In this tutorial, you'll learn how to do a large 3D anamorphic drawing. The theme and message I want to express is "choose peace, not violence", so I decided to oppose a dove and a revolver as the main subject of the artwork. What we want is to have some sketches large enough to pose with them and become part of the whole composition.
By the end of this tutorial, you'll understand my work flow from the first studies through to the final work. I'm also going to teach you all kinds of graphic tricks to help you work faster and draw difficult shapes such as guns and hands.
1. Work on the Concept
The image used for this tutorial is part of my "
Pencil Vs Camera" series, a creative concept that is evolving constantly. It started in 2010 with minimalist sketches and photos. In 2011, I started making colored sketches on black paper and in 2013-2014 I decided to do the large drawings we're talking about now.
Step 1
Be
inspired and inspiring. Think of an idea or a strong message you really wish to express in the creation you're about to do. It's not the easiest part, but if you want your artwork to be seen as unique and attractive by others, you should really try to express something big. Personally, I think nice ideas come through living intense moments. But if you lack inspiration, you can
travel, go to exhibitions, watch films, read books, or try new things. Ideas will come to you eventually.
Step 2
Discover and save your
ideas. Wherever you go, take a notebook or a sketchbook with you. Each time you have an idea or feel inspired, put it down on paper. Whether in words or sketches, just keep some traces of your ideas. They might be useful later on. When you're back home, use your sketches and words to outline the message you're trying to convey. Do some quick studies to develop the direction you'll go with your idea. Also think about the creative tools and
materials you'll need, the amount of work it will require, and other logistics.
2. Use References When Needed
The composition we want to do has several elements that are not easy to draw, including the hand and the gun. Using your own knowledge may not be sufficient for a fully accurate representation of these objects. You might then consider using
references. It is better to use your own references to make sure the final work is 100% original. You'll then be able to build a completely new image that will help you do the giant sketch later.
Step 1
Gather all the images you need, either using your personal references (pictures of objects you have at home for instance), or creating images to use. I my case, I had made tons of gun sketches recently, seen in different perspectives from different angles. These were
personal studies, so I had a lot of material to work with.
Step 2
Drawing a gun from scratch can be difficult if you're not used to it. You must really think first about the angle you want the gun to be seen from, and do a quick sketch using basic geometric shapes such as simple cylinders, cubes, spheres and cuboids.
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.jpg "ben heine #onthedraw creative illustrated journey in Tenerife, Canary Islands - 2014")
.jpg "ben heine #onthedraw creative illustrated journey in Tenerife, Canary Islands - 2014")
.jpg "ben heine #onthedraw creative illustrated journey in Tenerife, Canary Islands - 2014")
.jpg "ben heine #onthedraw creative illustrated journey in Tenerife, Canary Islands - 2014")
.jpg "Sketch by Ben Heine (ballpoint pen on paper)")
Ben Heine is a Belgian artist who has produced through the years a huge number of artworks. He is currently best known for his original series "Pencil Vs Camera", "Digital Circlism" and "Flesh and Acrylic". He has a degree in Journalism and is a self-taught person in drawing, digital photography and music (piano and drums). His graphic creations have been exhibited widely in Europe and more recently in Asia. His favorite art movements are Surrealism, Pop Art, Geometric Abstraction, Expressionism and Social Realism. He started creating electronic music in 2011. A documentary about his work was released in 2012. Ben is married to Marta and their son Theodor was born in August 2012. 
Heine undertook studies in different countries, including Ivory Coast, Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands. Ben has a diploma in Journalism completed with distinction at IHECS school of Journalism in Brussels. He also studied History of Art, Painting and Sculpture at Hastings College of Arts & Technology in the UK and at the Académie Royale des Beaux Arts in Brussels. Throughout his academic training, he was also able to learn several music instruments (drums and piano) and several languages. Besides perfectly speaking French and English, the artist is quite fluent in Dutch and Polish and speaks some bits of Spanish and Russian. 
Hundreds of millions of people have seen Heine’s creations. He has exhibited and published his artworks all over the world since 2006. The artist presented his pieces of art in countless fairs and galleries in Belgium, South Korea, the UK, Romania, The Netherlands, Italy, Germany, France, Canada, the US, Turkey, Brazil, and Spain. His pictorial works have been published in some of the most famous newspapers and magazines (see "Press" and "Exhibitions" for more info). Moreover, Heine has a huge presence on the Internet as well, and his works continually pop here and there on social media and online news outlets, making him one of the most watched artists on the web today. Ben is an enthusiastic traveller, he has visited hundreds of cities and countries, each one of them being a huge source of inspiration for his creative projects. 
Pencil Vs Camera is an original visual concept invented and popularized by Ben Heine in April 2010. It is the artist’s special trademark and one of the most creative art concepts of the 21st century that has influenced a big number of other creators. Pencil Vs Camera blends drawing and photography in a unique way. The idea was the result of a long artistic exploration and a logic outcome of Ben's evolution: "I wasn’t satisfied with only drawing or only photography, so I had to find a way to merge the two and this is how Pencil Vs Camera was born." ("Cultural Voices" June 2014). Ben’s hand is always visible because it represents the connection between the viewer, the artist and the artwork. In these images, everything seems possible and Ben likes to tell a story and convey timeless messages using imagination, illusion, poetry and surrealism. Starting with simple sketches, Ben brought major innovations to the concept in 2012 and 2013, adding colors and black paper or increasing the drawings’ size (more info in the comprehensive chronological bio below). Since 2012, several smartphone applications emulate Heine’s Pencil Vs Camera’s style. Many creators have borrowed from Heine’s brilliance and started to fashion for themselves, something of a replica. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. (see "Interviews" for more info) 
.jpg "schools using Ben Heine's Pencil Vs Camera concept to train children's creativity")
.jpg "Conceptual Photo Art by Ben Heine")
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.jpg "Ben Heine Torso in forest - 2014")
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