Introduction to Drawing

Drawing is a visual representation of what we see. It is a duplication of our vision in form of lines and shades that we put on the paper. Drawing is the most versatile form of art that one can acquire. It can be done almost anywhere. Even underwater!

In this chapter I will discuss the basics of drawing including material, where to start, shapes and the basic strokes. I will progress from simple to complex techniques. Anyone can start drawing by having a piece of paper and a pencil. Here is this section I created a list of material I use for drawing.

Drawing Material

· Drawing Paper

· Pencils

· Eraser

· Sharpener

· Fixative

Drawing Paper

Drawing paper comes in many sizes and weight. Some are single sheet and others are in blocks of ten to thirty sheets. The sizes range from A0 down to the smallest A5. The sizes that is commonly use is A3 (297mm x 420mm) and A4 (148mm x 210mm). I would prefer to work on A3 or similar size paper even for small drawings. This gives plenty of space around the drawing that can later be cropped to suitable size. Drawing paper also comes in different grades or weight. The ideal grade of paper for drawing is 135gsm to 240gsm. I would prefer to draw on paper that is 135gsm or 165gsm. Lighter paper can be use for sketching practice. Drawing blocks normally come glue binding or ring binding.

Pencil

There are many grades of drawing pencils. The grade determines the hardness of the lead and how it marks the paper. Softer grades produce darker and bolder marks. I would use pencils ranging from B, 2B, 4B and 6B. Other than pencils I also draw with Graphite, Charcoal and Ink.

Eraser and Sharpener

Cheap dust free eraser is good enough for most drawing work. I use eraser to create highlights, tidy up smears and erase mistakes. I also carry a sharpener to keep my pencil sharp for the job.

Fixative

A can of aerosol fixative is handy. It prevents the drawing from getting smeared. A coat of ‘fixer’ is enough to set the drawing to the paper before storing. Some people use hair spray as a cheaper alternative. Hair spray does the same job but some contains chemicals that can cause the paper to turn yellowish over a period of time. Select fixative spray that is ‘CFC Free’ or Ozone friendly.