When you start learning how to draw as a beginner, you study and practice basic rules of perspective, line of geometry, and simple shapes such as square, circles… and so on.

We are going to see something that will change your daily habit when you draw. At the end of the video, you will know how to make your simple shape become more real. In other words, how you will transform a geometric shape to an object.

At the end of the video, you will see a small demo about a  flat box becoming a touch screen phone.


Recipe from basic shape to more realistic sketch
3 steps Recipe to draw from geometric shape to a more realistic object.

Give roundness to your edges and play with line - Industrial design sketchesweightDraw box - Give roundness to your edges and play with line weight - Industrial design sketchesweight c

This simple technique will push you to the next level ! – Feel free to add some line weight below the object to give it more weight. (It’s like a dark and thin shadow below the rounded edges)

Draw a cylinder - Give roundness to your edges and play with line - Industrial design sketchesweight

Draw cylinder - Give roundness to your edges and play with line - Industrial design sketchesweight
Same logic here. Can you feel the difference?

Draw sphere - draw the full ellipses - Industrial design sketching
Reminder: Draw the full ellipses for the sphere contour line. Or your sphere may appear flat.

Draw sphere - Industrial design sketching
For the sphere, it’s already all rounded. So how to add more rounded edges ?? You simply can’t. But we can play with a bit of lighting and the contour lines. I bold a bit the edges of the contour lines, especially below the “ball”.

Draw shape with hole - Industrial design sketching
Make sure your contour lines go inside the hole to understand it. Play with your angle of contour lines to decide on the roundness.

Phone more real from a basic shape - Industrial design sketching

From a flat box to a phone. – You don’t have to be perfect in your drawing. Make sure your perspective is fine and that your main shape is there. Then, everything will be alright.

Make your sketches more realDownload the high-resolution picture here

That’s all for today! Pretty easy right? So now it’s time to take a pen and practice!
Let me know about your sketches in the comments, or let me a question if you have any.

2 comments

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  • Thanks. Great tips Chou. You should consider offering a design sketching course through Skillshare or Udemy as well.

    • Thanks Azhar. I appreciate and take note of these 2 websites. If you are client of these services, do you mind exchange with me your feedback about them by email ? I am actually preparing something more complete, fun and educative. Thank you.