Shapewelding Sketching

Here’s a handy way to practice shapewelding, the linking of light-to-light shapes and dark-to-dark shapes. Next time you’re at a classical concert or a penguin convention, where everything is either black or white, bring a Marvy brush pen (or equivalent) and a sketchbook. Lightly sketch in the shapes, and then draw in the blacks as one big shape. Try to avoid drawing lines around the white shapes; just let them blend into the white of the paper. If you need to define a white shape, like the white jacket at lower right, use a black shape behind it.