Line Field / shape

Draw the Envelope Before Details

A broad outline keeps proportions together.

The small question

A broad outline keeps proportions together. This exercise asks you to check a visible relation rather than judge whether the whole sketch is good.

Try it in front of the subject

For a teapot, mark top, bottom, leftmost and rightmost points. Connect them with a light envelope of straight segments. Only then refine the spout and lid inside that outer limit. Keep the first marks light enough that you can revise them after another look.

What this exercise cannot prove

The envelope is a guide, not the final contour. If the measured extremes are wrong, correct the guide rather than forcing each detail to fit it. An example can suggest where to look, but the scene in front of you is the evidence for your drawing.

A second pass

Overlay a second light envelope after five minutes and note where the first one drifted. Keep the first attempt beside the revision so you can see which choice changed.

A field-note challenge

After placing the four extremes, check the teapot spout tip against the lid center. If it falls outside your initial envelope, change the envelope first. Darkening the spout to hide the mismatch will not resolve the underlying proportion. Save the light correction as a visible record.