Feather Study

LadyBikerG writes: This was my first attempt at graphite. I used to draw often as a teenager but ended up setting it aside when family life took over. I am now 35 and just picked it up again. I always used regular pencils and had comments about needing more depth so I tried graphite to see if I could get better shading and depth. I seem to have difficulty with the realism and would appreciate any constructive input.

Helen's Comment: This feather drawing is a lovely little piece. You've observed really well, and it's a nice composition, too. I think part of the problem with realism is that you're tending to outline everything. That gives it a sort of 'illustrative' look. Which is fine if that's the look you're after. If you want it to look more photographic, remember to do your initial outline VERY lightly, and then shade in exactly the tones - light, dark and midtones - that you see. If the edge of a bead has a white highlight, leave it white. It doesn't have to be drawn. It can be a bit hard to get used to if you've always drawn with lines. Think AREAS of light and dark, instead of lines. It can help to include the background, too.