KNOW-HOW

Sketches, either you are an architect, interior designer or graphic designer, are an important communication tool than not only helps you communicate your idea with your clients but also convert your abstract ideas into specific drawings. 

The illusion of three-dimensionality enhances sketches, even the simplest ones, makes them more vivid and sophisticated. Below you’ll see 3 simple techniques that will help you break the flatness of the paper and add depth and 3 dimensionality to your sketches.

• By using light, mediun and dark tones. Any object is visible only under light. The parts of an object that are closer to a light source are lighter than the parts of the objects that are farther from the light source.

Look the following shapes. The first sphere seems flat while the second seems 3 dimensional. The only thing that it was applied to the second sphere was the technique of light, medium and dark tones. The same technique was applied to the cylinder. 

• By adding shades. Any objects under the influence of light crates shade. You can make a shape pop-up from the paper or canvas by adding its shade. 

Shades can also give information about the shape of an object and reveal whether an object is higher that another. Look the following sketches. The first sketch just shows two rectangles one inside the other. The second with the shade reveals that the outer surface is higher that the inner surface. 

• By placing one shape over the other. If we observe scenes around as, we’ll notice that objects usually overlap with each other, of course only in the way we see the objects, not in reality. Most objects are opaque or with a degree of transparency, so they hide those objects that are farther from our view. 

Look the following façade. By adding some tree branches and a human figure in front of the façade the scene became more perspective.