How To Draw A Microscope
Are you a budding artist looking to spice up your portfolio? Or perhaps you’ve seen a microscope in real life or in a movie, but weren’t sure how to draw your own version? Drawing microscopes is actually a lot easier than you might think. It’s a skill that can be learnt in only a few hours and you’ll have a fun masterpiece to show off to your friends and family by the end.
Drawing a microscope can be broken down into five main steps – obtaining inspiration, setting out the base of the microscope, adding extra features, adding the finishing touches and shading. In no time at all you’ll have a microscope on the paper that’s practically jumping out at you from the page. So, don’t waste any more time – let’s learn how to draw a microscope!
Obtaining Inspiration
Now, in order to even begin drawing a microscope, it’s important to come up with a few ideas. Obviously, the artist has to come up with the blueprint for the microscope, but also consider ideas for colors, textures, and lighting effects to make the microscope more realistic. Therefore, the first step is to get inspiration – and there are plenty of sources to choose from.
Perhaps the first port of call should be books and magazines, as they’re filled to the brim with microscopes of all shapes and sizes. For the more visual person in the room, why not fire up YouTube or Pinterest and have a scroll through stunning microscope images. Or, better yet, have a go at finding pictures of microscopes in the real world – either virtually or by visiting a lab or clinic. Capture as many images as you can and take note – any features you could add to your own drawing?
Once you have a few ideas in mind, it’s time to get ready to start drawing…
Setting Out The Base Of The Microscope
When it comes to drawing any object, the easiest step is the beginning – making sure you capture the object’s basic shape on the paper. For microscopes, things are simple – there aren’t many shapes needed for its construction.
First off, draw a rectangular base for the microscope to hang off. This rectangle is usually level with the ground and can be as long and wide as needed; depending on the size and style of microscope that has been chosen.
Once the large shape is on the paper, it’s time to fill in the gaps. Draw a long, thin line extending out of the right side of the microscope and curving up to form a pattern similar to a hook. This is where the arm of the microscope will attach – think of it like a hook to hang the microscope off the paper.
Once these shapes have been made, draw an oval towards the right on the arm – this is going to be used as the body of the microscope. Now all that’s needed is one more extremely important shape – the lens. For this, draw two circles either side of the body – one slightly larger than the other – and there you have the foundation for a basic microscope!
Adding Extra Features
Now that you’ve got the basic microscope shape on your paper, it’s time to add some extra features. The most obvious feature that needs to be added is – of course – the lenses. One lens will be slightly bigger than the other and will be situated slightly lower down on the body of the microscope. Make sure to draw two smaller circles inside the outer circles to represent the sides of the lenses.
Once the lens is on the page, the next step is to draw the eye piece. This is the part of the microscope that you look through when you’re viewing your slides. It’s usually situated at the top of the microscope and looks a bit like an X shape – draw this near the larger lens.
Finally, the microscope won’t be the same without its arm. Connect the arm to the base of the microscope and make sure it’s slightly curved – that’s how it’s designed so it can make room for the body and lenses.
Adding The Finishing Touches
It’s now time to add the final touches – and this is where the fun really starts. First off, it’s best to add some smaller details around the body of the microscope – think knobs, dials, buttons, etc. These features can be of any length, size, or shape you like; just make sure they’re relatively uniform and not overcrowded on the page.
Lastly, it’s time to make the microscope look realistic. If a microscope was actually in front of you, it would be smooth and glossy. To capture this on the page, use a color pencil to add soft shadows and highlight to the parts of the microscope. This will give off the illusion of a 3D object, as well as bring out the features of your microscope more clearly.
Shading
Once the final details have been added, it’s time to start adding some shading to the microscope. This is a crucial step because it brings the microscope and the entire artwork to life. To begin, use an eraser to gently erase and soften some of the lines around the main features of the microscope, as this will create the feel of a light source making the microscope stand out.
After this, use a pencil to add some shadows and highlights to your microscope. Start by shading in the gaps between any parts connected to the body – such as knobs and buttons – to give off the feeling of them being built up and connected to the microscope. After this, use a light pencil to add delicate shadows around the lenses and the eye piece to give off the sense of light reflecting off them.
All that’s left now is to add some color, textures and details. If the microscope is realistic, add color to the base and arms to portray the material that it’s made from. If it’s an artistic microscope, add color in any way that you want – be creative! And for textures, use cross-hatching, stippling, or any kind of effect that you think looks good.
Launch Your Drawing To The Next Level
Now that you’ve got your microscope drawing finished, there are so many ways to go about improving it even more. For starters, why not try adding a background? Choose a suitable color and texture – like a sandy beach or a dimly lit lab – and draw this around the outside of the drawing. This will make the microscope the focal point and make your artwork even more striking.
Secondly, you could use a thicker pen or marker to outline the features of the microscope to bring out its features even more. This is especially effective when used on the base and arms of the microscope, as these tend to get lost when using a pencil or color pencil. Bold lines on these sections will really make a difference and give the drawing more of a polished feel.
To top it all off, you could go wild with the color – there are so many possibilities! Think about layering up colorful shades for the body, arms, and lens; perhaps you could even draw a pattern over the body of the microscope? The little details are the difference between a good drawing and a great drawing.
Make Your Own Masterpiece
Now that you’ve learnt how to draw a microscope, there’s no limit to what you can draw. Take what you’ve learned from this article and put it in practice by creating your own masterpiece. Use the tips and tricks provided in this article to draw your own unique microscope, and make sure you practice, practice, practice – the only way to get better is through practice! So why not grab a pencil and a piece of paper and get to work on your microscope? You never know, you could be looking at a professional masterpiece in no time.
