These days I have fun playing with the App Marvel, Contest of Champions on Ipad. Be aware, it’s pretty addictive. Looking for inspiration, I did a sketch of one of the Champion: Captain America.

Marvel contest of champions
MARVEL – Contest of Champions

For the TIP today, I would like to highlight a typical beginner mistake. Starting a sketch with the easiest or biggest element of a character/picture/anything. Or even worse, having no clue of where to start from, starting with an element chosen randomly.*

TIP

“Drawing with order matter.”

* Basically there is nothing wrong about starting randomly, it’s still a step toward improvement. Most people never start drawing. So we are still further than most people. Winking smile

theDesignSketchbook - Captain-America-Shield feature
MARVELCaptain America – Chung Chou-Tac

With Captain America, I started by:

  1. Draw the body (with a light pen pressure).
  2. Draw the shield. I make sure it’s well placed according to the arm.
  3. Add details and texture to the “uniform”.
  4. Add values on the visible area of the body to contrast with the “invisible lines” behind the shield.

Why order matter ?

If I would have started by drawing the shield, I am pretty sure that the whole sketch may end awkward. Drawing with a proper order of elements, I can place the shield accurately on the body with the right proportion.

TIP

“Draw like you assemble a toy.”

Saint Seiya Andromede
SAINT SEIYA Andromeda
“Draw like you assemble a toy.”
Start with the body, then add the extra parts on it – piece by piece
Note: Don’t refine yet each of them, place all of them accurately, then you can into more details.

See also  How to draw a light bulb easy

Drawing is strategic by spending a minimum of time to think before drawing. We set up the most convenient way/itinerary from A to B. To illustrate this, let’s look at some common beginner mistakes.

If you want to draw:

  • A door, you don’t start with the door handle.
    But the door itself, then you place the handle easily.
  • For fashion designer, when you draw a dress,
    you don’t start with the dress itself, but with a “naked body”. Then you can draw the dress with correct proportion and drapery.
  • A glove, you don’t start with the glove itself, but a hand.
    You won’t have to think about proportion and how to draw the intricate fingers anymore. With a hand already drawn, you can focus on creativity, and draw your glove 110 time easier and better.
  • A sneaker, you don’t start with the shoe itself, but a standard foot.
  • A printer. you don’t start with the button.
  • A house, you don’t start with the window or the chimney.
    But the shape of the whole house first. Then spend time at decorating the house as you wish.
  • A pot of flower, you don’t start with the flowers.
    But the pot first, then you put the flowers in.

For some of you all these may appear super logic and obvious. But I believe it’s important to mention it as I remember that I did that mistake, and I was not even aware of it. So I didn’t know there was something to correct ! To avoid you guys to do this same mistake for long. From today apply this TIP, and you will enjoy drawing more ! And progress much faster.

See also  Unlock New Creativity with iPad Sketching in Museums

Captain-America-Shield2
Sketched with Sketchbook Pro – Pencil 4H

Tell me Yes or No if you do or have done this mistake Smile.
See you guys for the next TIP !

3 comments

Leave a Reply to chrisfernz Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hello! I'm Chou-Tac, a Product Designer from France.

If the sketching methods I’ve acquired aid me in my life and in my industrial design career, I believe that they can also help you reach your dream goal as a student or professional designer.

Leave a comment in the blog or send me an email at choutac@thedesignsketchbook.com : )

Chou-Tac

Trending

Last comments

  • Gurupreet: “Hi, I come from India and I am 20 years old. I am an freelance artist and I use to…Jun 30, 22:14
  • Jatin Verma: “I come from India. I want to learn sketching in general, 1.India, 30 2. Studying graphic design and Sketching 3.…Jun 30, 14:19
  • Jatin: “I come from India. I want to learn sketching in general, 1.India, 30 2. Studying graphic design and Sketching 3.…Jun 30, 14:11
  • Murad: “Google search Yes learning more Intersted with your blogJun 29, 11:08
  • Fausto Blanco: “I’m an stell erection and construction estimator, my field is estimate. Labor and material quantities for big warehouse buildings, also…Jun 28, 09:14
  • NISHTHA HARSH NIRMAL: “I come from India. I want to learn sketching in general, but product sketching career-wise. I discovered this through PinterestJun 27, 14:32
  • Nishtha: “I need this book as im an aspiring designer. I love to sketch. I discovered this blog through pinterest.Jun 27, 10:57
  • Joh: “Brisbane, 37 Looking for a new hobby :) googled contour lines!Jun 26, 13:31
  • Chou-Tac: “Hi Adrian, We are in 2025, and I am re-reading my article. :) The example I gave here: Some applicants…Jun 25, 18:33
  • Chou-Tac: “Hi Hana, Sure you will! You got all the content you need in the blog. :)) For the shoe design,…Jun 25, 17:02
  • Chou-Tac: “Hey Haitam, The first step is to study perspective. From CAD, you already got a great grasp on it. You…Jun 25, 16:59
  • Iwan: “Indonesian, 30 Hobby From Youtube ThankssJun 25, 12:56
  • India: “1. Australia, 20 2. Studying interior design and architecture 3. While researching for an assessment – I am researching for…Jun 24, 11:06
  • Haitam KHLIFI TAGHZOUTI: “Dear, First i want to say thanks for creating and sharing with us wonderful informations anout sketching. I am Haitam…Jun 24, 03:17
  • Vanessa: “France , 42 To improve my skills. A link on a blog (don’t remember the name)Jun 23, 22:11
  • Z: “Pakistan/ 18 Wanna polish the skill Chat gpt suggested itJun 23, 18:58
  • J: “Can’t wait toJun 23, 01:30
  • L: “1. Somerset UK. 30 2. Improve skills 3. Searching on the webJun 22, 18:03
  • Bernardo applegate lopez: “1- Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, México 2- passion & expression. Share my ideas with the world 3- through a designers feed…Jun 22, 13:34
  • lucky 101 apk: “This tutorial is incredibly helpful! I always struggled with perspective drawing, but your step-by-step approach makes it so much clearer.…Jun 22, 09:43
  • Faisal Atta: “1). I come from London, UK 2). I want to improve to my sketching skills 3). YouTube search – perspective…Jun 20, 14:04
  • Faisal Atta: “1). I come from London, UK 2). I want to improve to my sketching skills 3). From YouTube – perspective…Jun 20, 12:57
  • Hana: “Hello, I’m 39 from Czech Republic. I studied design but burned out and I haven’t designed or drew anything in…Jun 19, 21:41
  • IDIOTS: “im from Myanmar / age 21 / im attending technology university / im also doing digital sculpting as a freelance…Jun 19, 21:39
  • IDIOTS: “im from Myanmar / age 21 / im attending technology university / im also doing digital sculpting as a freelance…Jun 19, 21:38
close-link
Start Sketching Today Step-by-step!

GET YOUR DESIGNER STARTER KIT NOW!

The
close-link
The
YES! I NEED THE BOOK!
Send me The Book
close-image