The next step is to place the canvas on the drawing board. This will help to keep the canvas in place while you’re drawing.
Tips for sketching with a pencil on canvas
All great art starts with a sketch – Picasso owned an impressive 175 sketchbooks filled with ideas at the time of his death. Pencils are a great way to sketch ideas quickly or make beautiful, detailed drawings. Using a good range of graphite pencils allows you to explore a broad tonal value and achieve varying results.
All wood-encased pencils are made from three major ingredients: graphite, clay and a small amount of binder. Back in the 17th century these were ground down by hand, put in a cylindrical mould and fired in a kiln. Today, Winsor & Newton pencils are made with sustainably grown, easy-to-sharpen, aromatic cedar wood.
How to understand pencil grades
If you’re new to picking up a pencil, the first thing you will notice is that there several numbered and lettered grades. These work as a guide to help you select the right pencil to fit your needs.
Here’s the scale for graphite leads:
8B 6B 5B 4B 3B 2B B HB F H 2H 3H 4H
This scale runs from Softest (left) to Hardest (right)
B = Blackness
F = Fine
HB = A combination of H and B
H = Hard
- A ‘B’ range pencil indicates it has soft lead – the higher the number, the softer and darker the lead.
- The higher numbers in this range have a greater concentration of graphite. Generally, ‘B’ grades are best for shading and smooth coverage of large areas.
- The ‘H’ range makes a more subtle grey mark, the higher the number, the less graphite is included, these are best used for delicate, intricate drawings.
- The ‘F’ grade is used to indicate that the pencil lead is a special formulation that will maintain a fine point.
- The most popular pencil, ‘HB’ is a combination of hard and soft leads which makes it a great all-rounder.
Whether a beginner or a professional, having an array of pencil grades is essential to achieve a tonal range in your work. Generally, the best way to start drawing is with a hard pencil which will make a light mark that erases easily, allowing you to adjust your drawing frequently at the beginning. Then, as the drawing develops and requires a darker mark for shading or bold details, move on to a softer pencil. Multiple layers of a hard lead will never produce black; therefore, you need a softer pencil to be able to achieve a truly dark mark.
Top tip
Your sharpener is your best friend. Use a quality pencil and keep it sharp so you have fine point that will not break with pressure. You can refine the point of your pencil with the artists’ old trick of placing a piece of fine-grade sandpaper on a table and gently running the side of the lead across it.
Browse our full range of pencils here.
Art Q&A – Which pencils are best for sketching out your painting
Sierra writes: What kind of pencil do you find best for sketching out your paintings? I’ve always just used a regular pencil but I know there is a whole world of charcoal and other kinds of lead pencils that I’m not exploring. Thank you!
It depends on what medium I’m working on.
Acrylics
I never NEVER use a regular graphite pencil to draw out my acrylic paintings. I use one of three methods: transfer paper, a white charcoal pencil, or a water-soluble graphite pencil.
The reason I don’t use a regular graphite pencil is that those lines tend to stay…and show through layers and layers of paint. Even when you try and erase they don’t always erase completely. I HATE having lines show in my work, so I had to find alternatives. In addition to that, with acrylics I generally paint my background first then need to draw my subject over that. Graphite won’t show over that. If for some reason I do want to draw something out in graphite first, I stick to a water soluble pencil so that the lines will wash away as I paint.
What I normally do is either freehand my drawing onto the acrylic background with a white charcoal pencil (this method won’t work well if you’re painting with a high gloss acrylic paint like Liquitex heavy body or Goldens, but it works great with Liquitex Basics), or draw out my image onto tracing paper, then position that paper over my canvas where I want it and use the transfer paper (white for a darker background or the grey/black for the light backgrounds) to get the image onto the canvas. This keeps my work very clean and I end up with no pencil lines later on.
Oil Painting
For oils, I draw everything with a regular graphite pencil. The oils will remove that graphite (really it just mixes into the paint) so I won’t end up with any unwanted lines. I sometimes use the tracing/transfer paper method with the dark transfer paper to get my image onto the canvas as well.
For the water soluble ink, I also avoid a regular graphite pencil for the same reason as acrylics. Those lines can be hard to work out. Here I stick with a water soluble pencil for my drawing. The inktense set comes with a graphite pencil that will stay put as you paint, but I don’t want those lines to stay like that, so I don’t use it.
Incorporating Shading and Depth in the Drawing
A pencil drawing is a great way to start out in the world of art. It is simple and easy to understand and you don’t need any fancy equipment. In this tutorial, we will be discussing how to draw on canvas with pencil and incorporating shading and depth in the drawing.
The first thing you need to do is to sketch out your drawing with a light hand. This will help you to get the proportions and overall look of the drawing correct before you start shading and adding depth.
Once you have your sketch complete, it’s time to start adding depth and shading. You can use different shades of the same color to create depth, or you can use different colors to create dimension.
Start by adding a light layer of shading to the entire drawing. This will help to give your drawing a more realistic look.
Once the shading is complete, start adding depth by adding darker shades to the areas that are further back in the drawing. You can also add highlights to the areas that are in the front.
Make sure to blend the colors together well to create a smooth and realistic look.
That’s it! You have now successfully drawn on canvas with pencil and created a realistic looking image.
Finalizing the Drawing on Canvas with a Pencil
There are various techniques you can use to draw on a canvas with a pencil. In this article, we will discuss one technique in detail – how to finalize the drawing on canvas with a pencil.
First, take a look at your canvas and decide on the composition you want to create. Once you have decided on the composition, sketch out the basic outline of the drawing with a pencil. Make sure the sketch is accurate and well-labelled.
Now, start filling in the details of the drawing with a pencil. Take your time and make sure the drawing is accurate. If you are not happy with a particular part of the drawing, erase it and try again.
Once you are satisfied with the drawing, take a look at it from a distance and make any final tweaks. Once you are happy with the final product, take a pencil and trace over the pencil lines to make them more visible.
You can now start painting the drawing with the desired colours. Make sure to use the same colours as in the original sketch to maintain the accuracy of the drawing.
Here is a video tutorial that will help you better understand the steps involved in drawing on a canvas with a pencil:
Tips for Practicing and Improving Your Drawing Skills
Pencil drawing is an art form that has been around for centuries. The basic premise is to use a pencil to create a drawing on paper. Unlike other forms of art, pencil drawings can be very realistic or they can be sketches with basic lines and shapes. No matter what your level of experience is, there are some basic tips that will help you improve your skills.
The first step is to find the right paper. Not all paper is created equal when it comes to pencil drawings. You want to use paper that is thick enough so that the lead of the pencil doesn’t break, but also has a soft texture so that the lead can create a smooth line. A good starting point is drawing paper that is made for sketching.
The next step is to find the right pencil. There are a variety of pencils on the market, and not all of them are good for drawing. You want to use a pencil that has a soft lead so that it can create a smooth line. You also want a pencil that is not too light or too dark, so that you have more control over the shading. A good starting point is a 2B pencil.
The next step is to learn the basic techniques for drawing. The most important thing to remember is to always use a light hand. You should never press down on the pencil, because this will create a dark line and you will lose control over the shading. Instead, use a light touch and apply more pressure as needed.
The next step is to practice, practice, practice. The more you practice, the better you will become. It is also important to experiment with different techniques and see what works best for you. Don’t be afraid to try new things and to push yourself to create better and better drawings.
The final step is to keep your drawings organized. It can be helpful to create a portfolio of your work so that you can track your progress and see how you have improved over time.
