Drawing on nature
Drawing an object from nature – Advanced
What you need
•
Lead pencil
•
Ruler
•
A4 paper
•
Eraser
What to do
1. Scientific illustrators use measurement grids and other aids to accurately observe
and record their subjects. To accurately draw an object from nature, look at the
object from all angles to get a better understanding of it. This also helps you to
decide what angle you would like to draw from, e.g. the side / the top.
2. Using a ruler, measure your chosen object to obtain the correct proportions and
transfer it onto an A4 piece of paper as per the illustration below.
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Drawing on nature
3. A grid can assist this process. With a pencil and paper, use a ruler to draw a vertical
line on your paper. Mark 1 centimetre intervals along the line you have drawn. Now
rule a horizontal line using the same method and draw up a grid as indicated in the
images below.
4. Place your object onto the 1 centimetre grid. Looking carefully at the object, use a
pencil to copy the details onto the other grid.
Try to look directly down onto your object or alternatively, support the grid and object
vertically in front of you. These methods avoid the problem of parallax – the distortion
that occurs when you look at an object from different angles.
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Drawing on nature
Extension ideas
Enlargement
To enlarge when you draw, use graph paper. This enables you to enlarge or reduce the size
of your drawing proportionally. This is what mural artists do to enlarge their initial drawing to
a much larger format.
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Drawing on nature
More Drawing Techniques
As a starting point, draw a
vertical line down the middle of
your page. Use this to guide
the line work of your drawing
from this central point.
Some illustrators use thin strips of
paper to mark off measurements
from the object, and then apply
these to the drawing. Sculptors use
a similar technique to enlarge their
work.
This is similar to the method of
measuring proportions with a pencil
that artists sometimes use. Hold the
pencil out in front of you, keeping it
parallel with your body at all times.
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