Question

Drawing [50 Marks]
The competitive examinations are finally over and you are going on a holiday. You are at the nearest railway station with your family and relatives, waiting for the train that you can see, arriving. The platform is bustling with activity. Other travellers with luggage, vendors and porters (and whatever else you are likely to observe) are also on the platform. Imagine and draw what you see, giving prominence to your family and relatives.
Note:
• Make pencil sketches only
• Do not use colour
Evaluation Criteria:
• Observation
• Composition of figures and objects
• Sense of perspective and proportion
• Quality of lines
• Attention to details

Hint:

Manage your time effectively. Spend the first 5-10 minutes planning your composition with thumbnail sketches. Start with a light overall sketch to place all major elements before committing to dark lines and details. Focus on getting the perspective and proportions right first, as these form the foundation of a believable scene. Give prominence to your family by rendering them with more detail and contrast than the surrounding crowd.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the Question and Deconstructing the Scene
The task is to create a pencil sketch of a busy railway platform scene. The key elements required are:
• Focal Point: Your family and relatives, who should be given prominence.
• Setting: A railway platform.
• Key Objects: An arriving train, luggage.
• Supporting Characters: Other travellers, vendors, porters.
• Atmosphere: Bustling with activity.
The final drawing will be judged on observation, composition, perspective, line quality, and detail.
Step 2: Approach to Drawing
A successful drawing for this prompt requires careful planning before starting the final sketch. The process should be:
1. Brainstorming and Ideation: Quickly list down all the visual elements you can imagine at a railway station: a station clock, benches, food stalls, overhead signs, pillars, the texture of the platform, different types of bags, etc.
2. Compositional Planning: Create a few small thumbnail sketches to decide on the best arrangement. The goal is to create a balanced and dynamic scene that draws the viewer's attention to your family.
3. Establishing Perspective: Set up the perspective lines for the platform and railway tracks to create a sense of depth.
4. Sketching and Detailing: Begin with light outlines and gradually add details and shading.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation based on Evaluation Criteria
1. Observation and Attention to Details:
• Depict a variety of people with different postures and expressions. Your family could be shown talking, looking towards the train, or checking their luggage.
• Include specific details: a vendor pouring tea, a porter carrying a heavy trunk, a child looking at the train with excitement.
• Add environmental details: posters on the walls, a digital display board showing train information, the structure of the overhead roof, and the design of the train's engine.
2. Composition of Figures and Objects:
• Use the rule of thirds. Place your family group off-center, perhaps at the intersection of the grid lines, to create a more interesting composition.
• Create a sense of depth by dividing the scene into a foreground, midground, and background.
- Foreground: Could feature a part of a bench or some luggage up close.
- Midground: Place your family here, making them the clear focal point.
- Background: The arriving train, distant travellers, and the far end of the platform.
• Use the arriving train as a leading line to guide the viewer's eye through the scene towards your family.
3. Sense of Perspective and Proportion:
• A one-point perspective is most suitable here. The railway tracks, the edges of the platform, and the overhead structures should all converge towards a single vanishing point in the distance.
• Ensure figures and objects are in proportion. People further away must be drawn smaller than those in the foreground. A person standing next to your family should be of a comparable height, while someone in the background should be significantly smaller.
4. Quality of Lines:
• Use a range of pencils (e.g., 2H for light initial sketches, HB for general outlines, 2B/4B for shading and dark accents).
• Vary your line weight. Use thicker, darker lines for objects in the foreground and thinner, lighter lines for objects in the background to enhance the sense of depth.
• Use shading (hatching, cross-hatching) to create form, texture, and shadows, which will make the scene more realistic. For example, add shadows cast by people and luggage on the platform.