How-to-Art!

Sketching

Hello everyone, todays blog is going to part of my 'How-to-Art' series, and is going to be about sketching/drawing! As you might know, I enjoy doing this a lot, and there really is no right or wrong in art. It is all about expressing yourself, being creative and having tons of fun! Here are a few tips on how to become better at sketching! If you are a beginner, you can start to learn the basic techniques; if you are average, you can learn to improve your sketching; however, if you are a professional you can learn to perfect your skills! Most artists struggle or make mistakes with the most basic techniques of all, so it is extremely important to practice them, and learn new things on the way.

Use the right pencil

As much as your technique matters, the pencil you use

is just as important! Having a soft, rough pencil can really help get your shading and sketch right, as well as adding depth and a realistic atmosphere to your sketch. Having good paper is also important.

Don't exaggerate with shading

A mistake a lot of beginners do is that they exaggerate

with shading! They get really excited about the new

technique they have learnt, and they try to use this as much

as possible. There is nothing wrong with that, but too much

shading can lead to your drawing looking unrealistic and

dark. Also, when you shade make sure all pencil lines have

disappeared, unless you are doing the cross-hatch technique.

Have a steady hand

Having a steady hand can help incredibly with your sketching! Have good grip with your pencil, and feel confident. If you have made a mistake, don't worry, just rub it out, as you are using pencil. Remember, sketching isn't meant to be perfect, it is meant to be your style and what you think is perfect. However, nobody is perfect!

Take your time

Taking your time is hugely important! Nobody's running

after you, so you shouldn't be afraid! The best artwork

takes time, so don't be ashamed if you haven't finished

something in one day. Allowing yourself to take time on

a project makes the artwork much more detailed,

realistic and polished. But most of all, make sure you

have fun!

- Sarah, Onyx