Helen's Drawing / Sketching Blog August 2007 Archive

It seems that animated cartoons and comic books been a virtual Noah's Ark for the old-fashioned skills of draughtmanship and composition since they were ditched by modern art. Every time ... Read More

This drawing exercise is one of my favorites. It uses a newspaper image as a starting point to practice shading. Even hesitant drawers can achieve pleasing results, having the ... Read More

Here's a short tutorial on drawing a brick wall in pen and wash. Well it is a bit more than just a wall - there's a bit of a building ... Read More

Are you getting the most out of your pencil? Those marks on paper are your means of communication with your viewer. To make sure they speak eloquently, there are a ... Read More

Ever wondered what that peering-at-a-pencil thing is about? While it might look like an arcane ritual or secret hand signal, in fact it is a simple and effective method of ... Read More

One of the big mistakes that I see inexperienced artists making when they draw animals is the choice of a poor reference photo. Before they even put pencil to paper, ... Read More

Today at my cello lesson, we worked on getting a bit of passion into my playing. As a beginner, I've been concentrating on just playing the right notes, in tune, ... Read More

Betty Edwards' drawing book, first published over 20 years ago, is as popular as ever. Is it the book for you? This quick review covers the essential features of 'Drawing ... Read More

Gestural drawing is an important activity for many artists. The direct and immediate mark-making offered by drawing mediums, combined with a free and expressive approach to representing the subject, allows ... Read More

I did a radio interview last year about doodling, which was fun, though I was frustrated by the interviewer - she seemed obsessed with the idea that doodles revealed hidden ... Read More

If you include human figures in your drawings or paintings, drawing them from life is the best way to improve. To draw clothed figures, you need to understand the anatomy ... Read More

I have a bit of a 'thing' for sketchbooks and office supplies. One my guilty pleasures. I think its the promise of being organized, on time, creative and productive.... its ... Read More

Charles Bargue with the Collaboration of Jean-Leon Gerome Gerald M. Ackerman has teamed up with collaborator Graydon Parrish and the Dahesh Museum to gather and annotate the drawing course of ... Read More