In this evolving digital world, when books are converted into tablets, hard currencies are converted into digital money, and traditional pencil drawings are slowly transforming into digital pictures.
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So how to do a traditional pencil drawing?
- Select an excellent reference picture that you want to draw.
- Start your outline from left to right and from top to bottom. This way, your hand need not touch the paper you have drawn.
- The outline should be light and easily erasable.
- Use a soft paper below your hand so that the oil from your hand does not smudge the paper.
- Study the light and shades properly.
- Use a lighter shade pencil initially to cover the lighter area.
- Gradually increase your pencil shade to darker to add more value to your Drawing. This will add depth to your picture.
- Continue the process until satisfied and convinced it is like your reference picture.
- You must do some final touches for thin lines and fine erasing to create realism in your picture.
I want to answer the following questions about conventional Pencil artwork, which I hope you will enjoy.
What are the tools used?
I use only three tools: pencil, eraser, and paper. I drew the pencil art above using H, HB, 2B, 4B & 6B types of pencils, an ordinary eraser, and simple drawing paper.
Compared to the latest tools, these used to be the only tools available and were quite tricky to draw. I never knew about the concept of a pencil stump or kneaded eraser. So I used to take several days to finish my pencil drawing.
What are the Pencil Drawing Techniques used?
- Line drawing: This technique is used when drawing outlines and consists of lines and curved lines.
- Hatching or Cross Hatching method: Ideally, this technique is used for mediums where you cannot blend; nevertheless, some artists use this technique in pencil drawing. Lines show depth and cross lines, or tight cross lines indicate further depth.
- Shading: This technique is used to depict the darkness in the image or to show depth. The artist does not show the line pattern on the shades during shading.
- Smudging: This technique is used when the graphite is powdered and smeared over the area where you want the depth to be shown. This is a very quick technique but difficult to master.
- Blending: This technique is used when the artist, after shading using the pencil, uses a napkin or paper to smoothen the surface, which blends and gives a smooth transition.
The Advantages
- Traditional Drawing has existed for centuries and gained excellent contributions from several artists.
- Traditional artwork by a good artist becomes more valuable as the year passes. Leonardo da Vinci’s painting Salvator Mundi is priced at a whopping USD 450 Million.
- A traditional Artist only requires a Pencil and A notebook, and he can sit and draw at any place, whether in a park or a railway station.
- The feeling of seeing an original traditional artwork is much more valuable than a digital drawing that anyone can do.
The Disadvantages
- First and foremost, mistakes in traditional sketching are sometimes challenging to rectify, and you have to scrap and start a few times afresh.
- Art materials are expensive, and an Artist has to keep stock of his required medium of Art materials.
- Traditional artwork can get physically damaged or worn out or smudged over time.
- Traditional artwork has a risk of being stolen or worn out over some time. Hence it needs to be safely preserved.
Difference Between Traditional Drawing vs. Digital Drawing
| Items | Traditional Drawing | Digital Drawing |
| Period of existence | Traditional Drawing has been existing for centuries, starting with cavemen. | Digital Drawing is a relatively new concept. |
| Form of Existence | Traditional Drawings are physically available, and they can be touched and felt. | Digital drawings are available as files in software and can be printed as output or viewed on a monitor. |
| Drawing Tools | Pencil, Eraser, Paper, Chart, Watercolor, pallet, drawing board, charcoals, pencil stumps, and many others, all in physical form | A drawing tablet, iPad, stylus pen, Drawing software, high-quality monitor, powerful computer, etc. |
| Duration to Create | The traditional drawn picture needs to be safely kept in the right place and preserved by experts, especially if it is a masterpiece that could wear off over time. | On the other hand, a digital drawing might take a day or a few days and can be completed quickly. |
| Visualization | In traditional sketching, you can visualize colors, shapes, perspectives, etc., only in your mind. | You can select different colors, textures, perspectives, and other things in drawing made using tablets before finalization. |
| Error rectification | Mistakes are difficult to correct, and sometimes the Drawing has to be started new. | Mistakes are easily rectifiable as an error needs to be undone or rectified by pressing Ctrl+Z. |
| Valuation | The value of traditional Drawing can be significant and can increase as the years pass. | The value of drawing created using computers may be good but will not be as valuable as drawing by hand. |
| Logistics & Transportation | If it is an expensive traditional artwork, the logistics or transportation is very expensive and requires a lot of attention & security. | Digital Drawing can be easily transferred through a USB, External Hard drive, using file transfer or email. |
| Replication of Art | Traditional Drawing through duplication or replication is possible is difficult and may not be as valuable as the original. | The traditional drawn picture needs to be safely kept in the right place and preserved by experts, especially if it is a masterpiece that could wear off over time. |
| Preservation | Expert hackers can hack digital Drawing, but technologies like blockchain can add security. | Digital drawing preservation is straightforward and can be stored safely and remotely, and it only wears off if the technology changes. |
| Security | The security to safeguard a valuable traditional drawing is very expensive. | The advancement of traditionally drawn artwork is not much as it is almost saturated. Only the drawing tools can be improved in different forms and not techniques. |
| Risk of Damage | A picture drawn by hand is physical. The risk of damage is quite high. | Digital artwork does not risk damage except file corruption; mitigation can be backed up or stored elsewhere. |
| Insurance | Insurance coverage on the traditional Drawing is plain and simple for several years, so claims, exclusion and settlement, and types of disputes are easily known. | Insurance coverage on Digital art is relatively new, and the risk of dispute is quite high during settlement. |
| Evaluation & Advancement | The advancement of traditional drawn artwork is not much as it is almost saturated. Only the drawing tools can be improved in different forms and not techniques. | The advancement of digital art is significant, and now blockchains are being used in digital art. |
| Future of Art | Traditional Drawing is saturated and will continue in a slightly improved form. | The direction of digital Drawing is unknown, and it is open now. Looking at how everything changes, it will most likely move towards Augmented Reality with 3D holographic images. |
Top 3 Traditional Pencil Artists and their Brilliant Work
DiegoKoi. Diego Fazio is a self-taught artist who is very good at drawing hyper-realistic drawings and traditional picture forms. His creations are powerful; if not told, no one will believe it is artwork.
Franco Clun is a Hyper-realistic Italian artist who majorly works on pencil drawing. He is a self-taught artist interested in depicting people, from celebrities to unknown people.
Dirk Dzimirsky is a traditional pencil artist born in Germany who is famous for his hyper-realistic drawing. He is famous for light and shade, creating an enigmatic mood in his pictures.
How you Draw is a reflection of how you feel about the world.
– Juliette aristides
You’re not capturing it, you’re interpreting it.”
There are 365 inspiring art quotes from artists available, and please check.
How will the future of Traditional Drawing be?
This is an interesting question that makes me think. Looking at how the world is evolving, I am not sure if traditional Drawing will survive, and it may be more of a limited version.
We used pens, pencils, and books for writing, but they changed to digital form, and you used computers. Students used to take notes when the teacher wrote on the blackboard, but today they take a picture of the notes on the board.
The future of traditional drawing looks promising and exciting as it continues to thrive alongside digital art. As an age-old form of creative expression, traditional drawing has always been a cornerstone of art and culture.
In the years to come, we can expect to see new advancements in materials, techniques, and integration with technology that will only serve to enhance the traditional drawing experience.
With the evolution of technology and the accessibility of mobile devices, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality will play a significant part in the Digital drawing arena. Embracing change while mastering traditional drawing techniques is a positive approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What type of paper should be used for traditional pencil drawing?
The type of paper you use for traditional pencil drawing depends on the level of detail you want. For detailed drawings, use smooth, heavyweight paper. For less detailed drawings, use lighter-weight paper.
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What type of pencils should be used for traditional pencil drawing?
Many types of pencils can be used for traditional pencil drawing. For fine details, use a pencil with a fine tip. For general-purpose drawing, use a pencil with a medium tip. For sketching or light shading, use a pencil with a thick lead.
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What is the best way to sharpen a pencil for traditional pencil drawing?
The best way to sharpen a pencil for traditional pencil drawing is to use a sharpener with two holes: one for thin lead and one for thick lead. Insert the pencil into the hole that matches the thickness of the lead, and twist the sharpener until the tip is sharp.
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How do you achieve different values when using a pencil for traditional pencil drawing?
You can also achieve different values by varying the type of pencil you use. To achieve different values when using a pencil for traditional pencil drawing, vary the pressure you apply to the pencil. For light values, use little pressure. For dark values, use more pressure.
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Can erasers be used when doing traditional pencil drawing?
Erasers can be used when doing traditional pencil drawing. Erasers can help you fix mistakes or lighten values. Avoid erasing too much and creating unwanted damage to your drawing using an eraser.
