How To Use Line Thickness to Create the Illusion of Distance.

HANDY DRAWING TRICK:

Varying your line width can create the illusion of distance.

You can show that something is far away (a small tree in the distance, for example) if you use a very thin nib size. For objects that are closer, use a thicker nib size.

You can see this in the drawing on the left, which has been displayed in steps to make things simple.

Following the tutorial below, try drawing it yourself, using the different pens you have in your collection. Begin with black pen, and then experiment with different colours.

You can also try this technique with different sized paintbrushes, charcoal pencil, pastels, etc.  Shades of colour can also be used to create distance (or depth) but I will show you that in another tutorial.  Happy drawing!

STEP 1
Draw a simple border.

STEP 2
Draw some objects in the foreground using a fairly
thick line.  I began with the sunflower on the left,
then worked my way over to the shell
object on the right. Overlapping objects
also helps to show which are closer
and which are further away.

STEP 3
I have now added some low hills and trees in the distance,
using thinner line of about half the width of the
line you used in step 2.
Can you see how the flowers at the front are
drawn with thick lines, and the hills are drawn with
thinner lines? It automatically makes the hills look
further away...tricky!

STEP 4
Now draw something even further away, such as the
steep mountains in this picture.  I have chosen a black pen with an
even thinner nib for this one.  The lines are fading off into the distance
quite nicely now.

STEP 5
Now for some puffy clouds to complete the landscape.
They are behind the steep mountains, so I will draw them with the thinnest
line yet.  If you look closely, you can even see that I have
not completed the lines on the clouds, but used some small
dots instead.  These clouds are so far away,
they are becoming invisible!

STEP 6
Step back and admire your drawing
with a happy sigh.
  Well done...you've finished!

How did your drawing turn out?  Did you draw the same, or something different?  Share your drawing in our 'Dangerous Doodle' Flickr group.

Did you like this tutorial? Rate and comment below.  If you think others might enjoy learning this drawing trick, you are welcome to share it with them.