How to Draw Freehand Straight Lines - Easy Straight Lines Without A Ruler

Summary

Stephen Travis shares valuable tips for drawing straight lines freehand without a ruler. He emphasizes using the whole arm, controlled by the shoulder, for better control and accuracy. Travis advises against holding the pen too tightly, drawing from fingers or wrist, and recommends a quick, confident movement. He also suggests focusing on the line's endpoint, practicing with a 'dry run,' and being aware of paper orientation. Lastly, he encourages practicing straight lines on their own to improve drawing skills, especially for architectural drawings.

Takeaways

• 🖌️ The key to drawing straight lines freehand is using the whole body, particularly the shoulder muscles for control and range.
• 🤏 Holding the pen too tightly can hinder control and make it difficult to draw straight lines due to absorbed energy and attention.
• 👆 Drawing from the fingers, wrist, or elbow limits the range and can cause lines to curve, whereas drawing from the shoulder extends the range and maintains straightness.
• 🔍 To ensure proper drawing technique, place the non-drawing hand on the shoulder to feel the muscles moving during the drawing process.
• 📐 Ensure ample space around you for full arm movement without obstructions, especially when recording or filming your drawing.
• 🏃‍♂️ Drawing lines quickly but with control helps maintain accuracy and prevents the transfer of control to the wrist or elbow.
• 🎯 Keep your focus on the endpoint of the line rather than the pen tip to avoid self-consciousness and maintain a steady arm movement.
• 📝 A 'dry run' or practice run can help with accuracy by getting a feel for the necessary arm movements and ensuring space for the full line.
• 📚 Awareness of paper orientation and body positioning is crucial for drawing straight lines in different directions.
• ✋ If a mistake is made, stop by continuing the arm movement and lifting the pen to avoid ink blobs, then reposition and restart close to the stopping point.
• 📓 Utilizing the edge of a sketchbook or notebook can aid in achieving straight lines by sliding the finger or knuckle along the edge.
• 🎨 Regular practice of drawing straight lines, especially focusing on engaging the whole arm from the shoulder, can improve accuracy and control.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Stephen Travis's advice on drawing straight lines freehand?

The main focus is on using the whole arm and controlling the movement from the shoulder to draw straight lines, rather than relying on fingers, wrist, or elbow.

Why should one not hold the pen too tightly while drawing straight lines?

Holding the pen too tightly can absorb energy and attention, making it difficult to draw a long, straight line as it hinders the natural movement required for such lines.

What common drawing habits can negatively affect the ability to draw straight lines?

Drawing from the fingers, wrist, or elbow can limit the range and control of the line, often resulting in curves instead of straight lines.

Why is it recommended to use the shoulder muscles when drawing straight lines?

The shoulder muscles are stronger than those in the fingers, wrist, or elbow, providing more control over the line even though they are further from the pen and paper.

How can one check if they are drawing from the shoulder?

By placing the non-drawing hand on the shoulder and feeling the muscles move as the hand moves, indicating that the shoulder is being used for the drawing motion.

What is the importance of having space around the artist while drawing straight lines?

Having space allows for the full range of arm movement without obstruction, which is crucial for maintaining control and accuracy in drawing long, straight lines.

Why is it advised to draw straight lines at a brisk pace?

A brisk pace helps maintain control and prevents uncertainty or wobbling, and it also prevents the transfer of control back to the wrist or elbow, which can compromise the line's straightness.

What should an artist focus on while drawing a straight line?

The artist should focus on where the line should end rather than the end of the pen, which helps in maintaining a steady and smooth arm movement from the shoulder.

What is a 'dry run' and how can it help in drawing straight lines?

A 'dry run' is a practice run where the artist traces the intended line without applying ink, helping to get a feel for the necessary movements and ensuring accuracy before actually drawing the line.

How can the orientation of the paper affect the drawing of straight lines?

The paper's orientation affects the body's movement and the direction of the pen, with vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines requiring different approaches and body positioning for accuracy.

What is the advice on how to handle mistakes while drawing a straight line?

If a mistake is realized, the artist should stop by continuing the arm movement but lifting the pen, avoiding a blob of ink, and then reposition the arm and start the line close to, but not on, the previous endpoint to prevent overlap.

How can the edge of a sketchbook be used to help draw straight lines?

The edge of a sketchbook can be used as a guide by sliding the finger, knuckle, or hand along it, providing a straight edge to follow and aiding in maintaining a straight line.

What is the final piece of advice Stephen Travis gives for improving the ability to draw straight lines?

The final advice is to practice drawing straight lines on their own as an exercise, focusing on engaging the whole arm from the shoulder, to develop the necessary skills and muscle memory.

Outlines

00:00

📏 Techniques for Freehand Straight Line Drawing

Stephen Travis discusses the importance of using the whole body, particularly the shoulder, to draw straight lines freehand without a ruler. He emphasizes avoiding the common mistake of holding the pen too tightly, which can hinder control. Travis also advises against drawing from the fingers, wrist, or elbow due to limited range and potential for lines to curve. Instead, he suggests using the shoulder muscles for better control and a longer reach. He provides a tip for those unfamiliar with this technique: place the non-drawing hand on the shoulder to feel the muscles in motion. Additionally, Travis mentions the need for adequate space to move the arm freely and the importance of drawing at a moderate pace to maintain control and prevent wobbling.

05:06

⏱ Speed and Focus for Accurate Line Drawing

The second paragraph focuses on the advantages of drawing lines quickly without being careless, as this pace provides better control from the shoulder muscles and prevents uncertainty or wobbling. Travis explains that moving briskly also avoids transferring control back to the elbow or wrist, which can lead to loss of accuracy. He suggests keeping the focus on the endpoint of the line rather than the pen's tip, using a small dot for precise targeting if necessary. A dry run, or tracing the intended line path without ink, is recommended to practice the movement and ensure accuracy, especially for important lines in a drawing.

10:10

🧭 Orientation and Directionality in Line Drawing

Travis highlights the significance of paper orientation and personal preference in drawing straight lines. He explains that different line directions—vertical, horizontal, or diagonal—require distinct body movements and pen handling. For instance, vertical lines involve pulling the pen towards oneself, while horizontal lines require pushing or dragging. Diagonal lines have unique movements depending on whether they ascend or descend. Being aware of one's comfort and accuracy in different directions can help in positioning the paper to achieve better results. If there's an issue during the drawing process, such as poor hand positioning or uncertainty about the endpoint, Travis advises to stop the movement while continuing the arm motion and lifting the pen to avoid ink blobs, then reposition and restart the line carefully.

15:11

🎨 Additional Tips for Improving Line Drawing Skills

In the final paragraph, Travis offers several additional tips for drawing straight lines. He mentions using the edge of a sketchbook as a guide for straight lines by resting the fingers or knuckles on the edge and sliding them across the page. He also emphasizes the importance of practice, suggesting that straight lines might be one of the few drawing elements that benefit from isolated practice to get used to engaging the whole arm from the shoulder. Lastly, he encourages drawing the things one loves as a way to develop necessary skills and have fun while doing so, concluding the video with a reminder of the value of straight lines in various drawing styles, especially architectural and streetscape drawings.

Keywords

💡Freehand Drawing

Freehand drawing refers to the skill of creating artwork without the use of tools such as rulers or stencils to guide the lines. In the context of the video, freehand drawing is central to the theme as the speaker discusses techniques to draw straight lines without the assistance of such tools. The script emphasizes the importance of using the body correctly to achieve straight lines in freehand drawing.

💡Body Mechanics

Body mechanics involve the way one uses their body to perform tasks, particularly in this video, to draw straight lines. The script explains that instead of relying on fingers, wrist, or elbow, one should use the whole arm, controlled from the shoulder. This concept is crucial as it underpins the method for drawing straight lines freehand, as the speaker suggests using the shoulder muscles for better control and longer reach.

💡Control

Control in drawing refers to the precision with which an artist can manipulate their drawing tool to achieve the desired effect. The video script mentions that holding the pen tightly does not equate to better control, contrary to what some might believe. Instead, the script advocates for a relaxed grip and using the shoulder for more control over the drawing, especially for straight lines.

💡Straight Line

A straight line is a fundamental element in drawing, characterized by its lack of curvature and direct path from one point to another. The video's main theme revolves around the challenge of drawing straight lines freehand. The script provides various tips and techniques to overcome common issues that cause lines to curve unintentionally.

💡Shoulder Movement

Shoulder movement is highlighted in the script as the preferred method for drawing straight lines. It involves using the shoulder muscles to make broad, controlled strokes. The speaker demonstrates that by engaging the shoulder, artists can achieve greater accuracy and control over their lines, as opposed to relying on the smaller movements of the fingers, wrist, or elbow.

💡Drawing Surface

The drawing surface is the material or platform on which an artist creates their work. In the script, the speaker mentions the importance of not leaning too heavily on the drawing surface, as it can interfere with the shoulder's ability to control the line. This concept is vital for maintaining the straightness and accuracy of lines in freehand drawing.

💡Pace

Pace, in the context of drawing, refers to the speed at which an artist moves their drawing tool across the surface. The video script suggests that drawing straight lines at a moderate pace is beneficial, as it provides good control without being so fast that it becomes careless or slow enough to cause wobbling or uncertainty.

💡Visual Focus

Visual focus is the point at which an artist directs their gaze while drawing. The script advises keeping the focus on the intended endpoint of the line rather than the pen's tip. This technique helps to maintain a smooth, steady movement and reduces self-consciousness about the line's current state, allowing for a more accurate straight line.

💡Dry Run

A dry run is a practice run or rehearsal without actually making the final mark. In the script, the speaker recommends doing a dry run before drawing a line to get a feel for the necessary movements and to ensure accuracy. This practice helps in warming up the muscles and coordinating the mind and eye for the actual drawing of the line.

💡Paper Orientation

Paper orientation refers to the direction or angle at which the paper is positioned in relation to the artist. The video script discusses how different line directions (vertical, horizontal, diagonal) require different body movements and how being aware of one's preferred direction can improve the accuracy of straight lines. Adjusting the paper orientation can help achieve better results.

💡Practice

Practice is the act of repeatedly performing an activity to improve one's skill. The script concludes with the advice that practicing drawing straight lines can be beneficial, especially as an isolated exercise. It suggests that while drawing the things one loves is important for overall skill development, focused practice on specific elements like straight lines can also be advantageous.

Highlights

Drawing straight lines freehand requires proper body usage rather than relying on tools.

Avoid holding the pen too tightly as it may hinder control and lead to less straight lines.

Drawing from the fingers, wrist, or elbow can limit the range and straightness of lines.

Utilizing the whole arm controlled from the shoulder is recommended for drawing straight lines.

Stronger shoulder muscles provide more control for drawing straight lines than fingers or wrist.

Placing the non-drawing hand on the shoulder can help verify if the arm is being used correctly.

Ensure ample space around you for full arm movement when drawing.

Drawing at a moderate pace helps maintain control and prevents wobbling.

Focus on the endpoint of the line rather than the pen tip for better accuracy.

Performing a dry run before drawing can help with accuracy and muscle memory.

Being aware of paper orientation is crucial for drawing straight lines in different directions.

Adjusting the paper position can improve the accuracy of straight lines.

Stopping a line smoothly by continuing the arm movement prevents ink blobbing.

Using the edge of a sketchbook can assist in drawing straight lines.

Practicing straight lines separately can help improve this specific drawing skill.

Drawing straight lines is particularly important for architectural and streetscape drawings.

Transcripts

g'day i'm stephen travis

the most important thing in drawing a

straight line free hand without using a

ruler is how we use our body drawing on

a relatively small scale we can get away

with a lot of things not using our body

in the best way possible to draw but not

so straight lines what we shouldn't do

is to hold our pen tightly it might feel

that holding my pen very tightly will

give me more control over where that

line goes but the reality is it's not

true tight fingers will absorb a lot of

energy and attention and make it

difficult for me to draw a nice long

straight line the other poor drawing

habit which will affect our ability to

draw straight lines more than most

things is to draw from our fingers or

our wrist or even our elbow

when we draw from our fingers we're

really keeping our wrists still and just

move in our fingers

in fact if we draw this way it's

possibly because we're resting our wrist

and our hand fairly heavily on the paper

and that can work quite well for short

lines

but if we want to draw a longer line

what happens is

we start to

run out of ability to stretch our

fingers because they are only so long

and so our lines

the further we take them

the more curved they become even if we

want them to be straight if we rest our

elbow on our paper or on the table we

have the same problem while it might be

nice and straight

for a little bit

and certainly further than we can

achieve with our fingers and wrist

it will start to curve because we will

start to pivot on our elbow

and our line will start to pull away

from straight so instead of drawing by

moving our fingers which give us a very

limited range or from moving our wrist

which extends the range of a straight

line but it's still not very great or

even our elbow

which again lets us draw a bit further

but at some point all of these

lines are going to start to curve we

need to use our whole arm and we control

our whole arm from our shoulder

we draw

everything really but particularly

straight lines

we draw from our shoulder we do large

movements

that we have to use our shoulder muscles

to create

and by using these strongest muscles and

these muscles are stronger than the

muscles in our fingers or wrist or elbow

and because of that they actually give

us more control even though they're

further away

from the action end of our drawing from

our pen and our paper

but the same brain

that controls our fingers controls our

shoulder muscles

and our eyes for that matter all of

which have to be coordinated for every

line so it's not a problem that we're

drawing from further away from our paper

now if we haven't drawn from our

shoulder using our whole arm consciously

before it can seem a bit of a strange

concept and it can be hard to even know

if i'm doing it correctly or not what i

would suggest if you're not sure is you

actually place your non drawing hand on

your shoulder and draw a few lines you

should be able to feel your shoulder

muscles moving as you move your hand if

you're drawing from your fingers or from

your wrists you might feel a few

twitches in your muscles in your

shoulder but you're not feeling the move

in any substantial way whereas drawing

from the shoulder you will feel them

extend and contract

as you move in whichever direction you

draw

now if we're going to draw using our

whole arm then we're going to need to

make sure that we've got space around us

where our whole arm can move without

bumping into things and in this social

media age where it seems that everything

we draw we have to record and video then

we can have tripods and lights and

cameras

in the way if we can't change where they

are

then maybe we need to position where our

chair is and where we are so that

whatever's happening we still have space

to move our arm from up here

because if for some reason i can't move

my whole arm i will start to draw from

lower down where i do have room to move

but that will not give me as much

control

over my lines and they will not be as

straight

my second tip is to draw the line as

fast as we can without it being so fast

that it starts to become careless

because we're drawing from our shoulder

muscle we get good control at a moderate

pace

so maintaining a relatively rapid

movement is an advantage for a nice long

straight line it doesn't give us time to

be uncertain or start wobbling through

fear the other important benefit from

moving briskly

in our lines

is that it doesn't give us time to start

to transfer control back to our elbow or

our wrist and if we're moving slowly we

can start to lean too heavily on our

drawing surface and that will interfere

with our shoulders ability to control

the movement and without realizing we

will start to transfer control of that

line movement further down our arm

towards the pen losing control and

accuracy all the way so

a nice quick movement so we don't have

time to lose our nerve my third tip for

a nice straight line is not to look at

the end of our pen when we draw

instead keep our focus on where we want

the line to end

so let's say we're starting our line

here and i want it to come over here

then this is where i look

and i draw a nice brisk line sometimes i

will actually put a small dot

to help me focus more accurately on

where the line needs to end particularly

if i'm not joining it to anything

oops and what i did when i got to that

point i slowed down to check whether i

was still going to be accurate and hit

my mark of course that distraction

caused me to slightly wobble my line and

miss my mark

so we'll try that again

and that's a bit better so keeping our

attention on where we want our line to

go

makes us less self-conscious about

exactly what's it doing now it lets us

think about a nice steady smooth arm

movement from the shoulder

to get to that point

and there it is

a very helpful practice which i use for

many lines not just straight lines

is my fourth point and that's it can be

helpful to draw a straight line by doing

a dry run first and by dry run i mean

holding the pen and tracing where we

want the line to go and just see whether

we can do that line in a nice smooth

movement without bumping anything

to get a sense of where we're starting

and where we hope the line will finish

and see whether it does or doesn't

finish in the right spot it lets us get

a feel for the muscles in our arm that

we need to use it's like a dress

rehearsal for my brain for my eyes for

my fingers for my pen for my arm for

everything that needs to come together

to draw a nice straight line the more

important the line is to my overall

drawing the more likely i am

to do a dry run i also find this helpful

when i'm doing curves particularly sides

of domes where we have a curved line

which is often visually very dominant in

the drawing and so i want to give myself

every chance of getting it as correct as

i can

a practice run

can be very helpful for warming up all

those parts of me that need to work

together to draw the line accurately and

sometimes a dry run can also tell me if

i'm going to bump into something

and a dry run can also warn me that i'm

going to bump something

which is particularly helpful if we're

filming

my fifth point on ways of drawing

straighter freehand straight lines

is to be aware of the paper orientation

because when we draw lines depending

whether they're vertical or horizontal

or diagonal we require different

movements of our body and of the pen

instance if we're drawing a vertical

straight line we're actually pulling the

pen down the page towards us

and so if i going to give my arm nice

free movement

to move the whole arm from the shoulder

i need to make sure that my torso isn't

in the way that my elbow is not going to

hit my stomach before i get to the end

of where i want the line to be however

if i'm drawing a horizontal line

i'm not pulling the pen at all i'm

pushing the pen or dragging the pen

across the page

which is a very different movement and

i'm starting with my arm probably held

against my body here and moving the

whole arm away from my body as i go and

at no point am i resting any weight on

my hand as it glides across the paper

and if i'm doing a diagonal line it's a

different movement depending whether i'm

going upwards or downwards if i'm going

upwards

then i'm pushing if i come downwards

i'm pulling for different reasons we all

find certain lines and certain line

directions

easier to do than others i have a

preference for drawing a line straight

down than straight across

and yet i would rather draw a diagonal

line

pushing or dragging the pen upwards

than pulling it towards me

and as you can see i'm more accurate

going in the direction that i feel more

comfortable with

and so knowing

what direction i achieve the best

results in drawing straight lines means

i can turn my paper around

and so i could have drawn this line this

way

and drawn a more accurate line

if i were doing a drawing

rather than a teaching video on straight

lines

so by being aware of

the direction in which we get the best

results in our straight lines means we

can position our paper for the best

lines possible

my sixth tip in drawing straight lines

is if for some reason there's a problem

let's say i'm drawing a line and i

realize that i haven't positioned my

hand very well or i'm not sure i'm

visualizing the correct end point

then stop

and when we stop it's best to stop by

continuing to move our arm just a little

bit further along but lifting the pen as

we do that if we stop our hand movement

on the paper more ink will transfer from

our nib onto the paper and we'll get a

bit of a blob point there when i

reposition my arm or i sneeze or

whatever has to happen happens to

restart my line

focus on where i want the line to go

but when i start to draw don't try and

put the pen onto the point where we

finished but rather try and start as

close to it as possible without touching

what that means is we avoid an overlap

because an overlap

will give us something which is a little

more obvious

if not just because we've got double the

ink in that spot

for my seventh tip i need a sketchbook

now i haven't drawn using the sketchbook

for some years now

this tip is particularly helpful

when we have a notebook of some type and

it's using our edge to help us

get a straight line

so whereas on this side of the page of a

sketchbook it can be easier

to do a straight line

because

this half of the page gives us a good

resting point as we move our arm

on this side our arm is just in space

depending exactly how we hold our pen

we position our fingers or our knuckles

and we bring them down gliding

on the edge and for this we keep our

fingers locked in position because our

movement and accuracy isn't coming from

our shoulders in this case it's coming

from sliding our finger or our knuckle

or our hand down the edge of the paper

and

sometimes we can reach quite some way

across the page for doing that so

that can be a helpful tip as well

unless you think it's cheating and in

that case hey

you can do it a harder way if you want

my eighth and final point is

generally my advice would be the best

way to get better at drawing is simply

to draw draw the things you love draw

the things that you enjoy looking at and

that will develop the skills that you

most need but i think with straight

lines it's possibly the one element of

drawing that might be worth just

practicing on its own

generally i don't warm up

before a drawing but it's not

necessarily a bad practice

but straight lines

is something that we can do on its own

and it can get us used to engaging

our whole arm from our shoulder to

consciously

draw straight lines

as an exercise

i've resisted the urge to refilm this

and to get this line a bit straighter

because hey it may encourage you more to

see that we can all lose our attention

for a moment clearly

i need to do a little more practice

well if drawing straight lines

has been something of a problem for you

then i hope these points will be helpful

in giving some direction that may

improve the accuracy of your freehand

straight lines it really is a great

skill to develop or any drawing but

particularly if we enjoy drawing

architectural streetscapes

have fun and i'll see you next time bye