A quiet cup of tea

A teacup, a saucer, and a curl of steam. An everyday subject for practicing ellipses without overthinking them.

A way into the drawing

1. Begin with an ellipse

   Draw the top of the cup as a wide, shallow oval. Keep the back edge a little lighter.

2. Build the cup and handle

   Drop two curved sides to a rounded base, then add a looping handle on one side.

3. Set it on a saucer

   Draw a wider oval underneath. Add the tea bag, a little shading, and three loose steam lines.

A small thing to tryThe saucer and cup rim should tilt the same way. Compare their ovals before adding the details.