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LINE DRAWING
In the first part of a new drawing series, TIMOTHY VON RUEDEN reveals some
pencil line art techniques that he uses in his everyday work to create clean drawings
C
reating quality line art
with a pencil can be
more difficult than with
ink or a digital medium,
so I’m going to give some
tips on how to achieve work that is
clean and easy to read. Since working
with a pencil can have varying values,
inconsistent mark making and tip
widths, there’s a need for consistency
and patience. You have to be aware of
the pencil pressure you’re applying
and how dark the result is.Choose a pencil you feel
comfortable with and take your time
to keep it clean rather than feeling
rushed. I work with my eraser just as
much as my pencil, so I like to have
both on hand to make switching
between the two easier. This may take
a bit of practice to get the results you
desire but it has been a joy for myself
to not only become comfortable with
the technique but to be excited about
tackling complicated designs or
intricate patterns.Let’s first break everything down
into simple techniques as I explain
the main principles of how I create
my own line work. Hopefully this
will help you with creating your own
lines and discovering how much
fulfilment can be achieved when
creating a finished, clean drawing!1
Pencil choice is
important
When creating line art, every
pencil will produce a different
result depending on the
hardness and what type it is.
Traditional pencils have a
hardness scale going from B
(soft) to H (hard) and need
regular sharpening to produce a
consistent-sized tip. Mechanical
pencils are better at keeping
their size but take longer to
create larger pieces.Core skills: Part 1
I use mechanical pencils when I want clean,
crisp edges because I prefer to not have to
constantly sharpen.Traditional pencils tend to round out quickly
at the tip and are great for shading,
especially larger areas.Timothy is an independent
artist showing and selling his
work at various conventions
across the United States. Visit
his site at: http://www.vonnart.netMATERIALS
PENCIL
Q HB 0.2mm Orenz
yellow mechanical
pencil
ERASERS
Q MONO Zero Eraser
Q Kneaded eraser
SURFACE
Q Strathmore Mixed
Media paper