Guidelines and Outlines: Why Planning Lines Help
Guidelines and outlines help kids plan size and placement before drawing. Learn why planning lines help and how How to Draw books use them.
Guidelines are light planning lines that help kids decide size, placement and proportion before they draw the final lines. They make drawings more accurate and less frustrating. In Kevin Coulston's How to Draw books, a light gray outline of the finished drawing on every step does a similar job.
Many beginners draw details first and run out of space or end up with odd proportions. Planning lines fix that.
What guidelines do
- Size. Show how big the drawing will be.
- Placement. Where it sits on the page.
- Proportion. How parts relate.
- Symmetry. Center lines for faces.
Common guidelines
- A center line for faces
- A horizontal line for eyes
- A box for the body
- A ground line for scenes
How the How to Draw books help
In each lesson, a light gray outline of the finished drawing appears on every step. It lets kids see the goal and plan the size and placement on their own page, while the new lines for that step are shown in black. How to Draw: Cartoon Robots uses this format, and robots, built from boxes and circles, are great for practising planning.
Teach light lines
Guidelines should be drawn very lightly so they can be erased. See teaching kids light sketch lines.
Practice
- Draw a face with a center line and eye line.
- Draw a box first, then a robot inside it.
- Draw a ground line before a scene.
See step-by-step drawing benefits.
Questions parents ask
What are guidelines in drawing?
Light planning lines that help artists decide size, placement and proportion before drawing final lines.
How do How to Draw books show steps?
Each step shows a light gray outline of the finished drawing to help kids plan, with the new lines for that step in black.
Should kids erase guidelines?
Yes, once the final lines are drawn. That is why guidelines should be drawn lightly.
More in ways to learn to draw, or browse all 217 posts on the blog.
Keep reading
- The Benefits of Step-by-Step Drawing for KidsStep-by-step drawing breaks pictures into small steps kids can follow. Learn the benefits: confidence, focus, following directions and real skills.
- The Grid Drawing Method: Why It Works for KidsThe grid method helps kids draw accurately by copying one square at a time. Learn how grid drawing works, its benefits and how to get started.
- Is Tracing Good for Kids? Yes, and Here's WhyIs tracing good for kids? Yes. Tracing builds pencil control, confidence and pre-writing skills, and it's a natural first step toward drawing.
- What If I Change the Eyes? Drawing and Cause and EffectChange the eyebrows and the whole face changes. Drawing faces shows kids cause and effect in action. Try these experiments with silly faces.
