I shared how I’ve explored graphite sticks recently, and how that has been an enjoyable way to create expressive, simple sketches with big strokes. I found this has been an excellent way to loosen up and train my observational skills.
I try to do one or two pages of these in the morning when time permits – it’s a great way to warm up and to get into drawing mode. Plus I now have a creative use for the countless photos of the neighbor’s cat that I take (after petting her a lot of course)!
I’d like to share this technique in a more detailed way with you – so I’ve made a short class that will give introduce you to this fun technique.
So if you’d like to explore graphite sticks (or any other broad-edged tool you might have lying around, like pastel sticks, broad graphite pencils or even a marker), please join me for this new class.
The class is called: Capture the Essence: Loose Sketching with Shapes, and it will help you to create expressive, loose sketches while exploring new tools. You’ll practice those drawing basics while creating fun, simple sketches.
This class is similar to my mini class on exploring contour drawing: quick results, easy to finish, plus lots of helpful tips for training your drawing muscles.
You’ll learn how to:
- create quick expressive sketches based on shapes
- simplify a subject to its essential parts
- capture the essence of your subject without worrying about details
- train your observational skills
If you haven’t worked with graphite sticks yet, this is your chance for a mini art haul, or maybe you already have a similar tool at your disposal – anything that has a broad edge and can produce fat strokes for those big shapes we want to create. If you prefer to paint, a big brush would work too, but I actually love the haptic effect the chunky stick creates on the paper as I turn it.
You’ll get to play around with shapes and materials, and learn about capturing the essence of a sketch with minimal shapes and lines. This will be great to train your basic drawing skills – in fact this short class is an excellent addition to the basic techniques shown in my other sketching courses.
I hope you’ll join me in this fun class – it is available as a one-time purchase on Gumroad or through a Skillshare subscription.
Sign up now:
Thank you, Julia. This is just what I’m looking for right now, and I’m going to begin with the first lesson today.
I hope you’ll enjoy the lessons Shannon!
Hi Julia, Don here.
I’ve been side tracked for months but hope to be back soon. I love your birds.
I like the Derwent Graphitint as it comes in pans, pencil, and blocks; I have a small landscape using the products in the back corridoor. I also like Artgraph, a complete set that I hope to be taught one day. So yes, I have a lot of interest in your class!
Hey Don, nice to hear from you again. :) I’ve used a few of those Derwent blocks for the shape sketches, they’re quite expressive, if a bit crumbly. And I really came to like the Artgraf materials! What’s great about all of these is that you can use them for lots of different techniques.
This was really fun, and I surprised myself with how well I captured the shapes of my subjects just with these broad subjects. I had trouble figuring out exactly where the edge of my graphite block would connect with the paper, so some of my details are about 1/4 inch away from where I wanted them!