How To Draw A Broken Glass
Broken glass can be one of the hardest and most intricate objects to draw. But with a few tips and some practice, anyone with artistic skills can learn how to draw broken glass. Firstly, it’s essential to choose the right tools before beginning. Regular graphite pencils, blending stumps, and erasers will be your best friends. However, a straight edged ruler and a mat knife can come in handy too.
To begin, sketch the broken glass fragment carefully. This is the best time to get creative! Make sure to get the shape just right and give a little texture at the edges to emphasize that it’s broken glass. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect either, since glass rarely is.
The reflections are probably the most difficult part. These are what that can make a piece of broken glass look most realistic. Start by drawing the reflection of one object that’s nearby and use that as your guide for the rest. Pay attention to the size and angle of the reflection and keep your lines clear and straight.
Afterwards, darken the shadows and highlights. Use the blending stumps to soften the shadows and give extra texture. This is essential for getting the piece to look just right. Feel free to add bits of dirt for extra detail.
Finally, add extra details. Many people forget this last step which can really make the piece look more realistic and unique. You can use tools like the eraser to add energy lines and scratches, or a fine-tipped brush with ink to make tiny dots and circles in the glass.
Adding Clarity To Broken Glass
Adding clarity is the most important step in drawing broken glass. Nailing this step is the key to creating a piece of art that looks convincing and authentic. Start by lightly sketching out where the shards are, using horizontal lines for the cracks and scribbles for the jaggedness. From there, you’ll want to deepen the lines and add some texture to the edges of the glass.
Once the sketch is perfect, it’s time to add the clarity. With a soft pencil, lightly shade in the broken glass. Don’t press too hard; soft lines will give the best effects. After shading, add the reflection. Make sure you accurately map out the proportions, sizes, and angles of the reflection to get the right shape. Finally, add some texture and dirt to give it a more realistic look.
Making It Look Real
Realism is where the challenge lies when it comes to drawing broken glass. This is especially true when it comes to reflections. It’s important to pay close attention to the shapes and sizes of the reflections, and to make sure they accurately line up with the environment you’re drawing from.
Once you’ve got the sketch and clarity out of the way, it’s all about the finishing touches that are key for realism. To add more realism to your broken glass, try using small hints, such as bits of dirt on the shards or energy lines from impacts. These small details make all the difference when it comes to making your art look amazing.
Combining Pieces Of Glass
If you’re feeling adventurous, why not try combining several pieces of broken glass together? This is a more complex task as it requires mapping out exactly how the pieces fit together and also accounting for the reflections that occur.
To start, map out the pieces of glass and work out how they fit together. Make sure to pay attention to the reflections as they’ll be more scattered and unpredictable. If the pieces are angled in relation to the environment, the reflections will be warped and distorted. After the sketching processes is done, shade in the pieces and add details like textures and dirt.
Drawing Glass With Pen And Ink
The final step in creating broken glass art is drawing it in pen and ink. This gives a much more stylized look thanks to the sharpness of the pen. Unlike before, when drawing with graphite pencils, it’s important to practice the strokes beforehand.
Start by lightly sketching the piece of broken glass with a pencil, then go over it with an ultra-fine pen. Make sure to draw the tiniest of details, as these will contribute to making the piece look realistic. Then start adding the reflections. Be careful not to make the lines too thick and angular, as this will take away from the realism. Finally, add some texture and details to the edges to emphasize the broken glass.
