Two-Cup Water Drawing: Rim Ellipses, Levels, Shadows

Object Drawing Lessons

This lesson teaches a two-cup comparison drawing focused on three measurable features: the rim ellipse of each cup, the water level inside each cup, and the shadow each cup casts. You will use a simple convention: the rim ellipse is drawn as a closed curve whose highest point is the back rim and lowest point is the front rim; the water level is a second ellipse-like curve parallel to the rim, placed lower for a fuller cup. Letter styles and cup shapes vary, so the rubric rewards consistent comparison rather than one universal outline. All measurements below are hypothetical examples; measure your own paper and cup before drawing.

Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.

Reference illustration

Use the stated measurements and conventions for each exercise.

Set the comparison frame

Place two cups side by side on the same surface. Decide which cup is nearer and which is farther; this controls the size of each rim ellipse. A nearer cup gets a slightly larger rim ellipse and a lower front rim point. Draw a light horizontal baseline for the table edge and a second light line for the back of the table if needed.

Label cup A (left) and cup B (right) lightly outside the drawing area. Mark the center of each rim with a small cross. These crosses are guides only and will be erased or left faint.

1. Draw a light baseline across the page.
2. Mark two center crosses for cup A and cup B, spaced apart.
3. Decide which cup is nearer and note it beside the cross.
4. Draw a faint vertical axis through each cross to keep the cup symmetrical.

Draw rim ellipses with a defined convention

For each cup, draw the rim as a closed ellipse. The back rim is the highest point of the ellipse; the front rim is the lowest point. The left and right extremes are the widest points. Keep the ellipse wider than it is tall. A nearer cup may have a slightly taller ellipse, but the difference should be small and consistent.

Check the two ellipses against each other: the nearer cup's ellipse should be larger overall, and both ellipses should share the same tilt if the cups sit on the same surface. If one ellipse looks like a circle, flatten it slightly.

1. Draw the back rim as a shallow curve above the center cross.
2. Draw the front rim as a matching curve below the center cross.
3. Connect the left and right extremes with smooth side curves.
4. Compare the two ellipses: nearer cup larger, same tilt.
5. Erase the center crosses if they distract.

Place water levels and shadows

The water level is drawn as a second ellipse inside each cup, parallel to the rim. A fuller cup has its water ellipse closer to the rim; an emptier cup has it lower. Use the same tilt as the rim ellipse. Do not draw the water level as a straight horizontal line unless the cup is viewed exactly from the side, which is not the case here.

Shadows are drawn as a dark shape on the table opposite the light source. Decide one light direction for both cups. The shadow starts at the base of each cup and extends away from the light. The nearer cup's shadow may appear slightly larger. Keep shadow edges soft with short parallel strokes.

1. Draw a water ellipse inside cup A, parallel to its rim.
2. Draw a water ellipse inside cup B at a different height to show a different fullness.
3. Mark the light direction with a small arrow outside the drawing.
4. Draw each shadow starting at the cup base and extending away from the light.
5. Compare water levels: the fuller cup's water ellipse is closer to its rim.

Compare and refine

Step back and compare the two cups as a pair. The rim ellipses should show a clear size difference if one cup is nearer. The water levels should be visibly different in height. The shadows should point in the same direction. If any of these comparisons is unclear, adjust the guide lines rather than redrawing the whole cup.

Use the rubric to self-check: rim ellipse convention, water level parallelism, shadow direction, and comparison clarity. Valid alternatives include different cup shapes, different water amounts, and different shadow lengths, as long as the comparisons remain consistent.

1. Check rim ellipses: back high, front low, wider than tall.
2. Check water levels: parallel to rims, different heights.
3. Check shadows: same direction, starting at bases.
4. Check comparison: nearer cup larger, fuller cup water higher.
5. Erase unnecessary guides and darken final lines.

Worked example

Two cups sit on a table. Cup A is nearer and half full. Cup B is farther and nearly full. Light comes from the left. Describe the rim ellipses, water levels, and shadows.

Four practice exercises

Common mistakes

• Drawing the rim as a full circle instead of an ellipse. Flatten the circle vertically so the back rim is higher than the front rim and the shape is wider than tall.
• Drawing the water level as a straight horizontal line. Draw the water level as an ellipse parallel to the rim, with the same tilt and a lower front point.
• Making both cups the same size when one is nearer. Enlarge the nearer cup's rim ellipse slightly and lower its front rim point to show proximity.
• Pointing shadows in different directions. Choose one light direction and draw both shadows extending away from it.
• Placing the water level above the rim. Keep the water ellipse inside the cup, below the rim ellipse, and closer to the rim for a fuller cup.

Self-check rubric

• Rim ellipses follow the convention: back rim highest, front rim lowest, wider than tall.
• The nearer cup has a visibly larger rim ellipse than the farther cup.
• Water levels are drawn as ellipses parallel to the rims, not as straight horizontal lines.
• The fuller cup's water ellipse is closer to its rim than the emptier cup's.
• Both shadows start at the cup bases and extend away from one stated light direction.
• The two-cup comparison is clear at a glance without reading labels.
• Valid alternatives in cup shape, water amount, and shadow length are accepted if comparisons remain consistent.

Questions and answers