The cube is the most basic shape.

You will
need to be able to draw it from any angle.
Drawing the cube and similar objects
(such as books, boxes etc.) is the simplest
DRAWING A CUBE way of understanding the notion of
perspective.

Let’s draw a cube step by step. First step

OBSERVATION is observation: take a look at the model.
What angle are you looking at? Is it one or
two point perspective? Sometimes it’s
confusing, so to check it you should
extend horizontal lines and see if they are
going to converge.

More often its just about the front face. If

OBSERVATION it’s open to you it’s one point perspective.
If you see a rib of the cube somewhere
close to the center, it’s 2 point
perspective.
FACE
RIB

1 Point 2 Point
 You want your every drawing look good.
COMPOSITION So plan the composition even when its
just one object. Is there enough space for
the object?

Don’t forget the cube has a shadow.

COMPOSITION Consider it when you plan the space.

May be you should make it smaller?

COMPOSITION Sketch the object very lightly, just to
define it’s location. Now when we
decided on composition, lets start
drawing.
 Depends on the angle you will start either
with the front face or the closest corner.

1 2

The next step is drawing the base of a

cube. In situation 1 look at the angle at
the right. Draw a line, then draw a back
line parallel to the front one.

1 2

Now important moment. You will draw

the invisible line that should go parallel to
the right one. Remember they will be
slightly converging.

1 2
 Same is happening with drawing number
2. The only difference is that we see two
faces of the cube, so we will see parallel
lines going in two directions.

1 2

After we finished the base we can draw

all the vertical lines. Remember they all
EVEN SHORTER
are going to be parallel. Also the front ribs
SHORTER

SHORTER
are closer to us, so they are going to be
TALLER
TALLER
slightly taller than the ones at the back.
But if two ribs are on the same distance
1 2
from us they are going to be the same.

The final step is to connect all the points

at the top.

1 2
 After you done with the structural part,
you can remove all the invisible parts.

1 2

Next step is shading. But before you start

let’s see what do the numbers one cube
mean. Those are values. Remember the
3 7
term values? We have talked about it
2
6 before.
1 8
9

Value is how light or dark an object or

VALUE element is, independent of its color
 Value 1 Is the lightest light.

3 7
2
6
LIGHT 1 8
9

What it really means that the light

sours is located the way that it hits
strictly that area.
3 7
2
6
1 8
9

2 - following on from the lightest

light, is some slight darkening of
the lights. That area gets a bit less
3 7
light
2
6
1 8
9
 Value #3 this is the light half-tone
LIGHT HALF-TONE
or the normal local value of the
object. At this point the whole left
3 7
side of the cube is the area of light
2
6
1 8
9

Now let’s see what’s happening on

the right side. The edge of the
cube is partially blocking the light
3 EDGE 7 TERMINATOR
as a result we get Value #7 which
2
6 is right on the edge where the light
1 8
9
and the shadow meet. This is
sometimes referred to as the
“bed-bug line”, or the “terminator
line”, or simply “the terminator”

Just past our bed-bug line is the

core of the shadow and then
reflected light, which would be our
3 7 CORE SHADOW
original value #6.
2
6 REFLECTED LIGHT
1 8
9
 On the ground plane is the cast
shadow. #8 Cast shadow is formed
by an object. Its shape is blocking
3 7
the light.
2
6
1 8 CAST SHADOW
9

The last kind of shadow is the

“line” right under the form. It’s the
darkest shadow.
3 7
2
6
1 8
9
OCLUSSION SHADOW

The last kind of shadow is the

“line” right under the form. It’s the
darkest shadow.
LET’S DISCUSS EACH ELEMENT MORE DETAILED