Techniques of drawing

Techniques of Drawing

Pencil Techniques

  • Hatching: Drawing closely spaced parallel lines. Varying the direction of the hatching can control the texture and tone.

  • Cross-hatching: Drawing a series of intersecting sets of parallel lines, creating a grid-like pattern. The density can be adjusted for tonal effect.

  • Stippling: Creating a pattern with dots rather than lines. The closer the dots, the darker the area appears.

  • Scumbling: Moving the pencil in small, circular motions to fill in regions, producing a soft tone.

Charcoal Techniques

  • Layering: Using different pressures to create layers of tones.

  • Blending: Rubbing with fingers or tools to smooth or blend areas together.

  • Erasing: Using erasers to highlight or create texture.

  • Grating: Scraping the charcoal to create dust for soft and uniform shading.

Ink Techniques

  • Wash: Diluting the ink with water to create a complete range of values, from light to dark.

  • Drips and splatters: Using drips and splatters to create an expressive or energetic drawing.

  • Dry brush: Using a nearly dry brush to create a texture, typically to denote rough surfaces.

  • Pen and ink: Using differing pen strokes to create texture and tone.

Pastel Technique

  • Blending: Using fingers or tools to blend and soften colours.

  • Layering: Applying multiple layers of pastels to create depth in tones and colours.

  • Feathering: Using the edge of a pastel stick to create short strokes.

  • Scraping: Removing top layers of pastel to reveal the underneath colour, to create texture or highlights.

Drawing Perspective

  • One-point perspective: Having a single vanishing point on the horizon. Used for roads, hallways or tracks.

  • Two-point perspective: Having two vanishing points, usually for corners or angular views.

  • Three-point perspective: Having three vanishing points. Often used for skyscrapers, exaggerated perspectives, or worm’s-eye views.

Remember to practice these techniques regularly to master them and incorporate them into your artwork effectively. Each technique can dramatically change the mood and style of your drawing.