Add Texture to Your Art

• 1). Examine the subject that you wish to capture. Study its surface for characteristic patterns. Rocky surfaces often exhibit a rippling pattern. Some leathers have a bumpy pattern of ovular shapes or soft, crossing lines. Animal fur reveals an intricate pattern of lines, whether curvy or straight. Look for such details before beginning your drawing or painting.
  
  
• 2). Use your brush or pencil to copy the pattern that you observed in your intended subject. For short lines, use a flicking motion. For organic forms, use gently curving strokes. You may turn your pencil on its side for a softer, less linear effect when appropriate or dilute your paint to gain a smoother touch when needed.
  
  
• 3). Examine your work from a distance and from close-up to check your pattern. Check for strokes that become too repetitive or patterns that may be too bold to properly capture your subject.
  
  
• 4). Adjust for any errors by reworking the elements of your chosen patterns.