Sketching Tips

There is beauty in simplicity and a lot of beautiful things can be expressed in a simple black and white sketch. Sketching is a hobby of many people and there are some who take it up seriously as artists, architects, or fashion designers. If you wish to sketch well, the first thing you need to do is to make up your mind to be committed to learning to sketch well. You will also need to practice well, be observant, and dedicate time to study the objects that you wish to sketch. Make sure that you have all the equipment you need before you sit down to sketch – pencils, erasers, sharpeners and a sketchpad. You might consider sketching to be a good foundation to continue on further in the art of drawing or painting. With the right techniques, you will become an expert in no time.

How To Sketch

Before you begin sketching, it is vital that you study the object that you are going to sketch. Look at it from all angles and try to find out a basic aspect. Do not try to sketch weird angles. Rather, try to get it from its best side. Position the subject to be drawn at eye level so that you will get it right.
Get your hand coordination correct by taking a sheet of paper and drawing circles, rectangles, ovals, squares and horizontal and vertical lines. Once your hands are no longer shaky, you can proceed with sketching the subject.
Take a sheet of translucent tracing paper and start sketching a light drawing on it. This will help you keep a record of the drawing and will allow you to re-work on the sketch over and over again.
Start sketching in light, disjointed strokes. Remember that what you wish to do is to block in the entire subject at first and not start off with every detail.
Try to draw to scale wherever you can. This means that you need to be careful not to run off the paper or to distort the accuracy of the sketch just so that it will fit on to the paper.
Be a critic of your own work. As you find mistakes, go back and correct them.
Follow up the lighter strokes with darker lines and try to pay attention to detail this time.
Fill in the sketch with shading or texturing. If you choose to go with shading, keep in mind that the best effects are given when attention is paid to light. For example, if you are sketching a flower, then ensure that the shading is such that the light is thrown on the flower.
Work on your sketch similar to creation – start with the skeleton and then add detail on it. Once you are sure that you have the basics right, you can proceed on to adding detail of your subject.

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