Drawing an accurate arabesque immediately expresses the foreshortened character of the shoe. As I have mentioned many times before striking the arabesque is a learned skill that once acquired establishes a solid foundation for your growth as an artist.

To accurately gauge the placement of the landmarks I need to establish a checkpoint. The primary height/width proportion of my shoe is a square, thus by using the center of the square as my checkpoint I can more easily relate the placement of the major landmarks.

Lightly sketch in the internal structures of the shoe carefully noting the directional changes of line; this is drawing architectonically.

It is important not to get overly caught up in details, the focus is on establishing the overall character of the shoe.

Drawing linearly requires both an understanding and sensitivity to line quality. The topic of line quality is a large one that will concern you for the entirety of your art career. Suffice it to say that how you handle line plays a major role in how your drawings and paintings are read.

Line can be used to create a sculptural sense of 3-dimensionality. A heavier, darker line will advance while a thinner, lighter line will recede into the picture plane.

Line also plays its role in conveying the character, or personality, of both the object and the artist. An old running shoe is generally best rendered with short angular lines that express worn and creased leather. Drawing an Art Nouveau vase, on the other hand, might be better expressed with a graceful, serpentine line.