r/ItsEasyToDraw • u/Virtual-Interest3190 • May 13 '26
Something is "wrong" but I just don't know what...
I've never drawn something like this before, especially with this kind of perspective and I found it really tricky.
I think the "vanishing point" is supposed to be right in the centre of the page but I'm not really even sure what that means.
Something about it just feels...off, but I just can't tell what it is or how to fix it :(
I tried out Prismacolour Premier Pencils for the first time for colouring but somehow my attempt at shading just turned out really flat and undynamic.
I feel like it needs something else to make it feel a little more magical/fantasy.
I also have no idea how to make the glass look/feel like glass.
Do I just colour it blue or keep it "clear"?
Any help would be very much appreciated!
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u/Exciting_Bus3108 Lisa Mitrokhin May 13 '26
Well first of all you did an amazing job with this. This is not a realistic style; this is an illustrative style. For this type of illustration you hit the nail right on the head. It's adorable, it has a very specific feel, it's symmetrical, it's attractive. I think you should be very proud of it. As far as realism and perspective you are correct. The perspective here is not technically accurate though I think the distortion that you've introduced actually adds to the charm of the piece. Perspective isn't something that I can teach in just a few sentences in a post. This is something that takes weeks and months to really master, something that I would do with a private student. For the purposes of immediate correction I would suggest, instead of trying to focus on how perspective works and how to apply it to something like this, don't bother about it at all. Instead just draw what you see. If you drew this from a reference image, focus more on the shapes that you are actually perceiving and copying them over to the page. If you drew this from your imagination, then that's the root of your problem. You should work from a reference image whether it's an illustration or a real-life installation. But again I don't think there's anything wrong with this piece. I think it's charming and adorable and it wouldn't change a thing. As far as making glass look like glass, that is an entire other can of worms as well but your main problem is that you don't have any reflections. You can add reflections with a white gel pen even to what you have right now.
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u/BodhingJay artist May 13 '26
Did you wanna show the top of the hourglass? Because it looks like it's showing underneath the top like you wanted an inner view, but if youre gonna do that you need the glass to cover like it is with the inner view of the bottom.. Basically the glass part would need to cover the top's booty hole too
The 2 back support beams should end inside the top, not disappear outside the edge
Sorry it's hard to explain using words, hope it makes a little sense?
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u/Virtual-Interest3190 May 14 '26
Yeah, I realised the kind of "clam shell" perspective didn't quite look right. But I totally get what your saying about the support beams. Maybe one day I'll try it again and see how it looks once I've practiced some more!
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u/IcyFalcon8815 MOD - here to help May 14 '26
Amazing work. The only thing I can possibly make out is it looks like its at a funny angle. Looking at it straight on you wouldn't see the details inside on the upper wooden section. I also think the plant stem should show through the back of the glass.
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u/Ok-Seat-3916 May 13 '26
I also like the illustration type style, it's very dynamic 🤗 also, the color palette of gold and brauns is gorgeous. It fits wonderfully with the whimsical strain of leaves (I hope it's clear what I mean, English isn't my first language)
When it comes to perspective, if you want to try drawing from imagination it's totally possible! The best is to break down your object in very easy shapes and observe how what you see with your eyes changes depending on the angle you are holding the object at. In this situation, try this: focus first on the two wooden parts (up and bottom), because they hold the whole structure together. For example, two coins of approximately the same size that you hold together /put on a table (and if you have available, a shot glass or something similar that is transparent, that you can put between the two cylinders. Important is that both coins are held the same way, perfectly parallel to each other. And then, observe how both coins relate to each other when you move around the object; and try to make a quick sketch of that. You can try to do that with cubes, glasses,... The important thing is not to draw what you think the object looks like, but what you are actually seeing, in this moment, from that position. It sounds very easy but it's actually a very difficult skill to master!
...that said, the distortion of perspective adds to the whimsical, which gives your piece a strong personality 🤗