Hi! My name is Chou-Tac,
Are you a beginner in design sketching?
Do you want to learn how to start sketching, but you do not feel confident?
Today, get ready to learn the basics of sketching step-by-step in this series of 7 video tutorials only!
(I give you some extra ones at the end of this page for you to practice further.)
How To Start Sketching (Master the Basics in 7 videos)!
- Sketching Material
- Step 0- Check your Drawing Posture
- Step 1- How to Draw Straight Lines (No ruler)
- Step 2- How to Draw Circles
- Step 3- How to Draw Ellipses
- Step 4- How to Draw Squares
- Step 5- How to Gain a Sense of Proportion
- Step 6- How to Draw Cubes with a 1-Point Perspective
- Step 7- How to Draw Cubes with a 2-Point Perspective
- BONUS VIDEOS
Sketching Material
All you need is:
- A ballpoint pen
- Some blank or draft paper
- The free book: The Designer Starter Kit (I recommend you print it)
- No eraser, no ruler.
You will learn how to draw with confidence all freehand.
TIP: Any pen or draft paper would do. What matters the most is you start today!
(If you wonder what is the complete list of materials a designer needs, you can get the material list here.)
Step 0- Check your Drawing Posture
Learn more about the dos & don’t in this detailed article
on How to draw with a correct body posture.
Step 1- How to Draw Straight Lines (No ruler)
– 16 minutes, 5 seconds
Yes!
This section is made for beginners.
I would even say TRUE beginners who love drawing, but have no idea how to start!
If you can’t draw at all, but you are eager to learn, you are in the right place. 🙂
Today let’s draw straight lines freehand.
As soon as it gets too easy, try drawing long straight lines.
This is the most basic and important drawing movement you need to master.
If you can draw a straight line with confidence, you can build a good perspective setup for more advanced sketches.
So you can build solid foundations for your drawings.
Never underestimate the power of mastering the basics of sketching!
TIP: Does your lines tend to bend?
Check your body posture + desk setup.
Your chair can’t be too high, your desk can’t be too low.Do not rest your elbow on the desk,
and let your whole arm free of movement.
Keep your elbow free of movement when you draw.
Step 2- How to Draw Circles
– 5 minutes, 15 seconds
Have you ever wondered how to draw beautiful circles?
I show you why you failed for so long, and you can solve it with the ghost drawing!
After that, I invite you to try this fun drawing game where you draw the minions from your circles.
Because having fun is the key to success!
Step 3- How to Draw Ellipses
– 18 minutes, 36 seconds
After mastering the circles, let’s draw ellipses freehand like a boss!
If it gets too easy for you, you can level up with this ellipses and cylinders tutorial.
Now, do you start seeing ellipses everywhere around the objects around you?
Do you dream of ellipses?
Are you becoming a geek of ellipses?
This is for you: How to draw ellipses in 7 steps (in perspective).
Step 4- How to Draw Squares
– 7 minutes, 1 second
One of the techniques I use the most is to turn the paper when I draw.
So I don’t have to draw like a contortionist if I want to draw my lines with a certain angle.
To practice that, let’s draw squares!
Step 5- How to Gain a Sense of Proportion
– 5 minutes, 18 seconds
As a beginner, the proportion is pretty tricky at the start. That’s ok.
I show you how a simple geometry trick can help you with better proportions.
If you are already familiar with perspective, here, is an extra exercise to practice proportions in perspective.
Step 6- How to Draw Cubes with a 1-Point Perspective
– 7 minutes, 35 seconds
Pretty often beginners feel overwhelmed in front of perspective.
There are so many lines going here and there that you don’t know how to start.
So I made this video to show you stroke-by-stroke,
how to draw a cube in an easy and simple way. (And the relaxing way)
In this video, you will realize it’s actually easy.
There is nothing to be afraid of drawing a cube in perspective.
With a bit of practice, you will know how to draw a cube from multiple angles forever!
Get ready to start drawing perspective for product designs, architecture, cars… anything you want!
Step 7- How to Draw Cubes with a 2-Point Perspective
– 8 minutes, 44 seconds
Can you feel how your 3D vision starts to build up?
Now, let’s go to the 2-point perspective setup!
BONUS VIDEOS
Congratulations on completing the 7 video series!
Practice these exercises once in a while as a warm-up.
You are now ready for the next level!
These 6 extra video tutorials below are made for you to:
- Make perspective an intuitive skill so you can focus on creativity when you draw (not technique).
- Draw your first product designs!
CUBE MANIA CHALLENGE #1
How to start drawing cubes in 3D easily
– 7 minutes, 33 seconds
CUBE MANIA CHALLENGE #2
How to draw in 3D space and connect cubes in perspective
– 8 minutes, 54 seconds
CUBE MANIA CHALLENGE #3
How to draw cubes with a professional sketching style
– 8 minutes, 7 seconds
BASICS GEOMETRY: How to draw the 4 basic forms
Learning how to draw basic 3D forms will help you better visualize and simplify complex objects into simple ones.
– 38 minutes, 53 seconds
TECHNIQUE: Draw with The “LEGO BLOCK” Technique
A great drawing exercise to apply the lessons and practice the basics of sketching you have learned on this page.
You start drawing with proportion and 3D space using some blocks.
– 15 minutes, 28 seconds
CREATIVITY: How to Draw Infinite Products Super Fast!
One of my favorite sketching techniques is to multiply ideas super fast with this random approach!
It is creative and you will draw with plenty of fun!
– 6 minutes
EXPLORATION: 21 Drawing Tips to Make a Design Sketchbook!
Antonio (founder of BlashDesign) was one of my students in my online course Sketch Like The Pros.
We met in Madrid and he agreed to share plenty of tips and tricks on how to make a Design Sketchbook!
What to do next?
You can send me your sketches by email at choutac@thedesignsketchbook.com.
I will be happy to discover how you progress with your basics of sketching in 3D.
And maybe I could share with you a couple of feedback or tips. 🙂
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