Chapter 6 | RESIDUAL SHAPES

Residual shapes are the spaces between objects or parts of a drawing. You can see this most clearly in the following image. The vase is in fact the residual shape between the two faces.

Getting an eye for residual shapes is essential when drawing your environment. When we draw something from our environment, we usually start with the shape of the objects, such as human figures, a landscape or a still life. We often discover too late that the objects are too far or too close from each other or not at the right height. This is where residual shapes come at hand. When copying complicated images, live or from paintings or photos, it is very useful if you get an eye for residual shapes.

As an example, I have chosen the photo of two ballet dancers. Their poses and their position in relation to each other are complicated. By immediately keeping an eye on the residual shapes (sometimes just a triangle or rectangle) you are less likely to make a mistake.

To show the residual shapes even more clearly, I have colored them blue in the following drawing. If you have the poses and positions in view in this way you can further elaborate the drawing.

Exercise: draw the residual shapes in the next foto of two dansers. Try NOT to draw the body’s at first!

EXTRA: Choose other subjects and experiment with drawing residual shapes. Try NOT to draw the solid shapes (whereas you normally would)!