Practice: Terminator Studies

Overview

In this project, you'll draw different objects from life, looking specifically for the terminator.

Materials Needed

  • Pencil

  • Paper

  • Eraser

  • An object to draw

White or light objects with matte (not shiny) surfaces are ideal. Good examples are toilet paper rolls, eggs, garlic, paper cups, folded paper, etc. You can also cover any object with white paint and then draw it. 😀 For now, avoid shiny objects, such as glossy ceramic. Avoid complex objects unless you have plenty of time to draw.

Examples

Steps

  1. Set up your object and lighting, so you can clearly see the terminator. Direct sunlight usually works well. If you are indoors, make sure you only have one light source shining on your object.

  2. Sketch the object, emphasizing the terminator.

  3. Tone in the form shadow and cast shadow, each with a flat, unified tone.

  4. If you like, you can color the terminator in red and the cast shadow in blue.

  5. Take a photo of your object and your sketch and combine them into one image. (If you don't have Photoshop or similar, you can use Canva.com.)

Duration

This project should take 30–60 minutes to complete.

Common Mistakes

Rendering

Don't render/shade the drawing. Just focus on identifying the terminator.

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