Stop & Post June 2006!!!

**Matt_343** · 10 June 2006, 07:10 AM

some buildings I am working on. Try to learn shading. How to make the drawings look more real. Any suggestions?

**-=Drifter=-** · 10 June 2006, 12:28 PM

very nice, matt
did you make them in xara or in sketchup?

**Ross Macintosh** · 10 June 2006, 01:19 PM

b3rntumb3r -- As a Macintosh I commend you on your very fine apple drawing. Sweet!

Regards, Ross (Macintosh)

**parahandy** · 10 June 2006, 02:06 PM

yummy Yum Sorry, I just couldn't resist a bite of that lifelike drawing but I did say" Grace" before I did.

**b3rntumb3r** · 10 June 2006, 03:27 PM

Ross: Thank you.
Para: Hope it didn't taste too much like plastic.
Matt: If you're trying to solve shading, you have to answer one question right away: where's your light coming from?

Usually, it's at about a 45 degree angle to the drawing plane, but it can come from the left, right or behind you. Some artists pick a light directly above or even--in rare cases--behind the subject, but it produces a more specialized effect. And you may choose to light your subject with multiple light sources, but they are usually subordinated to the main source and call for very skilful handling.

For the moment, use one source. It looks like your light is 45 degrees up left and behind you. After that, everything is geometry. In drawing, light casts shadows according to the laws of perspective. So you can use the Isometric grid in Xara to determine where the shadows should lie. That would also solve the problem you're having with the doorway in the center: is doesn't have an inner jamb on the bottom, so it looks odd.

As far as shadowing values are concerned, try this: reduce it to four values. Somewhere in the picture, you'l have the lightest light (highlight), the darkest dark (accent) and two intermediate values. One is usually "body' value and the other is a "shadow" value that allows you to give the object a 3D feel. So you get a gamut going from lightest to darkest. This is a gross simplification, but it helps you develop your eye.

If you're an aspiring artist, a good exercise is to squint at an image and try to see it as only these 4 values. Go to your nearest art museum with your sketchbook or get your favorite book of paintings and try to represent the values in the image using only 4 zones. (It doesn't have to be perfect, you're only looking for gross values.) Ultimately, you can apply this principle to the evaluation of the picture as a whole or any object within the picture. The main idea is that you start a drawing with a clear plan of action in mind. Drawing is not only what you see, it's what you know.

The attached drawing of a ball shows a small bright highlight, two shades of gray in a contour and small dark accent at the bottom. It ain't great, but you get the idea.

Hope this helps.

**Matt_343** · 10 June 2006, 04:36 PM

drifter, i used xara.

b3rntumb3r,
what is an "Isometric grid in Xara "? I have bought several sketch pads, but have been very scared of shading, but i will give it a try.

**-=Drifter=-** · 10 June 2006, 05:00 PM

right click on an open space in xara for the Options menu to come up and go to Grid and Ruler and there you will see you can switch from rectangular grid to isometric grid

**Matt_343** · 10 June 2006, 08:07 PM

cool, thanks now I just need to understand how to use it.

**ankhor** · 12 June 2006, 11:46 AM

Well the competition is over, so back to my regular weird stuff

**Seagull** · 12 June 2006, 12:03 PM

Well the competition is over, so back to my regular weird stuff

Hey Popeye, great job as usual. You have really managed to master the plugins like nobody else. I just like using the lightning to sink ships but am having too much trouble with most of them since they are too heavy for the old machine here. Not too much time to spend in the forum at this time of the year but will still try to sneak in when I can. Wow!!! I bet that statement just made your day