The Wholesome Obsessive

e1n:

I am currently taking a class called “Visual Communications”, which apparently is the very first foundation class people take when they go to an art school.  The purpose of this class is to train you so that you are confident with your lines and won’t need to scribble too much while sketching.

Our first week’s homework is training on hand stability.  I’ve heard a lot of artists complain that they have “shaky hands” and so when they ink their drawings, it comes out crap, so I thought I’d share my homework with you guys.

1. Draw a line about 2 inch long, as straight as you possibly can without a ruler.  Go over this line EIGHT times without making the line any thicker.  Repeat this exercise 10 times.
2. Draw a line about half a page long, as straight as you possibly can without a ruler.  Go over this line EIGHT times without making the line any thicker.  Repeat this exercise 10 times.
3. Draw a line from one end of the page to the opposite end, as straight as you possibly can without a ruler.  Go over this line EIGHT times without making the line any thicker.  Repeat this exercise 10 times.

Repeat the above exercise, but with an arc, and then with a wave.

We’re supposed to do this every day before we draw as a warm-up.  Basically just keep drawing lines, arcs, and waves until you fill up an entire 8.5x11 page.  Use felt-tip pens like microns/multiliner/sharpie.  Keep doing this for the rest of your drawing life and your inking will get significantly better.