Let’s dive into drawing a modern teapot that actually looks like a sleek bottle. When you look at it from the side, its body is perfectly symmetrical.
The Secret to Symmetry: Start with the Axis
The biggest challenge here is to draw the curves on both sides to be symmetrical. To tackle this, begin by drawing the symmetry axis first. This vertical line becomes your anchor, your guide to keeping both sides balanced.
Now, I won’t lie—this exercise can feel a bit clumsy at first. If you’re right-handed, you might notice the left curve ends up flatter than you’d like. For lefties, the opposite happens. This happens simply because of the natural restrictions of our body movement.
Usually, I’d suggest turning the paper when drawing curves to make hand movement easier. But with symmetry, don’t turn the paper! If you do, your brain might lose track of the vertical axis, and you’ll lose your reference point.
Keep your paper steady and the symmetry axis vertical. Then, practice drawing both sides of the bottle’s curves. It might feel irritating at first, but trust me—your hand will learn these new movements with time.
Anticipate and Adjust Your Lines
Think ahead for each angle before your pen touches the paper. If your line isn’t quite right, redraw over it to adjust. This technique, called Ghost Drawing, helps you build fluidity and confidence in your strokes.
In quick sketches, both curves don’t need to be perfectly symmetrical, but they should flow smoothly and feel intentional.
Think Sleek, Think Pure
Try to follow your gut feeling to create nice, elegant curves. Tell yourself: “sleek and pure.” Believing in the form you want influences how your hand moves, especially important when drawing products made from glass, metal, or porcelain.
Practice and You’ll Master It
With regular practice, your accuracy naturally improves. This symmetry trick isn’t just for bottles—it works for drawing any side view object with curves: glassware, pens, pipes, flower pots, hats… anything!
If you master this foundational skill, you already have the ability to sketch a wide range of objects with confidence.
If you want to develop your line control further, I invite you to sign up for my Designer Starter Kit, packed with beginner-friendly sketching exercises.
Keep practicing, and I’ll see you in the next Tip of the Day!
Cheers,
Chou-Tac
Draw Product Design
[…] is like an imaginary line that helps you draw symmetrical objects or characters. It works in 2D and 3D (as rotation axis). Most objects around us are symmetrical, maybe more than […]
Keep up the tips and tricks! I am a student industrial product design, and your sketching tips help me a lot and give me inspiration.
Thanks Yme !
I am glad if I can help :).
Cheers,
Chou-Tac