Fundamental Drawing Techniques

Line

• Line is one of the foundation elements of drawing.
• Use lines to define shapes, create boundaries, show direction, and imply motion.
• There are several types of lines including curved, linear, horizontal, vertical, diagonal and even dashed.
• Experiment with line quality; variations can express different states of mood and feelings.
• Understand the significance of using thick, thin, broken, or continuous lines in your artwork.

Tone

• Tone refers to the lightness or darkness of something. This could be a colour or a shade.
• In drawing, tone is used to provide depth, helping to create the illusion of three dimensions.
• Create tonal variation by applying different pressures of your drawing tool, be it a pencil, charcoal, or something else.
• Practice creating a tonal scale or spectrum from utterly dark to completely white.
• Use hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, and blending to express differing tones.

Texture

• Texture is the perceived surface quality of artwork.
• It’s vital to study the physical nature of your subject matter. The closer you can replicate its texture, the more realistic your portrayal will be.
• Skilled use of texture can stimulate sensory responses in viewers like touch and feel.
• Different techniques to create texture include scumbling, stippling, smudging, or cross hatching.
• Consider the texture of your drawing surface; a smooth paper will have a different effect than a rough canvas.

Form

• Form pertains to the actual shape and structure of an object, and is generally communicated through shading.
• The change between light to dark on a form is known as a tonal change or a gradation of tone.
• Practice creating 2D shapes, and then advance to creating 3D forms. This transition will help improve your understanding and representation of form in drawings.
• Master linear perspective, aerial perspective, scale, and proportions to give form its authentic outlook in space.
• Learning to correctly portray light, depth, and proportion is essential in accurately representing form in a drawing.