Drawing White Objects

Notice the shadows

My niece has just started to draw--so I suggested she try to draw white objects and drawing from life, not photographs.

Why White?

One of the best ways to do this is to draw simple white objects against a white background.

Why?

1. There is no distracting color
2. There is no distracting pattern
3. You can see value clearly
4. See how shading shapes an object
5. learn the temperature of white
6. Understanding the difference between contour shadow and cast shadows

White is Not Always White

Notice the contour shadows

When we think of white we think of the absence of color. Not so! Have you ever gone looking for white paint in a paint store? How many shades of white are there? White has color. Actually white has all of them! But lets not get into that. White also has temperature. There are warm and cool whites. Whites that tend towards the yellow, whites that tend towards the blue. How does this effect drawing with graphite? Even a white egg will have value shifts in its contours.

See all the shades of white

While it is a challenge to draw, using white objects against a white background will teach you more than almost any other drawing exercise. Drawing these from life will help you focus on their true shape and size. Working with a couple of similarly white objects will also help you learn to evaluate relative size, placement and even texture. One of the classic drawing exercises used for many years in drawing classes the world over is drawing a white bowl of eggs. Or a simple grouping of eggs on a white tablecloth. Many an art student remember this and shudders! 

Simple shapes are not simple

Also by drawing white you are not deceived by differences in color intensity nor distracted by pattern. When you are first learning to draw ( and even after if you are honest) you will find different colors will catch your eye first or distract you from other objects around it. This is natural. We all have our own color preferences and sometimes dislikes. When you are using a monochrome media, like graphite, interpreting these colors into a value rich drawing can be both rewarding and a little confusing. Learning to judge which red is brighter, lighter or should be more value rich then the mustard yellow or purple can lead to really exciting drawing. Learning to focus also on the contour shading of an object, seeing the small value changes in a solidly colored object will help you draw that Chinese vase so it looks real, round and almost popping off the page instead of like a flat cutout.

Where are the edges?

To draw well, whether it is hyper-realistic or fantasy, abstract or cartooned, you need to understand the difference between cast shadows and contour shadow. You can read all you want. You can copy master drawings, use photographs, but until you do it yourself, from life learning to make your own judgments, you will not really experience the whole joy and freedom of drawing.

Learning the technical side of the art is freeing. Just as learning the scales when learning to play an instrument gives you the muscle memory to move with the rhythm of the song learning to see the contour shading frees you to draw what you see accurately. This makes it easier to manipulate objects when you want to. Understanding them helps you turn them inside out and create believable imaginary objects.

All white but not the same color