Basic Training
LESSON SEVEN
Another technique for creating accuracy is to practice repeated marks to build muscle memory. One of the fastest paths to confident line work is developing trust in your hand, and knowing it can perform instinctively. Thus allowing you to draw quickly and accurately.
Exercise Four
Once again, consider if you are left or right-handed, as this will determine the direction in which you draw. If you are left-handed, work from right to left; if right-handed, work from left to right. Always work from the far side of the page towards your dominant hand to avoid smudging. Feel free to rotate the page so you can work from top to bottom, and don’t hesitate to incorporate drawing strategies you’ve previously implemented, such as ghosting, to help improve your line drawing.
For this exercise we are going to be implementing the the “Three Bear Principle” which is using small, medium, and large lines to practice this technique. First, establish the length of four short lines roughly a quarter length of your page. Then two medium lines that span half the page, and a ‘large’ line that spans the entire length of the page; roughly following the example below.
Your job is to trace each line ten times, doing your best to keep each stroked aligned with the original. Ideally, each additional line will overlap so well that they are indistinguishable from the rest; a clean line as if it had only been drawn once. As always, we are looking for consistency and control, but not perfection. Each pass is an opportunity to refine your aim and reinforce muscle memory over time.
