Introduction toPlan, Sketch, Draw
Before diving into every tiny detail, let’s take a step back and make a game plan. Great drawings don’t start with perfect lines — they start with simple shapes and smart thinking!
In this lesson, you’ll learn to see objects as building blocks: circles, squares, triangles, and more. We’ll sketch lightly to map out the composition, then go in with confident lines to bring the drawing to life.
You’ll need a pencil to draw with. Any grade is fine, but I like to use a 2B when drawing my initial outlines because it’s soft enough to erase easily without being too heavy.
Making mistakes is essential in this exercise, so draw lightly and be prepared to erase all the planning lines and initial sketch lines before committing to your final drawing.
You will need something to draw on, so find yourself a sheet of cartridge paper, approximately 140gsm is perfect but so long as you’re not using printer paper you will be OK.
It’s OK to use a ruler to measure the width and height of the main basic shapes, but you can do this by eye too. Don’t use it to draw straight lines though, as it could make your drawing look too mechanical.
How to look carefully
When drawing, it’s important to really look at your subject — not just rely on what you think it looks like.
Our brains often try to fill in the blanks with what’s familiar, but drawing accurately means observing closely and breaking things down into shapes and lines, not assumptions. Instead of seeing a teacup or a bicycle, try to see circles, ovals, rectangles, and angles.
This approach helps simplify even the most complex subject. Once you’ve mapped out the basic forms, you can add the details on top.
The ‘Plan–Sketch–Draw’ Method
Lightly draw the basic shapes that make up your subject — big forms first, then smaller ones to build structure. Use simple shapes (circles, rectangles, triangles) and keep it light so you can erase later.
Use those shapes as a guide to loosely sketch the basics. Make changes as you go — refining, adjusting proportions, and erasing unnecessary lines.
Don’t even attempt perfection — this is where the drawing takes shape. If you try too hard to get it ‘right’, you risk your lines looking rigid instead of expressive.
Once everything looks right, go in with confident final lines. Clean up any remaining guides with your eraser, and let the finished drawing emerge from the solid groundwork you’ve built.
Top tips:
- Press lightly with your initial pencil lines
- Look carefully to ensure you’re drawing what you see, not what you ‘think’ you see
- Compare every line and shape with the other lines and shapes nearby. Which is bigger/smaller? Where do the lines and shapes intersect? How do the angles compare?
- Simplify everything first. You can add more detail and complexity after you’ve got the basic shapes right
- Don’t shade anything until you’re happy with all your outlines
Let’s see it in action:
The finished drawing:
Examples by other students:
What do you think has gone well and how might they be improved?