How to draw a Corinthian order capital step by step
In the Life Drawing Academy Correspondence Course, students learn how to use constructive drawing principles to draw anything they see or imagine. One of 100 tasks, is dedicated to learning the classical Corinthian order capital.
Here are the step-by-step drawings by Quann.
Researching the capital's elements and construction is an essential part of this task.
After planning the layout and scale, drawing begins with marking down the main axes of symmetry.
In the view from below, the bell's rim appears as an oval. Together with linear perspective foreshortening, the aerial perspective is also essential.
The width of the bell is calculated proportionally as 6/8 of the oval's width and its height is also marked down.
The height of the rim is 1/16 of its width. The half of this dimension helps to establish the bell's conical shape.
The rim's lower edge is depicted as an oval.
The cross-points of the rim's axis and tilted edges serve as guides for another oval.
The abacus has the square plan. The contours of the bell are seen as ovals with progressing foreshortening.
The abacus height is calculated using the same 1/8 module.
This module also serves as the radius.
The abacus' top plane is added.
The concave shape makes the Corinthian abacus so elegant.
The dimensions of volutes together with their eyes are marked down.
Volutes shapes are depicted.
The acanthus leaves supporting volutes are indicated.
Virtual tilted lines together with ovals are needed for building the leaf decoration with precision in perspective.
The top row of acanthus leaves is indicated schematically.
The bottom row of leaves is added in the same manner.
The portion of the column's shaft together with the astragal are added at the bottom.
The virtual semicircle helps to plot locations of column's shaft flutes in perspective.
Smaller details such as flutes, fleurons and leaf decoration complete this drawing of a Corinthian order capital.
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