Learn Drawing The POSItive Way

Among the most important things to learn when learning to draw is realizing the formula nearly every artist applies to fill a white sheet with more and more lines till she completed the drawing. Although apparently complicated this formula consists of several separate and simple tasks.
Many creative persons follow intuitively these individual tasks step-by-step in the right order. Unluckily while starting to learn drawing, you maylack the experience to adopt this strategy by instinct. But instead of waiting for the necessary experience, you can use this shortcut.
I created a system around this formula most creative persons understand and stick with by instinct. It is composed of four steps: Placement, Outlines, Shapes, Illumination. These four steps are rather simple and follow the common forumla to create a drawing. I abbreviated this formula P-O-S-I - a POSItive way to learn drawing.
So let's get started:
1. Placing the objects in your drawing
This is the first step. Have a look at the whole scene, identify the different objects in the scene and seek to understand the scene. Focus on the different objects' placements and their location in relation to one another. Finally if you believe your apprehension of the scene is good enough, mark on your sheet wherever you want to place the different objects.
Try to be as precise as possible unless you have already some competence in the art of pictorial composition. Advanced artists know how to modify the scene for a stronger impression without hurting realism.
2. Drawing Outlines of the different objects
Now you know where to lay out the objects it's time to outline them as mere outlines. Look carefully at each part of the scene and try to realize its outline and form. Then depict its outline - only the silhouette - in a few light lines. Restrict yourself to the outer lines of each element. Replicat this step for every object in the scene. Ideally you start with objects in the background and move on to the foreground parts.
After finishing the sketch of the whole scene this way, it's time to have a concluding judging look (but not overly judging although!). In this stage it's still easy to reposition any object or to adjust some lines. But don't be too critical and keep in mind: every outstanding drawing lives thanks to slight deviations.
3. Draw the Shape of the different objects
Now it's time to focus our attention to the objects' shapes. Begin to add the inner structures of the scene's parts with few and fine lines. Place the strokes in the proper directions to travel along and build the form of the components of every object.
For curved objects use curving lines and in flat parts use straight lines. But still restrict you to only some and light lines. Just try to catch the contours decently. As there are still exclusively fine and faint lines on the sheet you have still the chance to adjust a line here and there.
Finally your drawing has gained a stronger perspective and depth appearance. Time to fill out the white spaces and perfect your drawing!

4. Illuminate your Drawing
Until now we merely worked on arraying the scene using light lines. Sketching the outlines and contours of all objects in the scene we produced a line drawing that portrays the scenes lookout reliably.
But for producing real naturalism something is lacking: texture, light and shadow. In this final step we will fill out these elements that give volume and depth to our drawing and ultimately make it look realistic. So in this last step our chances for completing a outstanding drawing are high but as well is the risk of damaging it beyond fix.
What to do? Again look carefully at each section of the scene. Note how light, shadow and the different surfaces are forming the textures and what the colors look like. Most important is the surface - because even if a surface is all one color, its structure and texture creates different shades.
The same goes to shadows. Look how the objects cast shadows on themselves and on objects close to them. Add these shadows by first drawing their outline, adjusting and perfecting it and then filling it with dark shades.
While adding all the shadows and textures to your drawing all of the time seek to work from the background to the foreground. Whilst doing this travel from lighter tones and weak contrasts in the background to strong tones and contrasts in the foreground. This ensures a stronger three-dimensionality.
With this final step you completed your drawing. Make one step back and enjoy. But keep in mind: if the petty critic in you awakes, put your drawing away, the more you will enjoy it in some months!

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This is the 3rd part of the 6 element series about drawing and how to learn drawing. Read the upcoming part of the learn to draw series. Here you can also get a free ebook on how to draw.

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