Sketching is a tool that almost every artist uses to further advance their creative skills. Learn how to categorize motions in your sketches and express yourself as accurately as you can. If you are looking for sketching ideas, check out this post!

Focus on the pressure of the pencil

An important aspect to take into consideration is how heavily you are applying pressure to a sheet of paper. The darkened shading from the pencil will come from layering or darkening from the end stages of your drawing.

When you begin a drawing, you should make the lightest motions as possible so that they do not indent or affect your canvas/paper. This way, you can erase them very easily when mapping out the final outline of your drawing.

Allow yourself to grip your pencil fairly loosely, holding your pencil too tightly will result in a lot of stress in your hand and you wont be able to withstand drawing for lengthy periods of time.

How to sketch out your shapes accurately

The best strategy to adapt to is to sketch lines that resemble the shape you are hoping to create very generically. Then, you can continue to sketch lines that become closer and closer to the image that your brain is hoping to create, until you find it to be accurate.

The five basic skills of drawing will also be essential in understanding to create cohesive artwork for yourself: edges, spaces, shading, relationships, and the whole.

You slowly get closer and closer to creating the shapes that your brain was trying to convey onto the paper! Make sure to let yourself enjoy the process and see naturally where you find your drawings to be the most accurate to what you envision.

How to learn to sketch for beginners
This is an example from my sketchbook of lighter continuous lines coming together to suggest the shape

Different types of pencils

You can use graphite pencils which traditionally come in  H, F, HB, B, and 2B. 2B is the closest resemblance to a traditional Ticonderoga pencil for reference. They all vary in softness, and trying a few options can help you to better understand what type of drawing you like to do.

Personally, I like to use a denser and harder pencil for when I am sketching underneath what will soon be a painting. This is because the graphite is less likely to pick up and mix with the paint.

Types of pencils I recommend

I recommend the Prismacolor turquoise cased graphite pencils. They are great quality and prismacolor never lets me down. For a full set, ranging from soft to hard, I recommend the Pacific Arc Woodless Graphite Pencil set.

FAQ

Does sketching improve drawing?

Yes! Everything can be mastered with practice, and practicing suggestive lines can help you learn to find accurate outlines and shaping much quicker and easier.

What is the best pencil for drawing?

There is no best pencil for drawing. Consistency can range from very hard to very soft, and it is all based on the preference of the artist.