Sketching: A Shortcut to Learning CG

What is sketching？

Sketching is mainly to train the ability of observing and expressing the form, structure, light and darkness, texture, quantity and space of objects. Therefore, people usually say that our paintings are inaccurate in shape, incorrect in structure, and insufficient in contrast between light and darkness, which means that our basic skills are not good.

Why should I study sketch?

For people who want to learn CG with zero foundation, learning sketching first is the most scientific and efficient way. Of course, if you think firmly that the black and white, square and round sketches do not have much to do with CG illustration, there is no way.

It is the foundation of modern art, it is a way of thinking and training method, and it is the basis for learning various styles of painting. In fact, in CG, you don’t need to eat the sketches very thoroughly like traditional art. In fact, what you need to learn is also related to the future.

Learning sketching helps you master a lot of practical drawing skills and fundamentals, or at least makes your drawings not look weird.

How to learn sketch

You must know the skeletal muscles and structure of people, the differences between men and women and the facial features of people, etc. If you draw a scene, you must know the perspective of the scene, the relationship between the near and the far, and the composition of the picture; even if you want to draw a very simple object, you must have a sense of light and shadow and composition, and you must know the relationship between colors.

And all these things can only be learned after a long period of study (whether self-learning or looking for a teacher to learn). Therefore, learning CG animation must learn painting, in fact, it is a kind of CG animation is painting, you find training courses to learn is also learning painting.

First we need to understand the theory of sketching. Practice is based on theory. It is important to pay attention to the point, line and surface of the form. We are depicting a three-dimensional object. Pay attention to the proportions. Different proportional relationships create different aesthetics. The shape characteristics of the object. We have to summarize the shape of the object, grasp the characteristics, and then simplify the original shape. And master the observation method, etc. A good grasp of sketch theory is an indispensable basic for future painting.

Then we use the brushes in Photoshop to do the painting. Take a paper toner textured male old man head as an example. Draw the outline of the male head using the brush in combination with the skeletal muscle structure of the person. Then refine the face, hair, etc. to add details. Lay the base color to make the head more realistic.

Although you understand the basic theory of sketching and learn the basic drawing, you still need time and practice to really master it. Pay more attention to people, things and objects in life, which may bring you unexpected inspiration to create better works.

There is a useful tutorial for you, CG Sketch Painting: Head Portrait, which will teach you how to adjust brushes with a realistic painting material feel, and will lead you to analyze the composition principles behind great sketches with artistic expression. Using several sketching character style cases to explain, you can easily draw excellent CG sketches with expressive and realistic painting sense.

Through this tutorial, you will learn

1. How to draw a male avatar with a texture of toner on paper

2. The painting method of the old man’s head with texture texture on canvas

3. How to draw a male profile face

4. Painting method of backlit head portrait

If you want to learn more sketching skills, come and join Wingfox to learn together!