Three Easy Ways to Copy 2D Images, Shapes and Photo References

If you have problems drawing / sketching or copying something you like and never seem to get its proportions right, you’ve come to the right place. 

The ability to copy shapes of a reference effectively is a skill everybody can learn. 

Three Painless Ways to Copy an Image or Photo Reference

You can of course use your own trial and error approach. With some luck you may end up something decent. If that is what you want, this tutorial is not for your.

“I cannot draw”. Really? Not even a square? A triangle? A rectangle? A circle or an oval? If you can draw these, you can draw practically almost anything.

Everybody can sketch and draw. You cannot, because you have not yet learn how. 

In this video tutorial I show you three easy ways you can learn immediately and start copying something. You will not believe suddenly you can actually sketch or draw. All you need to have is someone who will give you some tips and secrets of the trade. And this is what I am doing here.

Watch the video. Follow the steps and practice once on your own. You may cry out loud, “Why didn’t anybody tell me about these before.” Well, now you can. 

You will learn about

1) The Geometric Shape Method

2) The Grid Method, and

3) The Negative Space Method

Extra comments:

The Geometric Shape Method is most useful in the Design & Technology Coursework Journaling context. Very versatile and quick approach that does not limit you to only copying a reference, it enables you to also be able to produce new sketches very quickly.

The Grid Method is good for transferring a final Developed 2D profile on a work piece. You see, after development with all proportions and dimensions confirmed, you want to plot an exact copy of the profile on the work piece. The Grid Method does that perfectly. You may also use the Grid Method to quickly transfer a profile to the next for refinement or development.

The Negative Space Method is practically unheard of in the Design & Technology world because it is more ART related method. This method is perfect both for outdoor sketching and for copying an image quickly without loosing too much control over accuracies. 

The Negative Space Method allows the sketcher or artist to quickly block out external spaces outside the focus area. To quickly establish the proportions and shapes of the focus, without actually drawing them. The Negative Spaces almost instantly create the profile within. Details can then be added after that.

But there is nothing that stops you from using the Negative Space Method in the context of D&T. You need to have a good repertoire of skills. Then you will know when to employ which.

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