How to Draw Accurately Every Time

5 lessons

Have you ever gotten to the end of a drawing and realized that something was “off”? Maybe the eyes were too far apart? Or, maybe the entire shape of the head was wrong, leaving your drawing looking lopsided and “just not quite right”? And now, after you’ve meticulously balanced the value throughout your drawing and you’re just about ready to “make it yours” by adding your signature… Going back to fix your drawing is either going to be a massive hassle or completely impossible.

But don’t worry, you aren’t the first artist to stumble upon this frustration...It’s an easy mistake to make. All it takes is one or two misguided strokes in the layout and the rest of your pencil strokes play follow-the-leader down the wrong path. And before you know it your drawing has quickly gotten away from you.
If your drawings have been down this path before and are you’re ready to unlock the secrets to drawing accurately (from the very first pencil stroke), then we have the solution:

How to Draw Accurately Every Time by Darrel Tank is a 5-part, powerhouse drawing class that will put an end to inaccurate drawings—for good!
There’s a battle for your best going on and you need all the help you can get! Accuracy is your ally. Imagine being in the thick of a drawing layout… Each and every stroke you make could be taking you further and further from where you need to be—you may not even be able to tell… yet.

Fortunately, over his nearly 50 years as a professional artist, Darrel has developed a method for checking your accuracy with two tools that you may have never associated with fine art… The straightedge (a.k.a. the edge of a ruler) and a divider. This method has helped thousands of frustrated artists draw more accurately than they ever thought possible—and it will help you too!

This series of 5 classes digs deep into the straightedge and divider method and presents it from a fresh new perspective unlike anything Darrel has ever done before. You’ll learn the ins-and-outs of the method at a relaxed, fun-to-follow pace and discover (or rediscover) just how valuable these two tools really are!
How to Draw Accurately Every Time was created to:
•	Put you in control of your drawings from the very first stroke — Discover how the straightedge and divider method allows you to check for proper angles, distances, and proportions from the very start of your drawing. It’s also one of the few ways that you can regularly check for accuracy at any point in the drawing process— this saves you from painful discoveries at the end.
•	Train your eyes to see shapes — The sooner you can start to recognize the individual shapes that can be found in the objects and people around you, the better. The straightedge and divider method allows you to break your drawings into easy to draw sections and gives you the ability to check every shape you draw for accuracy.
•	Prevent you from time-consuming bloopers! — A small mistake in your layout is only compounded as you continue to draw. How to Draw Accurately Every Time teaches you to recognize these errors while you can still easily fix them.

CHECK YOUR WORK
Understanding the straightedge and divider method gives you the option to check your work at every step of the drawing process. You can rest assured that the lines and shapes you create are accurate and won’t cause costly, time-consuming errors that may not come to light until you’re ready to sign your drawing.

START SEEING SHAPES
It’s easy to look at a subject or reference photo and feel overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of it all—but that won’t get you anywhere! The straightedge and divider method teaches you to see your drawings as a series of manageable, easy-to-draw shapes rather than a big, scary, obstacle you have to dread. The method starts as a guide, but as you continue to use it and grow as an artist you’ll begin to see these shapes naturally.

APPLY THE CONCEPT
It’s one thing to read a book or watch a lesson, but when it comes right down to it, when learning a new skill, nothing beats good ol’ application! You won’t just learn a new set of skills from these lessons: you’ll get the chance to put them to use while you layout an actual portrait.

BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE
You can be confident that the skills and techniques Darrel teaches are time tested and artist approved! Thousands of artists have drastically improved their “artistic vision” and advanced their drawing ability by following the 5-Pencil Method, and now you have the same opportunity. Here’s your chance to put Darrel’s nearly 50 years of experience to work for you!


part 1 - straightedge reference

part 2 - straightedge reference

part 3 - straightedge reference

part 4 - divider reference

part 4-additional reference

How to DRAW ACCURATELY Every Time

Draw Accurately: Solid Foundation - part 1

Draw Accurately: Truth in Triangles - part 2

Draw Accurately: Quest for Accuracy - part 3

Draw Accurately: Divider and Conquer - part 4

Draw Accurately: Clean Up - part 5

5 Lessons - Master these 2 drawing tools and you’ll create accurate drawings every time!

What is ArtStudio? Watch the video below to learn more:

**Weekly Critique submissions:** To use one of the CRITIQUE tokens on your account (purchased or earned) **[CLICK THIS LINK TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK AND REFERENCE IMAGE](https://form.jotform.com/71506781794163)**. EACH WEEK... the deadline for Art Studio Classic submissions is Tuesday evening at 10 pm EST. For the Art Studio PhotoRealism Class deadline is Sunday night at 10 pm EST. You may submit up to 2 works. Darrel will pick 3 to 5 each week to include at the end of his Wednesday Live Class or to add onto the recorded PhotoRealism lesson on Monday . Your token count will be reduced only if your critique is selected for Darrel to use during class. Please be sure to use a scanner if possible. If you need to use a picture, please be sure to have good lighting with no shadows or borders on your photo. If you need any assistance, please email support@fivepencilmethod.com or call 833-5-PENCIL.

Critique Tokens

How to DRAW ACCURATELY Every Time - Inst Vid

When you realize that even the smallest inaccuracies in the early stages of a drawing are bound to grow and be compounded with each new stroke, you understand the importance of a solid foundation. In Lesson 1, you'll start with the basics of Darrel's proven straightedge and divider method by drawing your first bearing lines, plotting your sizing points, and capturing that first angle - the first steps toward accuracy! In this lesson you'll take a closer look at the "infamous" straightedge and divider method. It's actually much simpler than you may have thought. In part one Darrel will show you how to take the first steps in using this effective method.  Hope you have fun!



Lesson 2 walks you through the process of triangulation. Don't be fooled by the fancy name; it's just another easy-to-use tool for creating accurate portraits. By breaking your subject into these manageable shapes (triangles), you'll not only create more accurate drawings, but you'll also be able to tackle the project one small step at a time, avoiding overwhelming frustration as well. 

The quest for accuracy continues! As you continue to create shapes, you're going to witness a transformation. Each new shape gives you the opportunity to start roughing out the form of the face, changing your drawing from a series of lines and dots to a recognizable form that you can get excited about. Here's the next step in the layout process using the straightedge and divider method. Mark the point you want to find Imagine where the triangle would be drawn to this point, but don't draw it Use your straightedge to transfer your imaginary triangle to your drawing paper TIP As you find each point, make a mark that represents the angle of the facial feature that your point is referring to. This helps you keep track of what each point is for and helps your portrait take shape. For a detailed illustration, check out the resources below this video.



Darrel shares the secrets of his “divider recipe.” If you aren’t familiar with the divider as a tool for accurate drawing, you soon will be! The divider is just one more simple opportunity to ensure that your drawings are accurate before you invest your precious time and energy in creating the eye-popping, realistic masterpieces you’re after! The straightedge is only one half of this dynamic duo. In this lesson you’ll become well acquainted with the divider and discover just how helpful it can be to your pursuit for accuracy. Here are the steps to follow. For a detailed illustration, follow the link included in this lesson. Find a distance in your reference Find a distance that is the same as step 1 AND that you already know the distance of in your drawing Find the distance in your drawing between the same points you found in step 2 Find the point in your drawing that you first measured in step 1. Make a pencil mark! TIP As you find each point, make a mark that represents the angle of the facial feature that your point is referring to. This helps you keep track of what each point is for and helps your portrait take shape.

Time to clean things up. The aftermath of the layout process leaves you with a rough, albeit beautiful, rendering of your subject of choice. In order to avoid confusion in the later stages of your drawing, Darrel shows you how to clean up and commit to your lines. Plus, learn how to use the power of a gradient to create the illusions of depth and dimension at every step in the drawing process. Now that you've used the straightedge/divider method to layout your image, it's time to clean it up and define your lines. Clean up your lines Start by cleaning up your drawing. Erase those extra strokes and remove your bearing points and lines to create a tidy work space and clean lines. Identify what's in front Identify what lines are going to be in the forefront of your drawing and which are going to go behind something and out of your sight. At these places, dedicate your lines by creating an edge to value. Use your patch exercise to create edge to value Now that you have clean lines and you've established which ones will go behind another feature and out of sight, you can add a gradation to your plain Jane lines to give them depth and dimension. It's just like making a patch. You're creating a gradient, starting dark and getting lighter, lighter, lighter. The gradation is an integral part of the process. Anywhere your lines are lacking a gradation, it's going to be flat and lifeless. So, go over your drawing and create these gradations, being sure to fill in any gaps as you go. Have fun!



How to DRAW ACCURATELY Every Time

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How to DRAW ACCURATELY Every Time