Getting used to different mark making is a great way to test your creativity, so I asked myself how many different ways can I draw a simple object. By using fine liner, biro, pencil, sharpie and graphite I decided to draw a simple orange to try out depicting the textures as an orange is a simple shape, but has quite irregular features from dimples to ribs and ridges.
Because the overall shape was spherical it would have been easy to draw, but the texture and underlining ridges went against the overall shape so was harder to define which would explain why using a stippled technique with the sharpie proved very effective. I first tried this with the black, but then tried it with 3 tones, two pinks and a purple which gave a great sense of depth and enough detail for a convincing texture. The fine liner was also successful because if the control of fine detail from cross hatching to stippling with a good fade. Trying to shade with the sharpie was difficult but could work in a quick sketch scenario. Graphite would have been great on a much larger scale and would have been able to handle the detail rather well, as would charcoal on an even larger scale.
Next was a simple group of objects so I chose a few fruits and decided to depict the in graphite pencil. The first attempt came out too heavy and dark. I tried to use a cross hatch to mimic the contours of the shapes, but I started out too hard and didn’t lift and highlights out to a satisfactory degree.
I tried again with a lighter 2H pencil, but worked the hatching in in smaller areas with a bit less of a uniformed line with shorter, angled lines. With this I was able to build up the areas of tone easier giving a more realistic effect. I also used a rubber to pull out some slight highlights and blended the mid tones together with my finger giving more scope to build darker tones on top. This was much more successful. I think it’s important to build up the layers lightly as you can always add, but not always take away!
Eeyanski Arts 