This exercise is another from the Make Art Mistakes A Creativity Sketchbook. This exercise is to make you think about how you might show texture in a drawing.
Gather Materials:
- an unlined piece of paper
- any drawing tool that you wish to use – I just used a pencil
Today’s Exercise
How might you show texture in a drawing?
- Fold a piece of unlined paper in three
- In the top corner of each section write the texture you will be depicting in the section
- smooth,
- bumpy,
- fuzzy
- Play with how you hold your pencil or brush to achieve the desired textured effect.
- Now in each section depict the texture
- What does smooth look like?
- What does bumpy look like?
- How can you show fuzzy?
Reflections on the Exercise
- Smooth
- Smooth lines need smooth body movements
- Hold the pencil lightly and begin the line before you touch down on the page and continue the line fluidly to an end point off the end of the page.
- Smooth lines are best achieved when you don’t look at where your pencil is, but you focus your attention on where you are going.
- Bumpy
- Bumpy makes me think about the streets this time of year after a harsh Winter. Dirt, salt and potholes cause bumps – what a relief when the smooth surface returns.
- Fuzzy
- turning the pencil on its side creates a shaded fuzzy texture
Get the Book: Make Art Mistakes
This exercised comes from the book Make Art Mistakes A Creativity Sketchbook. If you’re wanting to start mark-making I recommend that you pickup this book. You don’t need another sketchbook, you can do the exercises right in the book.