Alfie Berger

Get the movement of the whole thing down in a few lines before you draw a single eyelash.

Block in the biggest shapes first. Only move on to smaller shapes once the big ones are right.

Sketch the lines you can't see too. It makes everything feel solid and shows you where things line up.

Make the motion a few times just above the paper, then commit to one confident stroke.

Long lines come from the shoulder, medium ones from the elbow, tiny details from the wrist.

Squinting kills the detail so you only see the big light and dark shapes. Get those right first.

Hold your pencil out at arm's length and compare everything to one unit, like the head.

Block curves in with straight lines first. It's easier to judge angles than arcs.

The nearer form cuts in front of the one behind it. One clean overlap says more than shading.

Thicker, darker lines come forward. Thin, light lines sit back. Use heavier lines where forms overlap or sit in shadow.

Mirror your drawing (or look at it on your phone camera). Mistakes you stopped seeing jump right out.

Ten minutes of boxes a day adds up fast. Try the Box Trainer.