Design Method
Pencils at the ready
Earlier this year I got creative with some heavy photoshop work, see below
As i mentioned in these posts, I value time away from client paying work in order to keep the creative juices flowing but also to keep the mental fatigue at bay, and have a break of the pressure and stress that comes from running a busy surrey design agency.
Rather than adding computer time to my day, I have recently re-discovered my first love (and avenue into the creative work industry) of drawing. Not only has this been hugely cathartic, i have managed to be super productive – and i have now managed to milk a design blog out of it.
I am by no means a artist, but I was always relatively good at graphics drawings, being precise with measurements, just not necessarily hugely flamboyant.
I was taught this way of precise graphical drawing whilst at design college and it has always appealed to my Graphic Design self.
By creating drawings to scale and attaching a grid to enable you a more precise reproduction, you can get a really nice finished visual. you obviously still have to have a relatively high level of drawing ability but it certainly aids the template and scale.
I have used the entire range of leaded pencil weights, from 5H through 5B and really enjoyed getting involved again. I am hoping to start expanding into colour and also paint depending on how my confidence comes along – i have not drawn seriously for the best part of 20 years.
As a teenager and student, i always loved drawing people of personal interest to me – sports stars, film characters and music legends – a theme i have picked up and developed here … and a nice continuation of my project mentioned above. This can make it a little nerve wracking if people don’t recognise your subject but I am being brave and showing everyone reading this!
See below my easy step by step guide to making your drawing life easier. I fully recommend having a go and utilising this technique
Step 1 – easy, choose a subject
Step 2 – Apply grid
Step 3 – create ‘blank grid’, print and apply (very faint) pencil lines to grid
Step 4 – get drawing!!!
Step 5 – scan and bring to life with a bit of graphic design !
