Exercise: Using a grid

A simple but very effective exercise to draw accurately. I very much enjoyed being able to have this grid reference.

I chose to put a grid behind, which I later realised does take more thought to grasp where the lines are behind the object but I also really valued as it forced me to take a longer and closer look at the object. I have the propensity to not always look up and keep checking what I am drawing and sometimes draw instinctively rather than I what I see.

I chose a funny looking yeti soft toy with a round form as I thought it would be more challenging than anything too right angled. I also love how it has really strange proportions since it’s based on a cartoon.

I chose to do A3 grid and A3 drawing and drew lines 5cm squared across both:

The above was before I refined and rubbed away the lines. I struggled a bit with the paw sizes and proportions. The yeti is looking away to the right and slightly turned so getting the angle on the face was tricky but eased with knowing better where to put the main elements with thanks to the grid. Because I could set the height and width from the start, it also made it a lot easier to keep taking a step back and getting detail and position right and not get lost in detail as I sometimes do.

I then thought it would be fun to give a bit of marker colour to finish him: