HOW TO DRAW A CROISSANT
Subject: Foundations of Design
Year: Year 1
This module required me to analyse the croissant as more than a food item but more as a complex piece of geometry, understanding the delicate layering, curves, shadows and highlights that I had to portray into my drawing. The role of representation is seen clearly through concepts of orthographic combined with pencil and pen hatching techniques, axonometric drawing, as well as computer software.
Reflection
​
​
The readings gave me more understanding on constructing a croissant on a more technical level. I was able to apply what I learnt, such as using section and dimension conventions and having a proper layout of a page. Orthographic drawing is used as a way to inform the audience of the size, layouts, shapes and details of the object to make it easier to visualise and potentially construct.
​
By having to render three different exteriors as well as the interior, it gave me an understanding of how light and texture differ depending on the view. Darker lines and detailing were needed to portray the bumpy, flaky shell of the exterior, while the interior layers needed smoother and more precise shadows to accentuate the depth and volume.
​
​
Process
The first step was photographing the croissant using a home studio set up with a white A1 sheet of paper for the backdrop.
Tracing paper was used to shade the croissant, allowing me to accurately draw fine detail, as well as the fine liner section outlines.
​
To draw the axonometric, set square was used to ensure correct drawing methodology.
Skill Development
Hatching with pen was one of the skills learnt for this module. In my first attempt (left most image) the hatching is very light and sparse, which I gradually built up over each time. I decided to hatch in all different directions to accentuate the three dimensional nature of the texture. In order to avoid thick patches of pen, I generally used thin 0.1 fine liner which allowed for more control over the tones and shading.
​
​
To draw the axonometric, I used multiple sheets of trace to draw the grids separately. This would allow me to adjust the final opacity when combining all components together.
As with an abstract method of drawing, it was difficult to visualise how it would look at a 45 degree angle. To gain a overall idea of the angle and placement of layers and holes within the croissant, I distorted a section half within Photoshop which was very useful.
Final submission for Module 1.
