Cool pencil drawings. How to draw with a pencil in stages for beginners? What if I don't know what to draw

  • Pencil. The simplest and most understandable drawing tool you will need in any case. Even if you want to learn how to draw with paints, you will need a simple pencil to create a sketch. Not all pencils are the same. Some are designed for drawings, others for drawing, others for everyday tasks. Too hard pencils (3H, 4H and more) are better not to choose: they are easy to scratch and tear the paper.
  • Watercolor. Water-based paint is known for its lightness, transparency and a wide palette of shades. However, painting with watercolor is quite difficult: you need to learn how to use its properties and have a good idea of ​​\u200b\u200bhow the paint will behave on paper. On the other hand, if you put in enough effort, you will learn to draw in one of the most impressive techniques.
  • Gouache. This is a dense matte paint that is diluted with water. It is perfect for the first steps in drawing. Due to the dense texture of gouache, dark tones can be easily covered with darker ones. This is very important, because then all the flaws and shortcomings can be corrected. Another good news: gouache is inexpensive.
  • Pastel (dry). These crayons are used to create drawings in soft colors. Due to its texture, the pastel is very easy to blend, which allows you to create beautiful transitions between shades. You should immediately prepare for the fact that your fingers and the table (at least) will be stained with dust and pastel crumbs. The finished pastel drawing is easy to smear, so the pigments on paper will need to be fixed with varnish or a fixative.
  • Markers ("copies"). We asked illustrator and teacher Anna Rastorguyeva to tell us about this relatively unknown instrument. Because she draws with the help of markers and does it superbly. We are not talking about highlighters and not about simple felt-tip pens, but about alcohol markers, which, due to their basis, do not deform the paper and allow you to achieve smooth transitions between shades.
Kolidzei / Shutterstock.com

There are many manufacturers of such instruments, including Japanese, German, Chinese, Korean, and Russian brands. The price also varies - from 160 to 600 rubles apiece, so even a novice author can pick up a small kit to start.

The palettes of this type of markers are unusually wide, 300 colors on average, so in order not to get confused, you can buy a ready-made set, usually selected for a specific topic: architecture, nature, manga.

What if I don't know what to draw?

If you don't know what to draw, but really want to - copy, draw and repeat after others. There is nothing wrong with that. On the contrary, it is a normal process. Take a picture that you like, put it in front of you and start.

Video instructions are helpful. Unlike advice in the style of "draw a circle, draw sticks, add details - you get a great canvas," these posts do not lie. You will see exactly how the drawing is created.

Remember: creativity is an international thing. Don't be afraid to check out the YouTube channels of English-speaking bloggers, even if you don't understand what they're saying.

Try starting with these channels:

  • Proko. An absolute must-have for anyone who wants to learn how to draw. The artist clearly, simply, clearly explains the most difficult thing - how to draw a person. This is the base and the foundation, so the channel will certainly live in your bookmarks.
  • Mark Crilley. The artist works in a cartoon style, so those who want to learn how to draw cute, cute drawings will find everything they need here. The artist shows different techniques and in detail, frame by frame, demonstrates the simplest techniques for creating a spectacular drawing.
  • Sycra. The channel will appeal to everyone who loves Japanese cartoons and wants to learn how to draw anime. Video lessons reveal the topic inside and out: body structure, facial features, costumes and everything.
  • Bob Ross. Bob Ross is an American television legend. Perhaps the most inspiring program in the world was created by this man, who spent 11 years teaching people to create miracles on canvas. You may not understand what Bob is saying in a soft voice, but you can not resist the talent of the artist penetrating into you right from the screen.

In general, the choice of topic is the second fundamental issue after the choice of material. And here it is not at all necessary to be limited to traditional genres: portrait, still life or landscape. Nowadays, everyday household sketches are gaining more and more popularity. Like photos on Instagram, artists quickly capture exciting topics in their notebooks, post them on social networks, study and communicate together. Absolutely any object can become a subject of interest - from macro sketches of insects to detailed travel diaries.

Anna Rastorgueva, illustrator, teacher

"You can paint in 30 days" by Mark Kistler. One of the most famous drawing books. As long-term observations show, after reading it and, importantly, following the instructions, everyone learned to draw.

"Discover the artist in you" by Betty Edwards. Those who doubt can immediately be informed: about 2 million of those who considered themselves "armless" have already learned to draw from this book. To those who do not believe in their own strength at all and think that all artists know some secret of beautiful paintings, we say: yes, there is a secret. It is hidden in this book.

"A sketchbook that will teach you how to draw!", Robin Landa. As a teacher himself, Robin knows that students draw best on the pages of textbooks. This is where fantasy comes into play! So he created a book in which you can (and should) draw. And learn along the way.

I want to draw, but I don't have the time or extra money


Eugenio Marongiu/Shutterstock.com

The first step can be taken without much investment and effort. Download creative apps and get started now.

Tayasui Sketches. One of the most beautiful and simple applications with numerous tools will teach you how to draw in different techniques.

Bamboo paper. Drawing tablet company Wacom has developed an app for artists. Sketches, sketches and full-fledged drawings - this program will be needed at every stage of learning.

Zen brush. This application will not help in learning, but will set you in the right creative way. With a brush, you can draw characteristic strokes, and the finished drawing looks like a work of art from some distant eastern country.

We figured out the materials, the sources of inspiration too, the books were studied, and there are applications for the laziest. Your move - it's time to get down to business.

The main thing is to find what you really like. Dare!

Anna Rastorgueva, illustrator, teacher

Special skill to transfer emotions to paper with a simple pencil. These tips will help you learn how to draw beautifully and easily. It is with such sketches that masterpieces begin.

For those who are just taking their first steps in drawing, you will need a pencil, eraser and paper. First you need to take 3 pencils, which will differ in the softness of the lead. Each pencil has symbols.

The table shows the main designations of pencils:

Marking H HB F HB
Designation hardness. hard pencil blackness. Soft pencil fine point. Average value between HB and B. Hard-soft pencil
How to draw beautiful drawings with a simple pencil, it is important to have and understand pencils and their softness.

You should take several pencils at once, for example, "HB" for drawing precise lines and "2B" for softer ones. Masters advise sharpening pencils not with an ordinary metal sharpener, but with a knife. With it, you can give the tool the desired shape. For precise lines, the pencil must always be sharp.

For drawing shadows, it is better when the pencil tip is rounded.

It is also worth carrying out certain manipulations over the eraser. In order for it to accurately erase all small details, it is recommended to cut it into 2 parts diagonally, leaving sharp corners.

Plain paper is too thin and not suitable for drawing. It is better to take a thicker one, for example, drawing paper, only a small size. If you start drawing on A5 sheet, then later there may be problems with the scale of the images. For beginners, it would be more correct to take an A4 sheet.

Basic rules for drawing with a pencil

It is worth starting training in this skill by redrawing simple pictures or objects. In the initial stages, this will help to get a feel for the instrument and the material.

  • Pencil position in hand. For different purposes, the pencil needs to be held in different ways. For example, the main lines are drawn when the palm is turned towards the drawing, the pencil itself is located between the thumb, middle and forefinger. If you turn your palm to the side, you can monitor the thickness of the lines. This method is great for sketching and toning. Holding the pencil like a pen, you can complete the drawing or draw small details. In any case, the tool should be almost parallel to the paper.
  • One of the most important stages of training will be hatching.. It gives volume to the drawing and indicates shadows.
  • It is necessary not only to draw a line, but also to be able to understand it. It can be of various thicknesses or lengths, which will say a lot about the drawing itself.
  • The intensity of pressure affects the contrast and the feeling of the image itself.. You should start the sketch with light movements, so that the lines are barely noticeable. Then you can erase the wrong strokes without compromising the final result. The intensity of pressing can be added at the end, to highlight some elements.
  • During operation, it is better not to touch the sheet with your hand.. Because of this, the picture may be smeared. It is better to lift the brush or substitute a sheet of paper under it.

  • It is worth remembering that it can always be better. But let it be a lot of drawings, where each subsequent one is superior to the previous one than an unfinished apple after 5 years.

It is very important to know the basics of drawing, but this can only be learned through practice.

Basic pencil drawing techniques

There are 2 main techniques in drawing - shading and hatching. Owning them, you can turn a sheet of paper into a living space. But each technique has its own rules and methods. You can not use only one of them and create a full-fledged drawing. The two techniques complement each other.

Hatching

This technique consists of drawing short lines or strokes on a sheet of paper. With its help, you can convey the color and saturation of the subject. More strokes are used to show depth or volume. To highlight the light area, you need to make them smaller. Strokes can be horizontal, vertical or any other angle.

It all depends on the item itself. Each time you make a stroke, you should tear off the pencil from the surface, and then return it to its original position. A very important factor will be the combination of several types of hatching. For example, if you draw horizontal lines first and then vertical lines, the object or area will add depth.

shading

Proper shading gives the picture volume. Beginning artists should learn this. Before shading, strokes are applied, which are later turned into plain. This is the shading technique. With it, you can highlight the shadows, show how the light falls. And also select some parts of the object.

Shade should be along the strokes, then the drawing is more natural.

You can draw lines not only in straight lines, but also in zigzag shapes. Just like in the previous technique, a lot depends on the drawing itself.

How to quickly learn to draw a portrait with a pencil: a master class

Do not immediately start drawing people's faces. To begin with, it is better to pay attention to its individual elements. It is worth practicing to depict the lips, nose, eyes separately, and then combine all the parts into a holistic portrait. Trying to portray everything at once, you can lose sight of important details. But, with gradual practice, the image of a single element will take less time.

human face

For the image of the face, it is always worth remembering the proportions. Despite the fact that everyone's faces are different, there is a certain sequence of how to quickly and correctly draw a face.

For example:


Eyes

How to draw beautifully and easily with a simple eye pencil to convey a range of emotions, tears, laughter, sadness, joy on paper:

  1. Draw a straight line slightly at an angle, it is responsible for the size of the eye.
  2. Arcs are drawn from the edges of the lines, they will be for centuries. Since the lower eyelid is not flat, it is better to draw another such line below.
  3. The pupil is not fully visible, so it is worth considering that the upper eyelid closes it a little.
  4. Be sure to depict the folds of the upper and lower eyelids.
  5. The correct shading will add volume to the eye. The pupil should be darker than the protein. The upper eyelid falls over the eyes, forming a shadow.

Lips

Human lips can be depicted in different ways. It can only be shadows or fully drawn outlines.

Nose

A human nose can be drawn in a minute using a few strokes, or spend half an hour and draw all the details and shadows.

The principle of drawing the nose is as follows:

  1. You need to know what parts the nose consists of: the bridge of the nose, the tip of the nose, the wings, the nostrils, the nasal septum.
  2. Depending on the light, different parts of the nose will be darkened differently.
  3. Sketching the nose starts with a circle for the tip and an oval for the rest.
  4. To mark the nostrils, you need to draw 2 more circles at the tip of the nose.
  5. Having determined the proportions correctly, you can start drawing.
  6. The technique of drawing the nose can be either hatching or shading.

Clothes sketches

In order to sketch clothes, there is no need to accurately draw all the details of the face and figure. The main focus should be on the sketch itself. Proportions are very important. The full height of a person can be conditionally divided into 7-8 parts. The size of this part will correspond to the size of the head.

The hands are drawn slightly below the hips, this rule will protect the novice artist from too long or short arms.

In most cases, the thigh is slightly shorter than the lower leg. The human waist is at the same level as the elbow. To correctly show the clothes on the model, it must be drawn in different poses: a slightly turned shoulder or a raised hip will allow you to correctly present the outfit itself. The model's hair should be drawn if it plays an important role in the outfit itself.

If not, then the whole head should be depicted as an oval. Before you draw the clothes themselves, it should be thought out to the smallest detail. This applies not only to its shape, but also to the fabric used and various accessories.

Flowers

Flowers have a similar structure, but differ in many details. For example, everyone has leaves, but they are always of different shapes.

Tulip

Usually in the picture the flower consists of 3 flat petals, a stalk and a leaf. For a three-dimensional and lively image, you should pay attention to the shadows. It is better to draw a tulip at an angle. You should start by sketching the main parts of the flower. Only by correctly determining the proportions, you can proceed to drawing the details.

There are some tips on how to draw shadows:

  • The shadow on the leaf should be in the center and edge of the leaf. These parts are slightly lowered down, which is why they create a shadow.
  • You need to shade the edges of the stem and its lower part a little to create volume. A flower begins at the top of the stem, and it casts a shadow that needs to be depicted.
  • The deeper the petals are, the darker they should be. Just like with the stem, the feathered edges will add volume.

All these tips will be useful while drawing any other flower.

Narcissus

It is better to draw a daffodil from a circle that will represent a flower. Narcissus has 6-7 round petals with rounded edges. The center resembles the shape of a dome, so it is better to depict it at an angle. Stripes should be added to the petals that go from the base, but do not reach the edge. After that, you can draw a stem and a few leaves.

The leaves of the daffodil are long, they can be drawn both straight and slightly curved. As for the shadows, the rules will be the same as for drawing tulips. The bases of the petals should be slightly darkened, as the central part of the daffodil casts a shadow on them.

callas

To draw callas correctly, you need to follow all the curved lines and features. You should start with the petal itself. After that, smoothly move to the stem. Shadows must be applied not only to the inner, but also to the outer part of the plant.

You can draw not one flower, but several to make a bouquet. In this case, it is worth paying attention that the petals need to be depicted from different angles. To do this, it is worth knowing how the visibility of the plant changes and how the shadows fall.

Sunflower

A sunflower consists of large leaves, a stalk, two rows of petals and a core. First you need to outline all these parts. The leaves are depicted in the form of a drop with jagged edges and sharp corners.

To show naturalness in the drawing, they must be curved. Sunflower stems are very strong and massive and pass into the flower itself. Sunflower petals are rhombus-shaped, but without sharp corners.

Even though they are attached to the core by the base, you can draw how they change their shape due to the wind.

Some may be rotated or lowered. The core of a sunflower is drawn from 2 circles, petals are attached to the outer one. Seeds can be shown as fine hatching. The emphasis on shading should be done at the base of the petals and in the center of the core.

lilies

The lily flower consists of 5 petals, from which you should start drawing. The petals are curved and quite long, therefore, in order to depict them correctly, it is recommended to draw while looking at it from above. Having indicated where the petals should go, you can connect them and draw the middle.

In the center of the lily is a bunch of stamens that end in small grains. The leaves of the plant are quite thin and long. They need to be darkened, like all other areas on which the shadow falls. In the petal itself, you need to add hatching to the base and the middle, which is slightly deepened to make the flower voluminous.

Lotus

A lotus is a little different from a water lily that floats on water. Unlike her, the lotus rises above the lake, and in the very center there is a small box. The structure of its petals is similar to a tulip. But the lotus is larger, which means there are more petals.

First you need to decide on the size of the flower. When making a sketch, you need to indicate where it goes into the stem. After that, you can start drawing the petals. Once all the main elements are depicted, you can add shadows to the lotus.

Animals

Drawing animals is similar to drawing a person in that you need to understand the structure of the body before starting work. It is necessary to take into account the characteristics of animals, where the head passes into the body, the hind legs should be more powerful than the front ones, how the tail is located.

Dog

How to draw a dog beautifully and easily with a simple pencil:

Horse

The sketch is done from the head and goes to the torso and legs.

It is very important to correctly determine the proportions of the body so that the head is not larger than the body:

  1. Draw a circle for the head and a pot shape for the muzzle.
  2. The horse's neck is narrower at the head and widens towards the body.
  3. In order to draw the torso, you will need 2 circles. The one closest to the neck will be larger than the second one.
  4. The forelegs are slightly wider at the body and become thinner towards the hooves. The hind legs have a curve that separates the thigh.
  5. The next step is to connect all the parts and wipe the preparatory forms.

Cat

Learning to draw these graceful animals is better with animation examples. For beginning artists, it will be difficult to depict the coat and shade of a cat. The body structure is very similar to that of a dog.

Only the cat will be more refined:

  1. A circle and an oval for the body are drawn in place of the head.
  2. Next comes the tail and legs.
  3. After checking all the proportions, you can proceed to small details, ears, eyes, and fingers on the paw.
  4. The next step is to wipe the auxiliary parts and finish the fur.

Wolf

How to draw beautifully and easily with a simple wolf pencil:

  1. 3 circles are drawn, a small one for the head, and 2 for the body.
  2. You need to connect these circles into the shape of a wolf.
  3. Then draw the paws and tail, mark the eyes, ears and round nose on the muzzle.
  4. When all the main elements are drawn, you can wipe the preparatory lines and draw the details and shadow

Birds

You can draw a bird beautifully and easily with a simple pencil, adhering to the same principles as for animals. You should start with a circle for the head and an oval for the body. The bird's tail and legs need to be drawn at the same stage. After that, you need to draw all the details of the bird's head, hard lines will be indicated on its back with strokes.

The feathers of the bird are quite thick, so they are drawn in short lines or feathered to add volume.

They need to be drawn on the body and tail. The chest must be depicted as a curved line. When the bird is ready, you need to draw a branch on which it stands.

landscapes

In order to draw a landscape, you need to understand every detail of the image. If the goal is a waterfall, then you need to imagine how the water will flow, forming foam. Stones nearby cast their shadow and the foliage is darker as water gets on it. For inspiration, you can turn on the appropriate music.

Before drawing a landscape, it is recommended to present the finished image in detail. After that, outline the main elements on a sheet of paper so that the proportions of the entire drawing are maintained. For example, if you want to draw mountains, then you need to understand what plan they are on, what is in front of them.

Then you can proceed to a more accurate drawing of the outline of the elements. Shadows play an important role in a landscape. If there is a sun, then you should pay attention to where it is and what objects cast a shadow. Some artists only show the story in the picture with some outlines, allowing the viewer to dream up himself. Others draw every detail.

Anime and cartoon characters

How to draw beautifully and easily with a simple pencil of different characters can be understood if you pay attention to their physique and different features. The figure or details of the face of cartoon characters often differ from the usual human structure. Big eyes or small hands make the character stand out. It will be easier to draw such heroes than a portrait of a person.

There are a lot of pictures with characters on the Internet and first you should learn how to draw them.

This will help in the future to draw characters from memory or even come up with your own. At the initial stages, you can ignore the shadows of the elements, since such characters are only drawn. Later, you can add the acquired knowledge to drawing anime and characters in order to make them more alive.

Cars

Unlike animals, there are precise and clear lines in the drawing of a car. You need to understand what parts the machine consists of and how they are located in relation to each other. It is necessary to start drawing with the outline of the body. Next, highlight the wheels, hood, side doors. This is done in sketches so as not to violate the proportions of the machine.

You need to understand what is shown in the figure and in what position the machine is on paper. It should, slowly, draw all the main details and only after that make the lines clearer. The machine has its shadows. It is necessary to determine which elements are discarding it. After that, it is better to shade some fragments so that the car turns out to be monophonic.

Objects

Each object has its own structure, size and shape. For example, a soft blanket cannot be drawn in straight lines on paper, and if you do not add a shadow, it will look like a regular rectangle on paper. To learn how to draw an object of the environment, you need to pay attention to its features. Even an ordinary table can stand out with drawings on the legs.

You can turn on the flashlight and see how, under different lighting angles, the object casts a shadow.

This will help you understand how to properly display it on paper. In addition, you can mentally draw a straight, horizontal, or vertical line to notice how the shape of an object changes.

You should start drawing by sketching the main parts of the object, which will help in understanding its shape and size. Only after that you can start drawing clearer lines and shading the shadows. The finished image can be compared with the object. If something does not add up, find out what is the reason so that you do not make mistakes in the future.

Any object can be beautifully depicted on paper with a simple pencil. To easily embody all ideas, do not forget that by drawing, a person not only expresses his emotions, but also adds life to his work.

Article formatting: Anna Vinnitskaya

Video about correct pencil drawing

How to draw a girl with a simple pencil:

Why create art schools? No, not in order to make painters out of all the pupils. The bottom line is to develop in the child the ability to depict on paper objects that he sees correctly, and if necessary, he could draw from nature a curious view of the area, or any other object. The ability to draw develops in a person the ability to correctly appreciate the fine arts, which give great pleasure. It also follows from this that the teaching of this kind of art must be different from the ordinary method of teaching, based on mere copying from ready-made drawings, or originals. It is necessary to develop an eye, to learn the properties of various lines and their mutual compatibility, to distinguish between forms that are drawn by hand, without using a ruler and a compass.

What can be drawn with a pencil?

If there is no opportunity or desire to attend art school, you can learn all this yourself. But keep in mind, this will require much more effort to study the necessary literature. Remember that you need to start small, gradually moving to a more complex one (learn to draw in stages). Books on drawing recommend that you first familiarize yourself with the following positions:

  1. Lines, their equality, connection and composition of figures
  2. Drawing rectilinear images
  3. Curvilinear figures, rules of perspective
  4. About light and shadows
  5. About the right bodies
  6. Depiction of complex bodies from nature

And only after that already move on to drawing full-fledged pictures. You can't think of what to draw with a simple pencil? Take a look around! There are so many things here: streets, houses, people, trees, animals, objects. Don't you find anything worthy of your brush? You can draw pictures from books (this is the simplest thing you can think of). And just draw mom and dad! On our site you will find a lot of useful step-by-step lessons, for example, learn how to draw:

  1. in the forest;

And much more! You can see how many ready-made lessons we have in the right column above. And I also picked up some interesting pictures that will help your imagination. See below!

Drawings for boys:

See mine. This is a complex picture in the style of Anime. I made the lesson much easier.

Since you got here, it means that you believe at least a little that you can learn to draw. And indeed it is! Even if you drew just a little, didn’t draw at all, or doubt your abilities, find a simple pencil and 20 minutes a day- and in a month you will learn how to create amazing images.

The hardest part is getting started

To learn how to draw, a person first needs to just start. You need to push him so that he picks up a pencil and begins to draw lines on a blank sheet of paper. Many people think that a blank sheet of paper is a problem that only a talented artist can handle. In fact, having mastered it, you will gain enough self-confidence to enjoy drawing.

After completing this course, in thirty days you will achieve the first creative successes, get an incentive to constant practice, strengthen your self-confidence and keep your interest in drawing for life.