Cubism is definitely worth considering if you are looking to deepen your knowledge of varied drawing methods or styles of drawing. Cubism is an approach to looking at and composing drawings and paintings based on several different viewpoints in one picture. Cubist drawings, while abstract in nature, are based upon or derived from the traditional subjects in Art, such as the human figure, portraiture, still life, and landscape.
An Introduction to Cubism
Cubism was developed by the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso and his contemporary French Artist Georges Braque at the beginning of the 20th Century. The artist met in 1905, and the first cubist painting was completed by Picasso in 1907.
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What is a Cubism Cubist Drawing?
So what is Cubism? Cubism is a style of drawing and painting based on the idea of a multi-view perspective. This basically involves the artist drawing the subject from several viewpoints or angles and joining or integrating them on the page in a single image. This is the basic principle of analytical Cubism.
Cubism developed and evolved into two forms and influenced many artists in the form of paper collage and modern sculpture.
Analytical Cubism: Limited use of color, based on direct observation
Developed in a more experimental art form, synthetic Cubism includes decorative shapes and forms, plus paper collage and sculpture.
Main Features of a Cubist Drawing
Before you begin your Cubist drawing, it is a good idea to understand Cubism's basic principlesCubism.
- Fragmented Shapes
- Geometric Composition
- Reduced Color Scheme
- Multiview Perspective
Cubist Flower Drawing By Picasso
If you are unsure how to produce a cubist drawing, then it is a go idea to look at the work of the artist Pablo Picasso. Picasso, the pioneer of Cubism, has produced many decorative drawings in the cubist style. Take a look at the work of Picasso.
Cubism Pencil Drawing of a Flower.
How you decide to produce a cubist drawing focus on what you want to draw. Working from observation is a good idea, so the focus of my drawing is going to be a flower. Or to be more precise, a still life Cubist drawing of a Flower in a Vase.
Before you begin your draw, you will need to focus on whether to want to draw directly from life or draw from a secondary source image should as a photograph.
Set Up Your Still Life
This is a simple task: you will need to set up a vase on a tabletop or a flat surface from which you can draw or take a photograph. Place your flower into the jar and position onto a flat surface. It may also be a good idea to position a sheet of white paper or a table cloth beneath the vase as this is an excellent way to enable the still life to stand out and have more of a visual impact.
Draw your Flower Using the Cubist Technique
The main feature of a cubist drawing is that it simplifies the shapes drawing from several viewpoints in a geometric composition. So you will need to begin your picture of the flower from several views.
Focus on drawing the vase and the base of the tabletop. You can then progress onto drawing the stem and the petals of the flower.
Simple shapes. Draw simple shapes base on the forms you are looking at. Reduce more complex shapes to there primary geometric forms.
Cubist Pencil Sketching
When you are drawing a Cubist sketch, it is advisable to quickly sketch the objects of your still life as promptly as possible. Study the form of the object quickie and try to draw
Don't focus on details, just draw the shapes intuitively.
Add Horizontal and Vertical Lines to Your Drawing
How that you have drawn the basic outline of the vase and flower, you can break up your drawing by drawing some horizontal and vertical shapes encompassing the main feature of the flower. This will have the added effect of producing a more definite geometric looking composition.
Additionally, draw repeating shapes around the primary forms that you have begun to draw. Additionally, you can overlay lines and shapes, this will have the added effect of making your drawing appear more geometric and cubist.
Adding Shading to a Cubist Flower
One of the main characteristics of Cubism in its early stages was the reduced color scheme. This enabled the analytical cubist to focus solely on the shape form and composition of there drawing and paintings. There are several techniques that you can employ in your drawing.
- Hatching Techniques. Begin drawing from the edge of a shape and apply tightly drawn lines next to each other. Apply lines over the top of each other in different directions. To make your shadows appear darker, draw the lines closer together.
- Graduated Tone. Use the side of the pencil to apply graphite onto your drawing. Vary the amount of pressure you place on the pencil to create lighter or more shaded shadows. This is a powerful way the make shapes have more of an impact.
- End of the Pencil. Use the end of the pencil to create random marks within the forms you have drawn. Again vary the amount of pressure on the pencil, as this will still create a variety of marks on the paper.
- Blending Stump. A blending stump is an easy way to mix and graduate the shadows in your drawing and the right way to create uniform shading if you are looking for a more finished appearance on your picture.
Recommended Equipment
- Prismacolor Colored Pencils. Pencils made using quality pigments. Click here to view the latest prices on Amazon.
- Caran D'Ache Pablo Artists Coloring Pencils. This is a set of high-quality water-resistant colors. Click here to see the latest reviews on Amazon.
- Recommended Paper: Strathmore 400 Series Bristol Smooth Surface. Bristol paper is smooth and perfect for intricate work. You can work with graphite, colored pencil, ink, and markers on it. Click here to visit Amazon.
- Are Copic markers more costly than other markers? They are, but you surely get what you pay for. Click here to read the latest reviews on Amazon.
