Tutorial 126 - Drawing Curves Freehand

Drawing curves without the aid of tools like the french curve or compass can be one of the most frustrating things for a learner or even for a seasoned pro. I bet even Leonardo Da Vinci struggled!

It's important to understand that drawing curves (or straight lines for that matter) won't be easy if you haven't been drawing for a few years already. But, with the right practice you can make huge leaps in just a few weeks, if you're committed, and it doesn't have to mean hours and hours every day. There's technique in drawing and there;s also technique in learning.

Technique in drawing

It's all about how you move and how you hold your drawing tool. Moving from the shoulder is often the way it's taught but try moving from the waist, if sitting. If standing, try moving your whole body, shifting your weight from one foot to the next.

If drawing from the waist, or the shoulder, make sure all the subsequent joints, the elbow, the wrist, the fingers, are locked. Only move these parts very minimally, if at all.

Doing this for the first time will no doubt feel odd, but so does driving a car, or riding a bike for the first time. Just keep going and you'll soon be off.

Technique in learning

As you progress though your drawing practice, you will notice it gets easier. At the end of a good few hours of drawing, if you're not tired, you'll have much better success. 

If you get frustrated, take a break or draw in a more relaxed way, focusing on something entirely different. Try again when you feel rested. 

The brain needs to make connections and this takes repetition of focused effort and well timed breaks. If you feel stiff or sore anywhere as a result of drawing in a new way, then this is a good thing (as long as it's not RSI). Reward yourself with a long break.

Be sure to feel rewarded, as this will really help accelerate your learning arc. 

After practising for a while, as soon as you hit a line or curve you're happy with, stop and rest. This ends the session on a good feeling, which feeds right back into the brain connection building process. Ice cream is also good.

Another way to accelerate the learning process is through meditation or deep relaxation using visualisation. Spooky stuff! We'll talk a bit more about that in an upcoming tutorial.