Illustration for Beginners: Working with Basic Shapes
Yesterday on the blog, I posted ten tips for getting started in illustration. Step three included learning drawing basics, including working with basic shapes. But what does that mean? This fundamental skill is really integral to illustration, so we are going to break it down in today’s post.
Why are basic shapes so important for illustrators?
Illustrators usually try to capture emotion, story and character in their work. We don’t typically lean toward hyper-realistic styles because techniques like exaggeration and simplification can enhance the theme and aesthetics of illustration.
Take a look at these excerpts from the essential book Making Comics by Scott McCloud, in which he sums up these ideas:
Notice that Simplifcation, Exaggeration and Symbolism all rely on basic shapes.
Simplifcation refers to the process of distilling an image to its most essential elements while maintaining its clarity, meaning, and aesthetic appeal. This often involves reducing details, minimizing visual clutter, and focusing on key shapes, colors, and lines to convey the intended message or mood.
Exaggeration refers to the intentional distortion or amplification of certain features, proportions, actions, or emotions to create visual interest, emphasize a concept, or evoke a stronger response from the viewer. This technique often pushes elements beyond their realistic appearance or behavior for stylistic, narrative, or expressive purposes.
Symbolism is the use of visual elements, objects, colors, or compositions to represent deeper meanings, ideas, or concepts beyond their literal appearance. Symbolism allows an artist to communicate abstract or layered ideas in a subtle, visual way, often inviting viewers to interpret or connect with the work on a more emotional or intellectual level.
How can you practice working with basic shapes?
There are plenty of excersizes that can help you strengthen your ability to see, simplify and exaggerate basic shapes. Here are three of my favourites.
One Shape Illustrations: Choose one basic shape (ie. rectangles, triangles, circles) and use only that shape to create a variety of simple illustrations. For example, using only triangles, try to create: a cactus, a cat, a house, a tree, and a person. Then, switch shapes and try again. This exercise can be repeated so many times!
Shape Stacks: This exercise lets you play around with character creation. Create a stack of three basic shapes. Vary the sizes, too! You can use three of the same shape, three different shapes, two of one and three of another, etc. Then, use the silhouette of the three stacked silhouettes to create a character.
Stylistic Exaggeration: Draw a simple illustration using a photo reference - just a line drawing. Then, once you have the drawing, put away the photo reference and use, instead, your line drawing to reference for another illustration. But, this time, really exaggerate the shapes toward their more basic counterparts. An eye can become a circle or oval, for example, or a nose can become a triangle.
Hopefully these tips and exercises will help you improve your illustration skills as you begin to delve into this incredible art form. Stay tuned for many more blog posts to come about illustration basics!
