FRAMEBURST ACADEMY 13
Summary (TL;DR)
What if drawing is not about talent or passion…
But about construction?
What if every character… every object…
is merely shapes assembled together?
Let’s explore how easy this really is.
🎬 What Does “Construction” Mean in Animation?
Construction means:
You do not draw everything at once.
You build it step by step.
Just like building a toy with Legos.
You do not start with the finished shape.
You start little…
Then slowly add more components.
That’s how animation works as well.
🧱 Why Animators Start with Simple Shapes
Imagine trying to draw a person directly.
It feels troublesome, correct?
Too many details.
Too confusing.
Now envision this instead:
- A oval for the head
- A rectangle for the body
- Lines for arms and legs
All of a sudden… it feels easier.
That is why animators, along with artists, utilize shapes.
Shapes make things:
- Easier to build
- Easier to repair
- Easier to understand
You are no longer guessing anymore.
You are building.
🔷 Basic 2D Shapes:
(Flat Shapes)
These are basic shapes you are familiar with.
Think of them like sheets of paper.
⬜ Square:
A box with equal sides.
Like a small tile.
▭ Rectangle:
Like a door or a book.
⚪ Circle:
Similar to a coin or a ball
(from the front).
➖ Line:
A simple linear line.
Like a stick.
🥚 Oval:
Like an egg shape.
🔺 Triangle:
Like a slice of pizza.
These shapes are flat.
They lack depth.
But they help you plan your drawing.
🧊 Basic 3D Shapes:
(Shapes with Depth)
Now imagine shapes that feel more tangible.
Like you can hold them.
⚽ Sphere:
Like a ball.
🥚 Ovoid:
Like a stretched circle, seen at an angle.
📦 Cube:
Like a dice or small box.
📦 Cuboid:
Like a book or shoebox.
🔺 Pyramid:
Like a triangle standing up.
🍦 Cone:
Like an ice cream cone,
But pointing upwards.
🥫 Cylinder
Like a Fanta can.
These forms feel solid.
They help you grasp volume and space.
🧠 Everything Is Just Shapes Combined:
Here’s the key concept:
Nothing is complex.
Everything is just shapes put together.
Let’s imagine:
👤 A Person:
- Head -> sphere
- Body -> cuboid
- Arms -> cylinder
- Legs -> cylinder
That’s all.
🐶 A Dog:
- Head -> Sphere
- Mouth -> Ovoid
- Body -> Ovoid
- Legs -> small cuboid
- Ears → Pyramid
Simple shapes… merged together.
🚗 A Car:
- Body -> cuboid
- Wheels -> cylinder
- Windows -> smaller cuboid
Again, just forms.
As soon as you know this…
Drawing becomes less intimidating.
Because you are not drawing a “person” or a “animal”
You are just putting shapes together.
🌱 A Final Thought
You do not need to be perfect.
You do not have to create astonishing artwork right away.
Just start with shapes.
Practice:
- Lines
- Rectangle
- Triangle
- Circles
- Cuboid
- Cone
- Cylinder
- Sphere
Slowly mix them.
And one day…
You will look back and understand:
“I can make living and non-living things I never thought I could.”
Because you understood one simple fact:
Everything is formed. Not magically construct.
And you can build also.
⏭️What’s Your Next Step (Coming Thursday):
Next blog: How to draw your own character using simple shapes that you just learnt?
👉 click here:
Now that you comprehend shapes…
It is time to turn them into something real.
Your own character.
See you until the next summon. 🎬