Drawing
ellipses is one of the basics of drawing techniques. However, I have seen many
of my students struggle with drawing a basic ellipse. The ellipse’s gentle
curves and its symmetry can be hard to put down freehand. Not only that, but
the ellipse’s arc will shift in appearance depending upon how the vessel is
viewed.
Difficulty
in drawing Ellipses
 |
| Drawing an Ellipse |
The
challenge becomes ever more difficult if an object has multiple ellipses such
as that seen on the thread of bottle tops or ornaments. The best thing to do is
to draw the simplest ellipse shape before venturing further. My video clip on
drawing the most basic ellipse shape will enable the artist to build upon this
skill when more complex subject matter is tackled.
Mistakes
in Drawing Ellipses
Improvements
can be made in drawing when looking out for common mistakes whilst drawing an
ellipse. This can also be seen in the video clip, which includes: drawing
ellipses with corners, sloping ellipses, ellipses without symmetry and ellipses
without depth to the rim. The secret is to plot the ellipse before drawing it.
This will guard against the elliptical element turning out wrong.
Drawing
Techniques for Still Life
Make
sure the plotlines on which the ellipse rests is perpendicular in form and
symmetrical in shape before laying down the lines. To this end, the beginner
may plot a faint cross onto a piece of paper before drawing the ellipse. Make
sure the cross is true to vertical and horizontal. The video slip shows how to
plot the elliptical element of an object into a rectangle sketched on top of the
cross. The ellipse shape itself can then be placed within the rectangle and the
rectangle rubbed out. Make sure the ellipse shape rests centrally within the rectangle
before going further.
The
Curves of an Ellipse
The
curves of the ellipse can be sketched faintly at first. Turn the drawing upside
down to check if any element of the ellipse is not central or symmetrical. Bear
in mind that the curves of an ellipse will alter between top, bottom and sides.
Ellipses will never possess corners, regardless of how obliquely it is viewed.
The curves simply become tighter in appearance. This means taking care on how
the curves are drawn. Of course, the arc opens out on the top and bottom of the
ellipse form.
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| How not to Draw an Ellipse: Asymmetrically, tear-shaped, with corners & with a rim of equal depth |
Sketching
Techniques for Still Life Objects with Ellipses
The
rim of an ellipse will have depth of some kind. Due to the foreshortening
effect, the depth will appear widest to the far left and right of an ellipse.
This can be seen in the video clip. Never draw the rim of an ellipse as having
the same depth all round, also this is true in reality.
Once
the ellipse shape is sketched in, the rest is simple. Sketch the rest of the vessel
using the cross as guidance. Note that the curve at the base of the vessel (if
viewed from slightly above) will appear more curved than the ellipse at the top.
Never illustrate the base of a vessel with a flat bottom.
Objects
with Ellipses in Drawing
The
key to drawing good ellipses is to avoid common mistakes, which are asymmetry,
illustrating corners, rendering sloping ellipses or tear-shapes ellipses. This often
means sketching plotlines onto which the ellipse may rest. The outline of an
ellipse can then be keyed into these plotlines. The video shows how an ellipse element
can be plotted over a cross and a rectangle. The ellipse is more likely to be
even, perpendicular and symmetrical in shape. The rest of the vessel is then
made more easy.
More Drawing Techniques
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