Art of drawing _ the complete course

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a dog
with colored pencils

~ e careful representation of light and shadow, the soft-
ness of the shading, the delicate modeling, and the soft
chromatic mixtures allow for a very realistic interpretation of
objects. You will see in this exercise by Esther Rodrfguez,
why the results from the sharpened points of colored pen-
cils make them an ideal medium for high-resolution draw-
ings with photographic finishes.

1. When drawing animals, however complex they may be, you must try
to see in them t heir basic forms . Any form can be built up from simple
elements such as the circle, rectangle, or triangle.

2. Once the geometric forms have been developed , draw the dog 's
profile. Establish the curvature of the back, the form of the legs, and
present the features of his face. The colored pencil technique is based
on progressively intensifying tones , nuances, and contrasts by
superimposing layers of color, which allows for a more effective control
of tones . Remember to always lay darker tones on top of light ones;
otherwise, the paper's surface will be quickly saturated , preventing the
application of new colors over the previously laid ones.

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247

3

3. In these types of drawings, the modeling
has to be very soft, with nothing standing out.
The lines and strokes fade, giving way to
tonal gradation. Each fragment of the picture
has to be resolved in detail, describing
everything: luminosity, reflections, and
textures.

4. The details are what instill photographic 4
realism into the drawing. Nevertheless, these
should not be treated in an isolated manner;
they should always be related to the basic
structure. Frequently, the suggestion of the
texture of the represented object is all that is
required to achieve a high-resolution work.

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a Qirl
in watercolor

W hen working with watercolor pencils, use the traditional pencil techniques to make

the base of the drawing; then incorporate brush techniques as a tool. This fluidity and
ease of control make watercolor pencils and pastels a flexible medium to interpret
themes naturally. In this exercise by Mercedes Gaspar, you will see how to resolve the
portrait of a little girl through watercolor pencils, combining strokes and washes on the
same support.

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1. When you find yourself before a model that may present difficulties,
the first thing to do is always to summarize its components into simple
geometrical forms that will aid you in understanding its structure better.

Thus, you will see this is a symmetric composition dominated by the
girl 's figure, which can be reduced to a block starting from circles and
straight lines.

When the profile is clear enough you can deal with interior details on
the figure, such as the features of the face and the position of the arms
holding the doll.

2

2. Once a soft outline sketch has been completed, build up the drawing,
paying attention to the details that the model presents. It is advisable to
start the drawing with a mid-toned colored pencil. The colors mostly
used by professional artists are purple, pink, blue, or an earth tone,
because these colors are then perfectly integrated into the drawing .

3 249

3. Here is the first stage in color, still with no
water and brush. Observe that the zones you
will be painting in water have a regularity in
the strokes and the shadings. There is no
need for much color. The layers should be
rather subdued; the water will take care of
intensifying each shading.

5

4. The best way to work is to paint over the strokes quickly and
confidently. Thus the colors are neither excessively mixed nor
smudged, and the original pencil marks are maintained. You will see
how simple shading will turn into a wash when brushed over with
plenty of water. The water does not fade the color completely. Besides
providing a uniform wash, it respects the hatching with the watercolor
pencil , producing an interesting texture that combines strokes and
stains.

5. In the finished drawing, you should combine areas in which strokes
have been washed and parts with shadings and gradations in which

you can still see the stroke enhanced by the texture of the paper. Later,
when the washed zones are completely dry, finish directly with pencil
strokes, correcting the profile, defining the form, and reaffirming the
contrast-trying to make them stand out in the finished drawing.

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the dry Pastel technique

· on a tonal background

C olor can bring life to a variety of themes,
such as this still-life by Marta Bermejo
Teixidor. Although mixing colors is based on a
minimum knowledge of color theory, pastel
requires a presentation that will increase the
explosion of nuances expected from these
sticks that are so highly charged with colored
pigments. Pastel is applied from the first mo-
ment, as any other drawing medium.

It is useful to know 2
that many times you
can make corrections 1
without erasing.
Simply apply more
color on the error to
cover it. A profile may
be corrected this way.
In the soft pastel
technique even a
lighter color may
cover a darker one.

1 . To start any drawing in pastels, first draw 2 . On the model , mentally relate each zone to
the outlines (detailed or synthetic) that define a determined tonal value. You have to transfer
this system of tonal valuing to the repre-
the object's silhouette. Draw them sentation. Lighter color values and tonal
lightly in case they need to be values correspond to more illuminated zones.
erased . These are the main With pastels, we recommend exerting
lines that have to maintain minimal pressure in order to construct the
adequate proportions. work from less to more, or from lighter to
more intense, without haste and without
dense and doughy colors.

25 1

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3. Pastels should never be mixed; the result 4
is always more interesting when colors are
obtained by applying the pastels directly on 4. The build-up of the model requires the artist's special attention to
the paper. This does not mean that you blending. Pastel is the most direct medium available, but if you are
cannot blend one color into the other, but that making a drawing based on blended colors , the drawing will lose all its
it should not be done excessively. appeal and spontaneity: you have to alternate the gradation techniques
with the direct stains.

5. One of the attractions
of a soft medium such as
the pastel is the ease with
which it blends to create
soft and velvety tones , like

subtle gradations from
light to dark. The final
blending of some zones
modifies the color of the
tonal background by
applying a fine and semi-
opaque layer of another
color on it. You have to
remember that when
working on colored paper
it is necessary to leave
blank zones, so that the
background color interacts
with the tones of the

drawing.

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an Urban view
with oil pastels on a tonal b·ackg:round
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f or this exercise, Gabriel Martin has chosen an urban view that allows

the development of a chromatiG drawing with .oil pastels or wax
crayons. What is sought here is .to capture the effect of light on the
landscape, ayojding details and constructing the forms through a set of
short and vertical strokes in the form of color marks. The expressive
capacity ot the stroke, working on a tonal background, and the trace
that the sticks leave are drawing resources that together give a more
expressive treatment to the work, show their versatility, and give spe-
cial results that can become the artist's personal style.

1. Through an outline sketch performed with a
white pastel, create the architecture with simple
and linear lines. Give a more detailed treatment to
the church in the foreground and a more
schematic treatment to the rest of the buildings.
The first thing you do in a landscape is to cover the
sky. You will do this by combining Prussian blue,
ultramarine, crimson , cyan, and wh ite through direct,
superimposed, and directional strokes that create a
small gradation without blending , still retaining the
contours of the buildings.

253

2. First add the shadows on the bridge and Apply strokes with progressively more energy, The positioning of the
on the church 's fa9ade with bluish and violet distinguishing more clearly the illuminated pastel on the paper
tones. Looking for the contrast effect of fa9ades from the shadowed ones. Also, produces different
complementary colors, cover the rest of the increase the sensation of atmosphere by strokes with different
fa9ade with yellowish and orange contours. fading and making the profiles of the thickness.
As the buildings recede from the foreground, buildings undefined.
the intensity of the color is also attenuated.
2

3. The juxtaposition
of the strokes gives

the drawing a
vibrant and dynamic
aspect. To simulate
the reflections of the

fa9ades on the
water, apply

saturated white and
olive-green strokes.

Emphasize the
accented contrasts

of the church
windows and the
shadowed zone of

the arcs of the
bridge with more
intense earth tones

and black.

254

aerial views, 167 brushes, 51 geometrical forms in, 100, 102, 104,
aligned points, 109 effects, 56-57
analyzing drawings, 121 strokes, 56, 57 , 59 119
artists' chalks , 24-27. See a/so grids and, 112- 115
types, 59 Lorrain grids and, 114-115
sanguine outlines. See outline sketches
blending/mixing, 25 chalks. See artists' chalks points of view, 116-117
on colored paper, 140-141 proportion and. See proportion
colors, 24 charcoal , 16-23 rhythm , 122-123
effects with, 26-27
exercises, 204-207, 208-211, blending, 19, 20, 157 symmetric, 107, 118
214-215,222-223,230-233 compressed charcoal sticks, 23
characteristics, 16 conte crayons. See artists' chalks
gradations, 138 continuity, law of, 122
paper for, 24, 27, 48 compressed sticks, 23 contrasted foregrounds, 172-173
pencils, 84 copying objects, 112, 113
powder, landscape exercise, controlling , 16 corrections. See a/so erasers

214-215 erasing , 16, 17 deliberate, 158
pentimenti, 158, 159
shading with , 130, 133 erasure exercise, 200-201 in shading, 133
stroke samples, 26, 27 without erasing , 158-159
three color technique, exercise, exercises, 194-197, 200-201, coulisse effect, 170-171
cross-hatching
208-211 216-217 basic techniques, 71 , 82
tones, 25 with blending stumps, 34
white, exercise, 222-223 fixatives, 18 defined, 71 , 82
white-on-white technique, exercise, with quill pens, 60
forgiving nature of, 16 with sanguine, 29
204-207 curved strokes, 84-85
asymmetric compositions, 118 ghost lines, 21 cylindrical shapes, 84-85
atmospheric effects
gradations, 19
. radations/shading , 139
hting, 148-149 kneadable erasers and, 38-39
,er texture and , 156
ctive, 168-169 natural sticks, 17
aod,22, 154-155, 159
nude study, 194-197
6~
paper texture and , 23, 48, 157

pencils, 20, 216-217

point shapes/effects, 18

powder, 22

sfumato and, 22, 154-155

shading with , 16, 20, 22, 23, 130,

133

sticks, 17, 23 depth. See a/so perspective
contrasted foregrounds and,
strokes, 16, 19, 20-21 172-173
coulisse effect and, 170-171
tones, 16-17,20-23
detail work, 68
using, 18 diagonal compositions

chiaroscuro asymmetry and, 118
Lorrain grids, 114-115
characteristics/effects, 150-151 direct outl ining, 101
distance
still-life exercise, 218-221 from models, 121
perspective and , 163
circle exercises , 77 dividing paper, 94, 95
dog, colored pencil exercise, 246-247
colored drawing, 177. See also colored doodling, 72-73
dry-brush technique, 63
pencils; pastels

colored paper, 49, 140-141 , 202-203,

238-239

colored pencils, 40-43

basic techniques, 184-185

characteristics, 40, 41 , 43, 184

dog study, 246-247

pfeathering tech~ilflues, 188 enlarging objects, 112
equal proportions, 110
lead types , 42, erasers, 36-39
mixing colors, 1~~-187
blending with, 38
optical mixing, 4C'l, 41 cleaning, 39
correcting shading, 133
paper for, 48 effects, 36, 37

pointillism and, 187

sgraffito, 190-1 ~~

!shading with , 185 kneadable , 36 , 37, 38; :3]1
strokes, 37,____
strokes, 41 , 43
wwhaitteern-sinoglutbelceh, n4!1jques, 188, 18"9
study '¾sing , 2{)_0-~ 1

complex objects, 105, 106-1071 typesf 37T ·
erasure1teGhnique exercise, 200-201
composition

.. .,,•• .• analyzing, 121 eye, o artist, 6

I asymmetric , 11 $

.. • '' ' balance, 120-1 2 , 123 ffrraeme iom~gtlilln>aelsa.·,n1c0e1, 1~20-121, 123
frictio , , 11
.. . IIbasic forms (shaP,>es) in, 104 119,
144,146
breaking forms 1mto lines, 100_
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..,••••• defined, 100 · geometr~cal"axis, 107 .
•
• II diagonal , 114-115, 118 geometric al fofi:ns

basic shape_s_, 104 f 19, 144, 146

255

common schemas, 119 impasto, 47 oblique perspective, 166, 167
complex objects and, 105, 106-107 ink drawing, 51 oil pastels, 45, 46-47, 252-253
objects inside, 105 oil pencils, exercise, 204-207
in outline sketches, 100, 102, 104, black/white, exercise, 238-239 optical mixing, 40, 41
brushstrokes, 59 outline drawing, 88, 89
119 colored, exercises, 240-241, outline sketches, 90
perspective and, 104-107
gestural drawing, 88 242-245 arranging blocks, 102
ghost lines, 21 on colored paper, exercise, 238-239 asymmetric compositions, 118
girl, watercolor exercise, 248-249 effects, 58 boxes for, 90, 100
gradations. See also blending reed pen exercise, 236-237 common schemas, 119
atmospheric effect, 139 strokes, 58-60, 61 composing , 118-119
defined , 138 drawing without, 101
examples, 19, 138, 180, 181 kneadable erasers, 36, 37, 38-39 geometrical forms in, 100, 102, 104,
hand position , 77
hatching, 180 landscapes 119
lines and, 77 atmospheric effects, 154, 168-169 perspective in , 104-107
pencils for, 15 chalk powder exercise, 214-215 profiles and , 92, 93
techniques, 138-139 contrasted foregrounds, 172-173 structured vs. free, 101
in washes, 53, 54, 55 coulisse effect and, 170-171 symmetric compositions, 107, 118
graphite, 12-15. See also pencils exercises, 202-203, 214-215, oval exercises, 77
advantages, 12 224-225,230-233
blending/gradations, 15 graphite exercise, 224-225 paper, 48-49
characteristics, 12 on gray paper, exercise, 202-203 for artists' chalk, 24, 27
flat sticks, 13 linear, exercise, 94-95 choosing , 48
gradations, 138 perspective, 164, 165, 168-169 colored , 49, 140-141, 202-203,
hardness, 12, 13, 14, 15 successive planes, 170-171 238-239
landscape exercise, 224-225 dividing, 95
line quality, 15 law of continuity, 122 medium and, 48
points, effects, 12 lighting for sanguine, 30
shading with, 15, 130, 133, 134 shading and, 134, 135
strokes, 13 atmospheric effects, 148-149
grids, 112-115 chiaroscuro and, 150-151 paper texture
advantages, 112 contrasted foregrounds and, cha~o~and , 23,48, 157
diagonal, 114-115 tooth/ weight and, 49, 156
Lorrain method, 114-115 172-173
making, 112,113 maximum contrast of, 150-151 parallel perspective, 164, 165
using, 112, 113 shading and . See shading pastels, 44-47
lines
hand position/training breaking forms into, 100 basic techniques, 178-181,
for detail work, 68 controlling, exercise, 242-245 182-183
for gradations, 77 effects, 75
mastering strokes, 69 graphite, 12-15 blending, 46, 47,180,181,183
positions, 68, 69, 76 reaffirming, 92-93 broken, saving, 183
for shading, 68 sanguine, 30 characteristics, 44, 45, 46
for sketching, 69 single-stroke, 67, 76, 77 coloring vs. stroke, 179
washes with, 57 , 230-233 effects, 45, 46-47
hardness wide, drawing, 70 hatching with, 180
degrees, 14 loops, drawing, 71 lines, 178, 180
graphite, 12, 13, 14, 15 Lorrain method, 114-115 mixing colors, 46-47, 182-183
tonal value and, 83 oil pastels, 45, 46-47, 252-253
materials rules, 11 opaque strokes, 179
hatching , 80-83 measurements sgraffito and, 47
basic techniques, 80-81 soft pastels, 44
blending gradations, 139, 180 with pencils, 111 still-life exercise, 250-251
with blending stumps, 34 proportion and, 111 strokes, 46, 47, 178, 179, 182
defined, 80 mechanical erasers, 37 tonal ranges, 178, 179,180
effects, 70, 80, 81 mechanical pencils, 14 washes, 45
with erasers, 3 mediums. See also specific mediums pencil control, 75-95
exerc·ses, 94-95 242-245 rules of, 11 creating volume, 78-79
etal point drawing exercise, shading and, 134, 135 gestural drawing, 88
234-235 metal point drawing exercise, 234-235 hatching. See hatching
mixing colors, 186 o ling outline drawing , 88, 89
basic shapes for, 104, 119, 144, 146 pointillism, 86-87, 187
w,m quill pens, 60 blocking in for, 144-147 proportion. See proportion
defined , 146 ring strokes, 84-85
witli sanguine, 28, 29 exercises, 144 single-stroke lines, 76, 77
sliading with , 133 models tonal value and, 83
tonal value, 83 distance from , 121 pencils. See also graphite
v.olu e effect wit , 80 light/shading and, 128 for blocking in, 105
homogenous sbaEli g ~ 33 movement, showing, 159 chalk, 84
horizon lil'.le_ 162 charcoal , 20, 216-217

256

hand position. See hand sgraffito, 47, 62, 190-191 pastels, 46, 47,178,179,182
position/training shading. See also tone
profiles and, 93
hardness, 12, 13, 14, 15,83, 101 atmospheric effect, 139 quill pens, 60, 61
holding, 68, 69, 76 beginning, 132 reaffirming lines, 92-93
measuring with, 111 blocking in, 103, 137 sanguine, 28, 29, 30, 31
mechanical, 14 with chalk, 130, 133 shading with, 132
sanguine, 31 with charcoal, 16, 20, 22, 23, 130, single, unbroken, 67, 76, 77, 79
shading with, 15, 130 varying, creating planes, 79, 80
strokes, 15 133 symmetrical objects, 90
tones with, 130 with colored pencils, 185 symmetric compositions, 107, 118
varying hardness, 101 controlling, 134-135, 136-.137
pentimenti, 158, 159 correcting, 133 themes (selecting), 99. See also com-
perspective direction of, 135 position
aerial views, 167 effects, overview, 143
atmospheric effect, 168-169 exercises, 94-95, 131, 135, three color technique, exercise,
basic techniques, 162-167
choosing point of view, 116-117, 136-137 208-211
extending, 131 three-dimensional objects
162 with graphite, 15, 130, 133, 134 ·
coulisse effect and, 170-171 hand position, 68 depth and, 161
distance and, 163 with hatching, 133 geometrical forms, 104, 106
geometrical forms for, 104-107, 164 homogenous, 133 tonal zones, 136
horizon line, 162 light/model and, 128 tone. See also shading; shadows
increased depth, 166 mediums and, 134, 135 balancing, 120-121
in landscapes, 164-165 paper and, 134,135 blending. See blending
oblique, 166, 167 quill pens, 60, 61 building, 80, 93
in outline sketches, 104-107 reducing values, 136 charcoal, 16-17, 20-23
parallel, 164, 165 with sanguine, 28, 29, 130, 133, 134 defined, 16
volume effect with, 161 with spirals, 71 exercises for, 131
planes with strokes, 132 gradations. See gradations
creating, 79, 80 tonal zones and, 136 overview, 127
successive, 170-171 types, 130 values, 83
pointillism, 187 shadows. See also shading; tone value systems, 129, 132, 136
defined,86 blocking in, 103, 137 washes and, 53-55, 57
effects, 86-87 chiaroscuro and, 150-151 transparent objects, 91
points of view, 116-117, 162 controlling, 136-137
profiles, 92, 93 maximum contrast of, 150-151 value systems, 129, 132, 136
proportion synthesizing, 137
aligned points and, 109 shapes. See also geometrical forms volume effect. See also cross-hatchin<
calculating, 108-111 basic, 104, 119, 144, 146
distance and, 121 rough outlines for, 100 hatching ·
equal, searching for, 11 0 stencils for, 21
grids and, 112-115 volume and. See volume effect basic techniques, 78-79
measurements, 111 single-stroke lines, 67, 76, 77
problem with, 108 sketching light/dark creating, 85
symmetrical objects, 90 charcoal pencil exercise, 216-217
transparent objects, 91 hand position, 69 modeling and, 144-147
movement and, 159
quill pens, 60, 61 spirals, shading with, 71. See a/so ring overview, 143
strokes
reed pen exercise, 236-237 spontaneous drawing, 72-73 perspective and, 161
rhythm, 122-123 still-lifes
ring strokes, 84-85 atmospheric effect, 169 stroke direction and, 78
rough outlines. See outline sketches chiaroscuro exercise, 218-221
rules (materials/mediums), 11 colored ink exercise, 240-241 for various shapes, 78
pastel exercise, 250-251
sanguine, 28-31 sanguine exercise, 198-199 washes
characteristics, 28 strokes. See a/so specific strokes basic techniques, 52-55
gradations, 138 artists' chalks, 26, 27 on damp surfaces, 53, 57
hatching, 29 atmospheric effects and, 149 defined, 52
lines, 30 automatic drawing and, 72-73 dry-brush technique, 63
paper for, 30 blending stumps, 34, 35 effects, 62-63
pencils, 31 brushes,56,57,59 exercises, 226-227, 228-229,
shading with, 28, 29, 130, 133, 134 charcoal, 16, 19, 20-21 230-233
sticks, 29 colored pencils, 41, 43 extending, 54
still-life exercise, 198-199 erasers, 37 gradations, 53, 54, 55
strokes, 28, 29, 30, 31 graphite, 13 linear, 57
hand training, 68-69 with oil pastels, 45
sfumato, 22, 154-155, 159 ink drawing, 58-60, 61 salt effects, 62
sgraffito, 47, 62
techniques, 62-63
tone variations, 53-55, 57
wax and, 63

watercolor exercises
flower, 226-227
girl, 248-249
interior patio, 228-229
rural landscape, 230-233

white-on-white technique, 204-207

(continued from front flap)

an interesting monochromatic medium with a wide
range of tones that imparts luminosity to a drawing.
Pay attention to changes of direction in the lights,
shadows, and reflections. Draw a rural scene with the
erasure technique, erasing strokes instead of adding
them. To evoke the texture of grass and the leaves on
trees, vary the angles of the eraser strokes or even
cross them over one another. Or use a blending
stump with charcoal to produce a soft, atmospheric
drawing of a cityscape without any hard and pro-
nounced profiles or lines.

Now add your own personality, style, and goals to
what you've learned while taking this complete
course.

New York/ London
www.sterl i ng publishing. com

. ART/DRAWING

D evelop your skills at drawing, learning the fundamentals so
that you can focus on expressing yourself. From training your
hand and controlling the stroke to compos1t10n and effects
offered by various tools and materials, these methods are easily
mastered with practice. Whether you want to create drawings as
the basis for other types of media, such as sculpture and painting,
or as finished works, the advice and exercises here will give you a
firm foundation to expand upon.

New York/ London ISBN-13: 978-1-4027-0932-6
www.sterlingpub Iishin g .com ISBN-10: 1-4027-0932-3

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