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| Edward Theodore Compton, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Crompton Knorrhuite |
The master painter Vicent Van Gogh said once: "I sometimes think
there is nothing so delightful as drawing." Yes, the drawing in itself,
and as preparatory work for oil on canvas, is a significant part of the art.
Nowadays, pencil art has become an art in itself. Pencil drawing is a technique
involving multidiscipline:. sketching, line drawing, shading, hatching,
cross-hatching etc. It also includes the technical and aesthetic knowledge of
an artist.
Pencil drawing explains some important
principles an artist should know, especially when he is a beginner. It explains
certain features through step-by-step instructions: starting from the
observation of the object to be painted to the manageable aspects of drawing.
Then it moves on to difficult work like figurative drawing and painting.
The pencil drawing has sections. This skill is intrinsically linked with
manifold aspects like sketching and recording the information to be used
afterwards, in executing an advanced work like a watercolour painting or an oil
painting.
Effects of Light You know, for the eyes of an
artist, the world is divided into two segments: one is the part where the
light, sunlight or moonlight falls; another part is where the light does not
fall. The darker part. The pencil drawing acts on both the regions: the lighted
and not-lighted regions. Once the lining work of a drawing is done, the pencil
tip walks around the drawing paper on two different segments with varying
degrees of pressure. The non-lighted, darker, area needs more pressure
and on the lighted area, lesser pressure is applied. That is what pencil
shading is all about. Do practise it regularly. Practice makes an artist
excellent!
Starting with the pencil is an ideal resource
for the artist who dares to enter the world of art, but or has
a limited experience in the art of drawing or painting. Working with pencils
and doing pencil drawings develop the beginner artists' confidence; it
helps their skills to reach the platform where he or they can be introduced as
an artist. In fact, the drawing is just like a concept on paper. Yes, it is a
concept. It is an idea an artist wants to actualise through his or her art. The
intricacies of pencil drawing guide the artist's journey through every aspect
of producing a watercolour or an oil painting. While drawing the light or dark
lines with the tip of a pencil the artist varies the weight of the line and
infuses a feeling of light in the drawing. One important aspect: patience
and continuity of practice help you to realise the real joy the art grants to an
artist.
PENCIL DRAWING OF LANDSCAPE, Street
and Interior
Artist: D. Roberts; Engraver: J. B. Allen, Public domain,
via Wikimedia Commons Shimla 1850
Let us move to the landscape drawing. One example. The Pencil
Landscape given here is depicting the Indian Landscape. This is a bridge
connecting the city of Simla with Chota Shimla. Shimla is a city situated in
the Himalayan heights, in the northern part of India. For artists, this region
is just like heaven. It is full of eye-catching mountain peaks and
valleys. This ancient bridge was originally built in the year 1828 by the
Stapleton Cotton, Shimala.
In the year 1963, the summer capital of India was shifted from the city
of Calcutta (now Kolkata). The Viceroy Jon Lawrence had taken the decision of
shifting the summer capital to Shimla. They had a special feeling for the heat
and dust of India. So the summertime, they spent in Shimla. This drawing of the
Shimla bridge is a wonderful depiction of the art of pencil drawing. Its
shading work and finishing style are spectacular in seeing and educative by
nature.
Focal Point In the landscape drawing the first and foremost important
point is to decide about the focal point. You know, the focal point is the
point in an artwork where the first attention of every viewer is drawn. The
eye-catcher point. After deciding the exact location of the focal point, an
artist starts his or her actual lining work. In pencil drawing, the lines are
drawn like the musical notes played by a musician. The notes of music would
be unpleasant, if not played with care and control; and it fails to impress the
audience. The same is the case with the line drawing.
And what about the shading? Only one thing you should remember while
doing the shading work. Follow the light. Follow the darkness. It's a play of
light and dark. Move your pencil hard where the light does not follow. Move the
trip with softness and extra care where the light falls. Use the eraser if more
pressure is applied or the area looks darker than it should be. That is how the
shading work is done, especially while drawing landscapes.
LEARN PENCIL DRAWING: Mountains and
Rivers
Artists all over the world have a fascination with nature. Among them,
the continent of Europe is a vast area full of natural beauty. The artists of
all time have used these rich resources of European land. This beautiful
land has high mountains. Its snow-covered peaks hold attraction. And Europe's
furiously flowing rivers entice the clan of the artists.
A landscape painting or drawing is known as landscape art, too. Yes, it
is a full-fledged section of art in itself. It is an act of reproducing the
things of nature onto paper or a canvas. The landscape comprises everything our
eyes catch in their wide view: The plains, the green grasslands, the mountains,
the valleys, and everything under the sky and on mother earth. There is no
shortage of subjects. Just grab your rucksack, ride a bike, and go outside of
your city and get it. Once you are at the scene, the beauty of the scene will
whisper into your ears. It will prompt you to paint.
LEARN DRAWING: Farm and Farmhouse
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| Hans Rosenørn Grüner, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Pencil and watercolour on paper Oslo Museum, Oslo, Norway
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About visiting nature, it is said
that 'Some people go for pleasure, and some go for rescuing themselves from the
monotony of life. But art is an inner aspect altogether. However, they, the
artists mainly, try hard for finding the subjects. The artist always wanders
for the subjects of his or her choice. And there can be no better place than
the countryside for getting the subjects to draw and paint.
Here is an artwork by Norwegian artist Hans Rosenorm Gruner. The material
used in drawing this art piece is a pen, pencil, paper and watercolours. It is
a drawing of The Laboratory Farm in Akershus. The work is believed to have been
done in the year 1855. In this drawing, we can see how delicately the artist
has infused the feel of the light falling on the foreground and the wall of the
laboratory. The lining work of the drawing is remarkably precise and
architecturally accurate. The presence of a cart in the foreground creates the
feeling of the farmhouse.
If you are a beginner in the art of painting and drawing, the pencil
drawing of farms and farmhouses could be very much helpful. It is because a person who has just started the learning would not find himself or herself
in difficulty if the objects stationed at a distance are to be
drawn.
