Chapter 6
Planning Your Drawings
In This Chapter
Understanding the basic elements of composition
Identifying and applying a few proven compositional strategies
Planning and composing with various drawing tools
Putting composition to work with a simple project
The idea of planning your drawings before you put pencil to paper may seem to oppose the romantic image of the sensitive artists who pour out their souls through their works, but trust us, if you aren’t in the habit of planning your drawings, you just might change your mind after reading this chapter. If you’ve ever had a drawing fail because you’ve drawn a beautiful object only to find out you don’t know what to do with the rest of the paper, you’ve come to the right place. Don’t worry; making a few plans before you start drawing won’t take away all the fun!
Planning a drawing begins with the impulse to draw. If your impulse to draw is inspired by a particular subject, lucky you! (If not, check out Chapter 2 for ideas about how to find inspiration.) After you know what you want to draw, try to articulate what you find compelling ...
