Unleash your inner artist and draw with style
Getting started -
First, you have to have a good setup. Make sure you have a set of pencils ranging from sizes 9H to 2B. A sharpener is also integral, or a sharpening knife.
Artist's eraser -
The eraser is the artist's best friend. There are many kinds of erasers, but the best ones are made from putty.
Paper -
It won't really do to use just normal printing paper. Go to your local art shop and get proper drawing paper because it makes a difference when you start making textures and shadows.
Your desk -
It's important to have a desk that's comfortable and a place you want to come back to each day.
Object -
Choose your object to practice on and set it up on a simple background with the light coming from one direction. This way you can study drawing shadows too.
Reference sketches -
It helps to turn to the masters when starting out. Try and find artists' sketches of the same object and imitate their style to understand their method.
The big picture -
When you have completed the preparatory tasks, take a look at your object. It is important that you try and see the bigger picture rather than the small details of the item.
Drawing -
A key concept in sketching is perspective. When things are closer to you, they appear larger and when they are further away, they are smaller.
Perspective contrast -
A general rule of thumb is that if an object is further away, it is lighter in color, but if it is closer, it is darker.
Start slow -
When drawing the foundation of the object try and use very light lines. This way you can erase things easily and fill in more detail later on without the sketch getting too messy.
Experiment with textures -
Go back to the texture piece you made before and experiment on your drawing to achieve different effects.
Smudging -
Smudging is a great technique to create shadows. Get your hands on a smudging stub and play around.
Dark before the light -
Start by filling in the darkest parts of your scene first. Light objects rarely have defined lines, but are just in contrast to shadows.
Erase! -
An artist should erase as much as they draw. To create light and outlines, use the eraser as a tool rather than a fixer.
Squint -
Sometimes you can get caught up in tiny details and forget the overall composition of a drawing. Standing back and squinting helps to see issues in the bigger picture.
Practice! -
Just like anything, you have to practice drawing every day to build up your muscle memory and skill. Try and set yourself a daily goal.
Take a break -
Art is mentally tiring, so don't overdo it. It's important to go for a walk and get some fresh air and new inspiration.