Different type of Outline Techniques in Drawing

Drawing is about observation. And if you want to improve your drawing skills, then you must focus on how you see the subjects that you draw.

Simply it can be said “draw what you see”. We have been hearing that draw what you see, but we will not know how to see and what to see, then this statement can be frustrating.

Fortunately, there are several techniques for drawing outlines we can use to help us see – thus helping us to improve our drawing.

Here I have mentioned some methods are designed to improve your accuracy in your drawing outlines. They are not a perfect solution and they do require a bit of practice in order to master them. But keep in mind that drawing is a skill that can be attained by anyone if they are willing to put in a little work.

Free Hand Method

Free Hand Sketching is such a drawing which is drawn without measuring instruments. This drawing is drawn with the help of pencil and eraser only.,Such drawing is drawn before actual drawing because it takes less time. In this technique, observe and draw direct references in it, with the correct support

Andrew Loomis Method

William Andrew Loomis (June 15, 1892 – May 25, 1959), better known as Andrew Loomis, was an American illustrator, author, and art instructor. His commercial work was featured prominently in advertising and magazines; however, Loomis is best known as author of a series of instructional art books printed throughout the 20th century.

The Andrew Loomis method allows you to build on the actual construction of the face and head – the construction done at the beginning mimics the shape of the skull, and its major points. It is great for a realistic, thoroughly thought-out drawing of a head.

The head deconstructed into its basic forms, is a sphere as the cranium and a block as the jaw and cheek bones. This is one of the best method to draw a face in any possible angle

The Grid Method

The grid technique is an approach to drawing that breaks the subject down into small sized square. A grid is drawn over a photo reference. Each square within the grid on the reference corresponds to a square on the drawing surface.

Since the subject is divided into smaller squares, the lines, shapes, and values are also simplified making it easier to focus on what you are actually seeing.

This technique works for any subject that you draw, but it is most useful for portraits when accuracy is of the upmost importance.

Pencil Measurement Method

We can use “measuring tools” to measure proportions of our subject in order to achieve maximum the accuracy of our drawings. We can use any tool that we wish, but a pencil works surprisingly well

Here’s the process. Begin by extending your arm toward your subject with your pencil in hand. Be sure that your arm is extended completely without any bending at the elbow. Bring your line of sight down to your shoulder and close one eye. Use the tip your pencil and line it up with the top of the highest or widest point on the object. Use your thumb to mark the bottom.

Now record the size of the object on your drawing surface. You can use this measurement to record the object on the drawing surface or simply make comparisons to what you have already drawn.

You can use the pencil to measure other objects within the same scene in the same manner.

And use it to compare the proportional relationships with the other objects within the scene to ensure that the relationships are correct or not.

This technique works best for still life objects. However, a modified version can be used when drawing from photos if the size of the photo reference is exactly the same size as the drawing surface. Simply take the measurement from the reference and bring it over to the drawing surface. There’s no need to keep your arm straight or close one eye since your paper is the same size as your reference.

Propositional Divider Method

The Proportional Divider method is a better solution to achieve accuracy. This allows you to transfer an image with the same scale as well as smaller or larger dimensions, if you need to draw the subject a different size from the reference image. The Fine Artist needs to approximate proportions and landmarks and this tools helps to achieve the same.

Other Resources

If you’ve read all that and you still want to know more , you might have a bit of an obsession developing! We do know a few great places to send you, though, if you want more:

thevirtualinstructor.com some part of pencil measurment methode are taken from here