Secrets to Success with Pencil Drawing

Graphite pencils are usually the very first medium that people reach for when they first begin drawing. This makes graphite pencils a comfortable choice for many artists. But in order to use this medium to its fullest potential, there are a few secrets to keep in mind. By incorporating the strategies I'm gonna share with you in this video, you are sure to see improvement in your pencil drawings. So let's go ahead and dive in. Secret number one, use a variety of grades of graphite. Graphite comes in many forms, but most of us are most familiar with graphite pencils. The graphite in each pencil is graded based on the softness or hardness of the pencil. Pencils with an H are harder and thus produce a lighter mark. B pencils are softer and produce a darker mark. The higher the first number on the pencil, the more intense the hardness or softness. Accomplished graphite artists use a range of pencils to create their drawings. H pencils are mostly used for preliminary sketching, while B pencils are mostly used for shady. In order to create a full range of tone and value in our drawings, we must use pencils that are dark enough to create dark tones. You don't need every pencil ever made, however. I recommend just having three to four grades. Typically, I work with an H pencil, a 2B pencil, a 4B pencil, and a 6B pencil. This usually gives me the range I need to create a fully developed graphite drawing. Using just one pencil limits the range of value that you can create, so use several grades for better pencil drawings. Secret number two, work on a paper that has a slight tooth. The paper that you use to create your drawings plays a major role in your success. All papers have a texture associated with them that is usually referred to as tooth. Papers with a heavy tooth produce a grainy effect, while smoother papers produce a smoother texture. With graphite drawing, smooth papers have a limited amount of material they can receive. Working on a smoother surface can enhance graphite shine, which is something we want to avoid. Heavily textured papers have too much tooth and result in an overly textured appearance. To be successful, we should strive to work on papers that feature a light tooth. Papers such as Stonehenge paper provide a soft touch with ample texture, suitable for blending and controlled applications. Other papers suitable for graphite drawing include Strathmore drawing paper and many hot press watercolor papers. Secret number three, use a blending stump. Many beginning artists use a finger for blending and smudging. While this can create a smoother appearance, it does more to mar the surface. When you blend with your finger, you introduce the oils produced by your hand to the graphite material. This makes erasing and controlling the graphite more difficult. Instead, use a blending stump. A blending stump provides precise control over the material and prevents the oils of your hand from mixing with the graphite. Blended areas can be erased easily when a blending stump is used and you have considerably more control over the material. Secret number four, use the circling technique. Now, you don't have to use a blending stump to create soft, smooth transitions with graphite. One technique I like to use that I call circling is one in which you make small circular strokes with the graphite pencil. You're not making circles per se, but instead moving the pencil in a circular motion. With a slightly duller pencil, you can create smooth applications of graphite without visible pencil strokes. You have to work very slowly to make this work, but with some practice, you can control the graphite even more so than that with a blending stump. Secret number five, gradually build up applications to avoid graphite shine. Graphite is a shiny medium. There's no getting around this, but we can minimize graphite shine by carefully thinking about our applications. Graphite shine is more pronounced when the tooth of the paper is flattened. New artists have a tendency to reach for a 6B pencil when an area is dark and put heavy pressure on the pencil. When you do this, you flatten the tooth of the paper, which results in a shiny appearance. Instead, work your way up to the darkest pencil. In dark areas, start with a 2B pencil and use medium pressure. Then go over this section with a darker pencil, like a 4B, again using medium pressure. Lastly, add the 6B again with a medium pressure. By working up to the darkest application, we preserve more of the tooth of the paper while still achieving a dark value, just without as much shine. Secret number six, use your eraser as a mark-making tool. Many people believe that the eraser is just for fixing mistakes. And while the eraser is obviously great for this, it's not its only function. The eraser can be used for mark-making as well. Use your eraser to remove portions of graphite to create texture and details. By adding and subtracting the graphite material, we have full control over the drawing. I like to use an electric eraser for extra power to remove the graphite completely when needed. For a lighter touch, consider using a kneaded eraser to lift the graphite from the surface without sacrificing texture. Secret number seven, work slowly. When we start a new drawing, we can't wait to see the finished result. If we're too impatient, then we tend to rush through the drawing. Not only can this lead to mistakes, but it can also lead to drawings that are below our potential. Slow down and take your time. Be patient and take breaks often. Draw much slower than you usually do and see what happens. Take the time to closely analyze the shapes and values that you see. Often when you work much slower than you usually do, you'll find that you're more skilled than you thought you were. Now, if you wanna go deeper with pencil drawing, specifically realistic pencil drawing, then I suggest you check out the course Realistic Pencil Drawing, which is one of the many courses that we offer over at thevirtualinstructor.com. I'll leave a link in the description below if you wanna check it out. But in this course, we cover absolutely everything you need to know about graphite drawing, specifically about creating realistic graphite drawings. And this course is structured in a way that anybody can find success, no matter what your skill level. We start off with easier drawings and easier concepts and work into more complex drawings. And you'll just be surprised at how far you can go with pencil drawing. Like I said, I'll leave a link in the description below if you wanna check that course out, along with the other courses that we offer over at thevirtualinstructor.com. So there you have it, seven secrets that you can apply to your graphite drawing to ensure your success. I hope you enjoyed this video. I hope you were able to pick up a couple of things here and there. If you're new to the channel, make sure that you like the video and also subscribe to the channel. There's a huge number of you that just watch the videos and don't subscribe to the channel. Go ahead and subscribe to the channel. At this point, we are very close to a million subscribers. We'd love to have you as one of them. Thanks again for watching. I hope you enjoyed it. And as always, I wish you all the very best in your artistic success.