If you were in one of my classes, I’d probably end up giving you several of these tips for drawing before the class was over. These are things I’ve learned from reading, from experience, or from other artists that have helped me along the way.

#1: USE MORE THAN ONE PENCIL

Art pencils are made with graphite in varying shades of hardness. The harder the graphite, the lighter the marks will be; the softer the graphite, the darker the marks will be. The hardness is indicated on the ends of the pencils with letters and numbers. “H” pencils have harder graphite and make light marks; “B” pencils are softer and make dark marks. (“HB” and “F” pencils are in the middle.) The higher the numbers, the lighter or darker the marks will be.

#2: TRY DIFFERENT KINDS OF PAPER

Who says you can only draw on drawing paper? Different types of papers will give your drawing a different appearance. Try out Bristol, watercolor papers, colored pastel papers, even drafting film.

#3: USE A REFERENCE 

Have you ever tried to draw something from your head? It can be frustrating, as often the image we “see” in our mind doesn’t come out the same on the paper. That’s where a reference — either a picture or an actual subject — comes in handy. It will provide you with the exact shapes, lines, and proportions for your drawing. Artists and illustrators often use references even as they create original works of art.

 #4: DRAW FROM A COLORING PAGE

If you feel like you’re struggling to “see” the lines and shapes, try drawing from coloring pages. The lines are thick and clear, and there’s no shading to worry about.

 #5: THINK IN BLACK AND WHITE

When drawing in pencil, think of your drawing as an old photo. Old photos aren’t really in just black and white; they are also made up of many different shades of grey. So think of your drawing in terms of grey scale as well.

 #6: DRAW FROM AN ACTUAL BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO

If you’re having trouble thinking in grey-scale, use a “black and white” reference photo (actually in grey-scale). This is good practice, especially when you are just starting to add shading to your drawings. The photo will help you see the varying shades of grey. If you can, print the photo the same size as the drawing you’re going to create.

#7: DRAWING FROM LIFE

Along with using reference photos, be sure to practice drawing from real objects, known as “drawing from life.” You’ll see perspectives and depth you just can’t get find in a photo. Try drawing a pinecone, and apple, a flower, and of course, an animal (they are easier to draw if they are sleeping or still). You can draw it as a gesture sketch or create a finished drawing with details and shading.

#8: LOOK FOR SHAPES

Drawing is about seeing – seeing the shapes and lines of the object you’re trying to draw. Before I start any drawing, I first look for basic shapes in the animal:  circles, ovals, rectangles, squares, and triangles. I lightly sketch these out first; that way, I can be sure the drawing will fit on the paper. Because I draw them in lightly, I can easily make changes if it’s not working.

#9: WATCH THOSE LINES

Drawing is also about seeing those lines.  Once you have the shapes, pay close attention to the lines. Are they curved or straight? Are they going at diagonally? Do they form an angle? Where do they connect to each other?

#10: CONTOUR DRAWING

Contour drawing refers to drawing the outlines of an object. If you’re having trouble “seeing” where the lines are going, this is a good place to start. Imagine you’re a ladybug (or another small insect), and you’re crawling along the outer edge of your drawing. You’re moving along every turn, bump, and dip. Now make your pencil follow the same path.

 #11: GESTURE DRAWING

This is a good way to practice drawing – with no pressure at all! When you create a gesture drawing, you draw as quickly as you can in a very limited amount of time (30 to 60 seconds will do!). You don’t need to worry about details, and there’s no time to erase. Just try to capture the basic form or shape of your subject.

#12: LOOK AT THE NEGATIVE SPACE

Besides looking at the lines, artists also think in terms of space. Negative space refers to those areas where there aren’t any lines. It might be the space between an animal’s ears, or the space between the legs of a chair. This space has a shape; by concentrating on that shape, you can often make your lines more accurate.

 #13: DRAW UPSIDE DOWN

In the same way turning your paper upside down helps you see the shapes and lines, drawing upside down helps you create them more accurately.  All you need is your drawing paper, the reference picture (the same size as the drawing), and two blank sheets of paper.  Place both the drawing paper and reference picture upside down and cover each with a blank sheet of paper. Then, pull the blank sheet on both up about an inch, so an inch of the drawing paper and an inch of the reference picture are showing. It will look like just a bunch of lines. Draw those lines just as you see them on your paper. Then, pull up both sheets of blank paper another inch. Draw just what you see. Continue in this way until the whole drawing is complete.

 #14: TURN EVERYTHING UPSIDE DOWN

If you’re already finished your drawing but something just doesn’t look quite right, try turning both your reference picture and your drawing upside down and comparing the two. Turning your paper upside down fools your brain into seeing shapes and lines rather than the whole image.  You’ll be able to better see the places that don’t match up.

#15: LOOK AT THE MIRROR IMAGE

Another way to check your drawing is to hold it up in front of a mirror. You’ll see things to change that you couldn’t see before. Scanning the drawing into a computer and viewing it on the screen has a similar effect.

#16: TRY DIFFERENT TOOLS FOR SHADING

There are lots of different “tools” you can use to shade your drawing . Try as many of them out as you can, and see which ones you prefer.  You can use tortillons, blending stumps, felt, chamois, paper towels, even your fingers!

#17: USE A KNEADED ERASER

It’s difficult to erase dark lines with a kneaded eraser, but this eraser is just the tools to use if you have to lighten up a shadow. This type of eraser will gently lift the graphite a little bit at a time.

#18: DRAW EVERY DAY

Drawing is a skill that can be developed, much like playing a musical instrument or participating in a sport. The more you practice, the better you’ll get. Whether you’re drawing from reference photos or from life, find something to draw every day!

Photo by Caprisco