#050 Shapes | How to Modify Shapes
DRAWING REFERENCE: apples or other round fruit
YOU'LL NEED: 2-3 sheets of paper, pencil, eraser, a template for a 3 inch circle (like a jar, a cup, a can, or a roll of tape) and apples of different varieties
Hi and Welcome!
Great job practicing your hand movements in the last four lessons! Now it's time to start drawing like an artist by carefully observing real objects.
Artists learn to draw by looking closely at the world around them. Instead of drawing from memory or imagination, they study real objects and draw what they see.
In this lesson, you'll use a piece of fruit, such as an apple, as your drawing reference. You'll begin by finding its basic shape and then adjust that shape to match the fruit more accurately.
A circle template can help you get started. Think of the circle as a guide, not a part of your finished drawing. As you look carefully at the fruit, notice where the edges curve inward, bulge outward, or change direction. Then make small changes to your circle so it looks more like the fruit you are observing.
Today You Will:
- Find the fruit's basic shape.
- Observe the edges carefully.
- Change the shape to match the real fruit.
- Create a simple line drawing.
This may be your first time making a drawing from a real object, and that's an exciting step! Every artist learns by practicing, observing, and trying again.
What You'll Discover
1. Basic Shapes Are Everywhere
Many fruits can be simplified into basic geometric shapes. Today we'll start with a circle and use it as the foundation for our drawing.
2. How Artists Adjust Shapes
Real objects are rarely perfect geometric shapes. You'll learn how to modify the edges of a simple shape so it more closely matches the fruit you see.
Why This Matters
Learning to recognize basic shapes helps artists draw more accurately. When you can see the simple shapes inside an object, drawing becomes easier and more fun. As you practice, you'll discover that even complex objects can be built from simple shapes and careful observation.
Enjoy this quick 5-minute lesson and create a drawing! Use a real apple or another fruit you have at home. Look carefully, draw what you see, and discover how artists turn simple shapes into amazing drawings.
Happy Drawing!
— Brenda Ellis Abbey
If you want more great drawing, painting, and sculpture lessons, check out our art books for Preschool through High School ages.
