I invite you to a new artistic journey. Today, we’ll dive into the world of sketching with tinted graphite pencils. Along the way, we’ll explore the advantages of textured paper and using toned paper instead of the customary white! We’ll also discuss ways to make your artwork more believable by including cooler and warmer colors.

Also, I’m going to show you some useful tips and tricks on transferring your sketch to your final drawing surface and dealing with any unexpected issues that may arise with this technique.

The main goal of this project is to capture the essence of the subject we’re drawing and creatively use our knowledge of color and light to create a fun drawing!

The Art Supplies for this Project

Let’s first take a quick look at the pencils.

I’ll be using pigmented graphite pencils made by Derwent – Graphitint pencils. I’ll be using several pencils from a set of 24 colors. These pencils are best described as a combination of colored pencils, watercolor pencils, and graphite drawing pencils.

Here are some of the unique characteristics of Graphitint pencils…

• As opposed to ordinary graphite pencils, which are various shades of grey, each pencil is pigmented with color.
• The colors are quite muted.
• The pencils are water soluble – in other words, they can be activated with water, so the colors become richer and more intense.

After applying water or “activating”, the mark becomes very difficult, almost impossible to erase (unless you use a rough eraser that removes the paper as well). We’ll need to keep this in mind moving forward.

Although erasing after activating with water is nearly impossible, you can soften the intensity of the covered area by applying water once again and dabbing it with a paper towel or a brush.

The choice of paper also affects the behavior of the pencils. Thin papers tend to soak too much and may create unpleasant wrinkles.

If you think that activating with water may add some charm and vibrancy to your artwork, but the paper you use is relatively thin, it’s still possible to intensify the colors with a slightly wet brush. The paper won’t get too much water and the colors will become more intense. You can wet your brush and then slightly dry it with a paper towel before applying to areas of color. A damp brush will still activate the color.

I personally admire the range of colors that Graphitint pencils provide. There are definitely some wonderful greens and browns to choose from! This palette is perfect for creating animal and nature-inspired illustrations.

By the way, this is one of the reasons why I decided to draw a frog for this project, but we’ll touch upon this topic later.

I’ve chosen just seven pencils from the set to limit myself and keep a sketchy appearance. The names of the colors we’ll use are:

• Meadow
• Ivy
• Ocean Blue
• Autumn Brown
• Juniper
• Cool Brown
• White

Of course, you can choose more pencils for your drawing, if you wish!

Please note that the indications of color on the body of Graphitint pencils may not correspond to the actual colors we get on paper. That’s why it’s useful to test all of your pencils before applying them to an actual drawing.

Below you’ll find a sample of strokes made with the selected pencils. The strokes demonstrate the changes in pressure (lighter at the bottom, heavier in the middle) and the effect created by this variation. The top parts of the color swatches are activated with water.

I didn’t show the White pencil because the strokes are almost invisible in the scanned image.

This sample (above) was created on a relatively thick, textured watercolor paper. This sheet had a creamy-colored tint. Just a moment ago, we were talking about the difference in how the strokes look on various types of paper, so I thought that I’d share another example.

The sample below is made on a sheet of thin drawing paper that is more suitable for ink liners, ordinary graphite pencils, or any other dry media. As you may notice, the colors are less intense after applying water (in the upper portions of the color swatches), compared to the samples created on a thicker watercolor paper.

The color of paper affects the perception of the color. In the image below, you’ll find samples made with the same Graphitint pencils but now on green paper.

Derwent pencils are soft and require frequent sharpening. That’s why I recommend keeping a mechanical or an electric sharpener at hand.

A kneaded eraser is an excellent tool for softening lines and removing excess graphite. It may be useful to lighten the general contour lines of our final artwork but we’ll discuss this in detail in a moment.

We’ll also need an ordinary graphite pencil for sketching and creating a preparatory drawing.

It’s a wonderful idea to have some drawing paper for sketching, just in case you choose to play around with a few ideas.

For our final drawing surface, I’ve chosen Daler-Rowney Murano A4 paper (“Apple”). It has a very pleasant green tint and a subtle texture.

This paper may be found at your local art supply store. You can buy sheets of various colors and try many different options. The possibilities are truly endless!

I’m going to use only a portion of the paper. The remaining areas can be cut off and be used for sample sheets.

The Idea

My goal was to find something that has a greenish, greyish or brownish color. I also wanted a subject that features an interesting texture and has a connection to the theme of summer and nature.

A frog isn’t the only subject fitting the requirements, but I find it especially promising. The combination of the tinted green surface and beautiful, muted colors of Graphitint pencils create a perfect color for the pattern of the frog’s skin.

In this case, we get a great ready-made green background. The tinted paper sets the basic tone, we’ll just add the darker and lighter values!

See also: Six Reasons to Draw On Toned Paper

The subtle texture of this paper produces a sketchy look which works well for this drawing. You can focus on other aspects other than just creating details and convincing textures. That’s why I recommend using this set of art supplies for drawing on location, directly from life. You may just find a real frog to draw!

I’ve already created a couple of drawings of a frog using the same tools – Graphitint pencils and tinted paper. Below you’ll find the examples…

The drawing we’ll create here will make a nice addition to the series that I’ve already begun.

Since I’ve already explored this subject in the past, I can choose the pencils with more confidence. One of the previous artworks was made on paper of this greenish tint (“Apple”), so I already know that warm browns work just fine.

The subtle inclusion of the reddish brown and purple should make this drawing more interesting and different from the existing artworks.

Exploring the Subject and Creating a Final Version of Your Sketch

I start the work with some abstract, conceptual sketching. This step is especially useful if you’re drawing an object that is not familiar to you. In these cases, reference photos may help greatly.

I create quick sketches of poses and anatomy studies using the HB graphite pencil. I’d like to find an interesting pose that is easily recognizable and not too complex. 

A frog is a relatively simple animal to draw. It has a large head with big round eyes, a bulky body, and relatively thin limbs. The best approach is to draw the rough shapes first while imagining each shape as a three-dimensional form.

Even if your drawing isn’t perfectly accurate, thinking in terms of three-dimensionality adds to the believability of your art.

When I have a general idea of how my frog should look, I start a final sketch that will be transformed into the tinted graphite artwork. 

After the general lines are drawn, I accentuate the significant contours and erase the marks that are no longer needed.

I also add a pattern of the frog’s skin. This allows me to consider where I should place the spots in advance. 

The final sketch is complete, but how do we transfer it to our green paper?

The first option is to redraw it from scratch. However, the lines should be light and limited. That’s why this method may not be the best for everybody.

In the next part of the tutorial, we’ll explore a couple of ways to overcome this obstacle.

Basic and Advanced Tracing Tips: How to Transfer the Sketch to a Clean Sheet of Paper

There are several ways to copy a line drawing if we need to duplicate, improve, or create a new artwork.

1) Use carbon paper – This is a special paper that you may be able to pick up at a local craft or stationery store.

Put this paper under your sketch and place your finial drawing paper underneath the carbon paper. Outline your sketch once again on top of the existing lines and you’ll get a nice transfer on the final paper.

Usually this kind of paper creates a print that consists of dark lines, but there are also colorful copying paper variations (yellow, red, green, etc.).

The main advantage of carbon paper is the ease of use. The main drawback is that sometimes it leaves unpleasant marks that are difficult to erase and conflict with the materials you’re applying.

2) Use a light board or window – Another great way to transfer your line drawing to another piece of paper is using a window pane during the day or a light table.

First, put a new sheet of paper above the sketch and place them on top of the plane that lets the light go through. This makes the lines visible and you can trace them.

This method works perfectly if the light is strong enough and the upper sheet of paper is not too dark or too thick. In my case, I have a great lighting but my green paper is quite thick and its tone makes the lines of the sketch barely visible. Alas, I have to find another solution!

3) Punching – Let’s talk about a way to trace a drawing called punching or denting (however, I feel like there may be other names for it).

Punching works best with thick textured paper; you put the paper under your sketch and outline the drawing once again, applying heavy pressure. It’s possible to use something like a stick with a sharp tip or a ball-point pen with an empty cartridge to trace the drawing.

After you’ve finished outlining, remove the sketch and study final surface. If the pressure on the tracing tool was heavy enough, you’ll see some dented lines. Most probably, they will be barely visible, which makes this method suitable for very demanding situations and creating a delicate copy (for example, if you need an extra clean outline with no graphite marks).

Please note that sometimes the dents you get by using this tip may cause some issues. For example, softer pencils may cover all the areas but not fill in the indentions.

If you prefer having a defined underdrawing before diving into the process, it’s possible to the redraw the drawing once again, following the pattern of dents. Or you can leave the dents as they are and proceed to creating applications of any medium you are going to use!

4) Graphite transfer – There is another method left. I’ll share my process of making a sort of copying paper with improvised means.

The first step is to turn over the paper with your final sketch; then, apply a layer of soft graphite to this side.

In the image below, you can see how I mimicked the contours of the frog, using the 4B pencil. Softer lines work better because they leave darker marks, but you can use any (preferably soft) graphite pencil you have.

I applied the graphite stokes only to the contours because they are visible through the back of the paper. If your sketch is drawn on thick paper, you can just cover the whole area.

Now flip your sketch once again. Your drawing (the frog) should be on top and the graphite strokes on the underside. Put the clean copy sheet (in my case, it’s the green paper) underneath and trace the necessary lines using any tool you like. I used a red pencil to make new lines that contrast so I know where I’ve already made the outline.

It works like magic! After you’ve finished tracing, you get a nice imprint on your clean copy paper.

The resulting outline isn’t as elaborate as the preparatory sketch. The lines are slightly rough, but that’s not a problem. We now have something to work with – without guessing where the contours should be!

I didn’t copy the pattern of the frog’s skin in order to avoid overloading the underdrawing with information. My sketch will be at hand, so I’ll be addressing it any time I need.

Let’s proceed to the fun part – drawing with tinted graphite pencils!

How to Draw a Frog with Graphitint Pencils

First, I soften the graphite marks with a kneaded eraser. If the lines are too dark, they may conflict with further applications and create a ‘muddy’ feel.

With the Meadow pencil, I create a base for our tinted graphite sketch. I accent the contours of the frog’s body and create the illusion of a three-dimensional form by varying the pressure placed on the pencil. Since the back of the frog catches more light, I apply less pressure here.

I keep the pencil covering relatively light and transparent. This preserves the tooth of paper for the further applications. I mix application techniques, combining light hatches and soft circles that accentuate the texture of the paper.

It should also be noted that my pencil is sharpened, but not to a precise, pointed tip. I allow it to be slightly dull to produce smooth, soft strokes and cover more surface with less effort. However, feel free to sharpen your pencils as often and as much as you find necessary.

Meadow works so well with this tint of paper – it feels like they are designed to be together!

Now I apply Ivy to make the frog appear more solid. I accentuate the darker areas of the frog’s body, making sure that the new strokes blend smoothly with the existing ones.

You don’t necessarily need any blending tools. Just make your pencil applications soft and keep the pressure from light to medium.

The texture of the paper becomes clearly visible and adds to the believability of the frog’s skin texture.

It’s time to add some highlights and reveal the lighter values. With White, I create a few highlights in the frog’s eye, on the head, and back. It’s also a great idea to add a few highlights to the limbs with this pencil.

I use both hatching and dots. Graphitint pencils are soft which makes creating dots (and short marks in general) an easy and enjoyable task.

I apply some dark blue strokes with Ocean Blue. This color will serve as the darkest pencil for this drawing.

I avoid using black lines. Dark blue, mixed with other colors, will be much more interesting than just plain black.

I draw the pupil with Ocean Blue, accent the contours of the body and create a hint at a drop shadow. It’s important to be flexible with the pressure you apply.

I add some strokes with a very light pressure to the back of the frog. The back should reflect light from above (the sky) and it often has a blue nuance, especially in the late spring or summer.

I use both Autumn Brown and Juniper to create beautiful spots on the frog’s skin. Since we’re addressing the details, I sharpen the pencils to get a precise tip.

At this step, it is useful to use the preparatory sketch as a reference. We can use it to transfer the pattern of the spots.

I use Juniper, which is a purple shade, mostly in the bottom part of the body, and Autumn Brown, which is reddish brown, in the upper part. Bigger spots feature a combination of both colors. I apply soft, smooth strokes in a circling technique.

With Autumn Brown, I also add some dots and short hatches to the eye of the frog to make it more interesting. To add depth to the pupil, I cover the existing dark blue applications with this reddish brown hue.

To make the cast shadow more varied, I lightly touch it with Juniper.

I use Cool Brown to draw the stones under the frog. I don’t want the pattern of stones to be too stark, so I avoid single lines. Instead, I develop the shadows between the stones with soft pencil strokes.

I also add dots and short hatches to the belly and the limbs of the frog. The light that is reflecting from the ground or soil often leaves a warm, brownish tint on the objects. Having the stroke of the same color on the frog and in its environment helps to unite the artwork and make it more harmonious.

Our quick Graphitint sketch is complete!

The Conclusion

It was a wonderful adventure! We’ve covered a lot of topics: working with tinted graphite pencils, several options for transferring a drawing onto another sheet of paper, playing with colors to make the artwork more believable. I hope you’ve enjoyed the process and become inspired!

It is said that a quick sketch a day may make life a little happier. This tutorial is an example of how something can be easy, expressive, and fulfilling at the same time. You need just a sheet of paper and several pencils!

Thanks for your attention! Have fun and please share your creations!

Materials for this Drawing

For this lesson, we’ll use technical drawing pens by Staedtler. These pens are a little more expensive than the popular Micron pens by Sakura. However, they last a little longer and the tips are less likely to bend under pressure.

We’ll work on Bristol paper with the vellum surface. Smooth Bristol paper is also acceptable and some may find it a better surface to work on.

Using Line to Communicate Form and Value

As mentioned before, we’ll be using line to develop the light and form in the drawing. There are a variety of different techniques that can be used to accomplish this. In this case, we’ll stay consistent with our technique and use hatching and cross hatching to develop the image.

We can develop darker tones and values by crossing the lines and placing them closer together. This means that we’ll also need to leave some areas open, allowing the white of the paper to show through to create areas of lighter value.

To help communicate the form of the face, we’ll allow some of our lines to flow over the form of the face. This means that the lines may curve as the form of the face changes in space. These types of lines are called cross contour lines. It is essential to use them in a pen and ink drawing in order to fully communicate the form of the subject.

Here’s a look at the photo reference…

Since we’re creating a black and white drawing with black ink on white paper, the color has been removed from the photo reference. When creating any drawing or painting that is void of color, it’s a good idea to remove the color from the photo reference. This allows us to focus on the values and removes any distraction of color.

Create a Light Sketch of the Subject

We’ll begin with a light contour sketch of the subject with an “H” graphite pencil. Some pen and ink purists may frown upon starting with a graphite sketch. However, when accuracy is important, there’s nothing wrong with starting with a light sketch. Remember, the end result is what is most important.

If the thought of drawing the subject freehand (or with the aid of a grid) intimidates you, you may use a graphite transfer or light board to transfer the drawing.

Start with the Eyes

The eyes will naturally become the focal point in any portrait that you draw. In many cases, it is a good idea to start the development of a drawing with the focal points. For this reason, we’ll start with our ink applications with the eyes.

With a .05 mm pen, we’ll slowly begin the process of developing the relationships of dark and light value. The pupils are dark, but care is taken to preserve a strong highlight. Instead of filling in the pupil with a solid application of ink, we’ll use a bit of hatching and cross hatching to build up to a darker tone. This will ensure some consistency in the drawing.

For the iris, lines are drawn extending outward from the pupil. This will help to communicate the pattern of the iris while developing the necessary tone.

From the pupil and iris, we’ll progressively work our way outward, addressing the eyelids and the eyelashes.

The eyebrows are simply addressed with small marks that extend out in the manner that the hair grows. Each mark tapers as it extends outward from the head. Remember, we can always add additional marks if necessary so it’s best to add a few at first and slowly build up applications. You can always go back and add more if needed but removing lines is not really an option.

Addressing the Nose and Mouth

Next, we’ll work our way down the face and address the nose and the mouth. Broken lines are used to strengthen the contours of the nostrils and the lips. The shadowed areas are darkened with hatching and cross hatching.

Even though we think of teeth of being white, in most cases they are in shadow. This means we’ll need to create a slightly darker value with a bit hatching. The top lip is usually darker in tone since it protrudes outward from the face. The bottom lip usually features a highlight and is generally lighter in value than the top lip.

See also: Basic Facial Proportions – How to Draw a Face

Outlining the Hair

With the features of the face in place and outlined, we’ll turn our attention to the hair. Instead of drawing a million tiny lines for the hair, we’ll think of it in terms of form. This means that we’ll first establish groupings of hair and then add hatching and cross hatching to create the impression of form. This will lead to a more representational look.

We’ll start by first establishing the forms within the overall shape of the hair with contour lines.

Develop the Form of the Hair

With the collections of hair defined, we can go back and develop the value and texture. We’ll use mostly hatching to accomplish this. The lines that we create here should flow over the form of each collection of hair. These lines may not flow over the entire length of each collection. Instead, they should be concentrated at each end, indicating a bit of shadow.

In most cases, the values in the hair are darker around the sides of the face and in locations where the hair “parts” or changes direction.

See also: How to Draw Hair

Planning the Values on the Face

Now we’re ready to begin adding the tones on the face and neck. Before diving right into this step with the pen and ink, we’ll first plan the shapes of darker values with a graphite pencil. Using a light pencil (“H”), we’ll draw light shapes to indicate the areas of shadow.

In most cases, the areas that protrude outward are lighter in value while the areas that recede are darker. This means that the bridge of the nose, the cheeks, chin and forehead are typically lighter in tone. The sides of the face, areas underneath the nose, the recesses around the eyes, and underneath the chin are usually darker in tone.

Developing Values on the Face

With the shapes of darker value planned, we can begin developing these sections with the ink. We’ll start with loose diagonal strokes to begin the process.

We can then slowly begin crossing lines to make the value slightly darker. These additional lines that are added may curve and change direction based on the form of the face. Essentially, we are adding cross contour lines to further develop the tone but also to communicate the form of the face. Here again, we’ll keep in mind that additional lines are easily added, but removing marks is nearly impossible. It’s OK to be cautious as we develop the value.

Darkening the Shadows Under the Neck

Since the face protrudes, we’ll find some of the darkest tones on the neck under the chin. Here again, we’ll use a combination of diagonal lines and cross contour lines to develop the shadows. In this case, the cross contour lines begin downward before curving back up around the form of the neck.

The darkest tones in this area are found right below the chin and close to the edges of the clothing.

Instead of developing any of the shadows on the shirt, we’ll simply reinforce the contour line here. This is simply a “design decision”. If we were to develop all of the values of the shirt, it could take focus away from the face and hair.

Addressing the Bakground

We’ll now address the background and add a design element. We’ll first create a border around the area above the clothing that frames the face and head using the graphite pencil.

To add a bit of tone, we’ll use vertical, parallel lines to fill in the space. I’ve chosen not to use a ruler here to preserve an organic feeling. This is time consuming and requires quite a bit of patience and attention. However, this bit of tone helps to balance the values of the face, creates contrast with the white shirt, and makes the drawing more interesting.

Finishing the Portrait with Pen and Ink

Lastly, with the background tone in place, we can go back to the hair and face and darken any areas to increase contrast and balance the image.

The outer line of the framed background is also reinforced using a thicker pen and connected to the contour of the shirt.

Now our pen and ink portrait is complete. We can allow the ink to dry completely and erase any remaining graphite lines with a kneaded eraser.

Materials for this Drawing

For this lesson, we’ll use the softer, Prismacolor Premiere colored pencils. These buttery colored pencils layer exceptionally well and make burnishing a breeze. They get a bad reputation for breaking easily, but it’s a sacrifice that’s worth it considering how soft they are.

We’ll work on toned Canson Mi-Teintes pastel paper. This paper features a course texture on one side and a softer, less textured surface on the other. Both sides are suitable for accepting multiple, layered applications of colored pencils. For this demo, we’ll use the softer, less textured side.

A toned surface helps us to establish value relationships quickly. As we add colored pencil applications to the surface, we can make better decisions regarding the value since we already have a neutral midtone on which to work.

Capturing Reflection and Transparency with Colored Pencils

Capturing reflection and transparency in a drawing or painting is dependent on the use of value. Value, one of the seven elements of art, is the darkness or lightness of a color. The manner in which we develop and position values in a drawing is what ultimately leads to the illusion of light, form, and texture. Value is perhaps the most important element of art that we use in our drawings.

Reflective surfaces feature high contrast in value. We’ll often see dark values positioned right next to light values. This is especially true in areas where we see strong highlights. If we manage to recreate this relationship of values in our drawing, then we have a good chance of creating the illusion of a reflective surface.

Our marble is also partially transparent. The key to creating this illusion is also dependent on the positioning of values. In the case of our marble, we have several bands of color that meander through the middle. Since these bands fold slightly, we see subtle changes in value. These gradual folds create gradations of value and areas of shadow where they overlap. We’ll also notice that these bands of color do not extend all the way to the top edges of the marble. Instead, we see a small band of a more neutral color along the top edge of the sphere.

Here’s a look at the photo reference…

We also have strong light that passes through the marble’s core. Because the marble is glass, this light is intensified as it passes through. In this case, this produces two distinct highlights on the surface behind the marble. These strong highlights are found within the core shadow and reflect the colors found within the marble itself. A core shadow still exists since parts of the marble are not transparent.

See also: How to Draw Water Droplets

Draw the Contours

We’ll start by first drawing a circle. If you have trouble drawing a circle freehand, you may use a circular object and trace a circle in place. In this case, I used a lid from a container of acrylic gel medium, but any circular object will do.

We’ll use White or 10% French Grey to lay in the contours with a light touch. Be sure to apply a light touch so that you don’t create indentations in the surface of the paper or make marks that may prove difficult to cover later. White is easily covered with subsequent applications of colored pencils if a light application is made.

With the circle defined, we’ll lightly define the shapes of color within the marble as well as the shapes of highlight and shadow with contour lines. After we’ve established these shapes, we’ll draw an elliptical shape for the cast shadow and add the shapes for the strong highlights.

If you don’t feel comfortable drawing the contours freehand, you can always transfer the information from the reference using a graphite transfer.

Layer Initial Colors

Starting with Scarlet Lake, we’ll carefully begin filling in the local color in the red areas of the marble. As we do so, we should be careful not to overlap our locations of strongest highlight. These areas should be preserved so that our highlights remain strong and pure when they are added. The applications are light at first, using medium pressure to apply the color.

The yellow areas receive an application of Sunburst Yellow. Again, as this color is added, the highlights are avoided. Some of the Sunburst Yellow is applied over the bands of red to create additional interest and depth to the color, mainly in the areas where the value is slightly lighter. Sunburst Yellow is also applied within the strongest highlights found within the cast shadow.

With our initial reds and yellows in place, we can add the strong highlights with White. Heavier pressure is used in locations where the highlights are at their strongest. White is also applied within the strongest highlights found within the cast shadow.

A combination of White and 10% French Grey is applied to the body of the marble on the left side.

Strengthen Colors

Now that our initial colors are in place, we can begin intensifying the color. In the darkest areas within the red bands, we’ll add Tuscan Red. Once the Tuscan Red is in place, we’ll go over the red bands again with another application of Scarlet Lake. In the lighter areas within the red bands, another application of Sunburst Yellow is applied. As we add these layered applications, we can refine the shapes of color and add any nuisances that we see.

The tooth or texture of the paper is suitable for accepting multiple applications of color but produces a grainy texture. The surface texture of the marble should appear smooth. We can soften the texture to a degree by burnishing the applications that we have in place with a colourless blender. A colourless blender is simply a colored pencil void of pigment. When it is applied, the wax from the pencil blends and smooths the color already on the surface. It helps to eliminate the grainy appearance by working the medium into the texture of the paper. Using medium to heavy pressure, we’ll burnish the colored pencil applications in place with the colorless blender.

Increase the Contrast

Now we can turn our attention to broadening the range of value and increasing the contrast. To do this, we’ll begin adding Dark Umber to darken the shadows within the bands of color. Dark Umber is a dark brown and is chosen to keep the shadows warm. Black is avoided, since it tends to make colors appear flat and unnatural.

Dark Umber is also used to reinforce the outer contour and to establish a base application within the darkest area on the lower left quadrant of the marble. A few specks of darker tone are also added with Dark Umber to communicate a few imperfections within the glass of the marble.

After applying the Dark Umber, we can intensify the color further and brighten the red bands. Poppy Red is applied over the red bands with a medium to heavy pressure.

We’ll also apply another application of 10% French Grey and White over the left side of the marble. After these applications are made, they are burnished again with the colourless blender, lessening the grainy appearance produced by the texture of the paper.

Additional Contrast

As mentioned before, we are avoiding using black. Black, when used on its own in a color drawing, can flatten a drawing and command unwanted attention. Dark Umber on its own however, is too warm for some of our darker values. Fortunately, we can combine Dark Umber with Indigo Blue to produce a more natural “black”. This combination also adds a bit more flexibility. If we want the black to appear cooler, we’ll allow Indigo Blue to dominate. If we want the black to be warmer, we’ll simply allow the Dark Umber to dominate.

Using Indigo Blue, we’ll go over the darkest portion on the marble in the lower left quadrant where we previously applied Dark Umber. If you find that this application produces a result that is too cool, simply add another layer of Dark Umber.

The strong highlights within this area of dark value are not without a hint of color. A light application of Indigo Blue is applied over portions of the highlight with a light touch before applying another layer of White. A touch of Sunburst Yellow #917 is applied over the warmer sections of highlight in this area as well.

Drawing the Cast Shadow

Now we’re ready to begin adding colors to the cast shadow. We’ll start by first adding additional colors to the highlighted portions. A bit more of Sunburst Yellow and White is added first, followed by a touch of Orange.

Next we’ll add Dark Umber to the rest of the shape, applying more pressure to the pencil in the darkest areas of shadow. Over the top, we’ll apply Indigo Blue #901 in the areas where the shadow is at its strongest.

The shadow slightly fades around the outer edge, so the pressure that we place on the pencil should also reflect this.

Darkening the Cast Shadow

We’ll continue gradually and patiently layering applications of Dark Umber and Indigo Blue to progressively build a darker tone. We’ll allow a bit more of the texture of the paper to show through in this case, so that it can contrast the smoother texture of the marble. Nonetheless, we’ll still burnish these applications with the colourless blender, allowing the blues and browns to mix. The blender is also used to soften transitions from dark to light where the darkest values meet the lighter highlights.

I like to include a bit of color in cast shadows. In this case, I’m allowing some of the Indigo Blue to dominate portions of the cast shadow. By doing so, the cast shadow contrasts with the warmer colors of the marble. This is simply an artistic decision.

Finishing the Colored Pencil Drawing of a Marble

Lastly, we need to increase the contrast within the cast shadow. Working in from the outer edges of the shadow, we’ll add a medium application of 20% Warm Grey. This lightens the value slightly and also smooths the texture a bit more. We’ll also apply this color around the entire outer edge of the cast shadow to help smooth the transition from shadow to raw paper.

In the darkest areas of shadow right underneath the marble, a bit of 90% Warm Grey is applied to darken the tone further.

Now our drawing of a single marble is complete.

Beginning ink artists usually choose stippling as a starting point technique because it’s forgiving – a couple of odd dots probably won’t ruin the artwork. It’s also relatively easy to control the accuracy of dots (and the drawing in general) – probably easier than dealing with a variety of hatches.

On the other hand, creating a multi-layered net of dots requires quite a bit of time. There are many opinions on whether it is appropriate to combine stippling with hatching. Some artists prefer “pure” stippling while some choose to include lines and various types of hatching in the stippled artwork.

Let me show you my approach and the process of combining different techniques in an ink drawing. In this tutorial, we’ll create a drawing of a beautiful dragonfly, mixing black and bright, colorful dots. Stippling is not limited to just one color after all!

The Art Supplies for This Drawing

For this project, I’ll be using:

• Black ink liners, the width numbers are 0.05 and 0.1.
• Colorful pens – light blue, dark blue and purple.
• HB graphite pencil and eraser for creating the underdrawing.

The size of my artwork is relatively small, 17×23 cm (or roughly 6.5″ by 9″). The choice of paper is up to you, but I prefer the smooth white paper. Another option is smooth or vellum Bristol paper.

Please use ink liners or pens of any brand you like or have. Of course, a creative approach is welcome – choose any additional colors, if you wish!

Basic Stippling Technique

When to Use Stippling

Before we dive into the process of outlining the “final” artwork, let’s explore the possibilities of the stippling technique. It’s worth considering what’s possible in a drawing such as this, since stippling has many ways it can be used.

Some of them are:

• Creating illusions of sand, soil, dust and similar types of textures;
• Drawing clouds, sprays and mist;
• Various velvety, fluffy, fleecy textures;
• Depicting delicate and, especially, transparent objects, like the wings of insects;
• Light objects in a drawing;
• Emphasize the dramatic change from a darker to a lighter value;
• Accentuate the darker values and strengthen the shadows without overworking the drawing in general;
• Anything that has plenty of thin, refined details;
• Drawing objects that are far from the viewer and located somewhere in the background.

In addition to this list, stippling is a great way to draw anything that has subtle value changes, including a wide range of objects or unobtrusive blurry backgrounds. Even a couple of dots added in the right place may enhance your artwork and make it more interesting.

How to Develop Stippling in a Drawing

Simply said, stippling is a creation of a pattern that consists of dots.

The more dots are put on the paper and the closer those dots are to each other, the darker the value becomes. By layering more and more dots, we can create an illusion of shadow and develop a smooth transition between lighter and darker values.

It’s important to train your eyes and hand to place new dots in the gaps between the existing ones, creating a harmonious pattern. This concept may seem obvious but also complex. It’s just a matter of balancing areas of the filled and blank surface within the picture plane.

The illustration below shows an example of how the gaps between the dots can be an expressive tool itself, forming shapes and silhouettes, creating an illusion of relief and texture. That’s why it’s important to use this space wisely.

Let’s take a look at some examples of shading with stippling.

In the image below, you’ll find an interesting effect that is achieved by adding more even layers of dots (from one layer to four):

Remember, the higher the concentration of dots, the darker the value!

And here is an example of stippling a gradation of value.

I’ve created this gradation in value using the liners of different width numbers: 0.05, 0.1 and 0.3. Bigger dots create a more pronounced, rough pattern, and smaller dots create the impression of a delicate texture that is almost smooth.

Adding dots of a different colors expands your possibilities greatly. In this project, we’ll have three subsidiary colors supporting and varying the pattern of black dots.

Together, these colors create a sample full of lovely nuances!

Become More Confident with Stippling

It’s useful to practice stippling before proceeding to your final drawing. You can draw a couple of small rectangles, using a pencil and a ruler, and fill them with dots. Here are some suggestions:

• Create an even layer of dots, using any liner you like. Pay attention to the gaps between the dots – the intervals are as important as the pattern of dots.
• Create a transition from lighter to darker value, using just a single liner.
• Play with liners of different widths, making larger and smaller dots.
• Draw a ‘line’ that consists of dots. Try varying the intervals between the dots.

I also recommend drawing a shape (for example, a circle/a sphere) and filling it with dots to create a basic, stylized illusion of volume.

If you’re going to use colorful dots in a combination with black ones, try creating an appropriate sample too. It’s important to know how all these dots would look together!

Stippling Tips and Advice

Nuances matter and the following list of variables should be considered…

• The way you hold your tool
• The amount of pressure you place on the pen
• The angle between the pen liner and the paper are important
• The placement of the paper. (If you have a habit to rotate your artwork while drawing, this will affect the result you get.)

In some cases (especially, if stippling is the only technique used in your artwork), consistency in the way you create your dotted pattern helps to achieve a desired result.

Sometimes having a support for your paper that has an angle instead of drawing just on a flat table makes a difference too. To put it simply, experiment and find out what works best for you.

Many artists prefer to stipple, holding a liner or a nib pen at a 90° angle relative to the paper. Changing the angle will affect the character of dots – they may become distorted or faded. Below is an illustration of this concept. 

While drawing, keep your hand as relaxed as possible and make sure your movements are quick when you lift the pen tip from the paper. The indecisive movements may create unpleasant tail-like marks that result in sloppy, irregular commas.

However, there are no strict rules in art. If you like drawing dots with spontaneous ‘tails’ and this gets you the desired result, please feel free to continue doing what makes you happy!

Make light touches with your liner. The process of stippling may make your hand a little tired. Taking a short break with a couple of exercises for the fingers and wrists is a good idea. Plus, an excessively hard pressure on your tool will damage its tip and reduce its life span.

If you have to create big, bold dots, it’s a better to use a liner with a wider tip that makes such dots naturally, rather than trying to create those big marks with a thinner-width liner.

While developing values, try to place your dots in a spontaneous, slightly chaotic way. The result will have a more natural feel. Sometimes the better option is to keep to a defined pattern and place dots in an even row, but these cases are rare and the result may look “stiff” and somewhat mechanical. 

Stippling is a time-consuming technique and it requires patience and dedication. If you’re a beginner, I recommend starting with small exercises and smaller artworks, varying the rhythm and pressure to find what fits you. Take breaks as often as you feel necessary.

Stippling can be a kind of meditation or a way to reach your own “state of flow”.

See also: Pen and Ink Drawing Lessons

How to Combine Stippling, Lines, and Hatching

If you are interested in the “pure” stippling technique with no inclusion of lines or hatching, feel free to skip this part. Here we’re going to explore a couple of simple, yet effective, ways to create harmony between different inking techniques.

One of the advantages of combining techniques is speeding up your process. Adding some hatching allows you to save time, which is also a bonus for anyone lacking patience.

The first method applies to the contours in the drawing. You can use both dots and short hatches to create a broken, dashed line.

I personally like this trick because it helps to make the contours in your drawing quite clear and “readable”. Stippled artworks can often have a slight “blurry” feel and creating clear contours can be difficult.

The closer an object appears in a drawing, the thicker and more continual the contour line. Objects that are far in the distance require a thinner edge and more dots in the contours. This creates a feeling of atmosphere.

Even the parts of a contour line that are continuous should feel organic – a strict line, like one drawn with a ruler, may become a conflicting element.

Another great approach is to place hatching on top of a dotted layer. The opposite way works too. You can create a layer of hatches and then cover it with dots.

The type of hatching used is up to you. Sometimes, describing a contour with hatching is the best option and in other cases, just a layer of simple parallel hatching works.

You can see an example of this combination in the image below.

It’s important to choose your tools wisely. Hatched marks that are too thick will be distracting. That’s why I prefer using a thinner ink liner for hatching and wider liner for stippling. The sample above was made with 0.05 and 0.1 ink liners and the result is more harmonious.

Using this approach, you can add depth to your drawings, accentuate the relief of objects, and create an illusion of volume.

A combination of dots and hatching is a powerful tool for creating the illusion of texture. Below you’ll find an illustration of how a layer of stippling and groups of short hatched marks work together to develop texture and relief.

I used the 0.05 liner for hatching and the 0.1 liner for stippling. 

Mixing techniques with a success requires skill and experience. Let me share with you one of my experiences.

Many years ago, I experimented with an illustration depicting various characters in a medieval castle. I used hatching for the interior, clothes, and all the objects. But when it came to shading the faces, I decided that my nib’s tip is too wide – and went for stippling.

The result wasn’t as pleasing as I imagined. The dots created a weird, uneven texture that contrasted with everything else in the drawing.

There’s nothing wrong in making poor decisions that don’t work. We learn this way! So don’t be afraid to experiment.

Drawing the Dragonfly

Now we’re ready to move forward. Let’s start with a pencil sketch.

My goal is a stylized artwork, so I won’t be using any particular reference photo of a dragonfly. But if you feel it necessary to use a photo reference, please do.

I outline the main contours of the dragonfly, constructing it with loose shapes. I also add the general contours of the surrounding botanical elements. A thin border around the outer edges is left to balance and frame the artwork.

The dragonfly wings are the focal point of the drawing. They are located in the center of the artwork and feature a whimsical, refined pattern. Colorful dots are to be added to the wings and portions of the body. But before we proceed to the inking steps, we have to better understand the pattern of the wings.

Below you’ll find an image of a portion of the wing. This is just a stylized option since dragonfly wings are variable in size, proportion, and pattern.

It may appear slightly overwhelming. To fill the shape of the wing with smaller elements, an artist has to see and understand the smaller segments. This set can look like this:

The close-up above is created with thin lines and dots.

In our finished artwork, where the dragonfly has context and is located at some distance, we won’t be able to use lines to convey all the tiny details. That’s why my suggestion is stippling. Let’s continue with the underdrawing.

I refine the contours of the dragonfly and then add details to make the insect look believable. The segments of the abdomen, thorax, and wings are all addressed. Feel free to invent some individual elements to add interest to your dragonfly!

I also define the natural environment by drawing the contours of the long leaves, twigs and a fragment of a tree. The goal is to fill the bottom part of the artwork with interesting plant life. 

Let’s start inking!

With the 0.1 ink liner (black) I apply dots to the dragonfly’s head, including its big eyes and body. The lighter areas, like the top of the head and central line of the “tail”, require fewer dots. 

I outline the contours with dots and short lines, using the 0.1 liner.

I also accent the darker areas of the environmental elements, applying dots and keeping the intervals approximately equal. The only exception is some spots of the tree bark texture. 

I add another layer of 0.1 stippling to the elements in the bottom part of the drawing. It’s time to increase the contrast, but we’ll work slowly to do so. When it comes to ink, even small dots aren’t easy to remove!

I also use short hatches to add the details of the tree texture and draw the small circles of the twig’s bark pattern on the left side of the drawing.

I add the groups of thin hatches made with 0.05 liner to the darker areas, adding depth to the drawing. I pay a special attention to the cast shadow under the dragonfly and everything that is near the bottom edge of the artwork.

The objects that belong in the foreground should be detailed since this area is closer to the viewer. I leave the dragonfly’s segmented abdomen (the ‘tail’) relatively light, allowing it to blend with the background slightly.

I also add groups of small dots to the background, creating a blurry effect. 

I develop the wings with colorful dots, mixing the light blue, dark blue and purple. I also some of the dots to the dragonfly’s eyes and body.

There is an order in creating colorful lines and patterns. The upper part of the wings is mainly light blue, then dark blue, and finally, purple – closer to the head. Of course, you can also include additional colors if you like.

The individual dots here are quite larger since I’m working with the .5 pens, which are 0.45 mm in width. Although the pens have a consistent width, you can vary the pressure. A lighter touch creates a smaller dot. 

The colorful dots attract too much attention and stand out too much on their own. That’s why I dilute them with small black dots made with the 0.05 black liner. The goal is to create an application that mutes the pure brightness of blue and purple dots.

Subtle black stippling creates a pleasant smoothing effect and unites the wing in appearance. I apply more dots to bottom sides of the wing (the lines that are closer to the head).

The wings are transparent, so I add a hint of them on the body and leg that are visible.

I also make sure to darken the distinctive black spots near the tips of the wings. 

As a finishing touch, I add some light blue and purple dots to the head and body of the dragonfly.

To increase the contrast, I add more 0.05 black hatches to the cast shadow under the dragonfly.

The artwork is now complete! I considered filling the upper part of the artwork in the background with small dots, but eventually decided against it. My goal is to leave the drawing as light, fresh, and atmospheric as possible.

Conclusion

Congratulations – we’ve created a nature-inspired pen and ink drawing with stippling! Thanks for joining me on this wonderful journey as we explored ways to apply stippling and balance the colors. We’ve covered a lot, and I hope you discovered some useful tips for your creative process.

If this tutorial inspired you, but you feel like some of the steps are too complex, please take a look at the great in-depth course The Pen and Ink Experience here on The Virtual Instructor. It explains the fundamentals and provides the basic building blocks of drawing with pen and ink.

I wish you much creative joy and inspiration!