Having completed 'Ship Building' using acrylics I decided I would show my next drawing project in stages. I used coloured pencils for this Barn Owl. (Staedtler Ergosoft are my choice here).
1. I elected to use
Having completed 'Ship Building' using acrylics I decided I would show my next drawing project in stages. I used coloured pencils for this Barn Owl. (Staedtler Ergosoft are my choice here).
1. I elected to use card rather than paper.
Why? I already knew I'd be layering and cross-hatching the colours, so I wanted to have confidence in the surface.
- I studied my 'original' on my pc screen and, judged the centre of the subject.
- Before drawing I laid a mount over the card to help me concentrate my work on the central area.
- I drew a vertical line down the centre and then five horizontal lines to help me judge the approximate top, bottom and, centre.
- Using a 4H graded pencil I worked quickly to sketch in the outline of the subject.
- I held the pencil near the top so I was using it like a paintbrush. This technique allows several outlines to be lightly drawn.
- Holding a pencil too close to the point tends to make the artist press harder, which is not desired in the early stages.
2. I moved up in grade from a very light 4H to a HB (middle grade) pencil, but continued with my technique of holding the pencil near the top end.
- As I saw the general shape forming, I stopped every few minutes and stepped back from the easel.
- It's tempting to continue and become engrossed in finalising the outline, but only by stepping back is an artist able to appreciate the overall setting and form.
- I continued to use the HB pencil in the latter stages of forming the