What is Pencil Sketching?

Thank you for choosing to visit our site on Pencil sketching. We hope you find the articles informative and that they address any problems you have or teach you some new sketching  techniques.

This site is very much aimed at someone who has perhaps done some sketching in their spare time but now wants to expand their knowledge. That is not to say that someone who is more experienced will not find something to learn or enjoy, simply that a lot of the sketching techniques may be considered basic to the experienced artist.

Sketching can be viewed in a number of ways. In its basic definition it is the process of putting pencil to paper and creating an end product be it intricate in detail or a simple line. Some people only see sketching as a way of creating a blueprint for the artwork the wish to create in another medium such as oil, pastel, acrylic or watercolour. In the way that a skeleton forms the basis of a body or the plans of a house form the basis of its construction, pencil sketching can be used to create this base. People such as me appreciate the works created using simply a pencil and paper for what they are in themselves. Some people only think of sketches as being monochrome, which is black and white contrast; however a range of colored and watercolour pencils are available to buy.

Sketching is often one of the first types of art we attempt to learn due to the predominance of pencils in our schools and homes and the ease of access to the simple materials required. It also creates very little mess for mums to worry about although I am sure there would be many who would disagree with that statement should they have a child who decided drawing on the living room wall would be a good idea.

Pencil sketching can be done from both still life and the imagination. Some of the best artists in the world who choose pencil as there tool of the trade do so using fantasy images. The stark contrast of pen and paper can be good for creating bold striking images of mythical beasts whilst the grey hues can create dark, moody environment, setting the mind on a journey into a far away land very different from here. It’s crazy to think that can be achievable with a simple pen and paper. This is the power the mighty graphite pencil can have.
In the same way they say everyone has a book in them, everyone has art as well. Art is very much down to interpretation and what you believe to be an unspectacular doodle, someone else might see as a work of art.

That again is the beauty of pencil sketching. There is no real right or wrong. Obviously when it comes to portrait sketching a far greater level of skill and experience is required in order to understand the importance of structure and the relative size and placement of features such as the eyes, ears nose and mouth. There are numerous books available on the subject of pencil sketching, not only for appreciation of the art but to teach the prospective student new sketching techniques to make there own works more impressive to others. There are also a number of websites offering courses in specific areas of pencil sketching, be it landscapes, portraits, animals or still life.

With practise will come improvement and though your initial efforts may not look particularly amazing with perseverance and learning sketching techniques you too can produce amazing results.

If you are looking at improving your sketching techniques then be sure to visit our page on learning to sketch which gives details of a fantastic e-book that will see your sketches improve massively. You can find that article here