Drawing: part 1

Drawing is one of my favorite past times. Occasionally I get a commission here and there and I always enjoy the challenge of making a drawing look just like the picture it's supposed to. 

Art is a very subjective field and it definitely takes time, patience, and practice to achieve perfection (which, in reality, is never truly achieved). But drawing is a basic skill that almost anyone can learn. I am going to take you step-by-step through a typical drawing for me. I hope you find this helpful if you ever feel the desire to make a drawing for yourself.

First, you will need basic drawing supplies. This is what I typically use.

-Two pencils: one with a hard graphite for initial outlining (I use 4H), and a soft graphite for shading (I use a jet black ebony pencil).

**many people think it is necessary to have a variety of pencils, which may be true if you are in need of other effects in your drawing, but these are the only two pencils I ever use**

-A sharpener

-Variety of erasers

-Masking tape (to keep your paper in place while working)

When drawing faces, I often used a grid for accuracy. I will show you that method in this demonstration. First, lay a grid over the photo you are working from. In this case, I have enlarged the photo to focus on the face more, and I have also turned it black and white so I could see the tone variations rather than color...since we are working in black and white medium.

Next, lay out your grid on your paper with a yard stick or ruler and a very light pencil line.

Then, VERY lightly start the outline of your drawing. Follow the natural contours you see. Each shape has an edge, and that is where you make your line. Even the shadows can be formed into shapes, so make sure to outline where they will go as well. Use your grid to see where each line meets another, and to help gauge size and shape of your objects.

It may not look like much yet, but you're on your way to making a beautiful drawing!

Remember, the key is PATIENCE! That's the hardest part for me. 

Now go make something, and enjoy the day!