Start pencil drawing
Everything here starts with a pencil you already own. Learn to see light and shadow, and a flat sheet starts to look like it has depth. Here's the video that hooks everyone, and everything you need for your first shaded drawing.
Space neededA desk or a lap
First projectA shaded egg
Skill levelBeginner-friendly
Good forAny age, anywhere
The video that hooks everyone
A huge pencil drawing, and how long it took
A huge, lifelike pencil drawing of an eye, shown from start to finish, and how long it took to make. Press play and see why it hooks people.
Is this your video? Claim your page and share in the sales
Tool list
What you need to start
Everything you need for your first project, and nothing you don't. A few pencils, two erasers and a pad of paper.
Starter kit
01Graphite pencils: 2H, HB, 2B, 4B, 6BHard pencils for light lines, soft ones for darks. Buy them singly or in a small set.
02Drawing paper padSmooth or medium sketch paper, at least 9 x 12 in.
03Kneaded eraserA soft, putty-like eraser. Lifts graphite to make lights without scrubbing.
04Vinyl eraserA white plastic eraser for clean, full erasing.
05Pencil sharpenerA small handheld one with a spare blade.
06Blending stumpsRolled paper sticks that smooth shading.
07Drawing board or clipboardA firm, flat surface you can tilt.
08Masking tapeHolds the paper flat on the board.
09Scrap paperGoes under your hand so you don't smudge the drawing.
The manual tells you what to look for when you buy each one.
- 1Pressing too hard, too soonDark, dented lines won't erase. Start light with a hard pencil and build up the darks slowly.
- 2Outlining everythingReal objects have edges of light and shadow, not black outlines. Let shading make the edge.
- 3Smudging with your handYour hand drags graphite across the page. Rest it on a scrap of paper, and work from left to right if you're right-handed.
