PENCIL SKETCHES OF HOUSES HOW TO

When drawing buildings on the spot, it’s easy to get sucked into noting exactly what you see, but some exciting results can be obtained by distorting the perspective – and in some cases by abandoning it altogether. Newbury Town Hall, watercolour and ink on paper Change your perspective I use sturdy, hardback books containing quality cartridge or watercolour paper. I find an A4 book to be the most useful size, being neither too large nor too small. I often draw buildings and streets simply for the pleasure of doing so, nearly always in a sketchbook. This allows for a greater degree of consideration when making choices regarding composition, scale and colour. If it’s intended for reproduction, publication or framing, I may begin the drawing on the spot and then either add colour back in the studio – or even use this as the basis for a larger, more ambitious work. I approach these drawings in a variety of ways. A very tall building is probably best viewed from fairly close, so that its height can be exaggerated as it rises into the sky in a portrait format, whereas a row of terraced houses naturally cries out for an elongated, landscape layout.Ī drawing produced on the spot will often have an immediacy that is difficult to replicate in the studio and, due to time limitations, it may contain only the minimal amount of detail. The most interesting one is rarely the one seen from a nearby bench. Drawing buildings: Getting startedīefore you begin your sketching session spend some time stalking your subject matter before deciding on a viewpoint. Add to this shop signs, television aerials, fences, street furniture and other paraphernalia, and the possibilities are endless.

You will find a far greater variety of shapes and styles in buildings that exist in reality, particularly in the vast array of ornament, brickwork, windows, doors, columns and so on. Adding colour can also add a touch of drama and a sense of place. I often find a building not normally deserving a second glance can provide enough material for a successful drawing. Not all buildings are blessed with architectural merit, but even the humblest construction usually has something of interest.

PENCIL SKETCHES OF HOUSES HOW TO

Link copied to clipboard After some tips on how to draw buildings? Kevin Scully offers his advice for creating quick, insightful urban sketchesĪ Shanty Town, Indonesia, watercolour and ink on paper

Pencil sketches of houses