Learn Sketching

This video repeats the same exercise This time the parallel lines are drawn horizontally. Although the drawing technique is exactly the same, this square looks different. This method of shading is called hatching. Just like Sketch 1, you are experimenting with a simple shape… this time to see how easy it is to change the visual appearance using exactly the same shading technique. The only drawing tools you need are… A pen and paper. Alternatives to the fountain pen used in the video demonstration include… a ball-pen (Biro), a felt-tip pen or a dip-pen and ink. In fact, hatching can be used with any fine-tip drawing instrument that comes to hand, as with print etchings and engraving. As before… The aim is to just draw lines as freely and easily as you can… You will soon build confidence in your drawing skills. Inspired by the drawing principles of… www.drawingfoundations.com

Another common shape is a sphere. Video 10 shows how you can change a simple circle into a ball standing upon a flat surface. Apart from the circular outline and curve of the shadow everything else is a result of using straight-line hatching to produce roundness. Until now the lessons have concentrated upon straight line shapes and a flat-sided cube. This is all very well but most natural objects (and plenty of man-made items) have curved faces. Although there are plenty of difficult to draw irregular shaped curved objects, one of the most difficult is a perfect sphere. Yet, this is exactly what you see demonstrated… using nothing more than straight(ish) lines for the hatching. To make the sphere seem more convincing a shadow is drawn beneath. As Michael Dale admits in the video, neither the ball nor its shadow are anything like perfect… they are reasonably convincing. More important still is that the ball could be improved… by using a few arcs or curved lines to strengthen the sense of roundness. The things to remember are that… * Highlights (light areas) should be left untouched, leaving the white of the paper * Lighter areas require wide-spaced hatching * Dark Areas can use single direction hatching * Darker areas could use a wider-spaced mesh * The darkest areas require the closest mesh Most important of all is that there is little or no need for dull flat black areas. Show your drawing confidence and flair with HATCHING. Inspired by the drawing principles of …