How to Draw Sketch (5 Easy Lessons)

Want to know How to draw sketch? In this article I will show some lessons on sketching with markers. Simple and straightforward lessons will teach you the basics of sketching.

Table of Contents

How to draw sketch: Still Life

I start with the outline frame. I work at once with a 0.1 mm ruler, without a preliminary pencil sketch. Some areas are repeatedly refined, and by adding color, I correct the silhouette.

The first pass goes in the lightest tones. I outline the overall coloring and probe the shape. Some areas will remain light until the end of the work, others will be darkened in stages. I use E81, BV20, BV000, V91 for light.

The next step is to select the compositional center. I choose the most interesting part of the nature and work it out as much as possible. First of all I add the middle tone (T3, C5), then the shadows (C8).

Then I draw the reflection. Now, if there is no way to continue, the sketch will still look solid and meaningful. (E81, T3, C5).

Let’s move on to the final step, detailing. I use C8 to emphasize the deepest shadows and depict the smallest shapes, and I intensify and return the highlights with a white gel pen.

After the compositional center is ready, I move on to the second plan. I lay down the overall tone, shadows and detail in the same order. On the last layer, I use a colored pencil, with which I refine all the details and irregularities.

In the final step, I paint over the third background, contrasting its junction with the compositional center. For more materiality and weight under the headphones I add a falling shadow, but I keep in it a careless marker stroke in the foreground.

How to draw sketch: Interior Sketching

In This Lesson I’m Drawing The Tallina Café, Which Is Located On The Grounds Of A Former Electro-Technical Factory. High Ceilings, Huge Windows And Concrete Walls – All This Creates A Special Mood. In Spite Of The Overall Restraint In The Grayscale, I Plan To Introduce A Few Accent Colors.

The first layer of color marks the base: the two lamps, the wall tone and the green window frame. For the lights on the wall I use T1, a cool halftone of C3. Window: G94, BG18, BG75. Light: Y11, YR31, Y35.

The next step is to draw and darken the background, which deepens the space. I take the colors T3, C5, C8.

Now more densely and in contrast the chair and sofa will remain in the outline ‘to keep the air T3,C5, CB, BG99

I work out in more detail the beam of light on the wall near the window, fill the floor (YR31). Now we have a compositional triangle formed from the yellow color – it added dynamics to the spread. The second color for accents is green, as a support for the large mass of the window it appears in the background in the ficus (G94, BG99).

When the total mass is gained, I intensify the shadows and arrange the details with a white pen. A little highlight is the red switch on the wall (YR09, E08).

The final step: headline and commentary. I add a paragraph of text on the left page to balance the composition and tell the story of the place. The sketch is done.

How to draw sketch: Reportage sketches

For this lesson I chose an episode at a flea market in Amsterdam. An unusually colorful girl was going through vintage things on a table, and the owner of the shop was sitting in the distance. The main subject of the sketch was people, and I outlined the objects very conventionally.

When the main lines are ready, I immediately move on to painting the characters, our compositional and semantic center. In reportage sketches it is convenient to work in a limited range – it increases speed. I use E50, E81 and E02 for blush on the girl’s face. The hair is V91 and E87.

Now I’m working on the clothes. The girl’s outfit was rich in ornaments and textures, but in the conditions of quick work I choose simplification and stylization. With a few strokes YR31 I set the direction of the pattern, and the main spot of the robe I fill with E87. For fur, I use YR31, Y35, E74. E08 is for red accents.

I enhance the depth on the figures, go through the C8 in the shadows. Lightly tint the background by introducing BV20, C3, C5 and E50 on the objects.

Portrait

Egon Schiele’s graphics are emotional and poignant, try to convey this nervousness in the outline. If drawing a portrait is scary, try replacing the liner with a colored pencil.

The first fill goes on the lights. This is E81 and E50.

In Schiele’s self-portrait, unexpected bright colors are responsible for the middle tone. Use E02, YR12, B00. In some places we use E81 as the second layer.

Now we work out the shadows. As soon as the eyes appear (E74, E87), the portrait comes to life. Draw the hair with sprawling and chaotic strokes. To detail and strengthen the outline, introduce a colored pencil.

In the final step, further strengthen the accents on the face and the shirt with red (YR09). Write the artist’s name on the left page, and add his signature next to it to complete the composition. The drawing is ready!

How to draw sketch: Food sketching

As always, the drawing begins with an outline. Sometimes I don’t draw the outer borders of the dish, so that depending on how the color work goes, I can choose the shape of the composition. You can leave yourself some room to maneuver in the first step.

Now I’m laying the first lights. I use YR31, YG23, BV000. In panoramic composition, I often draw from the corner rather than from the center. This gives a lot of variability in working with color, which we will talk more about in the next steps.

Now I go over the surrounding objects and mark the borders of the soup with colors YR12, YR09, E08. At this point, you can take the drawing in different directions, such as coloring the seafood on the right page and making captions instead of the red background.

I deepen the shadows on and under the seafood. The volume comes out. I use E71, E74, C5.

When the left side is ready, I move on to the right side. I fill the general background (YR31, YR12) and see the composition as a whole. By the way, there are still possible interesting moves here, for example, instead of color on the contours of the products you can give the text of the recipe.

I gradually move to the right page. I color mushroom, mussel (T3, C5, E87, E71) onion and shrimp, darken tomato broth (YR09, E08).

I draw the remaining ingredients and detail them with a white pen.

How to draw sketch: Travelbook

When traveling, you want to have as much time as possible, so I often fill the spread with different pieces of collage. The elements, which are different in scale and meaning, are united by color and composition. Coloring most often goes step by step, from one object to another. Each one is parsed by light and shade, texture and detail. For leaves I use Y11, YG61, YG23, G94, BG99. Stump: E81, T3, C5, E74.