When one thing is in front of another, it hides part of the thing behind it. A ball in front of a box hides part of the box.
Key idea
Draw the front thing whole. Stop the lines of the thing behind it where the front thing begins.
Why it works
Our eyes can't see through a ball. So in a drawing, the lines of the box disappear behind the ball. That is how a drawing shows which thing is closer to us.
Worked example: Let's look
A tree stands in front of a house. Which one do you draw whole?
- The tree is in front.
- The front thing is drawn whole.
- Draw the house's lines up to the tree, then stop.
Answer: The tree.
Common mistake
Many children draw every shape whole, so the box's lines show right through the ball. Draw the front thing first; then draw the back thing only where you can see it.
For the grown-up. Stack two cups so one is in front of the other and look from the side. Ask, "Can you see the whole back cup?" Then draw only what you can see.