Introduction
Mississippi river, a major river located in the United States, is a significant tourist attraction and symbol of US patriotism. It is the fourth longest river in the world and flows from north to south from its source near Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its mouth near th delta on the Gulf of Mexico. It holds historical, cultural, social and economic importance for both the US and Canada. Drawing the Mississippi river can be a tricky task for anyone, whether a beginner or experienced artist. Its curves and length make it difficult to draw in its entirety. However, with the help of a few tips and techniques, anyone can draw the majestic river in a relatively short period of time.
FAQs
Before starting to draw the Mississippi river, it is important to understand some of the common questions. What tools are needed to draw the Mississippi river? How should the river be portrayed? What kind of map should be used to draw the Mississippi river?
Tools and Materials
The materials required to draw the Mississippi river are basic. All that one needs is a pencil and a drawing paper. If drawing digitally, an iPad, tablet or laptop with a stylus and a suitable drawing app such as Procreate can come in handy. To make sketching easier, a ruler or a straight edge may be used in addition to the basic materials.
Process
The process of drawing the Mississippi river begins with finding a suitable map. A basic map of its course is enough as drawing its course on the paper in full detail may be too complicated. A printable map or a map app on a tablet can be used to trace the Mississippi river on the paper. Next, using a straight edge and a pencil, one can draw the course of the Mississippi river in an abstract way. It is not necessary to be precise in the beginning as making any mistakes can be easy to fix.
The second step of the process is to shade the Mississippi river with a pencil. This will make the river have more dimension and each twist and curve of the river will become more visible. With a few passes of the pencil, the river can come alive and seem ready to flow before the artist’s eyes.
Essential Techniques
Drawing the Mississippi river on paper requires certain techniques. A key technique is to sketch lightly while following the contours of the river. This will help to get an overall view of the river on the page before going into details. Also, it is important to use varied line weight when drawing the river. Light weight lines should be used in areas that do not need to be detailed while shifting to thicker lines whenever the depiction should be more specific. Finally, it is important to add shadows and highlights of the river. This will bring the river to life even more as it will show how the river is affected by the light.
Mistakes and Solutions
The most important thing to remember while drawing is that mistakes are inevitable. That being said, mistakes should be corrected rather than left as it is. The best way to fix mistakes is to erase the parts which are incorrect and redraw the part with precision. If the mistakes cannot be fixed then the drawing should be either discarded or the flawed parts should be made into a design element.
Conclusion
Drawing the Mississippi river melodically is not a difficult task once the basics have been learned. It is a great way to improve skill and creativity and to have fun in the process. With a few simple tools and techniques anyone can draw the majestic Mississippi river, even a beginner.
