Drawing Techniques
Simple Shading Techniques: Hatching, Blending and Value
Give flat sketches light and shadow with a five-step value scale, four ways to lay tone and a step-by-step shaded sphere with a highlight, core shadow and cast shadow.
Tutorials
30 tutorials published
Drawing Techniques
Line Control Exercises: 8 Drills for Steadier, More Confident Lines
Eight pencil drills for smoother strokes, from dot-to-dot lines to ghosted circles, with advice on drawing from the shoulder, rotating the paper and using line weight to add depth.
Drawing Techniques
Drawing Basic Shapes: The Building Blocks of Every Sketch
Practice the five shapes behind every sketch, learn to ghost a stroke before the pencil lands, and build a simple teapot from a circle, an oval and a few curves.
Drawing for Beginners
How to Start Drawing: A Simple Plan for Complete Beginners
A calm starting plan for adults and teens who have not drawn since school: what to gather, how long to practice, what to work on in the first weeks and which subjects to pick first.
Seasonal Drawing
How to Draw a Snowman: An Easy Winter Drawing in Six Steps
A snowman in six steps: three stacked circles, a hat, a scarf, twig arms, a carrot nose and a snowy ground line. Also shows how light shading makes white snow stand out on white paper.
Seasonal Drawing
How to Draw a Pumpkin: A Simple Fall Sketch With Shading
A ribbed pumpkin in five steps, from a flattened oval to a twisted stem and curling vine, with shading in the grooves, a cast shadow and four easy variations.
Cute Drawing Ideas
How to Draw a Cupcake: A Cute and Easy Step-by-Step Sketch
A cheerful cupcake in five steps: a pleated paper case, three tiers of frosting, a berry on top, then sprinkles and soft shading. Includes an optional friendly face and easy variations.
Cute Drawing Ideas
Cute Drawing Ideas: 20 Simple Doodles With Friendly Faces
Twenty simple doodles with friendly faces for cards, planners and notes, plus the five design choices that make any object look cute and three easy face variations.
Everyday Objects
How to Draw a Stack of Books: Easy Boxes With Character
Draw one closed book as a flat box, then pile up three at slightly different angles. Covers page lines, a ribbon bookmark, plain cover bands, shading and a cast shadow.
Everyday Objects
How to Draw a Chair Using a Simple Box
A plain wooden chair in five steps, built on a light box so the legs, seat and back line up. Includes checks for the gaps between the legs and the same method for a stool and a table.
Everyday Objects
How to Draw Fruit: Apple, Pear and Banana Step by Step
Draw an apple, a pear and a banana from basic shapes, then arrange them as an overlapping still life with one light direction, rounded shading and cast shadows that sit them on the table.
Everyday Objects
How to Draw a Coffee Cup: Mastering the Ellipse
Draw a mug that sits flat on the table in five steps, starting from a center line and one ellipse. Learn why the rim is never pointed, why the base curve matches it, and how eye level changes the shape.
Nature Drawing
How to Draw a Cactus in a Pot: An Easy Houseplant Sketch
Sketch a potted cactus in five steps: a tapered pot with a rim, a tall rounded column, two upturned arms, curved rib lines and small clusters of spines. Plus a barrel cactus and a succulent rosette to try.
Nature Drawing
How to Draw Leaves: Five Simple Shapes With Veins
Start every leaf with a curved center line, then build five shapes around it: oval, heart, narrow blade, lobed and five-pointed. Add curving veins, an uneven edge and a turned tip, and arrange leaves into a sprig.
Nature Drawing
How to Draw Mountains: A Simple Layered Landscape
Draw a mountain range in five steps: an uneven zigzag of peaks, ridge lines, hatched shadow sides, a jagged snow line, then a paler range behind and tiny pines in front for depth.
Nature Drawing
How to Draw Clouds That Look Soft and Fluffy
Build a fluffy cloud from five overlapping circles, break the outline so it stays soft, and shade the underside while the top stays white. Includes two other simple cloud types and tips for filling a sky.