Often, at first glance, a subject will appear too complicated for a
beginning artist. The truth is, almost all subjects are made up of
shapes as basic as a square or an oval. Sometimes these foundations
are called “hidden shapes,” because the viewer doesn’t even realize
that the entire image is built upon them. Once you learn to recognize
the basic shapes that are hidden in simple and more complex images,
drawing becomes much, much easier. The key is to build onto those
simple shapes in an orderly, step-by-step manner. Why is it easier to
draw a subject if we first base it on a simple shape? Because basic
shapes are easy to draw—therefore, even our complicated drawings
will have simple foundations.
Oval