Everything you can look at or imagine—anything you’d like to draw—can be simplified down to some combination of 3 Basic Shapes: Circles, Triangles, and Rectangles. Since these are the basic building-blocks for any type of drawing, they make for great daily 2-Minute Warm-Ups.
This week, practice drawing circles for 2 minutes each day. Follow the directions below to build muscle memory and good drawing habits as you practice.
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Draw from the Shoulder
Circles are the first basic shape because they are the basis for all organic (non-geometric) shapes—the shapes we often use for drawing natural or living subjects such as people and animals.
Circles are also the basis for good drawing habits.
Usually, when we begin to draw, we draw using only the motion of our fingers and wrists. However, in order to draw circles well, we must learn to use our whole arm and draw from the shoulder.
TIP: Parents of young children should guide them to draw circles only in a counter-clockwise direction. (“Sand the Floor” in The Karate Kid, rather than “Wax On, Wax Off,” shown above.) This is the direction most letters are formed. Practicing in this way will help will help them learn to write, particularly for those youngsters who tend to flip or mirror-image their letters.
Circles are Smooth
As you draw, be sure to make your circles with clean, sweeping arcs. (Not too fast, but at a steady speed.) Draw the whole circle in one line. Do not start and stop, rendering an uncertain or “hairy” line.
Do not use an eraser.
It is all right if your initial attempt is not very round or circle-like. Simply draw over it, making your second attempt more round. You can draw over like 2-3 times, and then start a new circle. You will find you will be able to make nice, round circles on your first attempt very soon when you practice in this way.
If you are drawing from the shoulder, it should be easy to draw circles in this way. If you find yourself using short lines, it is most likely that you have forgotten to draw using your whole arm.
For Additional Practice:
You can do quite a lot in just 2 minutes of practice. If you find you are able to draw neat, round circles on the first pass fairly quickly this week, add in these other variations, one at a time:
Circles of various sizes. Can you maintain the same round shape at an inch diameter? Six inches? Eight? How about two feet?
The larger you get, the more important it is to draw from the shoulder!
Draw lightly. How “quietly” can you draw a circle?
Practice drawing circles using different pencil grips. The Overhand Grip is one of the most useful for drawing. Others in this post will help you draw lightly.
Once you’ve mastered the circle, expand your practice with drawing neat, symmetrical ellipses.
That’s all for this week, folks!
