Digital art seems to be very advanced with lots of detail. However, if I told you that it is not all about technique and detailing, but simple shapes such as circles, squares, and triangles that will prove beneficial as best friends while drawing on a digital media surface.
Art should be kept simple since it gives your artwork a framework starting off with very basic shapes, so most likely you do not go wrong with it when you deal with the essentials without feeling overwhelmed in the end. Plus drawing with simple shapes makes the processing of examination of complex and complicated subjects into manageable terms. It is rather like building a house; if you don’t set a strong foundation, the whole structure might fall apart at some point. So grab that stylus (or your finger if you choose, we don’t judge) and let’s get drawing!
1. Start with the Main Points: Circles, Squares, and Triangles!
I know you can’t wait to get straight into details, but believe me, simple shapes are where the real magic happens. In fact, absolutely everything in the universe, and I mean EVERYTHING, can be described using basic shapes. For example:
- A person: Head = circle; body = oval; arms and legs = cylinders.
- A tree: Trunk = rectangle; leaves = cloud-like shapes or circles.
- A house: Walls = rectangle; roof = triangle; windows = squares.
Find it possible to start with those simple building blocks, and then you start making a solid piece of work before adding any detail into it.
Pro Tip: Don’t overthink it. A circle is just a circle—no need to make it fancy! Embrace the simplicity and start sketching with just a few shapes.
2. Outline Sketch: This is where combining shapes construct your figure
Now, once you have the basic shapes, combine them. This is somewhat like connecting the dots with your own shapes. For example:
- For the person: Use the circle for the head, an oval for the body, and use simple lines to join the two as neck, arms, and legs.
- For a dog: A circle for the head, an oval for the body, rectangles as legs, and some triangles for ears-and you’ve got a cute little pup!
Always remind that when sketching, there shouldn’t be an ideal. It’s to have proper proportions and placement of the primary parts before you come into details for a drawing.
Pro-tip: Draw each shape in a new layer so that you can change the respective shape later on. You can even fix the error completely on them. Like having a big head or a short arms, you can fix it easily. Layers are your digital art lifesaver!
3. Bring Shape Up: Add Details Modifications of Proportions
After you have sketched the basic outline for your shape, it is time to refine it and adjust it to your liking. This is where you get to fun and give suck personality to your drawings!
- Round the shapes: If there are corners that look too sharp, smooth them out into something more like a rounded shape. For example, when drawing a character, make the corners in the drawing more rounded, so that they look more natural.
- Add curves: Lines like ovals and curves create life and softness to your art. If you are drawing a tree, then just make the branches curved-otherwise it won’t be as natural shape.
“Simple”, that is all with refinement. It is adding details but not getting lost in the small, boring things just yet.
Pro Tip: Zoom for those small details but do not zoom too far. You also want to see the whole picture, not pixels on your screen!