Drawing Basics: Pencil 101/ SHAPES/Ellipse

Pencil 101

B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, 8B, Ebony

These are all SOFT pencils.

The most versatile of pencils, capable of very light to very dark marks, designed for general sketching and drawing.

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•No. 1, No. 2, No. 2.5, No. 3, No. 4, H, HB, F

• These are General Pencils.

Very versatile, not in making a dark mark as a soft pencil but good for general sketching and drawing.

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•H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H, 6H, 7H, 8H, 9H

•Has a restricted range but can be very useful, makes a light, hard line, designed for drafting

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Charcoal 101

Best use:

•For rough sketching and gesture.

•Available in soft or hard stick form or soft or hard in pencil form.

SHAPES

•What we see around us can be simplified on paper in to a series of basic shapes.  

•Most obvious shapes are cubes and spheres and it is helpful to see objects in these terms when you begin to draw.

•A square comes in handy when approaching objects of various sizes.

•Consider building a box for it to fit and work inwards.

Ellipse

•Thus, it follows the same rules as when you draw a circle: it contains arcs,  it has 4 segments which are equal.

Using the idea of the ellipse and a cylinder is a great way to look at shapes and drawing objects.

Tips:

•Consider the outside and work inwards

•Think of a box and elliptical

•Keep ends even

LINE

In class we spoke of line.  Line is important in mark making or drawing.  Horizontal line suggest a feeling of rest or repose with vertical lines suggesting height.  Contour act to separate shapes, values, textures and colors.

A Contour is the line which define an edge or form - an outline.  A Line Contour describes the outermost edge of a form as well as a change of plane within the form.  A contour is the line which defines a form or edge – an outline. Contour drawing is the place where most start following the visible edges of a shape. The contour describes the outermost edges of a form, as well as dramatic changes of plane within the form.

Contour= french for line.  

Pure/linear Contour = outline of the drawing - the edge only like the silhouette of an object  - no information is given on the inside

The line used describes the edge of the object being drawn.

like an outline!

Blind Contour = drawing an object using observation without looking at your paper while drawing the  Blind contour is similar to a regular contour drawing except the artist keeps their eyes on the subject they are drawing and does not look down at the paper.  The artist also will keep the tip of their pencil in contact with the paper so they don’t “get lost.”

Cross-Countour = follows the landscape of the form

Cross/Wrapped contour lines are drawn lines which travel, as the name suggests, across the form. Cross/Wrapped contours may be horizontal or vertical, as on the right side of the example, or both. Often, in more complex forms, cross/wrapped-contours will be drawn at varying angles.

Modified Contour = similar to blind contour but you look at paper slightly

Rapid Contour = drawing references gesture drawings for quick reference of what you are seeing.