Free-hand Sketching

Class, let's work through our first example: sketching a simple house step by step. We begin with a rectangle for the walls. This gives us the basic shape of the house. Notice how the rectangle defines the height and width—just like the walls of a family home in Nairobi. Next, we add a triangular roof using two diagonal lines that meet at the top. These lines create the roof peak, giving the house its classic silhouette. We label the walls so everyone can see what each part represents. Similarly, we label the roof. Let's draw the door with a straight vertical line and a small horizontal line for the top. We label this part as the door. Finally, we add two windows using rectangles and label each one. These are our windows, and we repeat the label for the second window. We've turned a few simple lines into a recognizable house drawing. Any questions before we move on?

Let's dive into our worked example: drawing a Kenyan baobab tree in 2‑D. We'll break it down step by step so you can see how simple lines create a recognizable tree. First, sketch the trunk using two slightly curved vertical lines. Think of the trunk as the sturdy pillar of the tree, a bit like the straight‑and‑slightly‑bendy base of a giraffe's neck. Notice the shape here that will become our ground line. A quick line at the bottom anchors the tree, giving it a sense of place on the savanna. At this table summarizing line types: straight lines for the trunk, curved lines for the crown. This helps you remember which tool to use for each part. Next, we create the crown by overlapping circles and adding curved lines. Imagine the baobab's massive, bottle‑shaped canopy—those circles give us that round, voluminous feel. Finally, add a light shading hint on one side of the trunk and a few short strokes on the ground line to suggest texture. That little detail brings the drawing to life.

Everyone, let's dive into Worked Example 3: a simple 3‑D cube drawn in one‑point perspective. First, we draw a square for the front face of the cube. This will be our reference plane. Next, we add converging lines from each corner toward a single vanishing point on the horizon—just like railroad tracks disappearing in the distance. Then we complete the back face by drawing lines parallel to the front‑face edges, keeping the same length to show depth. Finally, remember to keep the line lengths consistent—this makes the cube look solid and realistic. You've just created a basic 3‑D cube using free‑hand perspective. Any questions before we move on?