlight has shifted is no longer in the same place because my viewpoint has changed. And from this perspective, I now see a much larger shadow area than before. And finally, now that I have shifted to the right, my point of view has changed once again. This time, I see a much larger illuminated area compared to before. In contrast, the shadow area has significantly reduced. Additionally, the highlight has moved again because my viewpoint is no longer the same while observing the sphere from this new position. Another interesting element to discuss is cast shadows and whether they appear soft or well defined. In this first photograph, my shadow is very blurry. And the reason for this is that the light source is very large. In this case, the sunlight coming through a large window. Additionally, the object is pretty far from the light source, which also contributes to the shadow being softer and more diffused and a little bit blurred as well. On the other hand, in the second photograph, the shadow is much more defined. We can clearly see its contours and it does not fade significantly as it moves away from the object. There is a slight fade but not too much. Here, the lighting is artificial coming from a lamp positioned directly above the object. As a result, the cast shadow is much sharper and better defined. And that concludes our analysis of light and shadow based on these geometric forms. Now let's move on to another example and analyze a portrait of a person to see where we can identify all these elements we have just discussed during these minutes. Let's focus on this woman's portrait, and I'll give you a few seconds to analyze the different areas of light you can observe, starting with the highlights on her face. In a few moments, we'll see where else they might be present. There are highlights in multiple areas, and I have selected few of them. We can notice that one of the fehir where there's a very bright zone. There's also one very bright zone on the bridge of the nose, which helps define its shape. On the cheeks, we can see slightly lighter areas as well. This combination of different values, light and dark contributes to making the face appear three dimensional. We can also Imagine highlights on the chin. These are just a few examples, but there could be more along with other very bright highlights. Now, what would you consider be the centers of light areas that are bright but not as intense as the highlights. Okay, the light center, as we previously observed with different objects is very close to the highlight in space. That's why my yellow arrows are placed very close to the purple zones I marked earlier, the zones of the highlight. We can see that the transition happens gradually moving from the very bright highlights to slightly darker areas of light center. To the light center, we have the bright side. These areas are still quite light, but not as much as the light center, and gradually we transition more and more into the shadowed areas of the face. Then the transition gradually moves toward mid stones, and we can see that these areas get closer to the core shadows, which are significantly darker, and that's what we are going to see right now. The core shadows have different values. The eyelid has a dark shadow, and it gets progressively darker as it approaches the cheek. And finally, the core shadows of the neck is very dark because it doesn't get a lot of light due to the jaws of this person. And so we can see that the more we go towards the left, the less this neck gets light. And finally, we have the bounce light, which appears in small area. It's true that it's not always easy to spot, but we can still notice it in certain places. I have selected a few example. We can see that near the nostril, there's a core shadow very dark, which I hadn't pointed out earlier. But as we move to the left of this nostril, a bit of bounce light starts to appear. Another noticeable area of the reflected light is on the cheek right next to the core shadow we identified earlier. And we can also see a small illuminated zone on the neck where the surrounding areas remain in deep shadow, in a very dark shadow. So here are all the shadow and light elements we have pointed out earlier. Feel free to pause if you'd like to review everything carefully now that all the arrows are placed side by side. 11. How to use a value scale in drawing: Before moving on to shading and exploring different shading techniques, we will first create what is called a value scale. So what is a value scale? In drawing, value refers to the lightness or darkness of a pencil mark. The higher the value, the darker the pencil, and the lower the value, the lighter and brighter it appears. Here we will create a gradual progression of tones from light to dark using a range from H to 14 B. So why is a value scale important? It is important because it helps to understand and master contrast essential for creating depth and volume in a drawing. It also helps to choose the right pencil, knowing which grade to use for each shading area. And it's and so it's a real guide for the shading techniques. It helps to create smooth transition and balanced tonal values because it will help pick the right pencil. And we have a scale ranging 2-14 B. This tool will allow us to select the best pencil for each area, making it an invaluable resource for improving or shading. Here, I have created boxes ranging from two H to 14 B because these are the pencils I have. However, if you only have a few, use what you have. It's still better than nothing. I have drawn these small boxes, and when shading them with each pencil, I will use the side of the lid. This is a technique we will explore in a moment once we have finished working on the value scale. So I apply the shading lightly, which allows me to see the true value of my pencil when used with a delicate touch. This is important because in most cases, I also apply light pressure when drawing to avoid deep marks on the paper from pressing too hard with the pencil. So for all these boxes, I will keep my strokes light to achieve a smooth and accurate representation of each pencil tunnel value. After completing theH, I move on to HB. The difference is noticeable but not very pronounced. However, I don't useH very often, mainly for outlining my drawing or for very light elements. For extremely light areas, I sometimes rely on the white of the paper itself, which represents value zero, the lightest value possible. I could have included a blank box on my value scale to represent this pure white tone also. Between HB and two B, the difference is barely noticeable. I may have been a bit too light with a two B, but that's also part of the value of having a white range of pencil. This sort of variation exists in real life subjects as well. These small value shifts are what help bring realism to a drawing. Even slight differences in tone can a depth and dimension. However, when moving to four B, the change becomes much more noticeable. The shading is clearly darker, and as I continue up the scale, the values will become progressively deeper and richer. Of course, I encourage you to do this exercise yourself. Make sure to use drawing paper as it's the type of surface you'll be working on regularly. Drawing paper is also thicker, which means your value scale will last longer without the risk of tearing or wrinkling your paper. Since you will likely refer to it multiple times, having a durable heat is important. Each time you start a new drawing, this value scale will be a useful reference to help you choose the right pencil for different areas. So it's best to create it on sturdy papers to keep it in good condition for future use. When working on these different boxes, especially in the upper section, well in the upper section, I apply light pressure, as I mentioned earlier. This helps me determine a medium value for each pencil, essentially seeing what it looks like with a gentle touch. However, the same pencils can produce different values depending on how much pressure we apply. And that's what we are going to explore right now. Now, I am going to repeat the same process, but this time applying more pressure on the pencil. I am still working with the side of the lead, but pressing harder, we can see that the pencil naturally produces a darker shape. And this allow me to access even darker values, especially with 14 B or 12 B. The difference between a heavily pressed 12 B an unlikely applied pencil is quite noticeable. I mean, the difference between when I press hard on my 12 B and when I press light, you can see there is quite a difference. So why is this useful? First, it gives you flexibility. Knowing how different pressures affect shading means I can create various values without constantly switching pencil. It's also very convenient because if a certain pencil isn't available, I can adjust pressure instead of changing tools and efficiency. It gives you also efficiency. While shading, if a medium dark area transitioned into a darker zone, instead of switching from eight B to ten B, I can simply press harder on the eight B to deepen the shade because, yes, sometimes I'm lazy and I don't specifically want to switch my pencil every 10 seconds. So I just adapt the pressure I'm going to put on my pencil. One thing you can observe is that the difference in value between the 14 B and B is less noticeable when applying heavy pressure. However, when I apply light pressure, the contrast between these two pencil, the two B and 14 B is much more pronounced. So adjusting pressure gives us even more value options, helping us select the right shade of gray for the appropriate area in drawing. 12. Shading techniques for realistic drawing: Now that we have explored the different terms related to shadow and light and understood how they work, let's look at the techniques used to create shadows on an object. There are several ways to do this, and I will present six of them using these spheres. Let's start with the first technique, hatching. For hatching, I will draw lines that all go in the same direction. These lines are parallel, meaning they never cross each other since they all follow the same orientation. Another important aspect to notice is that my lines follow the shape of the object. Since I am working on a sphere, my line are not perfectly straight. They have a slight curvature to match the form of the sphere that I am shading right now. What we can also notice is that the closer are the lines to each other, the darker the effect will be. Now that I have completed these initial hatching lines, I take a darker pencil to emphasize some of the shadowed areas on the sphere. Over these areas, I had more lines, which helps to start creating a sense of free dimensionality. On top of that, I can add even darker lines with a four B pencil to define the deepest shadows, similar to what we analyzed earlier. The difference here is that the lighting on the sphere is oriented differently compared to the orange one we analyzed before. Next, I can also draw the cast shadow. And to draw this cast shadow, I will use the same hatching technique that we have done with the sphere, except that now my lines will be horizontal. And there we have it. This allows me to achieve a visually effective result, making the object appear more three dimensional. So this is the hatching technique. This technique of shading hatching is commonly used in technical drawings and comic books. It has a distinct style that appeals to many artists. Now, a technique similar to hatching is cross hatching. To create cross hatching, I will start by drawing, hatching, another layer of hatching lines in the opposite direction. By crossing those lines, I will create a more detailed shading effect compared to simple hatching. This technique is widely appreciated by many artists. So like I said, I will be demonstrating six different hatching techniques, but they are even more. These shading techniques can also be combined to achieve different effects in a drawing. Alternatively, you can stick to just one method, whether it's hatching, cross hatching, or even stippling, which I'll show you later on. It all depends on the style you want to apply to your drawing. So here for the hatching, I started with a base layer of hatching using multiple pencils to create different shading effects across various areas, as we analyzed earlier. Once that base is in place, I had hatching lines in the different direction. And this reinforces this will reinforces the shading and strengthens the technique, making the sphere appear three dimensional, but with a different visual effect compared to the previous example that we did together. Just like with the previous hatching technique, we can see that the closer the lines are, the stronger the shading effect becomes. In this case, I found that the three dimensional effect is even more pronounced compared to simple hatching. This technique is also easy to use. You often only need a single pencil. It can even be done with a pen or a fine liner if desired. It's a highly versatile technique, making it accessible to many artists, and it also proves that it's completely possible to learn to draw using very simple tools, achieving depth and realism without needing complex materials. Now let's move on to another technique, pointsm. This method use small dots to create shadow and light. The closer and more numerous the dots, the darker the area will appear. You can also use different pencil to enhance the darkness. This technique offers great precision in controlling grayscale values and create a unique texture, which is ideal for detail effects. From a distance, the dots blend together to form smooth gradients. However, the main drawback is that it requires a lot of time and patience as each dot must be placed manually. It's also important to keep the spacing consistent to avoid a chaotic appearance. A useful tip for pointism is to start fall with light areas and gradually build up darker dots for soft shadows and smooth transition. And so now I have started to apply a light base on my sphere, and with a darker pencil, I will continue adding the deeper shadows on the sphere. But as you can see, these techniques takes a lot of time. And for my cast shadow, I'll be able to do the exact same thing, work it out with small dots. The three techniques I have just shared are great depending on the style of drawing you want to achieve. Personally, I don't use them that much. I tend to combine the next three methods instead. Now let's look at the circling or scribbling method. With this method, we apply small circle of motions, creating loops and overlapping circles to achieve smooth gradients and soft texture in the shade. So why would you use circling? Circling avoids visible lines, creating a more natural effect. It's really great for texture shading, whether for humans or animals. For example, in my animal drawing course, I use this technique a lot for shading the elephant skins that has a lot of irregularities and a very pronounced texture. This method is also very easy to control by adjusting the pressure on your pencil, if you want some darker elements or just switching to a darker pencil for deeper shadow just like right now and like we did with the other method. So how to use it effectively, you need to use a sharp pencil for precision, and then you overlap circles progressively for smooth and even shading on the entire area. And then you vary pressure and density to create different level of darkness in your shading. So this circling method or scribbling because sometimes it's not some circle, it's just some scribbles. It is an excellent technique for soft and natural shading. And so it makes it is very ideal for organic textures. The next technique is called smudging, I think in English, and it's a very great one because we're going to work with the side of the pencil, and I really like this technique. Unlike the previous shading techniques, where we work with the tip of the pencil, here, I'm going to use the side of the lead to shade. That's why it's important to have a well sharpened pencil so that the lead is pretty long. And as we tilt it to rub the graphite against the paper, it also allows for smooth and uniform shading over wide area. So why would you use the smudging technique? Well, first of all, it's pretty fast because it allows you to have a quick shading over some large surfaces. Then it's pretty fluid. It avoids visible strokes and create a very natural look. It's also very versatile. It works with graphite charcoal, and you can also use it with colored pencils, if you want to switch to that later on. And unlike scribbling, this method is really great for smooth surfaces like the baby skin or to create soft gradients in your drawing. And like I said, it's really great for large areas. So, for instance, if you want to shade in a background like a sky, it's really great. It will help you to go pretty fast. So this technique will be very great for realism, especially in portrait drawing where smooth transitions are needed. And it is also often combined with scribbling or with the next technique blending that we will see in just a moment. Now let's look at one last technique, blending. This method consists of softening and merging shadows to create smooth transition between different shades of gray. It helps eliminate visible strokes and achieve a more realistic result. For my blending, my blending, sorry, I will need a graphite pencil and I will use the side of the lead just like we did with the previous technique. Then I will use a blending stump, a tissue, or a cotton pad to blend everything together. And with my blending stub, you can see that when I apply it, I make small circle of motion, which will spread the graphite and make the pencil strokes disappear. And this creates an extremely soft and natural effect, which is perfect for very smooth texture, where I don't want any visible pencil marks. So this technique is pretty simple. We build up the shadows in successive layers. I started with an HB pencil. Then I can do the same in the darker areas using a two B pencil, and I will blend it again. One thing to watch out for with this technique is over blending, which can make the drawing too smooth and loose texture. It's important to keep some balance. So now I will use a different blending stump for the darker areas. So that's why having multiple blending tools is helpful. However, since this is just to be, I could have used the same stump without any issue. It's best to have another blending stump for very dark elements like 14 B, 12 B, ten B, et cetera. And finally, in general, with this technique, we start with the lighter areas and gradually we darken using some darker pencils. And this blending technique is a very powerful tool because it as both realism and softness to drawing, making it look more lifelike and professional. Here, I slightly went over the edges with my blending, which happens quite often. To fix this, I can use my needed eraser, which allows me to lightly erase the excess shading, nothing too complicated. A great advantage of the needed eraser is that I can reshape it as needed, allowing for precise corrections, especially when refining the edges of my sphere and any other element. And so that's it for the shading techniques that I find truly essential and useful for shading and drawing effectively. 13. Blending, erasing and smooth shading techniques: As we saw earlier, blending can be used when shading. Now let's take a closer look at this technique and explore how to apply it using different tools which you can see on my desk. We'll go over various blending methods, examining how each tools affects the shading and which situation they are best suited for. The tools I have at my disposal include cotton pads, cotton swaps, brushes, blending stumps, tissues, and a needed eraser. For the tissue, it is particularly useful for blending large areas such as background to create a smooth and even shading for the skies as well and achieving soft gradients and other large elements that are ideal and that for areas that require subtle and diffuse shading. Blending stump, like the ones you see here, are available in various size to provide different levels of precision depending on the task. The blending storms are made of compressed and tightly rolled paper, specifically designed for smoothing and blending graphi charcoal or colored pencil. So the blending stems are really great for small areas and fine details to perfect so for refining shadows in eyes to intricate texture, and for a controlled shading, because unlike tissues, blending stumps allow for precise blending. The brush like this makeup brush is better than standard paint brushes for blending because it is more compact, allowing for better control and smoother blending. So when you use a brush like this, I use it for medium size area smaller than those blended with a tissue but larger than what you would use for a blending stump. And it has a unique texture because unlike other blending tools, a brush leaves a slight trace of pencil strokes, maintaining a bit more of texture, and it's great also for creating transition between the different objects. Both cotton pads and cotton swabs allow for soft pencil, but they have different uses. Cotton pads are ideal for slightly larger areas, providing a smooth and even shading effect. Cotton swabs best for small and precise areas where more control is needed compared to cotton pads. So now let's see how to apply all these tool in practice. Finally, some might think of using their fingers for blending, but this is actually a bad idea. You should avoid blending with fingers because first of all, your lack of precision. Fingers are too broad and don't allow for detailed control. Then skin oils interfere. The natural oil on your skin transfer to the paper. Which can cause uneven blending and make certain areas harder to shade properly. And there's also the risk of smudging. Instead of smoothing blendly, fingers may create unwanted marks that are difficult to erase. So I strongly discourage using your fingers for blending. Instead, hoped for proper tools like the ones that we have talked about. So here I took a six B pencil and I'm shading with the side of the lid because before blending, that's usually how I do it. So I'm marking an area with the six B, and in general, I apply light pressure when shading so that blending becomes much easier in this area. Now, let's see how it works with the tissue. I take my tissue and wrap it around my finger for a better grip. Then I will use circular motions on the area I want to blend. Instead of going back and forth, the circular motions give a smoother result. So this is how I proceed when blending with tissue and blending, so in a larger area. And you can see that my pencil strokes here have almost completely disappeared. And maybe that if I did that for a few more seconds, I wouldn't see them completely. And so the graphite that I have blended goes on my tissue. So I applied my six B pencil again into an area, and now using my blending stup I'm going to soften the lines. As with the tissue, I use circular motions because whether with a blending stump or a tissue, circular movements give much better result than simple back and forth results. What also helped achieve a smooth blend is that I apply a light pressure when shading before. Now, as an example, I will make stronger pencil strokes with the same six B, but pressing much harder. And even if I try blending for several minutes using cervial motions, the lines won't fully disappear. The marks will remain, making the blending effective and preventing the desired smooth result. So you can see that even with these motions, I can't blend properly in my area. And here, I shaded a new area, and with the brush, I can achieve a softened result, even though it's a bit harder to make the pencil line disappear completely. With the brush, circle of motions matter less. You can freely use back and forth movements, and you still get a satisfying and even result in your area. I shaded a small area to show you what happens when using back and forth movements, back and forth strokes with the blending stump. On a small area like this, the effect is less noticeable, but you can see that at the end of the blended zone, there are slightly lighter lines, which means the blending isn't as smooth. So when trying to create transitions between adjacent elements, using this back and forth technique result in a less good blend. And with the cotton swab, I use circle of motions again, which allows me to achieve a soft and smooth result, as you can see. Meanwhile, with the codon pad like the one above, I use it the same way as the tissue by wrapping it around my finger. And once again, I apply circular motions, which also provides good blending results for the area. The blending stump, once it gets too dark with accumulated graphite, can be refreshed. For this, I use the sand paper you see here. It's a special artist sand paper designed specifically for cleaning blending tools. So I take a small sheet of sand paper and rub the tip of the blending stump from all angles to remove the excess graphite. And as I continue rubbing, you can see that the stump gradually becomes lighter. It won't come completely clean since I have used it in a heavily shaded area, but these sandpaper sheets are replaceable. If I use the fresh sheet, the one below, I could remove all the graphite from my blending stump and restore it almost to its original state. Okay, one other thing I want to share with you before we move on with the project and continue working on the steel life. It's a common shading mistake to avoid. Right now, as I shade this area, you can see an even value shifts, for example, a dark area, then a light area, another dark area, and so on. And this is something we want to avoid because first of all, it creates an inconsistent result that doesn't look smooth. And even after blending, the shading will still have these value gaps, making it difficult to correct. How to shade properly. When using the side shading, whether I blend afterward or not, I should always make broad and even strokes. And this is where the overhand grip where I hold the pencil loosely and use my entire arm to shade, becomes very useful. It prevents harsh value jumps. And as you can see, when I applied light shading, it was smooth, and even when I made it darker, it remained even smooth. And even when pressing harder for darker shading, I still maintain a light touch with the side of the pencil to make sure that I keep the transition between the different elements smooth. So that's something to take into account to make sure that you shade properly the different areas of your drawing and don't have these differences in value. Before moving on to the project, let's take a look at the different erasers I have and use, and as well as the erasing techniques since they can be incredibly useful. So the four types of eraser I use. So first, there's a standard eraser, a classic and firm eraser for general use. A kneaded eraser that is soft and moldable that can be shaped before use. The eraser pen, which is a precise eraser in a pen style holder for detailed correction, and at the tip, this is a classic eraser, and that's the same for the electric eraser, that is a motorized eraser that removes graphite with high precision. So with our regular eraser, let's see how to erase. So here I have lightly shaded an area, and I'm going to use the regular eraser when I want to erase everything. The mistake to avoid is erasing like this with back and forth motions. When erasing, you should only move in one direction. No back and forth. I either go up, down, left or right, but above all, I don't go back and forth. And this way, I make sure that my paper doesn't wrinkle or tear at all. If I want to erase an area, I can also do it with the ded eraser. However, I think it is less efficient than the classic eraser. And this is why I only use this kneaded eraser when I want to erase completely a light area. So here I have shaded another area, and let's see how we can use the kneaded eraser. The kneaded eraser is also going to be very useful when I want to soften an area. In this case, my area was a bit too dark, so I gently go over it with my kneaded eraser, and this way, I can lighten it. Now my dark area has become very, very light. Alright, let's say I want to be more precise. I can also shape my kneaded eraser to achieve more accuracy. I can mold it into a pointed shape like this and then gently tap on the areas I want to lighten. This allows me to work precisely when I need to lighten just a very small section. By tapping with the tip of my kneaded eraser, the elements become slightly lighter. If I want even more precision, I can shape it along the edge like this to erase a line. For example, if I don't have an eraser pen, the needed eraser can be a great alternative to remove very precise elements like lines. And here you can see a bright strip that has appeared. Over time, kneaded erasers sometimes tend to harden, which makes them difficult to use. The solution here is to take the eraser in my hands and work it for several minutes just like I'm doing right now. This way, the eraser will become soft again, allowing me to continue working with it as usual. Sometimes the kneaded eraser can also become too dark. For example, if I shade an area very heavily with a dark pencil and then erase it with my kneaded eraser, you will see that graphite starts accumulating on it. And if I keep doing this for weeks or even months, the eraser can become completely black. So the solution to remove all the darkness from the eraser is to work it in the same way we did earlier. By kneading and stretching it repeatedly, the eraser will become reusable again, and all those black graphite marks will disappear from my eraser. Now let's take a look at the other eraser we have available. Let's imagine I have these two areas, one very light area that I have blended. With the precision eraser, I can work on it and create lines. I can also make the different types of marks like small scribbles, dot, and more. And this is extremely useful when you need to highlight lighter areas. For example, on a face or an animal, sometimes certain details need to stand out as lighter, and I can apply my light base or even a slightly darker one. And then using the precision eraser like this, I can have these marks effectively creating highlights. And finally, I can also use the electric eraser. Its main advantage is the combination of power and precision. For example, if I have drawn a fairly dark area but realize I've gone a bit too far and darken some pots more than I should have, I can erase them with precision. Something that's harder to achieve with the other erasers I've shown. Additionally, this eraser can also be used to create details, just like with the precision, the eraser pan. However, I personally use it a little less for that because it's trickier to a fine details with an electric eraser. It shakes a little bit, making it harder. But for me, it's a lifesaver when I have shaded an area too darkly and absolutely need to erase it. And finally, the last important detail about erasing is to make sure you remove the eraser residue properly. Otherwise, it can ruin the final result. For example, look at the upper part here. I had a small eraser crumb left behind, and as I pointed out with my pencil, you can see the slightly darker spots appearing. It doesn't look good at all. And if it were too noticeable, it could really spoil my artwork. So be sure to clean up any eraser bits after erasing. And that's everything I wanted to share with you about erasers. So congratulations on completing this module. You now have all the tools to understand how light and shadow work and to apply this to your drawing to create some volume and something realistic. Now, here are your assignments. So first thing is very easy. Something I recommend you to do every day in your daily life. Observe with the sunglasses of an artist. Try to look at the objects differently. Try to look at house shadow and light work on these objects. What is the cast shadow of this object? Where is it darker on this object? Where is the core shadow? Where is the bounce light? Where are the highlights? So, try to observe this for everything around you, the trees, the buildings, the roads, the car, your family members. Try to observe all of this, and you will see that with your drawing, it will become more natural to look for the lighter zones and the shadow zone. And finally, once you have worked on all of this, keep going on the project with the vase and the apple and bring some shading to it to create something realistic with this vase and this apple. So that's quite a bit to work on with all these assignments, but all of these will help you to make some progress in your artistic journey. So that's it for this module. Thank you for watching. Now it's your turn, and I will see you in the next module. 14. Project drawing – shading part 1: Now let's finish this project with the third part, the work on the shading. So we will put into practice everything that has been seen during this module, and we will conclude this artwork. And it is time to take him from a contour that looks flat to a final drawing that looks in three dimensional, three dimensional thanks to all the shading that we are going to do. Let's get started. Let's move on to shading our subject. But before we begin, let's take a closer look at it and try to determine the value range we'll be working with. For example, on the right side, there is a very dark area, and I think I could use a 14 B pencil there, since we are really dealing with something almost black. Next to it, there is another area that is also quite dark, but not as much. It gets slightly darker. So for that zone, I am thinking of using an eight B or maybe a ten B pencil. And gradually, as we move toward the left, the grays become lighter. In this area, I have pointed out, I think the four B or six B would work really well. And then continuing leftward we go towards something like a two B. As for the highlight area, I think I could use a two H pencil or even just leave the white of the paper and avoid shading that zone at all. As for the shadows on the apple, for example, we can see that the shadow is generally very dark. So here as well, I think I could use a 12 B or even a 14 B pencil. But this shadow doesn't have the same value throughout, and right next to it, we can see an area that is a bit lighter. So I will need to adjust my pencil accordingly and use something like a four B or six B there. Now, looking at the base on the rectangular section, the gran is very similar to what we see in the lighter area of the apple. So for that part, I could go with a two B. Meanwhile, the upper part is lighter, and there I would probably use an HB pencil. Next, in the background, we can see that it is still fairly dark, and I think I could use a four B or a six B pencil here. It is similar to the midtones, we see in the central area of the apple. As for the vase itself, there is a section particularly dark, much like that part of the apple in the background overall. So I think I could work on that using a six B as well in this area. Then on the vase, there is an area that is especially light. So I think I will use a two H here or maybe leave it completely white. And on the upper part, we can see that the value gradually becomes lighter as it moves towards the left. But on the right side, I think a two B should work because still it is pretty light. And on the shadow area running along the entire side, I could go with a 14 B just like on that very dark leaf. And that one is quite close in value to the deep shadow area on the apple. So here I think a ten B would work well. So doing this kind of value planning before starting your drawing is a great idea. It really helps to decide which pencil would be best to use. And now let's begin shading this still life together. Let's start shading the apple. Before I begin shading it, I lightly erase part of the outline, especially on the left side because my contour was darker than the shading I am about to apply in that area. We have seen that this area is relatively light, and that I will be using a two B pencil here. But my outline was actually darker than what I would create with a Tb which wouldn't be right and would make the contour look unrealistic. So I needed to lighten it a bit. Now I am using the two B pencil, and I will start working on the left side and gradually move toward the right. If I go a little too far to the right with the two B, it's not a big issue because everything else in the apple will be at least as dark as two B, so I can easily layer over it later. I also make sure to avoid the highlight area while shading with my pencil. And by the way, you can see that I am shading using the side of my pencil lead so that the pencil strokes are as invisible as possible. And I try to make some kind of circular movement with my pencil as I shade. And that's it for the two B area. Now as I move forward and refer back to my model, I can see that we had determined this next area falls into the four B range. So that's what I am applying here. I am using a four B pencil, still shading the same way, working with the side of the lid, and using some very small circular motions because that's how I get the best result in my mind. So as I continue, I notice that in the reference photo that I am entering a darker area. We had said that this part could be done with eight B or ten B, so I start by applying some eight B. And if I slightly overlap into the adjacent area with the four B area, that's totally fine because the transition from light to dark isn't abrupt. There isn't a sharp line separating the dark zone from the light one. It's actually better if the edge of this dark area isn't straight or crisp. That's not what we are aiming for for that's not what we are aiming for in this part of the drawing. And to make the area slightly darker in certain spots, what I can do is increase the pressure a bit. Press a little harder with my pencil to get slightly deeper Mars in that section where I am using the AB pencil. Then we notice that we are now entering the area that is even darker. So I start preparing the transition into these very, very dark values by using a 12 B pencil. I press down a bit to make it nice and dark. I am also going to use this 12 B pencil on the edge of the apple because here we can see that the bounce light we talked about in the light and shadow module, which makes the very edge of the apple slightly lighter compared to this large and dark shadow we have on the left. And so here, I can go in with my 14 B pencil, and I am applying quite a bit of pressure even while working with the side of the lid to make sure that I get really dark tone, just like the shadow area in the reference. So I press firmly to get the best possible result and to create a strong and well defined shadow just as we see on our subject. Or And I extend the dark area slightly up to the point where the cast shadow of her apple begins. Just above the shadow, we can see it's a little bit dark. Now I am using my makeup brush. I'm going to try to soften the strokes a bit to make the pencil marks less visible and give the drawing a smoother and more natural look. So I use the brush and make small circle motions to achieve a nice result, and already I find it looks a bit better. Next, we can see that the highlights this very light zone is too heavy looking right now. So I take my kneaded eraser and gently dab the area where the highlight is located. And by tapping very lightly, I can lift a bit of graphite, which makes the area slightly lighter, helping the highlights stand out better. And I try to keep the shape roughly accurate, giving the edges an irregular feel, since the highlight isn't a sharp and straight shape. Then with the blending stub, I softly redistribute a bit of graphite using small circular movements, so the area isn't too bright. At first, it was too dark. Then the needed eraser made it too light, and now the blending stone helps me get back to the right value. And next, I'm going to use the erasopen because the erasopen is going to remove a bit of graphite from the edges, creating a slightly irregular border so it doesn't look too crisp. Now, looking at this apple, it's looking good. But we can see that the skin has an uneven texture. On the left side, we had worked with a two B pencil, but there are some slightly darker spots as well, and that's what I am going to create with my four B pencil. I will have some slightly darker, some slightly darker marks to suggest that irregularity and give the apple a realistic and texture surface by just placing some irregular strokes here and there, where I notice some on this side of the apple. Who And these little irregular marks I am adding, they don't seem like much. They don't take very long to do, but they really make a difference, and it is important to include them. So here I added some in the area where I had used the two B pencil and I placed some four B details over it. Now I am also going to a slightly darker marks in the central zone. I believe I had used four B here, so now I am going to had some darker accents with the six B. And I will continue like this across the whole Apple because throughout the surface, you can see these small, slightly darker touch. Example, even in a very dark area, there are still spots that are a bit darker. So I will add those either by pressing harder with the pencil or by switching to a pencil darker than the one I had used before. And in this dark zone, we can also notice that the marks take on more of a line like shape rather than just irregular dots. On the upper part of the apple, we'll be adding some shading as well. And what will help create a sense of death, the little dip at the top of the apple is the contrast between the darker elements along the edge and the lighter area on the front of the apple that we have just worked on earlier. And so I am using I'm going to use an eight B pencil here. You can see that the edge is quite dark, so I press firmly with the pencil. And then as we move away from the edge and we move to the left, it gradually gets lighter. So instead of switching pencils, I simply adjust the pressure I apply with the pencil to make the shading more or less dark. Depending on what I see in the reference. Playing with the pressure you put on your pencil is really useful. It saves you from having to change pencils every 30 seconds. It is something I really enjoy doing as well. Then to blend the marks I just met, I'm using a blending stump with small circular motion, since this area is quite small and requires precision for a smooth blend. And you can also see that on the left side, there is a bit of a shading that overlaps into the section we had previously worked on in the Apple. And here, too, I'm using the brush to gently soften all the lines and the texture details I had added earlier to soften them a little bit and make them better. Well, we cannot now work on shading the stem. You can see that the shading on the right side is very dark, and I pressed quite hard with the pencil. And I went back over the edge of that area because I felt it needed to be a little bit darker. On the stem, we have a very dark edge, but the rest is also quite, quite dark in places, even though we still need to clearly distinguish a little bit this darker edge. And that's something I make sure to maintain. And then on the left side, we have something that is a little bit lighter. And finally, to finish off the stem, there is also a fairly strong highlight. So I will left that out using my eraser pen, and that will wrap up the work on the apple. No. So that's it for my apple. Now we are going to work on the vase with the same care and attention. We'll start with the central area, which is a bit dark, and I'm using a six B pencil here, as you can see, and I am making back and forth motions with slight curves almost like little scribbles. I find that this gives me a better shading result just like I did with the apple. And I'm really taking my time here because I don't want to brush the work. And especially if I go too fast, I risk applying inconsistent pressure with the pencil across the area, which will give me an uneven result that wouldn't look good and natural on the vase. So I am being very gentle and precise to make sure I get an even gray value across this whole face of the vase, so we have a smooth and harmonious space. Another important point, and you will see me do this in a moment, I'm going to erase the guideline lines that mark the divisions between the different zones on the top part and on the left side. I don't want those lines to show anymore. They really helped me build the drawing, define the inside contours, and locate the shading areas. But now, as you can see on the actual vase, there are no continuous lines separating value from one another. It is the shading itself that defines the different areas through varying degrees of gray. And if you look closely, the transitions between these values aren't perfectly straight. They are a bit irregular, and that's what we are aiming to reproduce with our shading and with the pencil strokes that we apply in the zone. 15. Project drawing – shading part 2: On the top part of my vase, I'm using the 122 B pencil. As we saw earlier, the right side is a bit darker, so I press a little harder. Here, I almost blended with the area below, which I shaded with six bits almost the same value when I press harder. And as I move toward the left, I gradually lighten my pressure to get that lighter gray we see on the left side. We can also notice on the corner of this face, I just pointed out with the pencil. There is a small element a little bit lighter, so I tried to include that earlier, though I forgot to mention it at the time. Here, too, I don't want a clearly defined outline along the left side of the vase. That whole left side is going to be extremely light, almost pure white. What will define the shape of the vase is the background. And once we shade the background with a darker gray, that contrast will make the vase stand out. On the side, there is this area that is going to be particularly light, so I am erasing the outline a bit more. As I mentioned before, I don't want the outline to be visible, and I am going to start shading with the two H pencil, except that actually, I really don't like this two H pencil. I'm going to stop using it because H pencils have fairly hard leads, and mine is a bit old and worn out. And since they have hard leads like this which isn't soft like B or HB pencil, they leave fairly visible pencil marks, and I really don't like that. So I set to two H pencil aside and go back to my HB pencil. And by being very, very light handed, I can get just as good results just as light as if I had used the two so I have done it with the HB, and now just like I did with the Apple, I'm going to blend the whole area of the vase using this makeup brush, making circle emotions. Now, it's true that with the brush, you don't need to use circle emotions as much. Back and forth movements usually give a good result, too with the brush, and the difference won't really show. However, with the over blending tool, the blending stump, if I don't use circular motions, the result won't be as good. If I use back and forth movements, I won't get a smooth blend or a nice finish. So I think it's better to always use circular motions. This way, your muscle memory remembers that when you blend, you should use circular movements. At least this way, you won't make the mistake when using a blending stump instead of a brush, like right now. And that's why I always use circular motion when I want to blend different areas, even though I am using the brush and not the blending stump. So now we really have a good base for the vase, but it is still missing a lot of small elements, texture, little details that will really help make it look realistic. Starting with the shadow on the side, as I mentioned earlier, it's really quite dark there. So I can start with a 14 pencil. But what I notice is that as we move downward, the shadow becomes slightly lighter. So I adjust my pencil and switch to an eight B, and that gives me the right value for this shadow. These are the kinds of details that matter. You really have to train your eye to notice the subtle shifts in value. They make all the difference. I also notice that on the side of this shadow, as you move toward the left, it gets to be a little lighter. So I would stick with the eight B. And as I move leftward, I will adjust the pressure I put on my pencil to create areas that are more or less dark depending on the spot. Also, making little scribbles or small circle of motions with my pencil helps create a more natural transition into the lighter area. And the fact that I am using circular motions also allows me to work with the side of the lead in a soft way. So later, when it is time to blend, when I use the blending stem to smooth the different grays, it will be much easier to get a nice gradient, and nice transitions between the different elements. Um, Now, with the blending stump, I can make circle motions to smooth out the marks I have added. This also really helps improve the transition between my dark area and the adjacent zone I had shaded with a two B. This way, we get a real connection between these elements. Now I have taken my eight B pencil, and I'm going to work a bit on the front face of the vase. You can see that here, too, there are some slightly darker spots compared to what we applied earlier. These irregular elements along the edge also help better define this area. So I go over them using slightly irregular motions, some little scribbles here and there, and that is going to help enhance the texture of the section and also the shading. And then inside the shape in various places, there are also some small marks like what we have done, and I'm going to add them right now. You can see that I am working very gently with the side of the lead, so those dark elements don't stand out too harshly. I really want them to appear natural and blend seamlessly into this gray I had apply initially. What also helps me work this way is keeping my pencils well sharpened. You can't see it, but I am constantly sharpening them. With this electric sharpener, it's super quick and super efficient. I get some perfect leads. So as soon as I notice that the tip is a bit dull or getting short, I sharpen it again. Having a sharp and fine point like this is perfect for working with the side of the lid and achieving quality shading. So I am going to keep refining the area a bit. On the upper part, there are some slightly darker touches, and even in this brighter area as well, that really helps enhance the overall rendering. It's kind of the cherry on top of these vase. And here I also notice that in this part, there is a shadow that is really pronounced across the entire top section. So I am adding it with just slightly lighter touches just underneath, as you have seen. In some areas, I realized the zone might be just a bit too dark, so I gently dab with my needed eraser to lighten it slightly. You can also see that I shaped my eraser to have a fine point at the end, which allows me to work with precision. Here I have these tiny areas I want to lift where I want to lift just a bit of a of graphite. So I use the because I have noticed that some spots are actually a bit lighter, and when I need to be precise, I just dab with the tip of the eraser. That's one of the big advantages of this kind of eraser. Now, all we have left are the upper parts with the little oval at the top and the leaves, and that's what we are going to work on next. For this upper part of the vase, you can see that the entire right side will have some fairly dark elements, but they won't cover the whole right side. It's more like small scattered touches of darker area. So what I do first is create a light base since there are still some lighter and mid tones like this right here. Then on top of that, I will had the slightly darker elements. I find it easier to work this way. On the far hedge, I will have some very light areas on the left side. And once again, I don't want to leave a visible outline here because it's really the background and the contrast between this bright part of the vase and the background that will define the edge. The shading here is very, very light, really soft. So that's what I am doing with my pencil, applying some very light strokes. And once that is done, I will be able to come back in and add much darker elements on top, which will stand out nicely against everything I have done so far. And on top of that, I can add these really dark lio touches that stand out beautifully. And then I'm also going to have some very dark spots across the entire vase. You can see that in certain areas, there are small dots like here on the upper part, and there are similar marks in sons, too. So I add them in. It's not much, but it helps improve the texture a bit. These are my final touches, and I add them now, and then we will be able to focus on working on the leaves. Another small final touch is this slightly lighter area we have here and also on the side. And over it, there is this darken mark that really makes the whole thing stand out nicely. Now, let's move on to the leaves. We'll start with the one on the left. It is very dark. You might be tempted to think the entire leaf could be done with the same extremely dark gray, almost black, but there is a subtle detail to notice. If you look closely at the leaf, you will see that there are some slightly lighter touches within it. It's very faint, very subtle, I admit, but it's definitely there. And that is exactly what I am going to add because every subtle little element we can observe and include contributes to the overall realism of the piece. It is like the small tip that I am adding at the end at the tip of the leaf. It's not much, but I truly believe it helps enhance the final result. As for the over leaf, at first, I said I would use a ten B pencil, but since I can't find it, I'm using an eight B instead, just pressing down a bit harder. On this leaf, there are subtleties as well. Some parts are slightly lighter, others darker. You will need to be precise when adding those details and these details in the value. So really pay attention and try to observe those small shifts in value that you can spot here and there. Take this light line, for example, you can see that in a certain spot, you have this very light line. I will add this at the end with my eraso pen. Well, this small line is small, but it is very important for helping create volume in that area. So here, I have laid down a base a bit darker toward the bottom. In the middle, I wanted something lighter. And then I can work in the darker details we see like this edge along the border of the leaf, it's pretty dark. And in the center, there is also this fairly dark line I have noticed. So I am working on that, too. And I am doing these lines with the tip of my pencil because that gives me better precision when tracing these lines. And in general, I almost always draw lines such as these ones with the tip of my pencil. This work on the lines also allowed me to really darken the upper part. And as I mentioned earlier, there is this small light line that I can now add using my eraser pen just like this. Now we are going to work on the shadows, the cast shadow of the vase and the apple. You can see that under the vase, there is a fairly dark line like this. So I go ahead and edit, making sure to work that shadow in carefully. We can also notice that this shadow doesn't have the same values throughout. There is a large area that is very dark, but surrounding that, there are parts that are a bit lighter. I start by carefully defining the edge of the shadow using these lighter tones. This way, this way, when I come back in with a darker pencil, I can overlap a bit into this lighter area, and that's okay. It won't be a problem. But doing it the other way around, starting with the dark shadow and then trying to add the lighter pons around it will be trickier, I think. I felt more confident working in this order. So now I can continue working on this shadow, and you can see that it's really dark right next to the vase, and it gradually lightens as it gets closer to the apple. Again, I am using the side of my pencil lead when applying it, which helps control the pressure and coverage. It's really important to play with values here, not to treat the shadow as a single and uniform dark tone. That is a common mistake when learning to draw, thinking that a shadow is just one dark color used everywhere. But clearly there are multiple shades of gray here, and it is that subtle variation in value that makes the shadow look believable and realistic. So each time take the time to observe all the different values you can spot in the area. And for the apple, it is the same. After working on the slightly lighter areas we had as a base, I moved on to the darker parts, but now I realize I can add a few more those lighter touches both here and in the background. This way, the shadow will look more refined and realistic. You Now I can start working on the surface. Here, too, on the support, the surface, we shouldn't see any outlines because the lines I had originally drawn for the contour darker than the shading I need to apply now, and that just doesn't work. You can clearly see that there isn't a dark line defining the edge of the surface. So I raised those line and started working with an HB pencil. I'm working very gently using the side of the lead with a very light touch to keep the surface nice and light. This way, I will get a good contrast with the background and with the shadows of the objects. Also, next to the vase on the left, we can notice a slightly darker edge. So I am emphasizing it. And in that little adjacent area on the left, I'm pressing a bit harder with the pencil so that it really stands out just like that. And then all the shading I have done, I am going to make sure it blends nicely with the rest by using soft and brush strokes like this, always in cereal motions to create a smooer and softer look in the shaded area thanks to this blending I am doing. Next, I will do the same for the lower part. You won't see me using the maybe you've seen me using the kneaded eraser here, and that's because while blending with the brush, a bit of graphite spread beyond in its intended area, so I erase the aces to clean it up. And on my shadow cast of the objects as well, I make sure to go over them with these light brush strokes to make the result softer and more pleasing. Now, I am going to shade the lower part of the surface. We had said earlier that I would use a two B for that, so that's what I am doing in here. And I keep working gently with the side of the lid, taking my time to achieve a smooth and harmonious result. And here's a small detail that makes a big difference, too. Again, you need to train your eye to spot these things. It won't come right away, but with time, you will be able to notice them. And what I am referring to is this slightly darker element right at the edge on the upper part. It helps enhance the sense of depth, while on the left side, there is also a detail that is important. It is a very light area almost white. So I will make sure that this is clearly visible in my drawing. I've almost finished shading the entire area. Next, I will go over it with the brush to blend everything just like I've done so far. And once that is done, we'll be able to move on to those key little details I mentioned earlier, the ones that really made a difference. So I'll see you again once the blending is done so we can add those final touches. Now that I have finished blending this entire lower area, I can go back and work on those little details I mentioned earlier, details that will really make a difference. Along the entire edge, there is this slightly darker element. So that's what I am adding now. I am gently shading with small stroke to make it stand out nicely. You can also notice a small dark touch on the right side, so I am adding that as well along this edge, just a bit of dark tone. And finally, on the overside, there are some lighter areas that really, really stand out. You can see that they also start from the upper part just above that dark line. So I am adding this light touch to help bring that out clearly. And on the left side, these very light highlights aren't visible yet when I erase them. But once I work on the background, using a darker pencil, this will increase the contrast and they will really pop and define the form much better. Now I can start working on the background. And the first thing I do is work around the edges to protect them a little. This way, when I begin shading the whole background with broad stroke, this initial edge will help preserve my drawing and keep the elements I have already completed kind of safe. So even though it is a small area, I still take the time to work it carefully. I say small because I'm focusing on the contour, but I still use the side of the lid, doing those little scribbles I usually make when shading the background and like I did when shading the other elements of this composition. You might have seen me run my hand over the paper, and that's because before starting the background, it's really important to make sure the surface is clean and free of imperfections. Otherwise, little marks can appear and stand out more than they should. That's why I always recommend cleaning the paper right before starting. Then I will move on to coloring the whole background, using lots of back and forth motions like this until the entire area is filled in. The key to a smooth background is applying consistent pressure on the pencil at all times. You also have to choose the right pencil, not too light, not too dark, and maintain that steady and medium pressure across the whole area. It is true that this will take a bit of time since the background covers a large part of the still life. But it really helps bring out the contrast and makes the drawing look much better. So I take my time maybe five to 10 minutes, which isn't that long in the end, and I focus on getting a clean and even background. And once I am done with that, this drawing will be finished. Oh. And so this is my final drawing. So I made a little mistake because I forget one small imperfection next the leaf on the right. And so you can see there is something a little bit dark. I forgot to clean, but that's okay. And so this concludes this tutorial. I really hoped you liked it because it was really nice to work on shadows, contour, and has, everything that we've seen so far. So thank you very much for watching. Feel free to share your final result and see you very soon with another tutorial. And 16. Presentation of the Proportions techniques: In these sections, we are going to focus on proportions, which is absolutely essential to have some drawings that feel realistic because we can have the best shading ever. If we don't have a drawing that is made with the right proportions or drawing won't feel right. So this is why it is really important to have something that feels realistic. So in these sections, I will show you different techniques. So we will see the basic sighting technique. Then we will see the angle sighting that allows for more accuracy. And finally, the last thing I will share with you is the greet technique, a technique that I really like that helps you to draw things from a photograph or in the world around you with a really great precision. So I'm going to show you all the technique and share with you some er sizes that I really recommend you to do as well. So grab your pencils and let's see how to do that. 17. The Sighting Technique: Let's see the citing techniques for drawing with proper proportions. To draw accurately, we will use this citing technique. The position to adopt is very simple. I stand upright with one arm fully extended, holding an object such as a pencil or preferably a ruler, which provides greater precision. My arm remains fully extended as this object allows me to measure the elements I want to draw and ensure the correct proportion. The eye on the same side as my extended arm stays open while the other eye is closed. This is the eye I used to aim. When I want to measure an element, I stay in this position and mark the measurement in my sketchbook, using my free hand to draw if I am citing with the hand I don't draw with. Otherwise, I briefly switch hands to record the measurement in my sketchbook and draw it. Then if I want to measure another part of the object, I return to the exact same posture, my arm fully extended, and I aim at the new element. It is crucial not to change position and to keep the arm fully extended for each measurement. If I move or bend my arm, the proportions of my drawing will be distorted and my drawing will lose accuracy. Here is the same position, but this time viewed from the front with the arm fully extended and the eye open on the same side as the extended arm. And I forgot to mention it, but the head is slightly tilted toward the shoulder on the side of the extended arm. Let's see an example before applying this technique to a subject on paper. I have this olive tree in front of me and I want to draw it. My arm is fully extended, and I am using my ruler to measure the main branch. I position my ruler at the top of the branch and place my thumb where the branch hands. When I check my measurement, I see that from the top of the branch to the lower part, it measures 6 centimeters. This means I can reproduce it with these exact dimensions, or I can apply a multiplication ratio and make the branch twice, three times or even five times larger if I want to. Here we can see that when I measured, my ruler was slightly tilted like this. So on my paper, I can also tilt it the same way to ensure greater accuracy. Next, starting from the top of this branch, I can continue with the foliage. By placing my ruler, I measure from the branch to the tip of the foliage and get 3 centimeters. So I will reproduce these 3 centimeters on my paper, or if I have chosen to apply a multiplication ratio to the branch, I will apply the same ratio here. Next, I continue with all the othersides of the foliage and mark them in my sketchbook. I can either draw the elements precisely right away or create a small diagram that outlines each side of the tree I want to draw, noting the different measurements. It's up to you to decide which method you prefer. Whether you want to draw everything precisely at once, or make a preliminary diagram with measurements before doing the final drawing. So it's up to you. Now let's see an example of how to apply this technique with this tree that we are going to draw. It's easier to demonstrate using a photograph rather than doing it live as adjusting the camera and settings would be a bit too complicated. So we'll apply this technique directly on paper from the photograph. To start, we could sketch simple shapes to outline the tree as we have seen before. However, to save time, we'll go straight to working with proportions and see right away how to use this technique on our paper. Using our ruler and pencil, we will draw this large tree with accurate proportions. And in this case, compared to the photograph, we will be drawing it at a larger scale than what we see in the reference photograph. So we'll see how to apply this multiplication ratio and make things bigger than what we see. It's true that this technique could be done with a pencil, a brush, or even a pen. Many people do that. However, I find it complicated to estimate proportions this way. For example, trying to judge if the trunk is about the same length as a small section of the pencil or if a branch is half that length, I found this approach too imprecise. Using a ruler makes things much clearer and accurate. Since we have this tool available, it will be a shame not to use it. The goal here is to measure and maintain proper proportion. So it makes sense to use a tool that ensures real precision. In this case, the ruler. So let's get started and remember the position we talked about the arm fully extended, the head slightly tilted, one eye open, and I keep the same position. Of course, with a photograph, it's complicated to do this thing, but imagine we are doing so. Let's start by measuring the trunk. I imagine my arm is fully extended, and I take this measurement. From the base to the point where it splits into several branches, I see that it measures 3 centimeters. I want to draw a larger trunk, so I will apply a multiplication ratio of four. This means that every measurement I will take will be multiplied by four. On my paper, I will draw the trunk accordingly. I also notice that the trunk is quite straight. When I check its height, I see that it measures 3 centimeters, and when I observe its angle, it appears mostly vertical. So on my paper, I will measure 12 centimeters since I am multiplying by four, and I will draw the trunk as a straight element. Now, let's measure the width of the trunk. I position my ruler again and take the measurement. Since this is a fairly uniform trunk that doesn't get significantly figure or thinner, I won't need to measure additional point. When I measure, I see that the width is five millimeter. Applying my multiplication ratio of four, I calculate five millimeter multiplied by four equal 20 millimeters, which is the same as 2 centimeters. So on my paper, the width of the trunk will be two centimeter. I will draw it with straight line as the trunk remains consistently straight from top to bottom. Now starting from the trunk, I will measure one of its branches. Once again, I use the same technique, imagining my arm fully extended. I measure the branch and see that it is six millimeter. Multiplying by four, I get 24 millimeter or 2 centimeters and four millimeter, which I will apply to my drawing. Next, I observe that the branch follows a certain angle extending in a specific direction. I will try to maintain this angle. If my arm were extended, I will aim to keep the same orientation as my arm. Then I transfer this measurement onto my paper. That being said, this is not an exact science. If the angle isn't perfectly accurate, we can compare the element to one another and compare with a reference and adjust if they don't align correctly. If we need a 100% precise angle, I will introduce a tool later that allows for perfect angle citing. And I continue measuring the next part of the branch. We saw earlier that it start as a small section before extending into a longer branch. By measuring its length, I can then transfer it onto my drawing, so I trace it accordingly. However, I don't necessarily need to measure every single element. For example, I won't always need to measure the width of the branch I just drew. So to ensure accuracy without measuring everything, I simply compare this branch to other elements in my drawing. For instance, if I compare its thickness to the trunk to the thickness of the trunk, I notice that it is about twice as thin. So I will draw it with half the thickness of the trunk. And by comparing different parts to each other, I can maintain proportional accuracy in my drawing. So while this technique, the sighting is excellent for precise measurement, we can also rely on our observation skills and instincts to get the right proportion. Comparing elements to one another is another key aspect of achieving well balanced and accurate drawing. And this is something I use every time. From here, I look at my photo and notice that the structure rises by 1 centimeter in a straight line. So in my drawing, I will extend it by 4 centimeters. Next, I see a clearly visible branch position above the one I previously traced. You can see this one. So I observe that it is slightly thinner and longer. Since these differences are noticeable, I don't need to measure it precisely. I can simply draw it longer and a bit thinner than the previous branch. This demonstrates that we don't need to measure every single element to achieve accuracy. The initial measurements provide a solid foundation, and by comparing the different parts to each other, we can position the remaining elements with precision. This ensures that our drawing maintains proper proportions. If you are not precise to the meting matter, it's not a big deal, especially when drawing a tree like this, nature is imperfect. So if you're drawing a small inaccuracies, that's perfectly fine. It will still look good. What matters most is maintaining overall consistency in your drawing, as well as in the shading you will have later on. Perfection isn't necessary. The key is to keep a coherent structure. Now for this part of the trunk, right there, I measure and see that it is about 3 millimeters on my reference. So I transfer this measurement and apply my ratio, which gives me one centimeters and 2 millimeters. And this define the spacing for this section of the tree. Now moving down, I notice a large knot, not a junction where multiple branches come together, spreading in different directions. I want to include this in my drawing and I measure it on my photograph and it appears that it is around 1 centimeter. Since I am using my ratio, I know it will be 4 centimeters in my final drawing. I also observe that this section follows a curve line. So when I draw it, I will reproduce that curve to match the natural form of the tree. On my photograph, I notice this very long branch, and I see that this branch measures 3 centimeters. So when I transfer it, it will be to my drawing, it will be 12 centimeters. I also notice that this branch has many curves and follow different directions. So I will try to apply that later. However, for now, I am not focusing on achieving a perfect outline. That's not the goal at this stage. My main priority is to reproduce the branch while ensuring that its length is accurate. Well, I still try to get a nice contour right now, but this won't be my final contour. And if I want to make some adjustments afterwards, well, that will be possible. And so on, I could apply this process to the entire tree, but overall, it will follow the same method. I believe you now have a good understanding of the technique. Now it's up to you to put it into practice. 18. The Anglet Sighting Technique: Now let's talk about angle sighting. We have seen that with our technique using a ruler, we can measure angles fairly accurately. However, if we want even greater precision, we can use an angle sighting tool that we can create ourselves. For this, I have two fairly rigid pieces of paper, each 4 centimeters wide and about ten to 15 centimeters long. I also have a paper fastener called Attach Parisien, which will be used to secure the pieces together. The paper fastener consists of a round head on top and two flexible prongs underneath that can be manipulated. On my paper, you can see that I have made small holes in both pieces of paper at the same position using a cutter, then finalizing the holes with the fastener. So I insert the fastener through the hole in the first piece of the paper, and then I do the same for the second piece. Once both pieces are attached, I spread the two prongs apart to secure them, preventing the papers from coming loose. This simple tool allows us to measure angles more precisely. You can find ready mated versions in stores, which may be even more precise, but you can also easily create one yourself just like this. This tool will be useful in certain cases. Instead of measuring angles with a ruler, I will sometime use directly this, especially when drawing buildings with multiple complex angles. In such situations, this tool is often more practical than a ruler. To make it as precise as the ruler for measuring lens, I will add markings for centimeals on it. While it won't be as exact as a ruler, it will still give me a good approximation when measuring both the angle precisely and also the length. If I need absolute precision for both the angle and the length, I can simply use both tools together. Here, my measurements are very accurate when dealing with the right angle. However, as soon as I adjust the tool slightly, the precision decreases. For example, with this particular angle, I might start at one instead of zero. If I position it differently, right now, the measurement might fall somewhere 0-1. While this reduces precision slightly, it still provides a useful approximation of the length while ensuring the angle remains accurate. Similarly, when an angle is greater than 90 degrees, I don't have a direct reference point on my current scale. To improve this, I can have traditional additional markings on my angle sighting, such as less one and less two, so that I can measure angles over 90 degrees more effectively. Sometimes I also need to measure an angle in the opposite direction since my tool is positioned differently, and if I want the same level accuracy as in the original orientation, I can have length markings on both sides of the tool. This way, I can ensure precise measurements no matter the direction of the angle. Now let's see how to use this tool. If I wear outdoors measuring this building, I will hold it in the same way we did with the brush and the ruler, arm fully extended, maintaining a steady position. So let's start with this straight side. I can easily trace this straight line without much difficulty since there is no significant angle to measure. There is just a small ledge at the bottom, but that's the only detail to consider with this side of the building. And we are going to draw to scale, meaning with the same length. So I still double check to ensure the dimension is correct. Here, I can use my ruler, assuming I'm working with both tools to take measurement. And I confirm that the length is indeed 13.5 centimeters, and it looks like I have a good I four proportions without even measuring beforehand, I had the correctness. So that's pretty good. So let's keep going with this angle. So I imagine I have my arm fully extended, and I align the edge of my tool with the side of the building that I have already drawn. Once it is properly aligned, I simply open the tool to match the correct angle. And so at this point, I can see that the angle formed by the building, this is the angle, and I also get an approximate length, which I estimate to be around 6.7 centimeters or 6.8. Now keeping this angle steady and making sure not to alter it, I transfer it onto my drawing paper to maintain accuracy and make sure that I have the right angle for this part of the building. I can now trace this angle as I observed it. It extends up to the fifth red centimeal mark. And also, yes, I will close my line. I forgot to do it and gently trace it. As always, I stick to the good habits we have established. Don't put too much pressure on new lines. Also, to measure the next angle, the process is very simple. I position my tool at the corner of the building aligning with one side with the previously drawn angle. And I see that this segment is about 5 centimeters, just slightly less. So I can go ahead and draw it. From there, I can lightly trace this new line. And now I can continue outlining the rest of the building. I notice that I have another straight line, so I can draw it without needing to measure again. I can also sketch the central line, which is also straight, ensuring that everything stays align and proportional. I forgot to mention it, but just like with the classic sting method we saw earlier, I can apply any ratio I want. If I want my drawing to be twice as large, I simply multiply all my measurements by two. If I want it to be three times smaller, I divide my measurements by three and so on. As before, we can apply any scaling ratio we choose to adjust the proportions to our need and what we want on our paper. This building could be drawn using two point perspective, but if I struggle to find the vanishing ports, I feel that my angles don't align correctly even with perspective or if I don't want to use the perspective technique, I can use this tool to trace the remaining elements of the building. I can use it to measure the angles of the windows, then the angles of the balconies. In fact, I can measure any angle present on the building by combining angle measurements with length measurement using the centimetal markings on this tool, a ruler or both, I can precisely determine where to place the windows, balconies and their heights. This is a truly great tool, and when making one yourself, be sure to cut the edges as straight as possible. I must admit that on my own tool, the edges with the centimeal markings could have been a little bit more precise. 19. The Grid Technique: Let's explore a new technique that helps achieve the correct proportions. This is a method that is particularly close to my heart because it truly helped me improve. If I hadn't used this technique, I probably wouldn't have been able to create the paintings I have accomplished so far. So the grid technique for a bit of backstory, this is a technique that really made a difference for me. When I was ten or 11-years-old, I discovered the grid method and started using it. Later, around 13 or 14, I took a drawing class and the teacher told me a real artist doesn't use the grid technique. That was the only drawing class I ever took in my life, but that one sentence stuck with me for a long time. I thought, since the teacher said it, I shouldn't use the grid method. So for years, I stopped using it. I kept improving in some area, but also felt block in certain aspects. It was only when I started using the grid technique again around 20 or something like that, that I was finally able to draw with better proportions and create composition that felt truly well balanced. Using a grid eliminates any doubt or struggles with proportions because it allows us to focus entirely on the drawing and shading, ensuring that everything stays in the right place. This method is a mathematical tool, just like a ruler or a pencil used for measuring with the sting techniques we used before. Instead of measuring with a physical tool, we use grid lines to guide us, allowing us to achieve accurate proportions effortlessly. This is a technique that we mainly use when drawing from a photo, but it can also be applied in real life using a small tool that I will show you in just a few minutes. So here is my reference photograph, this beautiful sunflower that I have already grided in advance. So on this sunflower, the width is 16 centimeters and the height is 24. I cropped the image beforehand to match this height to width ratio, making it easier to apply a grid. I divided the width, which is 16 centimeters into two centimeter squares, which gives me eight squares across. Right there, you can see it. And I divided the height 24 centimeters into two centimeter squares, which gives me 12 squares down. By using the specific dimension, creating a consistent grid becomes much simpler. If my reference photograph had dimensions like 25.3 centimeters by 17.5 centimeters, it will be much harder to find a common multiple for both measurements. By working with two centimo squares, I ensure that I have a grid with 12 squares in height and eight squares in width, making the transfer process much easier when I start drawing. What I could have done if I didn't have such dimensions would be to have some squares that will be a bit smaller for the last one, the ones at the bottom or the ones at the top. That would have been also possible, creating two centimeal squares, but with some smaller at the top of at the bottom or at the left or at the right. That's also a possibility. I chose to use two centimeo squares because it seems like the best compromise for achieving precision. If I had used five centimeter squares, it would have been too imprecise and wouldn't have been very helpful. On the other hand, if I had made 1 centimeter or five millimeter squares, the grid would have been so detailed that it would be difficult to navigate with too many tiny squares, and there's a risk of getting lost which will defeat the purpose of the grid technique. By using two centimeter squares, I maintain a good balance. The grid is detailed enough for accuracy, but not overwhelming. Next, I want to reproduce this grid on my drawing paper. However, my paper is larger than my reference photograph, and I want to use the entire paper. This is not a problem at all because the grid allows us to scale the drawing up or down. The key is to maintain the same number of squares on my drawing paper as on my reference photograph. Here you can see I have eight square in width and 12 in height. And so on my drawing paper, I will also divide it into eight squares across and 12 squares down, even if the actual size of the squares changes. By keeping the same number of division, I ensure that my drawing will remain proportional. My drawing paper measures 24 centimeters in width. If I quickly calculate, I need eight squares across these 24 centimeters width. To do this, I will create three centimeter squares because eight multiplied by three equals 24. This way, I will have the same number of squares as on my reference photograph. Now my papers height is 36 centimeters. Since I need 12 squares in height, 12 multiplied by three equals 36 centimeters. So I will have the same number of squares as in my reference image, but each square will be 3 centimeters instead of two. This allows me to scale up my drawing proportionately while keeping everything accurate. That's why before starting the drawing, it's crucial to carefully plan the grid size to ensure it matches the reference proportions. On my reference photo, you can see that I have added coordinates. I labeled the width with letters both at the top and bottom, and I labeled the height with numbers. This makes it much easier to navigate the grid when transferring the drawing onto paper. On my reference photo, I pressed hard on the grid lines, so they are clearly visible. This isn't a problem because the photo will be discarded afterward. In fact, these days, I mostly create my grids digitally using an app on my phone. However, on my actual drawing, I don't want the grid lines to be visible. That's why I need to draw them very lightly so I can erase them easily once my drawing is complete. To achieve this, I will probably use a two H pencil which allows me to make extremely light, faint lines that won't interfere with the final artwork. To make the lines clearly visible during the lesson, I will use a four B pencil, but I strongly encourage you to use a much lighter pencil for your own drawing. Before drawing the lines, I take my ruler and mark small dots every 3 centimeters. This makes it easier to trace straight lines later than and assures my grid is precise. If I know my multiples are free, I can count three, six, nine, 12, et cetera. Otherwise, I simply move my ruler every 3 centimeters and mark the points. I do this both at the bottom and at the top of the paper, entering, I can connect the marks accurately for perfectly straight lines. Once I have finished marking along the height, I repeat the process along the width. However, since my ruler is only 3 centimeters long, I will need to use a longer ruler to connect the vertical lines properly. So just as we marked points at the top and bottom, we also do the same on the left and right side to ensure everything's aligned perfectly. B also very light when marking these small points as they will also need to be erased later. Now using these points, I will draw my grid lines. Normally, I will make them very faint, but for demonstration purposes, I will make them more visible. Once all the lines are drawn and connected, we'll move on to the next step. A little tip when you only have a small ruler but need to draw longer line. On my grid for this top line, I mark dots every 3 centimeters along the way. This allowed me to extend the line step by step, connecting each segment accurately until I reach the overside. Since using a larger ruler wasn't possible on this setup, this technique helped me complete the grid precisely despite the limitation. I have marked the coordinates with a highlighter for visibility, but of course, you should never do this. Instead, use a light pencil so that it remains erasable. So where to start? Now that everything is ready, we can start drawing and ask yourself this question. Where should we begin? Instead of telling you where to start, let me first say where not to start. Starting with the petal seems tricky because they contain many details and are positioned in the middle of several grid squares, making them harder to place. The same goes with the leaf. It is in the middle and it isn't ideal either as it's isolated and doesn't provide a strong reference point. It's best to start with simple elements that are easy to place and will boost your confidence. Among these, the bottle is a great choice because it has a clear structure, making it easier to follow. And we can start from the bottom and build upwards, maintaining a logical progression. To start with this bottle, I know its base begins in square C 12 on my reference grid, so I will locate the same square on my drawing grid. And I observe that the bottle is positioned on the right side of the square approximately at this spot. So based on that, I can trace it lightly. Next, the curve extends upward to C ten in a fairly straight line. Then in C nine, the curve does not reach the top of the square. It stops slightly before the upper edge. From there, the curves continues into D nine, smoothly transitioning into the next section. I work on my grid using the tip of my pencil to ensure maximum precision. This grid method not only help us be highly accurate, but also saves a lot of time. Since we skip the step of constructing shapes and controls manually, the process becomes much faster and more efficient. I can either close the bottle at the top or continue on the overside. It doesn't really matter. So let's continue on the overside. To work more efficiently, I observe that this straight line runs from F 12 to F ten, so I can draw it directly. Once again, I emphasize the importance of drawing very lightly. Even though I'm using the grid method, these control lines are temporary. They will probably be erased later depending on the final details of the drawing. Looking at my reference photo, I noticed that around the middle of D eight, there is a curve section that extends upward in a straight line. I position myself in the middle of D eight on my drawing grid and carefully trace this curve. Next, I extend the line upward to D seven. In D seven, I can see the edge of the vase, which becomes visible. I lightly draw this lower part and connect it to the overside of the vase once I have finished it. Now that my bottle is closed, I can either continue with the upper part or finish it by adding interior details. One details I can add inside is the stem. I see that the stem spans from Spence column D and E and reaches approximately the middle of row 12. So I replicate this placement on my drawing and lightly trace the stem. Then I can completing it by drawing the connecting line. Additionally, I can sketch the oval on row ten, which represents the water level inside the vase. This oval will help define the volume and depth of the water. Next, inside the bottle, I can add more details. For example, I can mark the dark shadow areas at the top part of the bottle. I can also indicate the highlight that appears across the base of the bottle. The number of elements you choose to sketch in advance depends entirely on your personal preference. If you like precision, you can mark many details beforehand to serve as guides. If you prefer flexibility, you might decide to add shadows and highlights gradually as you begin shading. Personally, I like to outline a good number of details before shading as it makes the process easier and more structured later on. Alright, let's continue with the foliage area with the leaves and the stem. So right here, I can see the stem just above the vase. And then it's a little bit confusing because there are many leaves. So I'm going to focus on one leaf at a time. Right here, in E seven, I can see that there is the beginning of a leaf. So I can place my pencil right here and draw this line of the leaf. And I can see that it hangs right there at the end of the vase on the left in D seven. So I stop here and then draw this line upward almost till the end of the seven. In this way, by comparing elements with one another and by using the grid, I can draw areas that at first seemed complex, but now they are easy. You can realize they are quite easy to draw. All right, now that we have finished this leaf, we can move on to the end of the stem. And right here we are in D and E seven, and we can see that the stem goes up to the row number five. So that's what I do. I do. I trace this line till this five row. Let's go back to tracing the leaves. We can see that since the ones we initially trace, there is another larger and darker one that continues. I can go ahead and trace it. I can see that it extends up to approximately C six, and then there is another one overlapping it that I can also trace. I'm going to outline these leaves. But first, there's something very interesting I want to show you and I'll demonstrate it using the orange marker on the sheet. It's what I call a an intersection of lines and colon. It's a point where this colon and the row intersect and my drawing element will pass through this element. This makes it easier to position elements in the drawing because I know it passes exactly through this spot. It goes through this intersection and not approximately halfway through the square or about a third or a quarter of the way. So here we are sure of this intersection and know that it will pass through it. These are key elements that I try to identify every time. As soon as I see one and notice, elements passing through it, I make the most of it because it serves as an excellent reference point to ensure precise tracing. Now, let's move on to working the petals. There's no secret to it. You have to trace them one by one. It's going to take a bit of time, but it's important to be patient and carefully observe where each petal is located. It's true that sometimes we might be tempted to think, Oh, it's fine. I'll just place them roughly where I want, and I will still look like a good drawing. It will still look like a good drawing. And yes, one might think that and even do it. However, if you're a beginner, you strongly advised against this. The issue is that as a beginner, you don't yet have the experience needed to ensure a good level of coherence, consistency in the placement of the petals and especially in the shading of each one. As a result, the elements might end up looking inconsistent and out of place. That's why I don't recommend this approach when starting out. Later on, with more experience, you can allow yourself a bit more of freedom, but at the beginning, I strongly discourage it. Also, you don't have to follow everything in order either. For example, here, I noticed that on the circle where the petals are placed, there is this line that extends to an intersection. So I have drawn it. So I can trace it first and then continue with the rest of the circle of this flower until I complete it. And finally, I can place the petals. Maybe by tracing the circles first it will be easier for me to position the other petals afterward. It will have more reference points to help me place the rest of the petals. Similarly, you will see me continuing to place them in the same order one next to the other. But sometimes our attention may be drawn to certain elements that seem easier, and we can mark those first. For example, if I wanted to, I could have chosen not to continue with the petals here, but instead, start with the ones at the top because they might have seemed simpler to me. The goal is always to ask yourself, what can I do that will be the easiest for me? By starting with the simpler things, the rest become more obvious. And you'll hear me say this often because especially when working on final outwords when we need to shade each element in more complex drawings, for example, every time when we begin with the things that seem easier, the rest of the elements become easier as well. For example, when I draw an element using my once I have drawn that element, it can serve as a reference to compare with other future elements I had. The same goes for shading. If I start shading a particular area because it seems easier, I can use it to compare the value of this shaded area with the others or to compare the placement of other elements that need shading in relation to it. Each time, start with the simplest and usually the easiest thing. I'm going to finish adding these petals, and then this tutorial on drawing with a photo based grid will be complete. I can also add the shading elements inside this circle, and that will be it. I also encourage you to practice with this technique as it can be really useful for working from a photo and ensuring that you get the right proportions in your drawing. A 20. The Grid in Real Life: Drawing real life objects without using a photo and with the help of a grid is possible. As you can see here, I made a small one using this brochure holder, this transparent object I had on hand, and with it, I will be able to draw. I'm also going to show you other models that have been invented which allow you to draw real objects in front of you using the grid technique. Good. So here, for example, is an engraving by the German artist Durer, who created this grid system that allowed him to draw real life objects. This device dates back to the renaissance and is perfectly suited for this purpose. The key to successfully drawing real life elements using a grid is to maintain the same high position to avoid changing the perspective and ensure that the elements remain in the correct place. For this, there are also more modern versions that can be adapted and used effectively to draw these objects from real life and using the grid. Here we see a more recent grid system, a modern and sophisticated version. You can see the objects through the grid, and the key is to position it correctly and then recreate the same grid on your paper. In front of the drawing paper, there is a small rod which serves as a fixed reference point for the eye. Every time every time my eye must align with the same spot on the road, and this ensures that the perspective remains unchanged and that I always maintain the same viewpoint. I believe this system can be homemade or purchased online. I have no doubt about that. And finally, here is one last image showing that for century, this technique has been used not only for portraits, but for drawing any kind of object. So let's get back to our technique. I have made this small tool, and I want to draw this little plant pot in front of me. First, I will position it correctly to create a better composition. For example, if I want to center it a bit. Then what is important is to find a comfortable position, one from which I can easily start drawing the object and that I will be able to maintain for a few minutes. Alright, so now I am sitting comfortably in my chair and I'm ready to draw this small plant in front of me. Of course, I'm not in the most comfortable position because of the camera, and I had to adjust the pot a little to make sure it's properly visible on the camera with my notebook also in front of me. But the camera if the camera weren't there, and if I were drawing this pot using the grid method, I will have no trouble at all because this grid technique really makes the process much easier. 21. An exercice to better master the Grid technique: Alright, let's get started with this grid drawing exercise. Here, we can see that we have an object that is completely cut off, so we have no choice but to accurately follow what we see in each square. We can rely on our imagination or draw things the way we think they should look because sometimes even with a grid, that can happen. So in this case, we must strictly draw what we see in each individual square. You can see that I am using my phone for the grid, and you also have the grid displayed. On the video. I personally prefer working this way. It's more convenient. The image is clearly visible on the screen. And if you want, you can also download the image. Another thing to note on this grid, the coordinates are on the lines rather than inside the square, which is a slight difference. But whether the numbers are placed on the lines or inside the squares, the method remains the same. Alright, let's begin. I will start with the upper part of the amphora. I can see that around E five, there is a rectangle that can be drawn. This rectangle has an oval shaped area at the top, which suggests it is an amphora, even though the object has been cut off. Despite this, we can still recognize what it is. Now I can move on to drawing the edge of the amphora, which forms an angle, and I can trace that as well. Next, below the first rectangle I just drew, I see another finner rectangle, so I will go ahead and draw that. The same goes for the small cubes next to it. I trace them too. At this point, there's no room for imagination or artistic freedom. We simply observe the elements in each square and draw them as they appear. This approach ensures that our drawing is as accurate as possible to what we see in front of us. Instead of drawing how we think an object should look, we focus solely on what we actually see. Now I just noticed something that seems off. I probably made my rectangle too thick, so I erase it and redraw it since I didn't leave enough space to have the other thickness just below. I see another fairly large rectangle, and it will connect to the first one we drew. It aligns roughly with the corner of that first rectangle. So now it's my turn to place it. I noticed that it is quite long as it spans across multiple squares. So I first identify which square it extends to, and then I go ahead and draw. Next, below it, I can draw a series of other rectangles. What will help me determine whether they are correctly placed is the fact that the third one at the bottom should touch the corner of the rectangle we traced earlier. By using these elements as reference points, I can ensure that my drawing remains proportionally accurate and that everything is well aligned. And as I mentioned earlier, these rectangles must connect to each other, just like they do right now. This drawing exercise with this fragmented amphora is an excellent way to improve your precision and observation. By forcing you to draw only what you see in each square of the grid, it prevents you from falling into interpretation and proportions error mistakes. Thanks to the grids reference points, you will develop better and spatial analysis and learn to structure your drawing using these simple elements from the grid. It will also sharpen your eye, helping you develop greater discipline in your work, as well as improving your patience and concentration, since this exercise requires time and a lot of focus to ensure you don't make mistakes with the positioning of the different elements of this photo. What I also really like about working with the grid and this exercise is that it is suitable for all skill levels, both advanced artists and beginners. You can learn and progress quickly without stress with the grid, without worrying about whether your drawing is precise enough or not. All you got to do is make sure that each element is at the right place. And I truly believe that this is a great exercise that will help you make significant progress in your artwork. Another important thing when working with a grid, both in this exercise and in general, is always to double check you placed where you have placed each element in the right spot. When dealing with isolated elements like the small rectangles on the side, it's not too much of an issue. However, if you misplace an element that is connected to others, it can cause all the subsequent elements to be misaligned. This means that a large part of your drawing could end up incorrect and you might have to start over. By doing this double check, you can ensure that everything is positioned correctly and that no misalignment will affect the rest of your drawing. This way, you won't have to redo everything. Regularly, performing this double check helps prevent errors, and if any occur, you can catch and correct them early before they cause a bigger misalignment. And so I am finishing this drawing just a few more elements, and that will be good with the grid and with this proportion model. And of course, I strongly encourage you to do the same exercise and to practice, again, everything that we have seen with this proportion section. 22. Exercice before the final project : the upside-down drawing: This section, we are going to do three exercises that may seem a little bit weird or a little bit strange at first, but I really encourage you to do them because I am really convinced that this will help you to make some progress with your drawings. These exercises are inspired from the book, drawing with the right brain by Betty Edwards. And the principle is simple. We want to kind of disconnect the left brain, the one that named the things that analyze the elements and only draw with the right brain. That is to say the brain that observe things. We want to observe things and not draw from the representations that we have from things. So for that purpose, we will be doing three exercises together. We will draw something upside down. Then we will draw the negative spaces. That is to say the elements that are between the objects and not the objects themselves. And finally, we will be doing a contour of our hand in a single and continuous line without looking at or drawing but just looking at our hand. These exercises aren't about making pretty drawings. They are here to help you to draw what you see, what you actually see, and to really observe and not draw what you think the elements are. And I think these exercises will really help you to make some progress. So I really recommend you to do them seriously. So let's see that, and let's do this right now. So let's begin this exercise where we are going to try drawing this character upside down. It is an exercise taken from the book, drawing on the right side of the brain by Betty Edwards. And in my opinion, it is one of the most fascinating exercises, drawing upside down. Right here, I have this character that is completely flipped upside down, and I am going to try to redraw it exactly as it appears without turning it right side up. Even though that might seem a bit strange at first, there is actually a very deep and thoughtful logic behind this method and this kind of exercise. The thing is, when we look at drawing the right way up, our brain immediately kicks into recognition mode. It starts identifying familiar elements, like, Oh, this is an eye, this is a mouth. This is a hand. And automatically, without even realizing it, we stop drawing what we actually see and we start drawing what we think we know. We rely on mental images, learn symbols, habits, shortcuts. But when we flip the image upside down, all of that breaks down. The brain no longer recognizes the form so easily. It loses its symbolic references. And that is when the exercise become really powerful. We are forced to get out of automatic mode and switch into a state of raw focused observation. We stop interpreting and we finally start to see things as they truly are. And that shift in perception is incredibly valuable because instead of eyes and noses and hands, we start seeing lines that tilt upward, curves that twist, shapes that intersect, spaces between elements. In short, we go from a symbolic drawing to a real drawing, and we momentarily forget what the subject even was. This kind of exercise is a little bit freeing you up because right now, as I am working on this drawing, I am not thinking, Okay, this part I am doing must be the forearm. No, I'm just following the shapes line by line. This line goes up, then that one drops down, another forms an angle. It's almost like reading a map or a blueprint. And often at the end of the exercise, you can be surprised because when you finally flip your drawing right side up, you can see that you've actually managed to create something that is quite accurate and faithful to the original image, maybe even more than if you had drawn it facing the right way from the start. And why is that? Because you have stopped imagining and started truly observing. It is also a fantastic exercise for improving your sense of proportions. Since you are not trying to guess what you are drawing, you naturally become more attentive to distances, angles, and spatial relationships. You become more precise without becoming tense. And there is another really nice benefit to this exercise. It is sofing. You enter a calm and focused state almost meditative. You have to be fully present in the moment, watching carefully, tracing without shortcuts. You can't draw faster than your eye moves. So you just follow, you slow down, and even if the result is a bit wobbly or strange, it doesn't matter at all, because what truly matters is the act of training your eye, your eye as an artist. And so as I continue working on this upside down drawing, I really encourage you to try it, too. Take this image, flip it upside down, and draw it exactly as it appears. And most importantly, don't label what you are drawing. Don't think hand, face, pent pink, slanted line, open angle, long shape touching the edge of the frame. And you will see just how much this can transform your relationship with drawing. It is a simple and accessible method, but it's incredibly powerful because it works for beginners and advanced students alike. So I really encourage you to try this one again. And I have also selected an R image for you a bit more challenging this time with a tiger. It's also a very interesting subject to work with. And from time to time, why not repeat this exercise with other subjects as well? That could be a great way to keep training your eye. And so here is my result. Honestly, I'm pretty happy with it. It actually looks quite close to the original image. And so this is a tiger I recommend you to do for afterwards once you've done this man. 23. Exercice before the final project : negative spaces: Here on the different subjects I have prepared for you to work on the negative space, they vary in difficulty, and it's going to be really interesting because there are lots of unique shapes and details to observe. So I've prepared nine for you in total, and we're going to focus on two of them in particular. This one, I show you, is quite difficult, so it could be a great challenge if you're up to it. So let's start with the chair, and we are going to focus only on the negative spaces. That means the empty areas. So, for example, between the two legs at the bottom of the chair, I see an empty space. And just above that, I see another one empty space. So that's what I draw. I'm not looking at the outline of the object itself. I am looking at the outlines of the white shapes, the contours of these empty spaces. This work on negative shapes is truly an excellent exercise because it really helps you observe what you actually see, not what you think you see. When we draw an object, our brain tends to interpret what it already knows, a chair, a hand, a desk. But by focusing on the empty spaces around the object, we interrupt that mental reflex. We stop thinking this is a chair leg, and instead, we see a white triangular shape between two black lines, and that shift changes everything. It gives us a new way of looking, a more accurate one. It allows us to forget the object itself and simply draw what we really see. To place the next white space, I can see that it is more or less aligned with the ones I drew below. So that's what I am going to do. And I also notice that all these little white areas follow certain curves. So I try to follow that same curve to place them correctly. And basically, I am using each element in relation to the others to help me position all these white spaces accurately. So here I realize that something is off. This black shape should be aligned with the one below. But in my case, it doesn't it is the white space that is here, so it doesn't match. Even the previous one I drew is a bit too far to the right. So what I am going to do is erase those parts and redraw them slightly just to make sure the white spaces are placed correctly. Even though the goal is in absolute precision, I still try to be fairly accurate, and I made those adjustments to get a cleaner and better layout. And this exercise really helps improve the accuracy of your drawing because the contours of negative shapes are often easier to see than the outlines of the objects themselves. And so you end up placing proportion and distances and angles more accurately and all of that without even drawing the object itself. That's why it's also such a great exercise to develop your eye and your observation skills before you even start drawing the actual subject in the final piece. Now I'm going to shade the chair in negative. Instead of drawing a dark chair on a light background, I will do the opposite, a white chair on a dark background. And it's a great exercise to learn how to observe empty spaces and build shapes for contrast thanks to this shading. And now let's start this second subject. Let's now begin our second subject, which is a bit more complex this time with many more negative spaces and white areas to draw. So I started in the up apart with a rounded triangle. Then there is a second one just below it, and I can see that it is aligned with the first. And I use that as a reference to place it accurately. And that's the same with this new shape I am adding now. I can see that it is also align with the previous ones. I'm going to continue working on the other negative shaves in this area. And what is great about this exercise is that it also helps train the brain to work in the visual mode. When we draw, we tend to switch between two modes of thinking. There is the kind of automatic mode, which is rational and based on what we already know. And then there is the pure visual mode, which truly observes shapes, contours, and proportions without trying to name what we see. The problem is our brain can be a bit lazy. It prefers to recognize family of things rather than really look at them. So when we draw a chair, we think chair. And when we draw what we think a chair looks like, like perfect legs, a seat, and so on, instead of drawing the actual form in front of us. But when we draw the negatives the empty spaces, the negative shapes, there is nothing to recognize. We are forced to really see, and that shift pushes the brain into a much more focused mode of observation, one that is much closer to how experienced artists and illustrators actually look at things. This approach will really help you simplify the complex subjects. And when an object seems too difficult to draw, like this one, for example, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the whole thing. But if you change your approach and focus only on the empty spaces, you break the subject down into a series of simple shapes, triangles, curves, little diamonds, and this allows you to divide a complex subject into smaller and more manageable parts. It's a bit like putting together a puzzle piece by piece, shape by shape without needing to fully understand the object all at once. It's also a really effective technique to avoid getting discouraged when drawing feels too ambitious or too complex to handle. And the abet you are building here becomes a skill that you will start using almost all the time, often without even realizing it. It becomes a way of seeing that will naturally carryover into all your future drawings. When you are working on the complex scene or drawing an object in perspective, you might start asking yourself, is this area well placed? Is the space between the two elements accurate? Or even should I start by drawing the empty space here rather than the object itself? And these negative shapes become valuable reference points to check your proportions, your angles, and your placements. And sometimes you will fix a mistake not because the chair is too big, but because this empty space between the ranks doesn't look right. It's like creating a visual grid review grid, a mental tool you will instinctively use at any level, even advanced to double check your work. I have made good progress while talking to you, and this drawing is almost finished. And just like with the previous one, I'm going to shade it in negative again so that the object stands out clearly through contrast with the white areas helping to define the shape, well, with the empty spaces. And once again, it's really the negative space that allow the object to become more recognizable when I will shade these negative spaces. As for the other objects, the method is pretty much the same. So there's nothing new to show. It would just be repeating the same steps. So for the video part, we'll stop here with these two example. That said, I really encourage you to continue the exercise and apply the same process to the seven remaining subjects. You don't have to do all seven at once. I can understand that it might get a bit repetitive and you want to do something else, but working through all of them will truly help you make solid progress. And so that's it for this tutorial. I really hope it's been helpful and that you had fun with. Then I will see you very soon for another one. 24. Exercice before the final project : the blind contour: Here we go for this exercise where I'm going to draw my hand using a single and continuous line without ever looking at the drawing. Even if it seems strange, this is not about visual accuracy. It's really a training for your eye and your brain. The goal is to switch off that automatic drawing reflex. We are no longer trying to draw the way we think it looks, instead, we focus only on what we actually see, the outline, the spaces, the curves. You are forced to slow down to observe every millimeter of the subject and to let go of what you think you know about it. And this is a kind of exercise that shifts your brain into a much more intuitive and visual mode. It is an excellent way to prepare and make progress for more structured drawings later on. So even if the result looks a little hold or distorted, it doesn't matter at all. What really counts is the deep observation process you just triggered. So here's my result. It's not bad. Just this gap, it is a bit off and the finger length could be better, and my ring finger looks kind of weird, but that's okay. It's still a fun and interesting exercise to do. Now, let's try a second one. So I will grab a new sheet and draw my hand again, but this time from a different angle than what we have just done right here. So really, I encourage you to do the same exercise yourself. So we are going to do this exercise again. But in time, instead of working with the head on the paper, we are going to work with the hand like this. Now, you'll see a photo on the screen, since you can see that my hand from the exact same angle as I do in the video. So the photo shows the point of view I have while drawing this hand. And so here we go. Once again, I'm trying to do the same thing. Carefully trace the contour and get something that is as close to reality as possible. But if it's not exactly right, it's totally fine. It's not the end of the world. The point of this exercise is really to let go a little, to stop over controlling or drawing and just follow the line in one continuous motion. So I think the result is okay. Though the thickness of the fingers needs more, the fingers looks a bit hot, especially the fum. So there you have it. That was a fun little exercise. Now, I encourage you to try it again with your own hand, and why not apply it to other everyday objects. For example, my role tape like this with the dispenser that holds it with a pen or even more complex objects if you wish. 25. Final Project - The Pears: In this video, we are going to work on a subject that may look a little bit simple at first, but you will see that it's not that simple with this work on the peers. And this subject will be excellent to put again into practice everything that we've seen so far with the work on the shapes, the contours, the shading, the proportion, also and even if we have worked on an apple and that is a little bit similar before, there are still a few differences that make this subject interesting to work on. It's not the same shape. The texture is also different. And for the shading, we can see that you will see that there is an apple that is in much more shadow, which makes it very interesting to work on. So this is a really great subject to work on, and we are going to see how to draw these peers together. Let's get started with this peer drawing exercise. As you can see, I have created basic shapes on my reference photograph, and now I'm going to trace these different forms which are primarily composed of trapezoids. For the first peer, there is a large trapezoid at the bottom. And for the second pier, I can also trace two trapezoid in different directions. And for the first one, a half at the bottom. So for the second one, I won't draw the line separating the two trapezoids because it isn't necessarily useful. It helps when breaking down and visualizing the shapes within the figure, but I don't have to include it in my final sketch as it won't be very useful. And for the stems, I can draw a few small rectangles to establish a basic form. Now that I have these shapes, I need to ensure they are correctly proportioned. Using my ruler, I will measure each side of my paper and apply a scale ratio of two since I'm working from a small reference image. So I need to make sure that my lines have the right length and also that the angles are correctly placed just as we discussed earlier. So I also measure the angles. I also measure the total length of the pier to check if it's too big or too small. In this case, I notice that it's too small. First, I can tell that the stem, sorry, of this pier should extend a little further compared to the over pier. Then when I measure the total length, I see that on my photograph, it is 5 centimeters, these piers, which should be 10 centimeters, so on my drawing. However, when I check my drawing, I only have 9 centimeters, so I need to adjust my proportions. Next, I will also check the width of the pier and realize it looks too narrow, so I slightly widen it for better accuracy. On the other side, there is also a visible leaf on the right, but for now, I won't draw it. I will leave it out. I just want to focus on these two piers. Even though I made some adjustments, the shape breakdown method that we did earlier helped me achieve a fairly accurate drawing from the start since I didn't have to make any corrections after measuring the proportions. I can now work on refining the different angles of the pier, even though it doesn't have many. So I'm using my block in technique. So I will adjust certain areas to make them even more accurate. For example, at the top of the pier right there, I can see some small angles. Similarly, on the left side that we have just worked on, there is also an angle caused by its curvature. Over here as well, I notice a slightly pronounced angle since this peer has a distinct curve in this area just right here. So I carefully mark these different angles with precision, which will provide me an even stronger foundation before finalizing the peers contour. Now I can gently erase these contours before applying my final outline. I'm working from a reference photograph because it's easier to share this process with you than to draw from real objects while filming at the same time. That would have been very complicated for me. I'm not a filmmaker and I wouldn't have been able to record it properly. However, I encourage you to either work from this photograph or set up a real life arrangement with peers in front of you trying to recreate the same configuration and light. Here we can see that the light source come from above and slightly to the left. So you might want to set up your lighting in a similar way at home. That would be a great experience. Then you can draw using all the techniques we've covered with the piers right in front of you. If I weren't using a reference follow up, I would still apply the exact same methods when drawing from life. Now, I go back to refining the final contours of my peers, and I continue to work lightly, ensuring that my outlines remain erasablele if needed. This allows me to keep my strokes fluid and natural, as well, giving the peers a smooth, rounded appearance rather than the rigid edges we had earlier. Now that I have applied more precise and defined contours, I am going to work a bit on the internal contours of the object. While there aren't any clearly visible lines and control inside the piers, we can see well defined shadow areas. These are the zones I will now mark lightly with my pencil. To make the shading process easier later on. Looking at the first pier, we can see a darker area on the right, followed by the highlight in the center and a deep shadow at the bottom. For the pier on the right, the right side will be very dark with deep values applied there. In the middle, we have a more intermediate tone, and on the upper part, there will be a strong highlight that I will add afterwards. I will gently erase the lines of the shadow areas because I don't want them to be too visible or to blend in with my shading. Instead, I will shade them lightly enough, so I can still see them as guides for shading, but they will be faint enough to disappear once the shading is complete. Now I am going to shade the different areas of the pier, starting from the lighter zones and gradually working towards the darker areas of my peers. Et's start shading. I will begin shading this first per with an HB pencil. I am applying this base layer because every part of the area will be darker than this HB tone, except for the highlight. At first, I considered avoiding the highlight area, but after some thought, I realized it wasn't necessary. The contrast between the highlight and the surrounding areas isn't too strong, so I can simply erase later these highlight areas to brighten that spot. By covering the entire area with HB, I am creating a solid base since all the overtones will be darker. I am using the side of my pencil lead to work quickly and smoothly entering the shading blends well. Before blending, I make sure there are no impurities or overly dark marks on my brush by wiping it on a sheet of paper. Then using circular motions, I blend the entire area to remove pencil strokes and create a smooth even base across the pier. Once this base is in place, I can start layering darker elements on top to build depth and contribute to the peer's rough texture in certain areas. To emphasize this texture, I will have darker details that I won't necessarily blend. Now with a two B pencil, I will begin marking slightly darker areas. I noticed that along the edge of the pier and on the lower part, there are a few darker spots that I am shading right now, and I can so define a little bit more my peer from now on. I am going to continue this work with the two B pencil on a large part of the piers area. I am using the side of the lead, which also helps to start adding a bit of texture, and this might surprise you, but I'm going to add small touches of to be in the highlight areas of the pier. The simple reason is that if we look closely at this highlight area, it is also very textured. What will enhance the texture in this area is the alternation of light and dark values in small touches. And in this highlight area, although it is very bright, there are still some slightly darker elements, so I'm going to add them. I set my two B pencil aside and switch to something darker, a six B, and gradually we are going to progress in values with increasingly darker elements. So now with the six B, I am adding small marks like the ones visible in the reference photo, which will contribute to the texture. What I could have done to determine which pencil to use is refer to my value scale, but honestly, I don't really need it anymore, and I didn't think to take it out. That's because this value scale is so ingrained in my mind that I instinctively know which value corresponds to each pencil. With experience, it becomes easy to decide which pencil to use for each area. However, if you need it, don't hesitate to use it. We create this tool for a reason. It has a purpose and is really useful for determining the right pencil for each section of your drawing. Here, you might notice that I am holding my pencil in a rather unorthodox way, quite unusual. I have positioned it between my middle and index fingers with my firm also providing support. This grip works well for me, and I find it particularly useful for working with the side of the lid while still applying some pressure to make the marks slightly darker. As I mentioned earlier in the course, the most important thing is to find a grip that suits you best and allows you to work efficiently. For me, this grip works well in this situation. So if you find a grip that feels comfortable and useful in certain cases, don't hesitate to adopt it. Now I have switched to my eight B pencil and to had those darker marks visible on the pier. This is especially useful in the lower area where the shadow is quite pronounced. Using a darker pencil allows me to refine it. There are also a few elements on the side, and most importantly, I need to define the line that separates the two piers right now with a slightly darker touch. Additionally, I will also be working on the right side of the pier where some dark elements need to be emphasized. And finally, I'm going to highlight certain areas using my eraser pen, particularly in spots where the lights need to stand out more. To do this, I'll use the eraser to carefully bring out those small highlights. Now I can start working on the stem of this peer. If we look at the brown of the stem, it appears significantly darker than the peer itself. So I'm going to begin by applying a base layer with my four B pencil. This will allow me to establish a fairly dark foundation right from the start. Even though I need to erase certain areas later to bring out the light apart, this initial layer helps create the necessary depth. Now, using a darker pencil, the eight B, I'm going to refine the side of the pier, which is significantly darker. Even within this dark area, there are variations in value. So I am working with the eight B, mainly using the side of the lead to define these dark elements with precision. On top of that, I will add even darker touches. For this, I will use the 12 B, one of my darkest pencils to emphasize the areas that contain very deep shadows. With the eraser pen, I am highlighting the lighter details of the stem. They stand out well already, but what would make them pop even more is working on the background surrounding the pier, creating a strong contrast since the background is quite darker than the piers themselves. However, that's not our main focus right now with this tutorial. We are staying concentrated on the piers. Now I am moving on to the second pier, since the first one is finished. Looking at it, the lower area is extremely dark, while the upper part is much lighter. Because of this, I won't apply the same base layer everywhere. On the top section, I will use a HB pencil, whereas for the lower part, I need a much darker base, and HB wouldn't be useful there since I would have to completely cover it later, making it an unnecessary step. So let's begin. I am applying HB in the upper area almost because almost all elements here will be darker than HB or at least the same value, except for the highlight zone, highlight zone, sorry. But as we did with the first pier, we can always erase and refine the highlights later with the erasopen. Now moving on to the transition area with the mid tones in the center of the pier, the HB won't be effective ever since this section is significantly darker, so I need to adjust my approach for this zone. But before that, I am adding a few extra touches of 12 B on the first pier because elements some dark elements were missing, I thought. So now for the base layer in this mid tone area of the second pier, I am using a six B pencil. I chose this because nearly all elements on this side of the pier will be at least as dark as the six B or even darker. This gives me a solid foundation to build upon. To create a more natural transition with the central area, which is slightly lighter, I will use a four B pencil. This will ensure a smoother blend between the different values. Finally, before refining the details further, I'm going to apply some blending with a brush over this entire area. And just like before, using small circle emotions should work well to achieve a soft and even transition. Now I'm going to work with my two B pencil and start to create some texture and more volume in this area. So the light area, we can see some slightly darker elements. And so these are the ones that I'm going to work on with my two B pencil. The two B pencil is a great pencil for this area because these elements that I'm going to have are darker than the base we applied, but slightly darker. So that's why this is great. What I can also do is work a little bit more on this line that is some shadow, and that helps to separate the two piers. So I'm working on that a little bit. And then I had some small elements here and there with this to be pencil to create this texture and to create this slightly darker element. This texture is quite weird. So it's some sort of dots, but not really dots. And so I'm trying to apply them using the side of my pencil lead to create this texture of the lid and start also creating volume thanks to these darker elements. With my needed eraser, I'm going to enhance the highlight area a bit more. This highlight stands out much more than on the other pier and is also quite broad. The kneaded eraser allows me to establish a good base while softening some of the previous HB mark. Rather than using the eraser pen, the kneaded eraser works perfectly for this area since precision is less critical here compared to the left side, the left peer, where the highlight was smaller. When comparing this peer to the one on the left, it becomes clear that it doesn't take much to create a realistic effect. Just a few well placed darker pencil strokes here and there, give volume to the left pier and help convey the texture of its skin. Now, in this eyelight area, I can also see a few darker marks. So I'm adding them with my two B pencil to enhance the realism of this zone. What makes this second pier particularly interesting compared to the first one, even though the first was also great for creating volume and refining shading, is that this one has a very pronounced contrast and significant value shifts from one area to another. I found it really engaging to work on an object like this where a strong sense of volume needs to be built using bold and well defined contrast. It forces us to pay close attention to the darker values within the subject. I really think that this peer study has been a fantastic exercise. And back to the drawing process, right now, a four B pencil to define slightly darker area. So I'm using a four B pencil. Each time I work on a section and had extra details that contribute to the texture of the subject, I analyze these textural elements closely, and I ask myself, What shapes do they resemble? Are they more like small lines, dots or a combination of bove? And I also focus on the direction of these details because that plays a crucial role in shaping the movement of the form. These details, along with the way they're oriented, help reinforce the piers cylindrical appearance. Keeping the in mind is essential for achieving a convincing and realistic rendering. Now I am using my eight B pencil to refine these spheres, and you can see how step by step the values are getting progressively darker. We started with HB, then I added small touches of B followed by four B, and now I'm working with HB. This gradual darkening approach is what helps create smooth transitions between different areas, making them appear more natural rather than abrupt. Even though the right side of the pier is extremely dark, there's no harsh jump between zones. The transitions remain fluid. That's why working incrementally with darker pencil is so effective. It allows for better control over shading and helps refine those seamless value shifts, ensuring natural and realistic rendering. Sometimes you might notice that I switch from one area to another. One moment I'm working on the top, then I move to the bottom of the pier, and that's because I'm constantly observing my subject. And whenever I spot an area that needs to be darkened or where I should had details with my eight B pencil, I do it immediately. Right now, I'm in predator mode, scanning for areas and details that need to be added, and I place them as soon as I see them. If I tell myself to do it later, I risk forgetting because there will always be more details to refine. Now I'm switching to a darker pencil, the ten B, and I want to emphasize that you shouldn't be afraid of using very dark pencils like ten B, 12 B, or even 14 B. These pencils create strong shading and help establish a powerful contrast. A common mistake among beginners is the fear of shading too darkly. As a result, their drawings often lack volume and contrast because they didn't dare to push the darker values. So don't be afraid to go for it. And if you ever feel like an area is too dark, you can always adjust later by erasing or blending with a needed eraser. Now, I am moving onto an even darker pencil, the 14 B, as you can see. With the 14 B, I can shade the entire edge of the pier, which is very dark and also marks the beginning of its cast shadow. Then in the area above, I am also adding a few small touches here and there. This will help enhance the volume and texture as you can see. And as we can see, some slightly darker details in that a section are present. Now I'm picking up my eraser pen again to refine the highlights in that area. There are a few very bright, almost white spots that stand out, and those are the ones I want to bring out. Next, I will switch to my needed eraser and why the needed eraser right now? Well, because I want to lighten certain areas more softly without completely removing the shading, I will gently tap on a few small sections to create subtle highlights and refine the overall contrast. I am very satisfied with the texture and volume of those piers. However, I'm going to soften my strokes just a bit. To do this, I am using my brush specifically to make a brush and gently sweeping it over the different piers to create a slightly smooer effect. Another very important step is erasing the final outline of the piers. In some places, it's slightly visible while in others, it's barely there, but I want to remove it completely. I want the shading work I have done to define the shape of the piers rather than a visible outline. This approach makes the drawing look much more natural. In general, this applies to 99% of drawings. The outline shouldn't be visible. If it is, it can make the artwork look a bit unnatural and take away from the overall result. So now let's move on to the stem of this new pier. So here I am adding this dark element that helps define the indentation of the pier. This also allows me to notice a few slightly darker touches that I can have here and there next to the pier. Just a few darker elements. There's no need for too many, but they help to refine the contrast and enhance the overall realism. Next to this dark element, I am adding a few lighter touches to further enhance the relief, the volume in this area. This contrast helps reinforce the depth even more. Now for the stem, I am applying a fairly dark base using a four B pencil on the side, even though this part is relatively lighter compared to the rest. Alongside it, I am not hesitating to use a 12 B because this stem is very dark, almost black. So that seems like the right value to use in this area. Now I will refine the stem a little adding some more details here and there. But overall, this section shouldn't take too long to complete. Just before adding the details, I am slightly softening the area with my blending stump to ensure that the shading is evenly distributed and that no pure white spots remain. Once the shading is well blended, I can add those small dark touches to refine the details and enhance the contrast. Now we are going to work on the cast shadow of these peers. Although it's partially hidden by the leaf, we can still make it out. So I will start by outlining its shape and then I'll proceed with shading. There's a small dark element extending from the stem, and the shading will spread out from there. As we discussed in the lesson on light and shadow, the edge of the cast shadow will be very dark. So I will apply it using a 14 B, pressing firmly to get to deep and rich tone. Then as the shadow moves away from the object, it gradually lightens. So I'll make sure to follow the same approach to create a natural transition. And that will conclude this tutorial. I hope you find it helpful and feel free to share your own work with me, and I'll see you in the next session very shortly. One last note, while editing, I realized that I forgot to darken the shadow of the stem. So don't forget to do that in your own drawing and learn from my mistake. So see you very soon. 26. Final Project - The Drapery I: This video, we are going to see how to create a drapery. This is a very classical and traditional exercise, both in painting and in drawing. It is a very useful exercise because it helps you to concentrate on the different values, the values of the grays, if you are drawing, the values of the green, if you are painting the drapery. And to see where are the highlights, where are the dark zones, the medium tone, the medium zones. And all of these will help you to have a better understanding of how to create some volume because basically the drapery is just some clothing, some kind of clothing, but that creates some volume through all its folds. And that's the aim of this exercise, to be able to create some volume on a two dimensional piece of paper. And so it will be very interesting to look for all these different zones of value, to look for all the transitions. Where is it going from something really light to something a little bit darker and to work on this blending between these different values. So this is a really, really great exercise for training your skills, painting skills or drawing skills. To draw this drapery, I will be using a 20 centimeters paper, and this exercise will also be very good to see everything that we have learned in this course so far, the propulsion, the shading, the structure, the details, and many other things that I am actually forgetting. So grab your pencil and let's get started with the drapery. Let's begin this work on drapery, and we are going to reproduce this model at the same scale on the same sheet of paper in A four format. We are working from a photo, but if you'd like, you can absolutely do it from a real life subject, as well. Once this exercise is done, you can simply put a small nail in the wall with a draped fabric or a towel or something similar and redo the exercise yourself. From live. And so I can start with a line like this at the top, and then I can use my angle protractor, this thing that we did, and I place it at the top part. I measure the angle, and then I will transfer the angle onto my sheet of paper. So here I try not to lose the angle, and I saw it measured about 11 centimeters. And that's also how I determine the placement and the length of this line. Of course, if I had a real tool instead of this one that we improvised in the course, it will be a bit easier, but it's perfectly doable to find the correct angle and draw the right control line. Then I can also use the ruler and do the sighting technique. I won't go over the gestures again on how to the angle thing that we had before or the ruler when sighting from life. And so after that, I transfer this width, and this way, I can draw this line knowing I will have the correct spacing in this area of my drapery. And then to finish this line, since it isn't quite long enough, I can use my sighting technique again. Here, I notice it measures about 14.5 centimeters. Since we are redrawing everything at the same scale, I will extend the line to 14.5 centimeters as well. Then here I have this little line on the side. And again, I have this over line that I can draw. So I measure it using my cytic technique and my ruler, and I see it measures 3.5 centimeter, so I can draw that, too. Now this line follows a path that is quite similar to the first one we drew there almost parallel, so I can go ahead and draw it. Then for this new line going upward, I can use my angle tool like this again. Or one thing I can observe that this line here, at this point, I'm going to show you the end of this line. You can see that it ends up roughly in the middle of the drapery. So if I start from the top, I notice it sits about halfway down if I were to draw a line across. And I can also calculate the distance with this sighting technique. And then I can do the same on my own sheet and place that element in the right spot. And what I can also do if I don't want to measure with the sighting technique is by comparing the elements to each other. I can establish relationships between them like that with the left element, and that really helps. So, for instance, to place it correctly, I might notice at this point, if I want to place it without actually measuring with the sighting technique, I can see that it is roughly at the same height as the top as the part of the drapery on the left. So when you want to draw with correct proportions, you can sometimes mix all three techniques depending on what feels most natural for you in each situation. For example, I can start measuring the angle then the length or relate one element to another. And as I am doing here, if you look at my paper, you can see that by combining all these technique, you can end up with a drawing that is really accurate and well proportioned. Or if you prefer, you can just take to just one method. To be honest, like in other parts of the courses and as I've shown you before, I could have started by simplifying this drapery into basic shapes. For example, using a big triangle for the main fold and then adding a few geometric forms to build the rest. It's a completely valid method, and it would have worked just fine here, too. But to be totally honest, I simply forgot to do it at the beginning of the demonstration. I jump straight into measuring angles and distances by eye without going through that initial simplification step. It's not a big deal, and it also shows something important. With practice, you sometimes follow your instinct and work more directly. But if you feel more comfortable starting with basic shapes, don't hesitate. That is a great approach to help you better understand the structure of the drapery. That said, this isn't the most complex subject when it comes to contours. So even without using simplified shape, you can absolutely manage to dry it accurately just by applying the propulsion techniques we are working on right now. And to wrap up this sketch before moving on to the shading, which is really going to be the heart of this subject, I can go ahead and draw it in the inner folds, just a few lines like this and then we'll be all set to begin working on the shading of this drapery. M. Before we start shading this drapery, I would like to take a moment to analyze the different grays we'll be working with. One important thing to notice is that the structure within a fold is pretty much the same throughout the entire drapery. So here, for example, I have selected a few gray scale areas from this section of the fabric, and overall, you will see the similar tones appearing everywhere. So the first arrow, for instance, points to the mid tone, the gray we see the most, and it is fairly dark. To match that value, I would say a six B pencil would work well. Just below that, the second arrow highlights the shadows within the fold itself. These vary in value, and you can clearly see that as we move lower, it gets darker. And that's why I think eight B to ten B would be a good choice for these parts. The next arrow points to the really dark areas, the ones that define the separation between the different folds. Here, I mostly go with 12 B pencil. Then within certain falls, we will also have some highlights, some fairly bright zones. These are lighter than the rest, but shouldn't be too light either or else the contrast will feel too harsh. So I think that for these highlights, I would go for four B. And finally, there are areas that are almost completely black, really deep shadows. For those, I will use a 14 B pencil. What is nice about this drapery is that the logic stays consistent throughout. The work we are about to do in this first fold can be repeated in the s. It's like practicing the same structure again and again, helping you to understand and improve as you go. Now, what will really give volume to the drapery is also the case shadows. You can spot a few in some areas. They are not extremely dark, though. They are actually close to the highlight zones in value. So four B would work well for most of them. That said, some case shadows are a lot darker and shouldn't be overlooked. Others on the contrary are much lighter like the ones on the left, so I think that for these ones on the left that are pretty light, a two B pencil will be nice. And for the background, I would keep with an HB pencil or leave it untouched completely white. So 4b2b for the shadows and HB with nothing. I am going to start by shading this entire area, and I can go in with a six B pencil for the whole zone. It is a midtone value, and I know that later when it is time to add darker shading over the top, I will have no problem applying deeper tones on top of my six B base. So for this step, at first, I am using a six B. And I'm shading with this pencil and I am making sure to use the side of the lid to get a nice and even texture, something that will be easy to blend later and will look quite natural. So I go in with my six B like this and I gradually build it up. No need to rush here, take your time, go slowly. And 46 B layer, I think it is looking pretty good so far. Next, what I will do is move on to the shadow area that is darker on the side. So for this shadow area, I start by using the eight B pencil, working directly over the area I have already shaded. Again, I use the side of the lid to keep things smooth. And since it is eight B, I can easily get a deeper tone. Now, what I notice also is that the lower part is even a little darker. So I adjust accordingly, and I switch to a 12 B to deepen that final shadow. What I also notice is that along the entire edge of my drapery, the value is quite dark. And as we mentioned earlier, I am going to use a 12 B pencil here. Since this part requires much more precision, I'm working a bit more with the tip of the lid without pressing too hard because I don't want the line to look too harsh or too rigid on the paper. Also, as I trace this edge, I add a few small irregularities, little bits that seem to spill slightly into the shaded area on the right, and that helps create a more natural looking texture overall. Then just next to that, I can work on this other fold on the right. It is a bit darker than the six B M tones, but not as dark as the area as we previously shaded in 12 B. It's closer to the kind of shadow that we had with eight B or ten B pencil. So I start by shading and laying down the base using the ten B pencil for that part. And now that all my elements are in place, I'm going to start blending everything. This will help me get a smoother result, something more realistic and closer to what we see in real life. Blending also helps reduce the visibility of the paper brain and ensures that the entire area is properly shaded, eliminating any small white area. That's really the goal of this step. And I am using circular motions over the whole area to get a better result. Because this helps to create a more natural finish and make the different shades of gray blends more smoothly together. And so, overall, I think it's looking pretty good. Now, what I do notice is that some of the darker areas don't stand out quite enough. So I go back in and darken these spots a little, especially along the edge. So I use my ten B pencil to bring back that contrast, this difference of value. And now that everything is well blended and the transition looks natural, I can see that this shadow area wasn't strong enough, so that's why I reinforced it. And there we go. That is looking pretty good. Now, what I am doing as well here is adding a few slightly darker touches in the central area because it helps improve the textures of these elements. What I also notice is that along the edge, there is a slightly darker border. It stands out to be more. So I can go back in and reinforce that area to get a better result. And here I went a little too far to the right and extended the shaded zone a bit more than I intended, but that's not a big deal, and it's one of the advantages of not working on a live subject, like a portrait, for example, we can't afford these small mistakes. It's not going to ruin the whole drawing. So the darker touches I added. I am now going to blend them a little with the blending tool to soften them. So that's what I did. And to push even further the texture, I'm going to add some lighter touches in the same area. You can clearly see that in this midterm zone we worked on with the six B, the value isn't completely uniform, and that is exactly the kind of variation we are looking for. Adding both slightly darker and slightly lighter elements helps build texture and realism. Some of the lighter areas I added ended up being too light, but that's fine, because what I did was take my makeup brush and gently redistributed a bit of the graphite over those two bright zones. And this way, they now match the surrounding values and the values that should be better. And the area as a whole looks complete and well balanced. And now we can move on to the lower section. And the first thing I notice here is that there is a very clear and dark edge. So I start by adding that. It is a very obvious element. And personally, I really like starting with the most obvious features like this because once doors are in place, once I know I have positioned something with certainty, it becomes much easier to place everything else around it. If I know that this hedge goes here, then I can build this dark element goes here. I can build off of it and add the next element beside it. And that's also a great way to progress steadily through your drawing thanks to some kind of landmarks like this. And now I can continue by shading this area. You will notice that overall, the only slightly darker in value compared to the one we worked on above. So that's what I am trying to do here, apply some slightly deeper tones like this. And even though the value is darker, I still work with the side of the lead and I try not to apply too much pressure because the more you press with the pencil, the harder it will be to blend it smoothly later, whether with a blending stump, a brush or anything else. And more importantly, the harder you press and the more visible your pencil strokes will be. Those marks will be harder to blend and harder to erase if needed. So it's always better to stay light handed even when using a dark pencil. And that is exactly what softer pencils like 12 B or even 14 B are made for to get rich values without forcing and adding too much pressure on your pencil. So now I have blended this whole section, and I chose to use the blending stump for these part, since this area is fairly small, and that's true for the drapery in general. Most of the areas we are working on are quite compact, so the stump is a great tool when you want precision. Now I am continuing and as you may have noticed, I added a small darker elements on the right side that will help give more depth and volume to the drapery. And I have also gone over this entire right hand area and added a bit of texture, a bit of small darker details here and there. And these are small touches that I build up gradually and each one contributes to making the drawing look more realistic in general. And, of course, just like before, I softened these dark marks, making sure that they blend in nicely with the surrounding shading so that everything flows smoothly together. And what is also really important to help make this small area to stand out because we can see that there is a shift in volume are these lighter touches I am adding along the edge. They are pretty subtle, not very strong, but they truly help make a difference and enhance the sense of volume. And there we go. These are the final elements I am adding in this part of the drawing on this, this fold, overall, I am pretty happy now with this section and how it turns out. We can now we are now going to move on to the next part. And what is important is that we can start to sense a little bit of volume. But what is really going to make this drapery and this part feel really three dimensional is when the surrounding elements are added, because it's really by placing elements next to one another and creating depth and creating contrast and depth between them that we can make the whole drapery appear much more realistic and full of volume. Now, let's move on to the central fold. And before I actually start working on the fold itself, I'm going to carefully draw this central line, which is really dark. And I'm taking my time here, and I don't hesitate to go over it many times if necessary, because these lines need to be precise. It marks the boundary between the two fold. And in fact, the reason why I'm starting with this dark line and not with the surrounding elements is because this line is black, and I know for sure that black is the correct value here. So what's really helpful is that once this black line is in place, it will act as a reference point when I shade the rest of the area. It will allow me to compare the values of the other elements to this black, and I will be able to tell whether my shadows are too light or too dark in relation to it and adjust accordingly. Now, in this area, this fold, we had observed earlier that it was relatively light. So I'm starting by applying the light value four B here in this entire zone. Then the areas I have shaded, I go ahead and blend them with circle motions to get a nice smooth surface I can work over later. That gives me a good base to have more detail, more texture, and some darker accents in certain spots, all of which will help make this fold look more realistic. 27. Final Project - The Drapery II: That I have blending the area and have a good base, I'm going to use some darker tones and start working on the side. On this side on the right, we can see that there are some slightly darker elements. They kind of spill over a bit from the fold on the right that we worked on earlier and they start to blending with the elements we have here. So I am adding them in to make sure that everything feels realistic. As I had these darker elements, I am trying to create a sense of irregularity, working with the side of my pencil lead and using a sort of scribble motion as I go that helps to create the natural unevenness that we see in the fabric. And you can also notice that at the very bottom of this fold right here, there is a slightly lighter line, and what makes this line stand out and create volume is the darker area that I have just added above it. It's very subtle, but it really makes the fold feel more believable. And as the saying goes, the devil is in the details, and that's definitely true here. Then on the side, I can keep adding more of these darker elements like this to strengthen the contrast and enhance the realism. And the elements I have just added, I make sure to blending them properly to smooth them out, and so they flow nicely into each other using my blending stump. And I am applying some small strokes like this now with the eraser hand to remove a little bit of some graphite and to create some lighter elements, some subtle highlights. And just like I did with the right hand section. I'm also going to redistribute a little bit of graphite over these lifted areas so they are not too bright, just enough to keep the contrast balanced. And when we analyze the different shades of gray earlier, we notice that this area could be mostly done in four B. But of course, when I extract these gray values, I'm not trying to reproduce and not trying to extract every tiny touch individually. And what we do notice is that there are some small and slightly lighter spots, and they are the ones that really helped create texture and a realism to the drapery, along with the very small darker elements that I could added in this area as well. And so that's it for this fold. Now we can move on to the left to the one on the left side. And here, too, the base is relatively light. So I will approach it in the same way. And I start with a soft and light shading. Nothing too dark, and I build the fold gradually, just like we've done so far. So here along this edge on this fold, I'm continuing in the same way I've been working up until now. I will approach it with the same logic, starting with lighter values, using the sight of the pencil lead, taking the time to observe the irregularities, the value transition, and then gradually building up with darker touches where needed. So the method doesn't change, and I am just continuing to apply it with care. And that's actually what makes this kind of exercise valuable. Drawing a drapery, yes, it is a classic subject, something you'll find in almost every art class or in studio, and it is for good reason. It's not just about learning how to draw fabric or folds. It goes much deeper than that. When we draw drapery, what we are really doing is training all the fundamental of observational drawing. We are learning how to look, truly because in a drapery, there are no shortcuts. You can't fake your way through it. There's no simple outline, no familiar shape to fall back on. It's abstract, irregular, always shifting. You have to dive in and let the values, the shadows, the light the transitions guide you. And that is exactly why it is such a powerful learning experience. Drawing drapery is also an excellent way to practice modeling, giving form, volume, texture. And with just a pencil, you try to give the illusion that the page lifts, that the fabric falls, that light grazes or flows through it, and that is a skill you will use everywhere. In portraits, clothing, hair, even in landscape sometimes, it really teaches you subtlety. And finally, what I also love about this kind of study is that it forces you to slow down, to focus on precision on patients. You are not trying to finish fast. You are trying to see clearly, to understand and to place every value intentionally. And the more you do that, the more you develop a kind of sensitivity in your eye, the ability to notice nuances you didn't even see before. And that is where real progress happens. So now for this fold, it is done, and we are moving on to the next one underneath. And be careful to the contour of this very small fold. I am readjusting it with this kind of circular shape. In this fold, we have some very dark area, and doors are going to play a key role in helping the previous work we did above stand out. They really help create a sense of volume by making the elements we earlier pop forward. So I have made sure to add those deep tones, and on the side as well, I'm working with a particularly dark value. I'm using a 14 B pencil here to get something really deep and rich. But as I move slightly toward the left, it gradually lightens things up a little bit. And on the far left edge, there is this section that is also very dark, so I am marking it as well. And what is interesting about this particular fall is that it is dark overall. The shadows are extremely deep and even the small highlighted zone is relatively dark. So even though that is the lighter part of this fall, I'm not going to use a very light pencil for this central area. It still needs to feel like it belongs within this darker range. So I am going to use an eight B pencil to work on those slightly lighter elements, which in this case, are still part of the shadow. And I am working on the darkness of the light, if you will, because even the highlights here are in dark value. And there we go. Now that everything is blending, I am adding a few darker touches in this area, small elements like we've been doing so far. And this is really how the texture gets built, how the sense of volume takes shape in this part of the drawing. So in the end, what we can take away from this drapery study is that the overall method stays the same throughout the entire drawing. What really changes and what you have to pay close attention to are the values. You won't have the same level of darkness everywhere. Some folds will be deeply in shadow while others will be much lighter. But in terms of technique, the process is quite consistent. I apply a dominant gray across the area dominant grays different ones in the different areas of the sauna I'm working on. Then I blending it to soften the transition. And after that, I come back in and had some texture, adjust the values here and there, sometimes darkening, sometimes lightning until I feel that the fold looks convincing. And once that fold feels right, I move on to the next one. So here, as you can see, the video is slightly sped up simply to help us move along more efficiently. But I'm working in exactly the same way as for the old previous folds and really take your time. It's not because the video is sped up that you have to speed up yourself. So now we are now on one of the last folds of the drapery, but treat it with the same care and the same precision without rushing anything, just because we are nearing the end doesn't mean we are going to cut corners. It's quite the opposite. At this point, it's really important to stay focused and stick to the method. You know the process by now. We start by laying down the main values, we blend carefully. We go back in to fine tune areas that need it, and that gives the entire drawing its coherence and its fold, and this fold is no exception. And if you are feeling a bit tired or less focused than at the beginning, that's totally normal. But this is actually where it really counts. It's often in the final stages that we are tempted to let go a little. But it's also thanks to these last stages, these last details that the final result can go from pretty good to truly realistic. So take your time and keep that steady and calm rhythm. Fold, like all the others, is a new opportunity to sharpen your eye, to observe even more carefully the solo shifts in tone, the soft edges, the tiny lines that give the texture and the texture all its richness. We are not just filling in space. We are bringing out a material and building depth. And what is really satisfying is that by this point in drawing each new fold gives more depth to the ones we already did. The volumes start to interact, the shadows connect with each other, and the whole thing becomes more and more believable. You can feel that the image is coming to life. It's a bit like sculpting. What you are adding here makes what you have already built stand out even more. And then as you will see in this final fold, working on the texture like before is really important. And these little details we had some slightly darker touches, soften edges, subtle highlight, they are what create realism? There's no magic trick, just observation, patience and the repetition of a careful gesture. So even though the video is fed up, don't hesitate to go slowly at home. Take your time, observe, add that extra bit of contrast, just the value here or there. And then you will see that it is in those few extra minutes that you're drawing will really step into a new level. Here we have a very small fold, and what is going to make this tiny fold stand out is the fact that on the right side, there is a small lighter area. It's barely anything, really just a subtle detail, but the contrast created with the dark black around it, brings out the volume and gives the impression that this fold sits at a different level from the previous one. It is as if the elements are starting to layer over each other one on top of the other. Now that all the main folds are in place, we can move on to what will really enhance the sense of volume, the cast shadows. These are the shadows that the folds of the drapery will cast onto the wall behind it. They're not part of the folds themselves, but they are absolutely essential for bringing realism and death. So here I've just started working a bit on the side, and you can already see a small shadow appearing in that area. One thing to be mindful of with these shadows is that the value isn't uniform throughout. For example, on the shadow I am creating just below the drapery for the one on the right, you can see that the closer it is to the right or to the bottom, and the darker it becomes. And that's something I will try to emphasize in the way I apply the shading. It is the same for the other shadows. If you pay close attention, you will notice that the values vary, and that's what makes them look more natural. There is also one more detail that really help to add realism. Right where the shadow meets the drapery, you often see a very thin and slightly lighter edge. The cast shadow isn't stuck directly onto the fold. It is slightly offset. Including the subtle gap makes everything feel more believable and consistent. Now I have applied most of the shadows and I am gently blending them out with the makeup brush. The reason why I'm not using a blending stump here is because these shadow areas aren't sharply defined. There are no clear borders. I want them to feel soft and irregular. And the makeup brush gives me that kind of natural blending. And in some spots, I just soften the edge a little more with the kneaded eraser, tapping lightly to break up the shape and to avoid anything looking too straight or too sharp. And finally, to really really finish off the work, I come back and rework some of the shadows a little. Like I mentioned earlier, within a single shadow, you'll often notice that some parts are darker than others, so I go in and add those darker touches where needed. What will also help really complete the work on the shadows is the very dark shadow in the central area. So make sure you remember to add that one because it plays a key role in reinforcing the overall volume. As for the background, I've decided to leave it as the white of the paper. It really helps the drapery stand out, and the result looks great like this. So there's no need to go in and darken it. The plain white is enough. Alright, that's almost the end of this tutorial. I really hope this video helped you and gave you a better understanding of how to work on the drapery drawing and most of all, that you feel like you've made some progress. Don't forget it is by practicing regularly, even on classic subjects like this one that you build confidence and accuracy. Take the time to observe, to adjust to improve one fold at a time. So thank you so much for watching all the way through and see you very soon for a new tutorial. 28. Final Project - The Burger I: If I had to break this burger down into simple shapes, I would say that we can start with a rectangle that covers most of it from the bottom bun, all the way up to the top bun and then complete it with a half oval on top. And inside the burger, we could also divide it into rectangles, just like this. And by eye, I would say that the two smaller rectangles at the top and bottom each take up about a quarter of the total height while the central section accounts for roughly half. So let's get started and draw this burger using simple shape. So I am beginning with the main rectangle. If you'd like, you can first mimic each line in the air to get a feel for it. And once you are confident, go ahead and draw it. For my part, I want this burger to be larger than a reference, about 1.5 times bigger. So I am estimating the overall size mentally first, and then I will use measuring tools to make sure that it stays proportionate. Next, I am drawing the half oval on top. Don't hesitate to redo it a few times if necessary. The goal is simply to get a clean and well balanced half oval. Now I am adding these rectangles, and then we are going to use our tools to measure and to make sure that we are in the right proportions. Now I'm going to measure the burger, and with my ruler, I'm doing as if I was using the sighting technique, and I see that it is 11 centimeters. And while the height is 10 centimeters. Now, as I told you before, I want it to be 1.5 bigger than my reference. So that means that my height will be 15 centimeters, and the width will be around 16.5 centimeters to get to make sure that it is in the same proportions. So now as I check my drawing using site measurement, I realized that the width is about 14 centimeters, whereas I actually want it to be closer to 16. So I'm going to adjust that. The height isn't quite right, either. It's not close enough to 15 centimeters. So I really rework that as well. It is true that I could have measured everything before sketching the basic shades, but personally, I prefer to establish my base with simple forms first, and then check if the proportions are right afterwards. This way, I can see the overall structure more clearly before fine tuning the measurements. Now that my basic shapes are in place, I'm moving on to the blocking technique where I start identifying the main angles to build a more precise contours. On this subject, the outline is unpicularly complex. For example, compared to the rows that is also in the fundamental of drawing scores, this one is much simpler. But still, there are a few angles worth identifying, and those will help us define a cleaner and more accurate outline for our burger. So that's what I am focusing on here. And you can see that for this contour work, I am holding my pencil in the classic grip between the fingers like you would hold a pen. Personally, I prefer this grip when I work on the outlines because it gives me better precision, but feel free to adapt. I have shown you another grip before that that can also work well if you are more comfortable with it. Here, I can see that this angle on the left is position higher than the one over here, and that is exactly what we observe on the reference. So this helps me confirm that my placement is accurate. I wanted them to be at different heights. So that is perfect. And I can now move on and draw the next line. And for this next angle, however, I wanted to see it slightly higher because when I look at the reference, I notice that it is indeed positioned a little above than this one on the left, above this dashed line that I have just draw. And by using these visual reference points and constantly comparing the angles with one another, I can correctly position each part of the burger, and it is this kind of careful observation, checking relationships between elements rather than drawing blindly, that ensures that the final contour feels coherent and proportionate. Of course, you could absolutely create this drawing using the grid method that would work perfectly well. But for this subject, I thought it was interesting to approach it through simple shapes, just like we have done several times before in this course. It is the kind of subject that could easily inspire you in everyday life. For example, you might be out at a restaurant, see a burger like this one, and feel like sketching it. It is a fun and surprisingly rich subject, almost like a modern still life. And that's why I felt like it made sense to build it from simple shapes. It keeps things clear and structured while still leaving room for observation and creativity. And now that the outer contour is done, we can move on to the inner contour. Here, for example, I can use the angles as reference points. I noticed that at this angle, that we have on the right. We have the separation between the top bun, the cheese layer, and the beef above. And so I can go ahead and draw that. And I can, again, rely on the block in approach, identifying small directional angles, connecting them progressively to have a guide and build all the internal details with accuracy. Right here, I realized that the cheese sits roughly at the same height as that imaginary line I drew earlier. So I can use that reference line, the one connecting several angles as a guide to continue shaping the cheese layer. These imaginary construction lines are really useful because they help us maintain coherence between the different elements of the drawing. And by comparing and aligning shapes this way, everything stays consistent. The bun, the cheese, the meat all feel properly connected and balanced within the structure of the burger. What is also great about this subject is that it gives us a bit of creative freedom. Of course, I'm trying to stay fairly accurate in my drawing in the placement of each element, the tomato, the cheese, and so on. I aim for a certain level of precision, but honestly, if my tomato ends up slightly to the right or a bit too high, or if the cheese drips a little more over the meat, it's not the end of the world that won't make the drawing any less successful. When working on a still life like this, one of the best thing is that you can let go a little. You don't need the same kind of extreme accuracy that is required when you are drawing a person. A burger doesn't have an identity. We are not trying to make it look like this exact burger in particular, like a portrait where even the slightest change can alter the resemblance, here, you can relax and enjoy even more the process. So don't put pressure on yourself. The goal is to have fun to take this as a moment of calm and create and creativity. Even if your proportions or placements aren't perfectly exact, you will still end up with a great looking burger. What matters most is that you enjoy drawing it because art, above all, should be a pleasure, not a source of stress. You And so I keep placing the different elements. It is true that to be a little more precise with the internal parts of the burger, the lettuce, the tomato, et cetera, I could have used the sighting technique to position them very accurately. But I think that simply comparing the position of these elements with others I have already drawn is enough to achieve good precision. As I mentioned earlier, with a burger, we don't need as much accuracy as we would for a portrait or the drawing of an animal. For the lettuce, it is not easy to draw each piece, so I try to roughly identify the shape of different parts and break them down. So basically, I deconstruct this salad into small pieces. I spot one shape, then another and another and so on. Until I have filled in until I have filled in, sorry, the entire lettuce. And finally, I am adding a little bit of the shadow areas that we have in here for the burgers, for the burn, sorry. And then I'm going to erase to soften a little bit more my contour because it is really dark and really sharp as well, due to the blocking technique. So I'm going to soften it with the kneaded eraser, and then we will rework a little bit more on this contour to have something more rounded, more natural and with less angles. Now I am going to finalize my outline and refine it to bits by working more on the edges. That is by creating small irregularities, little bumps that go up and down, just like we can see on our Burger boon. We do this more or less all around until the outline looks fully finished. I'm not necessarily going to indicate all the shadow areas of the different elements because there are so many small parts, and the light and shadow zones are also quite tiny and irregular. I think it would take a lot of time to mark all these details now and it wouldn't really add much to the rest of the piece or to the shading work. So I think it is better to do that later directly while shading. It will be easier and will save us time. And actually, doing it now, adding the shadow areas at this stage would take time without bringing real value. That is something I would do afterward. It wouldn't bring a lot of help, I mean, so, but, of course, if you feel that marking the shadow areas now would help you don't hesitate to do it. As I always say, do what works best for you. I mean, I'm showing you one possible way to proceed, but it is really up to you to take what is useful and adapt it if you want to your way of drawing. I am spinning up a little bit the video right now for the end of this part because there's nothing particularly special here, I'm just refining the outline quickly, adding a few irregularities and making it a bit smoother. And that's pretty it. We'll be done with this section and then can move on to the shading part. Let's get started with our shading work. And I am going to begin with this upper area where we have our highlight. It is a very bright zone. You can notice that in this part, I have erased my contour lines a bit more. They are barely visible. The reason is that on this top section of the burger reaches really light. The contour isn't actually well defined. There isn't a clear and sharp line marking the edge. It is also a bit like a soft focus effect where the contours aren't completely distinct. So that's why I wanted the outline to disappear. I erased it so that the shading itself defines the contour. So here I started shading with an HB pencil in this area, and you can see that on the lower right part, it gets a little bit darker. So I adjust my pencil and move to something like a two B. And I'm going to add a little bit of shading with the two B on this upper part right here. And then as we move downward, it becomes even darker. So I adapt again. This time, I'm switching to a four B to get the right value and a deeper tone. And I will keep working my way down to the middle area. But in this small a zone that we have right here. I'm going to show it to you right here. In this small zone, we can see that there are some much lighter elements. So I adjust my base layer. And even though I'm still using a four B, I apply it much more lightly to create a softer and lighter tone. And then as we move back up, it will get a bit darker again. Now what I'm doing with my pencil is start the transition by varying the pressure I apply on the pencil. This way, I can create an intermediate tone where the light area transitions into the darker one that is above. And what also helps me with these transitions, and it's also the same for the very top area where the highlight is strongest to create the transition. Well, what helps me with this transition is making small and loose scribbles. Working in this way with these little scribbly movements make it easier to create smooth transitions and helps all the elements blend nicely together. And here on the side, it is definitely much darker, I think. So I am marking it with a deeper value. As for the small details like the CSM Cs or the little dark spots we see, I'm really not worrying about them for now. I will work on those later once we finalize the burger bun and, well, yes, once we finalize the burger bun. And for the moment, I am just focusing on building my base, making sure I have the right values in the right places so I can quickly start to see volume and depth in this area. So now my base is almost done with the darkest parts on the left side. What I am going to do next is blending everything. I want to create a smooth surface to work on more precisely, and I want my pencil strokes to disappear. You will see me start with the brush, still using circle motions. The result will be pretty good, but I won't be completely satisfied with it. So that's why I will put the brush aside and do the same blending again, but this time with a blending stump. This way, I will get a result that I like better, softer and more even. So there is a little focus issue with my camera here. I didn't notice it at the time, so I apologize for that, but don't worry, it won't last long. Just a quick reminder for the blending work. Make sure to use circular motions because this is how you will get the best result and most natural looking result. So right, I will keep doing this a few more seconds, and then we'll move on to working on the Burger bun. Let's now work on the burger bun in more detail. I will start gently on the right hand side where you can see a more pronounced shadow that helps form a fold on the bun. When working on these shadow areas, be careful not to make everything the same value. Just because it is in shadow doesn't mean that every part will be equally dark. Here I am adding some touches that are dark, some a little lighter, and others slightly darker. And that mix is what gives the bone its realistic looks. What really makes the volume appear is also that tiny lighter edge right next to the fold that I am adding with the pencil eraser. As we saw earlier during the course, the balance between light and shadow, the way they interact is really what creates depth. Now, in this upper highlight area, I have also noticed that a few spots that should be just a little bit lighter. So using the kneaded eraser, I gently dab to lift off some graphite. This often happens when we have blending a large surface. A thin layer of graphite spreads over the light areas, dulling them slightly, making them a little bit darker. So a few genotaps like this restore that brightness. And then in the area below that I'm going to show you with my finger, I'm going to work on this one, and I'm going to add some small and irregular dark spots. These spots that I'm going to add in a few seconds might look random, but they are really what make the bowl right here in this area. These ones are really what make the bun feel textured, feel believable, and full of life. So think of it as giving your burger its skin, a surface with tiny imperfections that tell its story. And when it comes to these little irregularities I am adding, the values aren't always the same with them. Some are slightly lighter, others a bit darker. And to avoid switching pencil every 5 seconds, you can simply play with the pressure you apply on the pencil. Of course, sometimes you will still need to change pencil when there is a big difference in value. But when the contrast is subtle, just a small adjustment in the pressure you are applying on your pencil is enough to achieve the effect that you want. For now on this large area of the burger bun, I am mainly focusing on the darker parts, these small irregular spots here and there. What will really make the difference later is when I had tiny lighter touches with my erase up hand, little dots here and there, just like what we can actually see on a real burger bun. These small added details will make all the difference, creating micro reliefs, these tiny variations in texture and volume that give the bun a realistic and slightly uneven surface. Okay. What we can also notice with this fold I'm reworking now is that it is quite dark at the bottom. And as you move upward, it gradually becomes lighter until it blends in with the rest of the burger bond. So make sure to do the same. And at this point, I feel that I have worked enough on the darker area. So now we can start lifting some graphite and focusing on the lighter part or highlights. And to do this, I'm going to use the erase up hand, and I use it for two reasons. First, because many of the highlights here are made up of very fine and tiny touches, and even though I can shape the kneaded eraser, I still find the eraser pen more precise for this kind of detail. And second, because some of these areas are really bright, almost white, and the kneaded eraser alone probably wouldn't allow me to reach that level of brightness. We can also notice some small light touches extending from the brighter areas into the slightly darker ones, just like the ones I'm working on here. And these details are really important. Make sure to add them because they help create a smooer transition between the light and dark zones. This way, the transition doesn't look too sharp or too straight. Instead, it becomes more irregular, just like a real burger boon naturally is. What I also want to do here is to improve the texture even more by adding lots of tiny dabs with the eraser pan to create subtle light on microtuches. I find that this really enhances the surface texture. And finally, on the side of this folding the burger, I think the area should be slightly lightened, just like I am doing right now. And this helps to improve the sense of volume and the relief in that section. And now I am going to focus on this area on the left, adding quite a few darker details, as you can see. You can also notice that where the sesam seeds are, they cast small shadows, which makes these spots slightly darker. So it is important to work on these carefully. These shadows around the cesum seeds are really essential because they help create a sense of relief and make the seeds appear raised just like on a real burger bone. We can also notice that on the left side, the outline is a bit darker and more pronounced than what I had so far. So make sure to add that as well. It will make your drawing look even more believable and give the whole piece a stronger sense of depth. And finally, to finish this area before working on the CSM seeds, I'm going to gently dab a few spots with the kneaded eraser because I feel that some areas are a bit too dark. I will adjust them until I am completely satisfied with the result. After that, we will move on to working on the CSM seeds and focus on giving them a nice sense of volume and relief. And now let's do to see some seed. So at first, with my eraser pen, I'm going to erase deeply trying to get something very light, just like the little thing I showed you in the center. So I am erasing and I try to get the shape of the seed. But if it's not the exact shape, it's okay. You will see that we will make it better with the pencil later on. So I have erased a few ones, and now with my pencil, I'm going to work all around it to create the cast shadow of this seed to help me to create something more realistic and more three dimensional. This will help to have something better. So I work all around it just like this, and it also helped me to get the best shape possible for this seed. And so that's pretty it. I'm not going to draw every single seed of this burger bun, but if you want to add some more, feel free to do. What I'm going to add also is the little cast shadow that we can see in the middle of this wooden stick that we have for this burger. It's very light and well, very light. It is kind of light, so I am adding it with the right value just like this. And then for the seed, there are some that are quite dark almost black like the ones here. So I am adding those now and be careful, though, because the little trap is that even on a single seed, the value isn't always uniform. You might see some slightly lighter spots on some of them, though not all of them. What is also important with the darker seeds is to work around their edges with something lighter. So here with the erasopin, I gently lift a bit of graphite, which helps me create more relief and makes the seed stand out. And finally, in the blurred area, there are also a few seeds, so I am adding those as well, and I will try to make them appear a bit out of focus, which means keeping their contours soft and not sharply defined. The blending stump will help me achieve that slightly diffused edge. And finally, to wrap up this top part of the burger, this first major step, we are going to add the little wooden pick that you can see. So be careful though it's not uniform all over. On the left side, it is fairly dark. The right side is also a bit darker and the central area is lighter. So it's not very complicated to draw, but it should be done with the same care and attention as the rest of the work. 29. Final Project - The Burger II: We are now going to continue working on the burger, but I am not going to start directly with the lettuce. My rezoning is simple. The lettuce is quite a complex element. There are lots of small shapes and pieces going in all directions. So before getting into that, I prefer to add a few elements around it first, elements that can serve as visual references. And that is exactly the case with this tomato that you can see here. It is much easier to draw. And as I often say, completing an easy element gives you one more reference point in your drawing. And thanks to this tomato, it will be easier to place and compare the other parts of the image. So that's why I'm starting with the tomato now rab dandel salad. And when you look closely at this tomato, you will notice a few interesting thing. The left side is very dark, almost black in some areas, and the values gradually become lighter toward the right. You can also clearly see the two distinct parts, the rounded side of the tomato and the flat sliced top. And to make that difference visible, I will need to carefully work on the subtle range of gratons in this area. But first, I'm creating this basis right here, applying the main graze the main graze, sorry. And then I'm going to blending everything to get a smooth surface to work on. To clearly separate the slice from the top part of the tomato, there is this slightly darker line that I have worked on, and just above it, there are some lighter areas, and it's really this contrast this difference between the gray values that help us create the flat effect and distinguish the two parts of the tomato. So I have added this dark line, and next, I'm going to add this element that is lighter above it, and that should be it for the tomato. So now the tomato is done, and we can move on to the biggest part of our drawing, in my opinion, the most complex one, the salad. But don't worry, we are going to break it down step by step. What I'm going to do here is start with this small piece just next to the tomato. Why? Well, Because just like with the tomato, it is easy to identify. It is placed right beside the tomato, so we can locate it visually and define its shape clearly. So I will begin with that piece, and once it is in place, it will serve as a reference point to help me position the other. Having this element already drawn makes it easier to compare and align the next ones. So I have identified the small section of salad, the small section of lettuce, and I start by applying a light shading layer. Then on top of that, I can add a few darker touches, and I also bring out the highlights using the ID razor pen that gives us a first piece of lettuce done, and I can move on. And what I notice next is that just above the small piece I have added, there is a very dark area, almost black, so I add it right away. It is a clearly visible element, and including it early on is useful because it serves as another reference point for the rest of the drawing. And thanks to that black area, I will be able to judge whether the grays I apply next to it should be darker or lighter. It's another solid visual ankle for the rest of the work. Having already shaded a few elements like the tomato and that small piece of lettuce beside it helps me feel much more comfortable with this part of the drawing. It is easier to visualize the overall area now than it was at the very beginning when I only had the simple outline of the burger. And since things are clearer, I am taking this opportunity to refine the drawing of the lettuce, its contour, to define its shapes a bit more precisely and separate the different parts of the salad, the lettuce more accurately. And while doing that, I noticed that the small leaf of lettuce overlapping the tomato area I had already shading so I rework that section a little bit. And now I am shading this little piece of lettuce of salad. It is small, but still a bit tricky because it is kind of twisted. This folds in the salad creates lots of small areas of light and shadow. So you need to pay close attention to all the subtle variations in value. And just below this little section, there is a slightly darker shadow on the left that helps it stand out and gives it a little more volume. So make sure that you add it as well. And from here, I move on to the next piece, and that's really the process I will follow one small piece at a time. And you will see that each time we add a new little shape, then another, and step by step, all these small piece come together. And when you break it down into tiny and simple forms, it suddenly feels much less complicated. You just keep going piece by piece, and before you know it, the entire lettuce comes to life and looks realistic. When I am working on a complex area like this one, which is quite complex, I tend to keep the same pencil for the section, the entire section. It is a relatively small area that already requires a lot of focus, so I don't want to be distracted by constantly switching pencils. And also in these parts, there are lots of small value changes, tiny darker and lighter touches everywhere. And if I had to change pencil for each one, it would take a lot of time and break my concentration a little bit. So when I am dealing with a complex area filled with subtle variations of tone, I prefer to control the values by adjusting the pressure I apply on the pencil. Rap do, sorry, by switching between different grades. So I tend to use something medium like four to eight B is good because depending on the pressure that you apply on your pencil, you can have a wide variety of different grades. And now I am moving on to the upper part of the salad. There is a small piece that overlaps, sorry, toward the imburger bone. So I am working on that area now, staying focused, observing the shape carefully, and paying attention to the sled variations in gray to make this part of the lettuce as convincing as possible. But just like I mentioned earlier for the burger, the same applies here with the salad. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to make that salad perfect. After all, it's just a salad. It doesn't have an identity card. So if one piece ends up slightly more to the left or to the right than in the reference, it's really not a problem. What matters is the overall impression, not impression, not precision to the millimeter. So don't stress over it. This section is already quite complex on its own. We don't need to chase perfection here. Let's just keep going, adding some darker areas, some lighter ones, and continuing to build the form. What's really key to creating a good sense of volume in this salad are the little touches you make with the eras of pan. Remember, volume often comes from that tiny highlight placed right next to a darker area. This contrast is what makes the shape pop, just like with that small piece of lettuce that we added earlier. Humans, humans, humans. Now I can add this long and clearly visible piece and start shading it. What is important with these lettuce is to create a sense of overall harmony. When you look at it up close while working on it, it might seem like it doesn't look like much, just a collection of odd little shapes and fragments here and there. But really, it's when you take a step back when you look from a bit of a distance that you realize it all comes together, that it actually looks like lettuce. All these small pieces you have been adding start to come to life side by side. So now I am continuing on the left side, adding a few more section on the right side, sorry. Adding a few more sections, they don't need as much detail because they appear slightly out of focus, a little bit blurred. And there's another thing I wanted to mention about these letters. Yes, we are spending a lot of time on it, and we are trying to do a good job. But in the end, it's not the main subject of all drawing. When you look at this burger as a whole, the salad actually takes up a pretty small area. So, of course, we want it to look good, but if it's not the most spectacular part of the drawing, that's perfectly fine. The goal is simply to make it look consistent and helps maintain a nice overall harmony throughout the piece. So that's pretty it for the advices I wanted to give you about the salad. From this point on, the process will be exactly the same as what we have just done. So take your time, move forward little by little, piece by piece playing with contrast and adding the small highlights to create volume. From now on, the key is really in your hands, and apply the same method. Stay patient and you will see that your salad will naturally take shape. You already have everything you need to complete this part of the drawing. So that's why the rest of the salad on the left side, as well as the over tomato will be done off camera. Then we will meet again to continue working on the burger, moving on to the lower sections, and feel free to post the video afterward to take a closer look at how I finalized this salad. It might give you some inspiration for finishing your own. The result will appear in a few seconds. Now we are moving on to the stick. If you are still working on the salad, feel free to pause the video before continuing. For the steck, the first thing I'm going to do is create base shading. Basically, finding the main gray tone in each area of the steck. The stack covers a large section of the drawing, so I will start by applying what I see as the dominant value in each part, the kind of mid tone gray that defines the overall look. And for example, begin I began with the lighter areas where a two B pencil works really well. And then I gradually move toward the darker parts where I can use a four B on the right, right here. This gives me a solid foundation for this section of the steak. And on the left side, the tones are much darker and also above this area I am working on. So I will probably go with something like an HB to establish that base. And while I am laying down this base, I don't press too hard with the pencil because I want the graphite to blend easily when I start smoothing it with the blending stump. The goal here is to build a soft foundation. Once it is blending, I don't want the pencil strokes to be visible anymore. So that's why I keep a light touch, even in darker areas. And that is also why it is helpful to have several pencil grades. They let you darken your tones properly without having to press too much. And for the blending, also, I will do everything using the blending stump, because this way, I can get a precise and even result and make sure that all the pencil lines disappear nicely before moving on to work on the stack texture. Humans, humans, human Now we are going to work on the texture of this stack and starting from the area really on the right. And right here, I can see that there is some sort of very dark line that separate this area from the rest. So I mark it. I mark it, and then I make some small and scattered kind of scattered dots to build something very irregular. And then I'm going to do the same thing, but with my eraser pen, making some over scattered dots. Build something a little lighter. And this combination of lighter and darker kind of scribbles in this area help me to create a nice texture. And then I can move on to the next area. Here, too, I notice some kind of dark separation. So I work that in, and I hold my pencil in a way that lets me work very precisely, kind of lightly also using just the edge of the lead. And this way, I can mark things in an irregular manner, sorry, while still staying accurate where I need to. And the stacks texture is defined by these irregular little strokes, some darker, some lighter, almost like scribbles, and that is how we will proceed across the whole surface. We will also make some good use of the eraser pen to bring out the whitish area. When you work on subjects like this and when you are drawing, actually, you really must think of the eraser pen as a drawing tool like a pencil for light, not just something to fix mistakes. I mainly use it actually to draw the light as if it were my light on pencil. And then we will continue with other parts. So now that the area on the right is done, I move toward the center, and I can see that there is a very dark element just under the tomato. So I deepen that. It helps the tomatoes stand out and feel free dimensional. And so we keep going adding small details. And in this new area, I see that there are quite some dark elements, so I add them. I mark them clearly and add more. And working patiently like this across the entire steak, the entire steak, sorry, and this is how we will make it look convincingly realistic. Do when I add these irregular details, I don't look too closely at my reference. I am not trying to place every single texture exactly where it is in the model. That would be far too complicated. What I do instead is observe the overall tendency in the area I am working on, how dark or light it is, what kind of value dominates. How big are these elements of texture? And then I reproduce that impression rather than copying it line by line, small elements by small elements. So I am not placing every texture down to the millimeter. With my pencil, I just make lots of small uneven marks. Um, it's almost as if the pencil is guiding me rather than the other way around. So I look briefly at where the darker or lighter areas are, and then I add my marks tap, top, top top, tap everywhere quick little scribbles across the surface. And it's actually quite paradoxical. Those loose and messy looking scribbles end up creating a texture that feels very realistic. Now that we have really settled into this texture work on the stack, I'm going to speed things up a little. So how could you work faster on something like this? The key is actually to work on a larger area at once. Here, for example, I will be focusing on this whole section on the left, which is bigger than what we have done so far, and I will approach it by concentrating on one value at a time. So first across the entire area, I will have the darkest tones I can see. Then once that is done, I will move on to the next value. Maybe a mid gray if necessary and work all the areas that share that tone. After that, if I notice many lighter elements, I will focus on all of them together. This way of doing allows you to move a bit faster overall while still keeping control over your work. It is something I recommend once you start feeling more comfortable with shading and texture. If you want to gain a bit of speed don't hesitate to use this approach. I am not trying to go faster just for the sake of it or to rush the drawing. It's about being efficient. I like to see my work come to life fairly quickly rather than spending too long on each small part because this lets me move on to new drawings afterwards and create more artworks. And of course, in everyday life, we don't always have hours and hours to devote to one piece. We still want to see progress and feel the drawing take shape before us. So that's why I sometimes focus on larger sections and work value by value across the whole area. Because it helps me move forward faster while staying precise and consistent. Now we are going to move on to the cheese. I will start by creating a light base on the right side since this part of the cheese is mostly in the light. Then to give it that slightly fick realistic appearance to really build up the sense of value, we will need to play carefully with values. There are a few subtle variations here and there that we will have to apply. So I have laid down a fairly light base and blending it well. And next I'm going to add a few darker touches in certain spots to create some relief. On the upper part of the cheese, for example, there are a few darker areas that can be added. So we will make sure they blend smoothly with the rest afterward to keep everything soft and consistent. And I'm going to take care to apply these small darker accents gradually watching how they interact with the lighter base. The cheese itself isn't the most complex part of the drawing. We've already gone through the trigger sections, I think, but it still deserves attention. So pay close attention to these subtle value changes and the small tonal variations that give the cheese its depth and realism. You Here, as I'm working on the cheese, I am keeping a very light touch. The reason is simple. I don't want the pencil marks to show. The cheese has an extremely smooth texture, and to make it look smooth in the drawing, the pencil strokes need to be as invisible as possible. So that's why I am being even lighter than usual with my hand, making sure the graphite goes down softly and evenly. The goal is to build smooth transitions without any harsh lines or visible marks. And then to finish this area, I will also use a few gen touches with the eraser pen to create small highlights. These bright spots will help the cheese stand out nicely and give it that realistic and slightly glossy look. So that's it for the first part of the cheese. Now I am going to move onto the section on the left, and the process will be exactly the same. But since this area is more in shadow, I will simply adjust my pencil strokes to make sure that the overall tone is darker than what I did in the middle section. 30. Final Project - The Burger III: Alright, let's move on to the next part. We are going to work on the melted cheese that sits over the burger bone. You may have noticed that on the steack on the left side, I realized that my dark tones weren't quite dark enough, so I reworked them a little bit. I added a few deeper areas on top, and there is also that small mark on the right that I added afterward. I initially thought it was part of the steak that I forgot before realizing it was actually cheese. My photo being in black and white, I didn't clearly see the difference at first. But it's not a big deal, though, it's not a particularly tricky area to draw, so I am sure that you will handle it just fine. Now let's move on to the melted cheese. The process will be very similar to what we did for the steak. So I will start by creating a base with the main grain tons that dominate each section. And then on top of that, I would have had a few darker touches here and there, along with some lighter ones when needed. The main difference here is that the texture of the cheese is smoother and less detailed than the steak surface. So even though the approach is similar, this part will actually be a bit easier to handle overall. I am now going to work a bit more on the details of this cheese, and we are reaching about an hour of work on this burger. So if you are still here, still watching the video and drawing, congratulations because you have already been working for roughly an hour, and that's a big deal. This is a major subject. It requires patience, precision, focus, and most of all, perseverance. And if you have made it this far, it means that you have all of that. Because a drawing like this isn't just a technical exercise. It is also a real mental challenge. You have stayed focused. You have handled the complex areas like the lettuce, the stack, the steak texture, the melted cheese, without giving up. And that is exactly the mindset of a true artist, moving forward, even when it gets a little long, even when you start to doubt the results because deep down, you know that in the end, the drawing will come together and you will be proud of what you have accomplished. This burger is an excellent exercise, but it is also a great proof of how much you have progress. If you think back to before you started this course, changes are a subject this complete might have seemed impossible. And yet, here you are doing it, managing the volume, the values, the textures, the contrast, all while keeping a strong overall harmony. And you should be very proud of yourself. So keep going on this take a short break if you need to. Take a step back, look look at your drawing as a whole and appreciate how far you have come. You are doing great. You are good, and you are truly progressing. It is exactly this kind of drawing that helps you level up as an artist. We will calmly move on to the next part of the burger, but keep this in mind. If you are capable of completing a complex subject like this one, then you are capable of drawing anything. Here, we also have this other piece of cheese, which looks a bit different from the other. So we will need to make sure to clearly distinguish it from the melted cheese underneath, and from that one we worked on earlier on the side. And so to do that, take the time to carefully define it, and then you will emphasize the differences that will mostly come from a few well placed eraso strokes to bring out the highlights and make everything stand out nicely. For the work on the bottom bun and the few elements we have on the left side, I'm spinning up the video a little simply because it's exactly the same process as what we have already done earlier. So keep going calmly on your side, stay steady and hold on until the end, and you will see that everything will go smoothly, and you will be able to wrap up this drawing beautifully. You have already done the hardest part. Now it is just about adding a few final touches to perfectly complete your burger. No, no, no, And finally, to wrap up this drawing, I am now going to add a cache shadow of the burger on the ground. This will really give it more volume and make it look even more realistic. As I work on it, notice that the shadow doesn't have the same value everywhere. For example, on the right side, it is a little like while in the central area right next to the burger, it is much darker. And then as we move farther away, it gradually becomes lighter again. So pay close attention to that gradual transition. And this is the final touch that brings the whole burger to life. That is what I will be working on now. And after that, you will also see me erase a few small marks on the top part, especially along the outlines, which I find the two bits a bit too visible. And I will also remove a few extra pencil marks here and there. And with that, this drawing comes to an end. I really hope that you enjoyed it and that you had as much fun as I did drawing this delicious looking burger. So thank you so much for watching, and I will see you very soon with another exciting subject. 31. Final Project - The Rose I: Let's get started with the work on this rose. We are going to try to break it down into simple shapes. You can see that its overall outline if could fit inside a circle like this. And I'm going over it with a metallic silver pen so it is easier to see. Inside the rose, you can notice that there are other circles that could encompass the different petals. So if we were to simplify this rose schematically, it will look something like this, a series of overlapping circular shapes on the rows. And so that's what we'll be doing next on our paper. And to draw it more accurately, I'm going to use the site measuring technique. It is as if I were aiming at the rows in front of me except here it is on my paper. So I start by measuring its width about 11 centimeters, and then I will measure its height so we can reproduce it with the right proportions. And even if I don't follow the measurements exactly, they will help estimate they will help me estimate the rows and keep everything balance. And so far the height, it is about 10 centimeters. But I'm not going to bother doing any calculations to reproduce exact proportions or anything like that. I just know that the width will be slightly greater than the height, and that's enough to guide me. Alright, let's start drawing this rows, and I am first going to mimic the motion of the circle in the air. And once I feel ready, I go ahead and draw it. I want my rows to be slightly larger than the dimensions I had plain on my paper when we measured the rows, the model. So there we go. I've got a nice circle, and now I will use the ruler to check the proportions and verify if they are right. And the width measures around 14 centimeters. And ideally, the height should be around 12 centimeters. So that's pretty good, but I want to make it a little bigger to reach over 12 centimeters in height. This way, we'll have a solid base with my circle before moving on to the next step. I've briefly sketched the stem and raise the lines we no longer need, and we'll focus on the stem later on. Next, to draw the other circles, I'm roughly estimating their placement in relation to the first ones we drew. I will adjust them if needed afterward. For now, I would say that the first circle I worked on sits about three quarters of the way up and three quarters toward the left. And then I drew the second one, which starts roughly at mid height and extends a bit more to the left a bit more than half. And after that, I position the remaining circles again by estimating their placements. For instance, I noticed that the previous one was roughly centered in width, so I drew the others in the remaining space based on that observation. And so now we have a good base and will refine and develop this structure in the next steps. Next, I apply the blocking technique to find all the different angles of the rows. This way, it will be easier to get closer to the final contour of our rows. So I try to break every single angle like this to have a contour that is easier to create on my paper. So I'm doing this with the silver pen, but don't worry, I will go back over it with the blue one, and this way, it will be easier for us to work on afterwards. Alright, let's get started and refine this outline more precisely. I am now going to try to reproduce each small line and each angle as accurately as possible. So I roughly estimate the length of each line by comparing it to my reference image. And once I have drawn one section, one line, it becomes easier to place the next, and I can ask myself, is this part longer or shorter than the previous one? And by thinking this way and comparing each new stroke to the last, I can better estimate the right proportions and get accurate lengths for every part of the rows. Here, I am finding a new reference point using this angle because when I look at my model, I notice that these two elements, these two angles should align with each other. So on my drawing, I need to make sure that this is also the case. And this angle I am marking now should line up directly with the one over here. And that looks good, so I can keep going. And finding reference points like this makes the process much easier. It helps you check whether your drawing is accurate or if there are areas that need to be adjusted. And here, I can find another reference point using these angles. I know they need to be aligned, so I check on my raraing to make sure that this is the case. And yes, it looks good. So we are all set there. Now I'm going to switch to the other side on the left because that part seems simpler than the right side. I like to start with what is easier. And when you complete the simpler section first, it actually makes the surrounding parts easier to place afterwards. So that's why I decided to move over to the left. And looking closely again, I have found a new reference point by comparing these elements. These two angles should be roughly align, forming almost a straight line. So I am doing the same thing here, and I notice that my line isn't quite long enough, so I correct it and adjust. And that's really how it works. By constantly comparing different parts of the drawing with each other, we can simplify what initially feels complex. This roles is not easy, but step by step, by finding reference points like this, we managed to turn a complicated outline into something clearer and more accurate. And now the outer contour of the rose is almost complete. I find a new point of comparison and it made me realize that some parts aren't quite in the right place. So I am making a few small corrections to my outline, and once that is done, I really raise the extra lines before we move on to working on the inner contour of the rose. For the inner contours, I am also going to look for reference points, elements that obvious to place first. For example, I noticed that on this part of the petal, there is a landmark at the intersections of the lines I sketched earlier in purple. I know that the corner of the petal will sit right there, so I can mark it on my paper. And then I will look for more, starting from that point. At the bottom, if I draw a vertical line upward, it reaches another spot on the petal, this corner that you will see. Which will also lines up roughly with the angles on the left. And by finding additional landmarks like this, we can keep progressing. We'll begin by establishing this first petal, and once it is drawn, it gives us points of new points of reference for the next petals. And this is how you tackle a very complex subjects like a rose. It is challenging, not because of the shading, which is similar to many other subjects, and that is not so hard, but because of the contour work, which demands a high level of precision. And by moving gradually step by step and continually identifying small reference points, you can draw these rows accurately. And right here, I can find another one and try to block in also the petal to draw it more easily. I look for a trajectory. Alright, so this part looks pretty good. Now, the lower section seems a bit more complex to me, so I'm going to move back to the upper part, which feels easier to work on. When I am working on a subjects like this and really for any subject, there is no strict order for outlining. My approach is always the same. I start with the elements that seems the simplest. I do this in everything, whether it's shading, for drawing the outline or even when I am painting. Beginning with what is easier has several benefits. First, it builds confidence. When you manage to draw something simple successfully, you feel encouraged to keep going. And secondly, once you have placed one element, even a simple one, it becomes a reference points. It makes it much easier to position the surrounding shapes because you can compare them to something that you have already drawn and drawn properly. That's why I always take the time to start with the simplest parts. They are on the foundation that helps everything else fall into place more naturally. And now I can start finding new reference points for the next steps of my rows. For example, I can see that the top of this petal is roughly aligned with this angle, and the rest of the row, the rest of this petal will continue along the same line. Then I notice that this petal begins right at this corner, and another petal below also starts from this point. And by identifying these new landmarks, I can now draw the inner petals with much more accuracy. Here, since we are working from a photo, it is easy to mark the reference points directly on the paper. But if I were drawing these rows from live, for instance, when placed on a table, I would use my ruler to visually aim at the reference point and then immediately mark it on my paper on my drawing paper, working on one reference point at a time. But with a photo, it is simpler because you can identify and mark several of them in a row. But when drawing from life, it's better to record each reference point right away so you don't forget because personally, I forget very quickly and very easily. Another thing that you don't necessarily see because it would be boring to leave it in the video is that I actually take quite a bit of time before drawing each line. There are moments when I hesitate when I need extra time to estimate a length or compare one line to another. I cut those parts out during editing because it would it would just be a steel image on screen, which wouldn't be very interesting to watch. But it is something important that I wanted to share with you. Take your time. It is completely normal to hesitate sometimes to wonder whether a line should be shorter, longer, tilted upward or maybe leaning more to the left. Give yourself that time. It is part of the process. And with these rows, having a good outline already represents something like, yes, 75% of the work, and it's the most crucial part. The shading afterward will be very similar to what we've done before with the other exercises. For example, in the peer or drapery exercises, it's nothing more complex. The real challenge and value of this subject lie in the contour itself and in learning how to establish precise reference points that allow you to build an accurate outline. Of course, we could have used the grid method, but that would have removed the main purpose of this exercise, which is to train your eye to handle a complex and precise outline even without a grid. Now we are getting to the heart of the rose. It is quite delicate and detailed here. And what I am thinking is that we can try to draw the circular shape precisely by using the blocking technique. I am breaking it down into several straight lines and angles, and little by little, I will work my way toward the center of the rose until all the different lines are in place. And I will use this tractor as my reference and try to reproduce the same pattern inside my own rows, inside my own drawing. Alright, let's go, and I am going to work on the heart of the rose now. That's what I am doing here. I will start with the large circle, so to speak. And then there is just a small part of the top that I had forgotten, and I am going to add it right now. And when you draw this part, take your time. Again, one of the major challenges with a rose is getting lost in all those petals. It can feel a bit of maze in places. If you are not methodical and if you rush, there is a real risk of losing your way among the different petals. So slow down and tackle them one at a time. This way, you are much less likely to get lost in these petals. Another thing, and I actually forgot to mention it earlier, make sure to keep your pencil strokes light. My lines are quite thick and dark here, so that you can see them clearly on video, but you should try to draw as lightly as possible so that they are easy to erase later. Even though this rose is relatively dark overall, meaning the outlines won't be very visible in the final result, it is still a good habit to keep a light hand. If you press too hard, especially on subjects with much lighter tones, the outlines will show through, and the final result won't look as clean or refine. A Now I am going to add the last few fine petals and small details that I might have missed, the central area of the rows will look a little less geometric once I refine the contours more carefully. I am trying to place them as accurately as possible, but honestly, if each petal isn't positioned perfectly to the millimetter, it's not a big deal. The main goal was to establish a solid structure and a good base, especially with the larger petals and to make sure that everything stays in proportions. So for all these smaller petals, if one ends up slightly higher or lower than in the reference, it's really not a problem. The rows will still look realistic. So don't stress too much if some petals feel a bit off. It is completely fine, and I am sure that your result will still turn out beautifully. And once I am done with this, the next step will be to erase all the construction lines I used earlier to refine the outline and clean up the blocking stage. Remember, we are still in the blocking phase. We have been working with straight lines and angles to simplify the shapes. Now I want the contour to look softer and more natural, less angular. So I will go over these lines gently to make the outline smoother and more pleasant. And that's what I'm going to do next, which is why I will speed up the video a bit here. It is a less interesting phase, just the final adjustments, erasing, refining the contour. So I will fast forward through this part, and we will meet again to start working on the shading of the rows. We almost forgot about the stem since it seems secatory, but we need to add it. I'm going to draw it fairly quickly. It's not very complex in comparison to the flower. It is quite geometric, actually, with a few clearly defined angles. So that's what I am adding now. And once this is done, I will finalize the outline. You saw that I already started a bit earlier and then we'll meet again once everything is ready to begin working on the shading of the flower. 32. Final Project - The Rose II: So now let's get started with the shading. And first, I erase a little bit of the contour because it is too dark and I want it to be lighter so that we really see the shading and not really the contour. Now, let's start shading. And at first, I start with this upper part that is really dark, really black. And this way, I have a good point of comparison with the values all around. I can't compare with the black. I know that this area is black for sure, and therefore I can compare the different values all around it and ask myself whether it is too or too light. So I start with this element that is very dark, and the more we progress, the more it becomes lighter, so I will adjust the pencil pressure to make sure that I apply the right value, the right gray in this area. Oh I am continuing the shading in this area where we can see that the ton start to get a bit lighter. And I am using a four B pencil for this part. What is interesting about this section of the petal is that the area I am shading right now is slightly darker than the one just next to it. That spot is a bit lighter, and the lower part will also be somewhat lighter. These differences in value aren't huge, but they are noticeable, and they make a real difference when it comes to creating the sense of volume in the petal. So I am applying my base layer evenly across the area, and once it is well laid down, we will do some blending to soften it before adding texture. After that, I will go back in to include a few darker accents and lighter highlights here and there to build a convincing sense of depth. That creation of volume really comes from those small touches added throughout the surface, and that is exactly what we will be focusing on next. Now I'm going to blend this entire area, and remember when you blend with the blending stump to make some circle motions. This is the way that you can get some better result and better blending for your area. An Now we are going to start refining the texture of the rose in more detail. For example, I noticed in the corner here that there is a slightly darker area, so I am working on that. This is basically my approach for the entire rose when adding detail elements. Whenever I spot a slightly darker area or small shadow, I will add it in. When it comes to texture, it is almost like adding small scribbles here and there scattered across the surface. That is often enough to make the rose look more realistic and texture. So that's what I am doing now, adding little marks with my pencil over the light of base I had before. Combination of slightly darker touches over a lighter foundation really helps achieve a more lifelike effect. And I am also adding a few lighter highlights in certain places like a here, right next to this detail, I use the razor to create a small light mark which helps at volume. A light touch next to a darker one always enhances the illusion of depth and three dimensionality. And you can also notice that around the edges of the rows, some borders appear slightly darker in places. I have done that near the stem area as well. And finally, these texture elements that I am adding often take the form sometimes of fine lines that follow a particular direction. So I am paying attention to that and adding those same kinds of strokes to my flower. In this lighter area, I am adding some darker marks. You can see a few of those lines already. This part of the flower has really taken shape now, which is great. And I am adding a few final details here and there, a few irregular darker lines to give more depth and texture. And I'm also going to work on the edge of the petal using the eraser pen to gently lift some of the graphite. This section is very light and luminous, and I want it to stand out more to make that brightness pop. And I also need to carefully darken the adjacent petal for that. And it's really the contrast between this bright area. And the darker neighboring petal that brings the drawing together and gives that finished and realistic look. And to finalize this petal, I am adding a few lighter marks that can be seen here and there between the various lines I have drawn so far. These small highlines really help break up the surface a bit more and give the petal an extra touch of realism and subtle texture. Now, let's move on to the next petal. In the upper part of this one, we can see that it is quite dark overall. So I am applying a base layer using a 12 B pencil, thinking that all the elements in this area will be at least this dark. That's why I'm working with this value here. I am applying medium pressure with the pencil and using the side of the lead so that the shading will blend smoothly later on. So there's nothing too complicated here. I'm simply using the 12 B to lay down the base for this petal, which will give us a solid foundation for the next step. On this part of the rolls, you can see that the left side is slightly lighter, so I am applying a bit less pressure with the pencil there. If the difference isn't very noticeable right now, that's perfectly fine. We can always adjust it later using the needed eraser, for instance, to bring back some lighter tones. Oh Now I am blending this base to get a smooth and even texture. For these rows, I will mostly be using the blending stump rather than the brush, unlike in many other of the tutorials. The reason is simple. Here we are dealing with small areas that require more precision, and the stump allows for much more control when blending subtle transitions. So let's move on now and start working on this petal in more detail. I noticed that on the entire right side, there are some very dark areas, especially along the outer edge, which is really black and well defined. So I am going over that again. As usual, I start with the elements that are easiest to identify and most visible. That's the case here with these dark sections. They stand out clearly, so I am reinforcing them first. For the darker areas I am adding, there is no need for extreme precision. What I mean is that these are texture elements, darker details that give character to the petal. When you look closely at this part of the rows, the texture doesn't necessarily form any specific pattern. It is more like a mix of irregular lines going in different directions. So what I am doing is simply suggesting that texture with small and loose scribbles, and that is more than enough to achieve a convincing and natural looking result on these rows in this petal. I am continuing to add more dark marks this time using a 12 B pencil, and I am working a little more lightly than before, but still creating some fairly dark areas, not as deep as the previous ones, though. Once that is done, I'm moving on to work with the eraser pen to bring out the lighter spots that we can see. For example, there is one area here that is quite light, and there are other two and this one ended up a bit too light, so I am going back over it with my pencil. And there are also some lighter sections toward the center of the petal. So I am adding those as well. These small highlights really help enhance the sense of depth and form in the petal. However, I have noticed that the light marks I have added with the razor pen are a bit too bright overall. So what I am going to do is gently blending over them again with the blending stump to redistribute some graphite and soften those area so that the contrast looks more natural. For the rest of this tutorial, the process will be exactly the same. We will keep working on the remaining petals using the same approach you have already seen, applying the base, blending it smoothly, and then gradually adding the darker areas and a few lighter touches to create depth and volume. So that's why the video is slightly sped up at this point. The steps are very similar to what we've already done. So I prefer to move through these sections a bit more quickly to keep a good pace and make the video more pleasant to watch. However, don't wash your own work just because the video is faster here. Take your time with each pedal. That is essential. The video is ped up only for view and convenience, but if you try to go too quickly, you will lose precision and subtlety. So stay patient, work carefully, and remember that it's not a race. Slow and deliberate progress always gives the best results. What is important to notice here is that on the large petal we worked on first, there is this small light edge, and on the petal we are working on now, there is also a slightly lighter area that helps create depth as well. So make sure to include these elements. They are essential for giving your flower a realistic and fritty look. I am focusing on the dark areas along both edges of the petal, and in between those darker sections, there are a few lighter touches that I am also adding. This contrast between the dark and light areas really helps the petal stand out and gives a strong sense of depth and volume. I am now moving on to the petal just below. This one is mostly in shadow and quite dark overall. However, you can notice a few small areas of relief created by the alternation between very dark sections and lighter ones beside them. So to start, I am marking the darkest areas first. Then I would add a few lighted touches next to them to form these folds and subtle transitions that give the petal its volume. It's almost like a gradient that begins at the dark sections I have just shaded and gradually becomes lighter until it meets the next dark area beside it. And what will really make the volume stand out in these small folds the lighter touches, I am adding right next to the very dark area. And that contrast between light and dark helps these folds pop and makes the relief look much more convincing. I know that working on a rose is quite a challenge. It is long, sometimes a bit tedious, and it can feel like you are not making much progress, but hanging there, every minute you spend refining these petals, every shade you add is gradually building up a beautiful piece. This kind of drawing is exactly what helps you improve. It requires patience, precision, and a careful eye. And in the end, when you see your rose take shape with all its depth and delicacy, you will truly be proud of what you have accomplished. So don't give up, keep going at your own pace and trust that the result will be absolutely worth it. You are capable of doing that. These drawing, these rows really shows how much of a difference the razor pen can make. You can especially see it here because it is thanks to this tool that we are able to recreate all the delicacy and lightness of the petals. With a regular pencil, we can capture shadows and texture well. But the erasopen truly brings out the light, the solo reflection, and these soft transitions that gives the flower its life. It is an essential tool for balancing a drawing. Drawing isn't just about adding graphite. It is also about removing it in the right places, and it is so much easier to work with an erasor pen than to try to leave blank areas for highlights. On a subject like rose, where everything depends on contrast and softness, the erasor pen is truly indispensable for achieving a beautiful and refined result. You So I am working on this last petal now, and then there is one more, a large one on the right, which I will complete off camera because it's really the same. This way, we will be able to really focus on the center of the rows right after. The center is a bit different from what we have done so far, but you will see that we will take it step by step and build it up just the same way as the rest. So one last petal here, and then for the big one on the right, you can choose whatever to draw it before or after the center of the rows that we are about to work on together. It's entirely up to you. 33. Final Project - The Rose III: So here we are at the heart of the rose. This is often the part that can feel intimidating at first because everything seems to coil in on itself in like a maze of shapes, curves, and tiny shadows crossing in every direction. That impression is true. Visually, the center of a rose is very complex, but you shouldn't see it as one big, complicated block to copy. Think of it instead as a sequence of small steps, small areas that you will build one after another. What makes this part more approachable is adopting a slightly an analytical mindset. Sorry about it. Rather than trying to understand everything at once, focus on one petal at a time, one line at a time. Observe the direction of each curve, note where it starts and where it ends, and progress gradually, always comparing with the elements you have already shaded, already placed. And working this way, drawing one small petal at a time is how you will achieve a realistic rose center. What seems difficult here is really a question of method. By approaching each section calmly and establishing clear and visual reference points, you will see how everything naturally falls into place. This is also where the pleasure of the process really shows, because little by little, as the forms connect, the center of the rose appears almost as if it were coming to life on the page on the paper. In my view, it is one of the most beautiful parts of drawing rose because this is where the realism truly settles in, where the flower gains more volume becomes recognizable and reveals that depth that we love. So even if this section is a bit more technical and demands greater precision, keep your confidence. Move forward step by step, one small petal at a time, and stay attentive, and you will see that everything comes together naturally. H and here you can clearly see that working on one petal at a time makes everything much more manageable. This new petal that we have just added actually becomes a reference point, and thanks to it, I can place the next one more confidently. For example, I can tell myself, Okay, this petal is in the right spot because I have already placed the one beside it. And when I compare it with my reference photo, it matches, and working this way greatly reduces the risk of getting lost in the complexity of the subject. Each petal you complete becomes a guide for the next, helping you progress calmly and precisely through the entire structure of the rows. The heart of these rows is actually one of the main reasons I chose it. I picked this specific rose because of the position it is in lying on the ground, slightly tilted to the side. It's not like a typical upright rose facing us. What we mainly see here is its center and the arrangement of its petals folding over one another. And that is exactly what makes it so interesting to draw, but also much more complex to realize. You not only have to understand the overall shape of the flower, but also all the overlapping petals, the changes in direction, and the alternating areas of light and shadow. There is a lot to manage, but that is precisely what makes it such a great subject to finish this course with. If the rows were standing upright, the composition will be much simpler to read, but here we are working with depth, perspective, and volume, and that is what gives the drawing its realism and character. That is why I think this is a perfect subject to conclude the course on drawing fundamentals. It pushes you to put everything into practice, building the contour from simple shapes, refining the inner lines, working on the heart of the rows, the values, the transitions. It is a true exercise in control and observation. If you have made it this far, you should really be proud of yourself because you have just worked on a subject that is both complex and rewarding, one that brings together everything we have learned throughout the course so far. I have spent quite a bit of time working on the right side, especially on that small and thin petal, but I am not going to moveth toward the center just yet. Instead, I'm going to shift over to the left side, which has a larger area. This way, I will have another clearly visible section, something easy to identify before getting into the more complex central part. And by doing this, I am creating another solid reference point within the drawing, which will make it easier to position the rest accurately once I start working on the very hard, the very center of the rows. This area is really quite confusing. There are so many petals overlapping one another, and it can be tricky to find your bearing. So sometimes what helps the most is simply taking a step back to observe your drawing, compare it carefully, or ask yourself if anything feels off or even get a second opinion from someone else. You can also try looking at your drawing in a mirror. That simple trick often helps reveal small mistakes that we don't notice when we have been focused on the same image for too long. Here, for example, I have realized that this petal didn't stand out enough because the area underneath wasn't dark enough, so I am going to rework that a little bit. I also noticed that this petal and this lighter section beside it need to be divided into smaller zone with slightly different values, just like in my reference photo. And that a variation in tones will help to make the structure more clear and bring more depth to the drawing. Now we are gradually moving even more toward the central area. And what is going to help me draw it accurately is first marking the very darkest part, the area the areas that are really black. So I am starting by identifying all those deep shadow sections and filling them in. One of these darkest elements, once these darkest elements are in place, it will be much easier to shade the rest of the rows. They will serve as reference points for the surrounding values and help maintain the right balance between light and shadow throughout the central area. In the end, adding these dark black areas was really simple, but it completely changed the way the drawing reads. Now everything feels much clearer and it will be easier to work on the remaining petals. These deep and dark elements serve as excellent reference points for shading the rest of the rows. And now that the structure is easier to see, I will start working on each petal individually, taking my time and being as precise as possible. We are right in the heart of the rows here. The petals are very very small, so patience is key. And what is also going to be essential to separate one petal from another and to give the whole area more depth is the work we will do with the erasopen. By adding lots of small and lighter touches along the edges of each petal, we will bring out the highlights that make everything look more realistic. The eraser pan becomes crucial here because these are such fine details, small and sort of highlights that make a huge difference. And so now here, there are just a few small ones left to finish, small petals. So I will keep progressing calmly petal by petal until everything comes together nicely. I know that at this stage, you might be starting to feel a bit tired of it of all these petals because I am, too. Honestly, I also get a little wary of repeating the same step again and again. But there are only a few petals left, and even though they require the same precision and at tentns, this is exactly the moment when you need to stay focused. It is really in these final steps that everything comes together. This is where the rose gains all its beauty and depth. It will be such a shame to come this far so close to the finish line and then let go or rush through the end. It is a common mistake to relax our efforts when we are almost done, but every petal counts. Each small detail you add now contributes to the harmony and realism of the whole drawing. So take a deep breath, maybe a short break if you need one and then pick up your pencil again calmly and finish with the same energy you add at the beginning. You will see when you finally set your pencil down that you will be proud of your work, and that pride will be more than deserved. Mm And to finish, all that is left is to draw and shade a small leaf and the stem. So I'm going to shade this part calmly. There's nothing particularly difficult here compared to everything that we have already done with the petals. We can almost relax a bit for this final section, but it still deserves the same care and attention as the rest of the drawing. So I'm starting by applying a medium base tone like this, blending it out with circular motions to get a smooth texture, and then I will add a few darker details on top to bring out the veins and give the leaf a more realistic look. For the stem, what I am going to do is erase the contour I had drawn earlier because this part is meant to be slightly out of focus. When something is out of focus, its outlines appear much softer and less defined, and you can barely see the details. So I have erased the contour because I don't want it to stand out too much. Now I am going to apply a quick layer of shading and using the blending stump to create it, as well. Working with the stump allows me to get something lighter and softer tones and a blurred effect, not as sharp as it would be if I had drawn the contour precisely with the pencil. And once that is done, I will use the pencil to add a few slightly darker touches here and there where needed. But overall, there is nothing too complicated about this section. And this will conclude this tutorial. I really hope that you enjoyed it. And this was such a great subject to wrap up of course on the fundamentals, an excellent exercise to practice contours, value contrast, and precision work. So thank you very much for watching and see you very soon for our new video. No