Pencil Drawing Tutorials
- Fortunately, pencil drawings require simple, relatively inexpensive materials. A kneaded rubber eraser, facial tissue, paper and pencils are all that are needed to start with. It is helpful to invest in a set of graphite pencils, which are available at art and hobby stores in various sizes and lead densities. Choose paper with more or less texture, depending on the type of effect you wish to achieve--that is, whether your image should consist of uneven, broken lines or have a smooth finish.
- Think about composition before you begin drawing. Where will the objects be placed in the scene? Will their arrangement move the eye around the illustration? Where can you place them so they will look convincing? If you are drawing two characters having a face-off or duel, they should face one another or appear to be circling. The planning stage is also the time to consider how you can give your subjects a sense of movement. When sketching inanimate objects, focus on composition and arrangement.
Artist Mike Malaska recommends starting out simple. The initial sketch should be formed by loose lines, which will solidify as detail is added. Getting the basic shapes right and achieving the proper proportions provides the foundation for your illustration. For example, if you are drawing a person, many shapes of the human form can be simplified into circles, triangles, cones and cylinders. Malaska notes that most human figures stand around six heads tall--that is, if you stacked six heads one on top of the other, the height would approximate that of an average person. Simplify other objects down to their basic elements. For example, a tree might be a cylinder with a circle on top. See Malaska's tutorials for more information on perspective and drawing the human form. - Add detail through a series of lines. Knowing which line to use where is important to the final outcome. Use several lines to achieve various results. For example, the contour line is an outline, such as a profile or line indicating the separation of different elements. Malaska recommends using unfinished or broken lines to add interest to your illustration. Lines used for shading, such as hatching and cross-hatching, should follow contours to give the appearance of depth and to add a realistic element to the drawing. Cross-hatching and hatching are typically most useful for light to medium-dark areas of shading. Use a gradient or a solid area of dark that fades out gradually, to convey more deeply-shaded areas.
On her website, Toad Hollow Studio (see References), Carol Rosinski recommends different techniques for gradient shading, which can be approached using the side or tip of the pencil or a combination of both for darker areas and those more finely detailed. Since it is simpler to add graphite than to erase it, begin shading lightly at first and continue shading over darker areas and adding detail until you have achieved realistic areas of highlight and shadow. Use the facial tissue to blend areas where necessary and the eraser to lightly pat or rub over areas of graphite that need to be removed.