♥ Six Steps To Sensational Sketches ♥
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Easy Sketches ~ Step By Step
With this system, patience and desire, anyone can learn to draw!
Here you'll find my
Six Simple Steps to Sensational Sketches
Why not give my easy step by step sketching a try!? Here you'll find lots of helpful information on technique, inspiration and suggestions on the basic supplies you'll need. Start sketching today and I believe you'll be amazed at the results as you see improvement with each effort.
K I S S ~ Keep It Sensationally Simple!
"Practice like a good musician; draw every day." ~ Sergei Bongart
Here you'll find my
Six Simple Steps to Sensational Sketches
Why not give my easy step by step sketching a try!? Here you'll find lots of helpful information on technique, inspiration and suggestions on the basic supplies you'll need. Start sketching today and I believe you'll be amazed at the results as you see improvement with each effort.
K I S S ~ Keep It Sensationally Simple!
"Practice like a good musician; draw every day." ~ Sergei Bongart
Table of Contents
The Six Steps and More!
- * STEP 1 ~ Block In Shapes
- * STEP 2 ~ Refine and Add Detail
- * STEP 3 ~ Dampen The Paper
- * STEP 4 ~ Flood The Wash
- * STEP 5 ~ Add Calligraphy
- * STEP 6 ~ Add Background Value
- Light and Dark Values
- Homemade Value Chart
- Don Rankin's Value and View Finder
- Quality Sketching Supplies On Amazon
- ERASERS
- A Snapshot of My Erasers :-D
- How I Started Drawing and Blogging Everyday
- My Daily Sketching Blog
- The Weekly Sketching Everyday Challenge
- My Sketching Box
- A Sketching / Wash Box
- Another Shot Of My Sketching Supplies
- Sketching Vs. Drawing
- Friesian Portrait ~ Selina
- Friesian Portrait
- Mare and Foal ~ Mother's Pride & Joy
- 2007 Drawing Everyday Workshop
- Elephants Are Fun To Draw!
- More Elephants
- William The Hippo Drawing Demonstration
- DRAWING IS A RIGHT BRAINED ACTIVITY
- My Favorite Art Books on Amazon
- What's the Difference Between a Sketch and a Painting?
- Turning Sketches Into Paintings
- Copyright Notice
- License My Images
- Some Great Drawing Videos By Tony Couch
- Who Is Sandy Sandy Anyway?
- Please Give Me Feedback!
- Did You Enjoy this Lens?
- More Drawing And Art Lenses
- All My Lenses
* STEP 1 ~ Block In Shapes
"Six Simple Steps to Sensational Sketches"
I recommend using a good quality spiral sketchbook, at least 6" x 8" or bigger with a medium weight drawing paper. I like the Strathmore 300 series, 9" x 12". You'll also need a soft drawing pencil (2B - 4B) and a kneaded eraser.
This drawing shows you how to hold the pencil when you first start your drawing. Hold it like a wand as if you were conducting an orchestra. It's so much easier to first block in shapes this way and keeps you loose without getting caught up in details too early on.
This drawing shows you how to hold the pencil when you first start your drawing. Hold it like a wand as if you were conducting an orchestra. It's so much easier to first block in shapes this way and keeps you loose without getting caught up in details too early on.
* STEP 2 ~ Refine and Add Detail
Ok, now you can tighten up a little and hold the pencil like you would to write. Add some of the main details. Correct and refine your sketch, but don't get too nit picky!
Keep in mind that this is an exercise. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece!
When out of the studio sketching, I stop with this step and add the wash later. So all you need to take out with you is a pencil, eraser and sketchbook!
"A pencil is quiet, clean, odorless, inexpensive, and lightweight. I can slip it in my pocket and take it with me everywhere - my secret friend." ~ Sherry Camby
My motto is: "KISS ~ Keep it sensationally simple!"
Keep in mind that this is an exercise. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece!
When out of the studio sketching, I stop with this step and add the wash later. So all you need to take out with you is a pencil, eraser and sketchbook!
"A pencil is quiet, clean, odorless, inexpensive, and lightweight. I can slip it in my pocket and take it with me everywhere - my secret friend." ~ Sherry Camby
My motto is: "KISS ~ Keep it sensationally simple!"
* STEP 3 ~ Dampen The Paper
I start this next step by generously wetting the surface of my bird with clean water. I go right up to the edge of the figure so the paint will flow to that point and the strokes will blend together.
* STEP 4 ~ Flood The Wash
Here I use a thirsty, *dry brush that's loaded with watercolor paint. I usually use a combination of Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna to make a gray, but any dark color will do. I'm more concerned with value than hue. (See the section on value below.) I start squinting a lot from this point on. This makes it easier to see big shapes and values. I float the pigment into the wet area, giving the figure shape by rendering values and a few details.
*dry brush ~ The brush is damp, yet dryer than the paper. This is done by loading the brush with thick paint and then using a tissue at the ferrule of the brush to squeeze out excess water. The brush then becomes "dry", but there's still lots of pigment on the bristles. See "PARTS OF AN ARTIST'S BRUSH" here.
Hue ~ another word for color
Value ~ the lightness or darkness of any color, the three main values being:
Light, medium, dark
*dry brush ~ The brush is damp, yet dryer than the paper. This is done by loading the brush with thick paint and then using a tissue at the ferrule of the brush to squeeze out excess water. The brush then becomes "dry", but there's still lots of pigment on the bristles. See "PARTS OF AN ARTIST'S BRUSH" here.
Hue ~ another word for color
Value ~ the lightness or darkness of any color, the three main values being:
Light, medium, dark
* STEP 5 ~ Add Calligraphy
When the area is damp or dry, I add a few more calligraphic strokes. You can soften some hard lines by quickly moistening some strokes with a little clean water and a *dry brush.
* STEP 6 ~ Add Background Value
All I've done here is add a background wash after the bird is dry. I do the same thing as in step three. I quickly wet the entire surface where I want my wash to be with clean water, again being careful to stay in the lines. Then squinting, I float in my pigment with a *dry brush.
Some wrinkling of the drawing paper will occur. You can protect the sheets below by slipping in a sheet of watercolor paper under the page you are working on. Remember, stay loose! It's only a sketch! Do it over a few times until you get the hang of it. "Repetition is the key to mastery" ~ Sandy
Some wrinkling of the drawing paper will occur. You can protect the sheets below by slipping in a sheet of watercolor paper under the page you are working on. Remember, stay loose! It's only a sketch! Do it over a few times until you get the hang of it. "Repetition is the key to mastery" ~ Sandy
Light and Dark Values
Light and Dark Values
No matter what medium or technique you use to depict your subject, always try to use a full range of values. Value is the lightness or darkness of a color. You can simplify value by thinking light, medium and dark. A good drawing should have all three. A tool I use frequently in drawing and painting is a value scale. You could easily make up your own any number of ways. The first one I made out of a page from a Pantone color formula guide mounted on a piece of foam core. The second one, The Don Rankin Value and View Finder, is available through Cheap Joes' Art Stuff. I like this one because there are holes in the card where the values are and you can hold it right over the area you're evaluating to get a really good match.
"Value drawings are one of the artist's best friends." ~ Harley Brown
"Value drawings are one of the artist's best friends." ~ Harley Brown
Homemade Value Chart
Don Rankin's Value and View Finder
Quality Sketching Supplies On Amazon
These Are The Tools I Use
Whether you order online or go to your local art supply store, a good quality Sketchbook or Sketchpad, Sketching / Drawing Pencils and erasers are essential!
"Learn to draw so effectively that it becomes second nature - almost another language. Carry a sketchbook at all times." ~ David Curtis
"Learn to draw so effectively that it becomes second nature - almost another language. Carry a sketchbook at all times." ~ David Curtis
ERASERS
The Only Two I'd Use
I'm a bit of a fanatic when it comes to erasers. An eraser can be your friend, or your worst nightmare. I have found that there are some impostors that look like the good ones too, so beware. Make sure you get these brands. I only use two types of erasers, the White Mars Plastic and The Design Kneaded. I've tried similar brands but didn't like them nearly as well. Try them both! They both work differently and each works better in certain situations. See which kind you like better!
A Snapshot of My Erasers :-D
They each have their own little basket!
How I Started Drawing and Blogging Everyday
Sketching Everyday Has Become My Summer Tradition!
How It All Began ~
In my June 19th 2006 Spirit Art email ~ Discipline, I vowed to draw everyday that summer.
Talking with a young artist that visited my studio on Sunday, I found myself giving advice that I often fail to practice. "Drawing is so important to an artist", I told him. "Even if you paint abstractly, I feel it is important to develop good drawing skills. It's all about hand - eye coordination and getting notes and ideas down on paper", I continued. Whether you doodle, sketch or draw, it is an important skill and ideally should be exercised daily." Since I do believe in practicing what you preach, I have vowed that for the rest of the summer; at least until Labor Day; to draw, doodle or sketch each day. I guess we'll see just how disciplined I really am!
"Do not fail, as you go on, to draw something every day, for no matter how little it is, it will be well worth while, and it will do you a world of good." ~ Cennino Cennini
"It is one thing to praise discipline, and another to submit to it." (Mogul de Servants)
"You don't get into the mood to create; it's discipline." (Twyla Tharp)
"Drawing and painting are self disciplined activities that you have to learn
by yourself." (Romare Bearden)
"It is essential... that discipline should not be practiced like a rule imposed on oneself from the outside, but that it becomes an expression of one's own will; that it is felt as pleasant, and that one slowly accustoms oneself to a kind of behavior which one would eventually miss, if one stopped practicing it." (Erich Fromm)
In my June 19th 2006 Spirit Art email ~ Discipline, I vowed to draw everyday that summer.
Talking with a young artist that visited my studio on Sunday, I found myself giving advice that I often fail to practice. "Drawing is so important to an artist", I told him. "Even if you paint abstractly, I feel it is important to develop good drawing skills. It's all about hand - eye coordination and getting notes and ideas down on paper", I continued. Whether you doodle, sketch or draw, it is an important skill and ideally should be exercised daily." Since I do believe in practicing what you preach, I have vowed that for the rest of the summer; at least until Labor Day; to draw, doodle or sketch each day. I guess we'll see just how disciplined I really am!
"Do not fail, as you go on, to draw something every day, for no matter how little it is, it will be well worth while, and it will do you a world of good." ~ Cennino Cennini
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Today, here are some thoughts on discipline:"It is one thing to praise discipline, and another to submit to it." (Mogul de Servants)
"You don't get into the mood to create; it's discipline." (Twyla Tharp)
"Drawing and painting are self disciplined activities that you have to learn
by yourself." (Romare Bearden)
"It is essential... that discipline should not be practiced like a rule imposed on oneself from the outside, but that it becomes an expression of one's own will; that it is felt as pleasant, and that one slowly accustoms oneself to a kind of behavior which one would eventually miss, if one stopped practicing it." (Erich Fromm)
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Subscibe, writing "Subscribe - DE", to my free Drawing Everyday Blog.
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My Daily Sketching Blog
"Sandy Sandy's Summer Sketching Series"
My Summer Drawing Blog, featuring my drawings, doodles and thoughts
June 1st - August 31st
"A drawing a day keeps the cobwebs away." ~ Robert Genn
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byThe Weekly Sketching Everyday Challenge
Summer Sketchingeveryday Blog Underway!
A Sketch A Day Keeps Boredom Away!
This year, I'm posting a photograph at the beginning of the week. If anyone chooses to sketch it and send in your results to me at: sandy@sandysandy.com, I'll post them on my summer blog, www.sketchingeveryday.com, the following Sunday or Monday with my interpretation. I'll also archive them on www.drawingeveryday.com.
This year, I'm posting a photograph at the beginning of the week. If anyone chooses to sketch it and send in your results to me at: sandy@sandysandy.com, I'll post them on my summer blog, www.sketchingeveryday.com, the following Sunday or Monday with my interpretation. I'll also archive them on www.drawingeveryday.com. My Sketching Box
Everything I need to do pencil and wash!
Here's a photo of my little traveling sketch box and sketch book with everything I need except water to do my Simple Sketching Technique.
I love my little box. It is only 3.5 x 6" and is by Winsor & Newton. It came with really cute collapsible brushes, a pencil, eraser and a tiny sponge. I got it as a gift many years ago and have searched for it (or something like it) and have never seen it anywhere for sale. With this set, I need to use a tube watercolor pigment which I let dry on the palette part. Once I wet the little blobs of color, they come back to life. I use a piece of wax paper to separate the paint from the brushes when I need to close the box and the paints are wet in the field. Add a some tissues and a cup of water and you are good to go.
A Sketching / Wash Box
You'll need one of your own.
Another Shot Of My Sketching Supplies
Sketching Vs. Drawing
Different Methods And Techiniques
Whether you are drawing or sketching, the skill is the same. The technique and time factor vary greatly however! It all depends on what your end goal is. Something to hang on the wall? A study for a painting? An information gathering exercise? Self expression and exploration? Once you can do a quick study with proficiency, you can master almost any drawing technique with a little practice. Here I just wanted to show you some more finished drawings I did. This realistic, more photographic approach is nice, but very time and labor intensive and in my opinion, a lot less fun than the pencil and wash approach featured here.
Friesian Portrait ~ Selina
Friesian Portrait
From my 2008 Archives
Although entries for blogs are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order, here on DrawingEveryday.com, my posts are presented in chronological order.
Mare and Foal ~ Mother's Pride & Joy
2007 Drawing Everyday Workshop
Simple Steps = Successful Sketches
8/13/07 ~ Workshop Participants
I was impressed by the skill level of the artists that participated in my
Drawing Everyday Workshop. We all had a real good time. I think everyone
loosened up a bit and learned a few new things to add to their repertoire.
I was impressed by the skill level of the artists that participated in my
Drawing Everyday Workshop. We all had a real good time. I think everyone
loosened up a bit and learned a few new things to add to their repertoire.
Elephants Are Fun To Draw!
Doing Something Enjoyable Improves Attitude
Thursday, February 26, 2009 - Frustration Remedy Sketches Ahh, Elephants!
From my Spirit Art Blog: "Seems like every simple task this week has turned into a major ordeal. Staying positive is hard when you keep banging your head against the wall. Putting all fragmented projects aside, I decided to do some therapeutic sketching to adjust my attitude. While I was drawing from photos posted online by my friend, Sally Vennel, simultaneously another FB friend, Abbey Brooke, IM'd me from Kenya. We chatted about elephants and cheetahs. I think my remedy is starting to work! Switching to something you love in situations like this can calm your nerves and heal your heart." Here's steps 1 and 2 of my sketching technique.
Thursday, March 5, 2009 - Finished Elephant Sketches
I'm gearing up for a drawing and watercolor workshop here on Saturday and Sunday. Part of what I will be covering is drawing techniques, including this pencil and watercolor approach. I drew and painted these elephants with permission from my photographer friend, Sally Vennel. Taken on one of her many trips to Africa, these particular elephants live in Botswana. Find links to all my sites on www.sandysandy.com.
More Elephants
Sketches With and Without Wash
Here are three unfinished sketches; steps one and two
of my drawing system.
And the same sketches completed.
Compare with the top drawings and I think you'll agree,
that the watercolor wash really brings them to life.
DRAWING IS A RIGHT BRAINED ACTIVITY
IS YOUR LEFT BRAIN INTERFERING?
WHICH WAY DOES SHE SPIN? ~Watch this video and see if the dancer moves clockwise or counter clockwise. If she moves clockwise, you're probably more right brain dominated. You use more of your NON VERBAL, intuative, creative side. If you see her move counter clockwise, you are in the majority and are more of a left brain dominated, VERBAL, analytical individual.
ACCORDING TO BETTY EDWARDS, AUTHOR OF DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN, "The right brain perceives and processes visual information, in the way one needs to see in order to draw, and the left brain perceives in ways that seem to interfere with drawing."
"An individual's ability to draw is... the ability to shift to a different-from-ordinary way of processing visual information - to shift from verbal, analytic processing to spatial, global processing." ~ Betty Edwards
My Favorite Art Books on Amazon
Recommendations From My Library
What's the Difference Between a Sketch and a Painting?
Attitude is the biggest difference.
Most of my sketches are done on regular drawing paper. There are far more opportunities for discovery and looseness when your expectations are not too great. It's just a sketch. It's a tool to take you further down the path of exploration and artistic development. The good ones often do turn into paintings later on.
"Drawing is risk. If risk is eliminated at any stage of the act it is no longer drawing." ~ Lorne Coutts
"Drawing is risk. If risk is eliminated at any stage of the act it is no longer drawing." ~ Lorne Coutts
Turning Sketches Into Paintings
Here you'll see some more examples, suggestions and tips.
turning-sketches-into-paintings
Copyright Notice
License My Images
Some Great Drawing Videos By Tony Couch
I Recommend All Of These.
Each Session Teaches Something More Valuable Than The Last! Tony is a wealth of information and shares it simply and freely in his lectures and demonstrations.
Who Is Sandy Sandy Anyway?
Who Am I?
Since 1996, I have been a professional fine artist and up to January of 2009, had devoted my career to painting full time. For the past year and a half, my focus has been on learning the highly technical medium of commercial photography. Prior to '96, I co-owned and operated an advertising and sign company for over seventeen years. Currently my work is done in the studio and beyond. The nature that surrounds me in the NJ Pines and a new found medium inspires my work. A strong connection with animals and nature has been evident over the past years and thousands of paintings. My philosophy of spirit, who I am, and who I strive to become, is woven into my work. And yes, it is work. I believe to be good at anything requires desire, dedication and countless hours of just doing it. When you love what you do however, work and play are the same.
"Creativity is about play and a kind of willingness to go with your intuition. It's crucial to an artist. If you know where you are going and what you are going to do, why do it?" ~ Frank Gehry
Please Give Me Feedback!
Hey Wait! Let me know you stopped by!
Thank you for visiting my lens. Please let me know what you think about what's here and what else you'd like to see. If you like it, please take a moment to give me some feedback. I really appreciate your thoughts and love hearing from you. Wishing You Abundance Always, Sandy
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bloomingrose
Jan 30, 2012 @ 5:28 am | delete
- Just thinking I wanted to learn to draw - and here is your lens! Fabulous.
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Annamadagan
Jan 7, 2012 @ 7:20 pm | delete
- Great art, and wonderful information! Thanks so much for sharing! I love sketching, drawing, painting and all that great stuff!
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spiritartist Jan 7, 2012 @ 11:06 pm | delete
- Thanks Anna! I enjoyed your "Bucked Off" lens :-D
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spa-products
Dec 31, 2011 @ 5:10 pm | delete
- Wow - beautiful drawings - thanks for the lessons - I haven't drawn since college
(shame on me lol)
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smsr0100451
Dec 3, 2011 @ 5:11 am | delete
- Wonderful... I love drawing too..
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