You are here

Understanding Sketching

Lesson 1 in Sketching Anything

Lesson Information

Explore several sketching techniques and learn why each can solve a separate design problem. Each sketching style has a unique, yet simple process. You'll also learn the importance of organizing reference material, along with understanding its uses.


Beginner: Sketch 3 environments of your choosing. You can do studies from photos, come up with your own story or setting, or even sketch an original environment in the style of your favorite movie, show, or game.

Advanced: Design 3 environments that are all original, only using photo reference as a guide. The skteches don't need to be at full finish, but everything should be clearly represented. Generally this means some "thinking sketches" must be done to figure out the design of the main focal point or any complex object in the scene.

Extra Credit

Show a cross section view or a functional turnaround of your focal point object and show the design in more specific detail.


Join the discussion!

Log in or register to post comments

Question - does this course weave in the technical components of sketching? Mostly which PS brushes can be used to do what? As I work my way through this first lesson, it feels mostly like theory, but I'm concerned it won't help connect theory to 'paper' by avoiding bridging the technical gap. Is that something that happens?

I get how you took photos from the first chapter and broke them down to simple shapes and redrew them exaggerating things here and there but what I don't understand for the life of me is how you draw things that don't exist. There are examples in the course where you drew space ships or alien things, environments that clearly are not of a photo from nature, but I don't see in the course on where you explain how you do this as an artist. I can't find information on this anywhere. I know how to draw from a photo but I don't know how to make fantasy artwork.

In understanding sketching: loose detail, you have some thumbnails there and the bottom left one is a spaceship that looks alien. You said you drew that in 15 minutes but how did you draw it? Did you combine multiple references together and create something that way? Did you take a reference and exaggerate it? Did you draw it off the top of your head? If so, how did you come up with that without any kind of reference and how can I learn to do the same? I get sick of drawing and painting things I can see because it feels boring to me to draw trees and stuff. I hope you can help with this.

View 2 replies

It's hard to explain, but the best way to think about it is to see what you like about each reference. Then use the texture proportion technique to evenly distribute each of those unique features as you please within the composition.

The easiest answer i can think of for that is simply: get reference of a lot of shit that interests you and study it by drawing it multiple times, from different angles/perspectives, and try to understand it by breaking it all down into simple shapes. After that you can pretty much draw anything in your scenes :)

Alright here are some sketches that I manage to do this week.

Sketching Anything: Homework for Lesson 1

I focused my efforts on two things. Composition and the three value range (Loose Sketching Details). I mostly do storyboards for live-action films and short films.
I have a bad habit of over-rendering my boards too much so this is one of the reasons why I decided to really concentrate on one style of sketching.
My composition skills need a boost as well.

Thank you,


This course is indeed Awesome!

View 2 replies

Lesson Plan