#061 Placement on the Paper | Using an Aggregate Shape
DRAWING REFERENCE: A group of dishes of various heights.
YOU'LL NEED: drawing paper 9x12 inches or copy paper, pencil, eraser
Hi and Welcome!
Have you ever started a drawing and run out of room on your paper? Artists have a simple solution for this problem. Before drawing all the small details, they look for the biggest shape that holds everything together. Its an imaginary line surrounding the objects. This large shape is called an aggregate shape.
Today You Will
Learn how to find the large shape that a group of smaller shapes create. You'll use an aggregate shape to help plan your drawing before adding details.
What You'll Discover
1. Big Shapes Come Before Small Shapes
Artists often begin by looking for the largest shape they can see. This helps them organize the drawing and place it correctly on the paper.
2. Many Shapes Can Become One Shape
A bowl full of fruit, or a group of flowers can often be simplified into one large shape before drawing the smaller parts.
3. Aggregate Shapes Help You Plan
By drawing the aggregate shape first, you can judge the size and placement of your subject and make sure it fits comfortably on the page.
Why This Matters
Aggregate shapes help artists solve one of the most common drawing problems—running out of space. When you find the big shape first, you can see how much room your subject needs before adding details. This helps you create drawings with better placement and more accurate relationships between objects.
Enjoy this lesson and have fun discovering the big shapes surrounding everyday objects!
Happy Drawing!
— Brenda Ellis Abbey
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