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Part One – THE PENCIL
EXERCISES WITH HARD PENCILS
In this section, we are going to introduce you
to a series of projects and exercises that will
give you a practical introduction to using the
range of hard pencils. As we have previously
said, the hard pencil makes a fine precise
line. What we shall show you is how that line
can be employed to demonstrate your ideas,
expressions and observations.
First, we must complete a series of
exercises to see and experience what we can
achieve with the material. In many ways
these exercises are like the warm up routines
that sportsmen and women go through
before they take part in an actual event - by
loosening us up they enable us to focus on
the work in hand.
The next stage involves experimenting
with the concept of shape, space and
composition over the picture plane. This will
further our understanding of how to build a
composition: the type of elements a
composition can contain (for example,
harmony, balance, rhythm and movement),
how these elements alter the eye’s ability to
travel over and into the surface of the
picture, and how we read the picture in a
more representative way. Finally, we explain
the nature of diagrammatic and perspective
drawings both from theoretical and
observational approaches. We will show you
how to develop these methods for use in
your particular approach to drawing and to
expand upon them whenever you feel it is
appropriate.
Medium: 6H, 5H and 4H
As you will see, the types of marks or lines
produced with these pencils are quite