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How to Draw a Cartoon Wave

The Importance of Perspective.


Drawing a basic wave can be fun, but after a while it can get boring if you are merely following the same formula over and over again. The key to breaking out of this potential rut is achieved by drawing waves from different angles. There is only one way to successfully create a variety of angles and that is by using the basic principles of perspective. The two basic ingredients in perspective are the horizon line (your eye level) and the imaginary vanishing points. By merely changing the position of these ingredients in your image you’ll be amazed at the variety of waves you can create. See the two sketches below...

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View into the tube. Additional variations can be achieved just by moving the horizon line high or low and by moving the vanishing point right or left. Give it a try, experiment...


View out of the tube. A high horizon line and one vanishing point on the left and it’s as if your face is against the tube face and you’re racing for daylight...

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View out of the tube. Move the vanishing point to the right and more of the face becomes visible...

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View from a pier. A high horizon line with two vanishing points off to the right and left and it appears as though you’re viewing the wave from a pier, looking down on the wave...

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Paddler's eye view. Is accomplished by placing the horizon line extremely low. Both vanishing points are located outside of the image border, one to the left and one to the right...

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Bird's eye view. This is accomplished by moving the horizon line up and completely off the image. The two vanishing points are positioned way out to the right and left...

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Other views. A view looking down the point can also be achieved by moving these ingredients around...

*Click to enarge

BACK TO WAVE BASICS | CONTINUE TO VARIOUS SCENES...

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About these tutorials' author...

Bob Penuelas
{click here to view Bob's COTW profile/showcase}


© bob penuelas

Visit Bob's website for comics, toys and merchandise: www.wilbur-kookmeyer.com. And for original Wilbur Kookmeyer comic strip art and prints, visit Mckibben Studios