Still Life – Tools of the Trade

Artwork by Dan S., Drawing Academy student

Here is a still life that depicts all of the tools needed by the the sketch artist.

It is drawn in two-point perspective with the light from above and to the left slightly.

I believe I learned quite a bit in the process of drawing it and it may have caused me to think about challenges that I had not thought about before.

My questions are:

1. How cast shadows look in perspective?
2. How should one approach drawing printed lettering in perspective (on a book, for example)?
3. What is your opinion on drawing a picture-in-a-picture such that it looks like a realistic photo of objects?

Best Regards,
Dan S.

Dear Dan,

We like this composition a lot, well done. It might be not perfect, but very interesting to look at and it clearly shows that you did this artwork with great attention to details, using constructive drawing principles.

There might be some questions about 2-point perspective, for example, you may double check how lines of sketchbooks converge in vanishing points.

Please consider the following points:

1. The cast shadow has to gradually become lighter the further from object it is and then disappear.

2. Printed lettering is good. You don’t have to go hyper-realistic.

3. We like your drawings-in-a-drawing.

4. You have parallel linear perspective; see red lines on the image above. In two-point perspective, these lines will converge in two points on the horizon line.

5. Constructive drawing – the bottom oval of the mug does not correspond with the top one. The correct outline is marked in green.

We hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Natalie Richy and Vladimir London
Drawing Academy tutors