4 Fantastic Tricks for Better Drawing

Want to take your drawings to the next level? We’ve put together 4 tips to help you improve your technique.

Pencils

If you use graphite, try different pencil thicknesses and shapes. This will add richness to your drawing and may speed up the process. When you want to cover a larger area, for example, combining different types of charcoal offers more options and creates a richer drawing: compressed and natural charcoal, a charcoal pencil, charcoal powder...

Soft eraser

kneaded eraser (or erasing putty)

Very Soft Eraser

If you’re not using a kneaded eraser yet, it’s time to change that. When drawing with pencils, colored pencils, and especially natural charcoal, this eraser is an irreplaceable tool for working on details. You can easily shape it into a point, and it literally absorbs graphite.

Paper blending stump (paper tortillon)

It’s best not to blend graphite or charcoal with your fingers. Oil from your skin could leave smudges on the paper and disrupt the texture of the drawing. Paper blending stumps are made from tightly rolled paper, which you can use to blend and make soft transitions between colors.

Fixative

When you’ve finished your drawing, spray it with fixative to keep the graphite, charcoal, or colored pencil in place. You can use fixative not only at the end, but also between layers. When the paper is saturated, spray it, wait for it to dry, and continue drawing.

How often do you draw? Pencil, charcoal, colored pencil, markers... what’s your favorite?