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Step by Step Drawing Lesson
#2
This tutorial contains the steps I used to create the
drawing entitled White Bouquet. For more basic information about the techniques
and materials
used please see this page first:
Graphite Pencil Drawing
Tutorial #1.
Title:
White
Bouquet
Size: 18" x 14"
Medium: Charcoal, Graphite and Carbon on White Paper
Step
One
To begin with, I cut the
subject shapes out of frisket and apply them to my white paper. Then
I begin applying layers of charcoal to the background and blending
with felt.
Step
Two:
Here I’ve begun adding texture to the
background. I start by lightening several large masses with a chamois.
This creates an area that appears to stick out from the background.
Then, I add to this effect by picking out highlights on everything
that is facing the light (upper left corner of the texture). The lower
right corner of everything receives a cast shadow. There are small
dark spots that were created when I blended with felt. I use these to
make the holes by adding the highlights and shadows.
The
left side of the background is close to being done. The right side is
still waiting for my texture enhancements. I am including a
close-up so you can see the texture more clearly. Once I start drawing
the objects, the background can be toned down if it appears to busy. I
won't know till I get there!
Step
Three:
At this stage I have completed the
basic values and texture of the background and added the same type of
texture for the front of the ledge. I heightened the contrast to make
the front pop forward from the background.
I have
also sprayed it with fixative, pealed
the frisket from the glass and started laying out the details of the
wine glass. I cut out some little pieces of frisket to mask the main
highlights in the glass. I could have used liquid frisket for this
also.
Step Four
(a):
I've continued to enhance the background texture and started on the
glass by blending hb charcoal pencil with a stump and a chamois. I
masked the brightest highlights with frisket.
All of the values are subject to change at this point. I have to see
how the values develop on the rest of the elements in the drawing
before I start to balance everything out.
Step
Four (b):
Since I invented the background, I needed to know how much of that
texture would be visible through the glass and bottle so I set up my
drawing behind them and took some photos. I've included one of those
here.
Step Five:
I finished the glass (for now) and started on the bottle. I'm using
carbon for the bottle to help it stand out from the charcoal
background. I have included a close-up of the bottle
to show the texture that the carbon is creating.
While rendering the glass, I noticed that in order to get the contrast
I want; I will have to darken the background on the left side. You
will notice that the background is darker peering through the glass.
This wont be the case when I'm done. I'm waiting until I'm closer to
being finished to do that to keep it from messing up my highlights. As
I said before, all the final value adjustments will be made after all
the elements are in.
Bottle close-up
Step Six:
The wine bottle and label are done and I started
working in the leaves. I also darkened the background on the left. to
help the wine glass "pop" a little better.
Step
Seven:
The basics values are done on the rose head. I will have to darken the
basic values once the bottle's cast shadow is in place directly behind
the rose. That’s the last step and its next!
Finish:
The final step involves pumping up
the contrasts as much as possible. I go over the darkest areas again
with charcoal. I have to be very careful to keep my the white areas
clean at this stage. I usually put the drawing away for a few days and
then come back for these final adjustments.
My goal
is extreme realism. When you only have black, white, and shades of gray
to work with, you must make use of the entire range of values that
your media is capable of to make that possible..
The composition as it relates to
values:
I want to explain a little bit
about my thought process behind the composition. I always try to plan
ahead in my work to make sure I can maximize the available contrast.
In other words, if I want something to look white, it's much easier to
place it adjacent to something dark.
The flower head was deliberately placed in front of the cast shadow of
the bottle to make it appear whiter and to give me a wider value range
to work with when I rendered the petal details.
The background is darker on the left to help make the glass
"pop" more. It also helps balance the dark values of the
cast shadows on the right.
Thank
you for taking the time to read through this step by step work in
progress.
Learn How to Draw!
Technique
book
For more detailed step by step instructions that
include over 150 illustrations order a signed copy of my
technique book "Drawing Realistic Textures in Pencil". To
learn more about it's contents, click the book.
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