How to Sketch in Pencil, Pen & Ink
- 1). Carry around a pencil and sketchbook. Use them to draw anything that catches your eye. Work out little rough compositions or practice drawing more detailed objects and still lifes. Sketch entire landscapes or just their elements, such as clouds, trees, grass and flowers. Practice drawing quick figure studies. Sketch people wherever you go. Look for unusual subjects and try to capture their character on paper.
- 2). Draw with pen and ink in the studio or under more controlled situations. It is messy and hard to clean up if you spill it. Dab your pen tip onto a piece of paper if you get too much ink on it. This will prevent blobbing and running of the ink. Combine pencil with ink in a sketch, or just quickly draw out your pictures using only pen and ink. Sketching in pen and ink alone develops confidence and surety of hand. Develop your observational skills to improve your sketching ability. Your drawing will reflect the level of your observation.
- 3). Sketch outlines and contours of people and objects with your drawing tools. Compose ink sketches with a series of lines. Work in a linear method, defining shadows and forms by varying the distance between pen strokes. Place lines close together for a darker look and farther apart to make them look lighter. Practice varying the width of your strokes and lines. Use hatching and cross hatching to indicate shaded areas. Follow the forms of your objects with curved lines. Develop a rhythm in your lines, laying them down horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Experiment with a combination of line directions in your sketches. Try using wavy and wiggly lines to add variety and visual interest.
- 4). Work in pencil in a linear method similar to when sketching in pen and ink. Sketch your impressions quickly, conveying the look and feel of your subject matter. Vary the darkness of your pencil lines by using a harder or softer grade of pencil. Push harder with the pencil for darker lines. Sharpen your pencil often for better control of your lines. Sharpen it into a point for fine detail work. Sand the point down and draw with the sharp edges of the tip for clear, clean lines. Use the blunt tip to shade in areas of your sketch.
- 5). Use colored pencils and colored inks for more finished sketches. Blend the colored pencil strokes and areas of color with a blending stump or use your finger. Spend more time on your color sketches. Work out agreeable color schemes. Frame the pictures for display if they turn out well, or use them as notes for more involved artworks. Use sketching as a learning device, and practice often.
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