How to Draw With Pencil Strokes

Work Environment

1). Clear your work desk and put your lamp near the top of it. Angle the lamp so it sends its light toward your work.
2). Tilt your work desk up if possible.
3). Have all your drawing materials -- pencils, paper, any reference materials and erasers -- within easy reach and neatly organized. Sharpen your pencils thoroughly.
4). Move your chair far enough away from the desk so you have space to move your arms without feeling cramped.

1). Hold the pencil between your index finger and thumb.
2). Grip the pencil with your thumb and index finger and support it with your middle finger.
3). Draw longer lines by moving your arm at the elbow instead of the wrist. Draw shorter lines with wrist movement.
4). Draw your line art in light strokes first. Don't worry about getting the form exactly right; just get the basic shape.
5). Refine your line art with heavier strokes and erase excess lines.

1). Determine your light source. Most drawings will have the light source positioned somewhere above the subject.
2). Use cross-hatching, a series of crossing lines, to create a convincing line. The denser the strokes, the darker the area appears.
3). Shade the lighter areas first, then create the shadowed areas. In pencil drawing, there are three basic areas: natural shades, highlights and shadows. The natural shades are represented as gray; the highlights as white to represent where the light source strikes or reflects; and the shadows as black, completely obscured from light.
4). Smooth your shading with a tortillon (rolled paper cone). Your fingers leave an oil residue on the paper, which will cause the paper to yellow over time.