Pen & Ink Lesson 2: A Simple Arrangement

Here is an arrangement of simple ordinary objects.

The point of drawing them is to help understand how different light sources show off basic forms: cubes, cones, spheres and cylinders and variations. Draw them in pen to get the hang of which direction to draw lines to describe the form with speed and minimum marks.

These objects are really no different to buildings and a city skyline.

You could make your own ‘still life’ arrangement using the contents of a cupboard.

Notice how different light sources change the appearance of the objects. Do this with a table lamp or even a torch.

A tin of beans is a cylinder, an oxo cube is literally a cube, an orange is a sphere, a Cornetto is a cone but maybe not the best choice of still life subject!

Omit the surface decoration. This is a study not a pretty picture to hang in a frame.

You’ll start noticing that a building is basically a box with a pyramid for a roof. The dome of the Duomo in Florence is just an egg. A tree trunk is a cylinder. The moon is a sphere, etc.

(In some ways I prefer the middle version of my drawing).