Welcome to the first drawing exercise for absolute beginners at Level 1! In our previous post, Easy First Drawing Exercise for Beginners, we practiced drawing the most fundamental shape: imperfect circles. In this simple step-by-step exercise, we’ll take what we’ve learned and use it to create something fun—a cute pumpkin family!
Step 1: Preparation
As a beginner artist, you don’t need fancy tools. The most basic supplies are enough to get started. Here’s what you’ll need:
A pencil
An eraser
A piece of paper
Colored pencils or crayons (optional)
Step 2: Examine Your Reference
Take a look at this reference photo:
 |
| Source: Pinterest |
The first step in drawing is studying your reference. For beginners, drawing purely from imagination isn’t necessary (or even recommended). Using a reference helps you understand your subject better, including its shape, proportions, and light effects. Training your eyes to analyze a reference photo before picking up your pencil is an essential habit for improving your drawing skills.
Step 3: Sketching
The basic shapes of the three pumpkins in our reference are, unsurprisingly, imperfect circles! Start by lightly sketching three imperfect circles on your paper. Once you’re happy with the placement and size, refine them slightly for a cleaner look. Congratulations—you now have the base shapes of your pumpkins!
Step 4: Add Details
Next, add details to your pumpkins. Draw curved lines from the top to the bottom of each pumpkin to create the characteristic grooves. Don’t worry if your lines are messy—this is part of the process. Finally, add simple stems to each pumpkin.
Once you’re satisfied, use an eraser to clean up any unnecessary lines, leaving a refined sketch of your pumpkins.
Step 5: Add Color
Now it’s time to bring your pumpkins to life with color! Grab your colored pencils or crayons and choose colors like orange and green—or get creative with your own palette. In my version, I stuck to the realistic colors from the reference photo.
Step 6: Final Touches
Your pumpkins are almost complete! To make them more interesting and personal, consider adding some decorative touches.
Use darker shades of orange or light brown to add depth and shadows to your pumpkins.
Draw simple shadows beneath the pumpkins for a grounded effect.
Add playful details like faces or tiny hands to give your pumpkins personality.
Here’s my finished version:
Congratulations!
You’ve completed your first drawing exercise for beginners! 🎉 I hope this activity was enjoyable and helped you feel more comfortable starting your art journey.
What’s Next?
Keep practicing by drawing other objects that feature imperfect circles. This will not only improve your drawing skills but also sharpen your observation skills—an essential part of becoming a great artist.
If you don’t have time to find your reference photos on your own, I’ll love to help you in many more drawing exercises. So remember to come back to this blog often, I’ll be super happy if this blog can become one of the useful resources for you to practice drawing.
You might also find it helpful to watch time-lapse drawing videos for inspiration and technique tips. Here’s an example:
If you’re curious about how I developed my art style as a self-taught artist, check out my post: Simple Drawing Guidelines for Absolute Beginner Artists.
Thank you for drawing with me! I look forward to guiding you through many more fun and easy exercises. Click here to access the next Level 1 exercise.
Happy drawing! 🎨✨
No comments:
Post a Comment