The Guide to Graphite: Sketching

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This course features:
4 Hours of Instruction
19 Videos
18 eBooks
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Lesson Description

A look at sketching with graphite. Sketching as a study, for form, and as a preliminary drawing is explored. We create two drawings, a hand and a landscape, while exploring loose sketching.

Lesson Materials

White drawing paper and a 2B graphite pencil.

Lesson Resources

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Reference Image #1

Reference Image #2

Reference Image #3

Course Curriculum

Lesson 1: Introduction and Materials (6:15)Lesson 2: Graphite Grades and Sharpening (8:31)Lesson 3: Erasers (10:49)Lesson 4: Mark Making and Blending (12:57)Lesson 5: Light and Shadow - Part 1 (8:32)Lesson 6: Light and Shadow - Part 2 (7:45)Lesson 7: Sketching (12:16)Lesson 8: Texture Study 1 (14:50)Lesson 9: Texture Study 2 (15:16)Lesson 10: Texture Study 3 - Part 1 (12:30)Lesson 11: Texture Study 3 - Part 2 (12:12)Lesson 12: Landscape Drawing - Part 1 (13:26)Lesson 13: Landscape Drawing - Part 2 (9:45)Lesson 14: Portrait Drawing - Part 1 (12:49)Lesson 15: Portrait Drawing - Part 2 (13:05)Lesson 16: Powdered Graphite (13:09)Lesson 17: Water Soluble Graphite (8:33)Lesson 18: Colored Graphite (16:35)Lesson 19: Framing / Matting / Conclusion (9:30)

Lesson Discussion

  1. Hey Matt,I just thought I would check out the new course even though I started portrait drawing.
    I might actually dip in and of this for now and I went straight to this one because as you know I’ve struggled with sketching as in I can’t help but make it in more detail as if I was doing a finished drawing, in your blog I noticed that other beginner artists have the same issues so glad it wasn’t just me.
    I have finally started sketching. I know I’ll get there butbinstill have this desire to doing it perfect arrgghh
    It’s quite frustrating!!!!
    Cheers Matt t.c xx

  2. Oh also, I hope that maybe next or later you will do a charcoal course like this one.
    I’ve only so far done one drawing of charcoal and that was an Apple on secrets to drawing

  3. I’m yet to start a proper charcoal drawing !!
    I got a Strathmore charcoal pad which I’ve not used yet.
    I think for now I’ll look at your live lessons.
    I think you did a charcoal boots one so one night a couple of weeks ago, my daughter too her boots off and they looked great the way they just sat there, I photographed them and this will be my 1st charcoal drawing with a photo of mine. I hope the boots are still there.
    Also now I’ve mentioned I hope it’s still there, so do you eventually delete them at some point. I’m sure i remember some and now they not there.
    If you do delete at some point, would you consider putting some sort of like how long it will be available for.
    That would be a great help.
    So we can prioritise more.
    Thank you if you can Matt xxx

  5. Iam glad you included this module on sketching. I needed to understand better the difference between sketching and more refined work. And I am going to commit to sketching each day.

  6. I too would like to have a complete course in charcoal. I am particularly interested in charcoal portraits, using white charcoal also to push the values both ways. On toned paper. Because I really enjoy looking at drawings done this way and doing them. I already do some graphite portraits using white charcoal for highlights on toned paper. Love the effects.

    • Me too, they look great in toned paper especially Gray toned.
      Glad I’m not only one about sketching, like yourself I’ve started sketching more and also practicing things I need extra practice with 🙂 all the best with your artwork Mary x

  7. That 1st photo reference is gorgeous, I love that building, I guess it was taking where you from.
    I’ve never sketched a building well I’ve never drawn a building either. Start this module tomorrow

  8. I took both the Secrets To Drawing Course and Portrait Drawing The Smart Way. I was almost not going to take this course thinking it was just a review of things I already learned in the other two courses. Boy was I wrong!… And I am only finishing up this 7th module with many more to go until I complete this course! I am enjoying this course immensely and still learning new things.😄 Both Sketching and gesture drawing is hard for me too and am always embarrassed when someone wants to peek in my sketch books. Lately I have been trying Urban Sketching that captures “the moment or event”, but my sketches are just not that good.
    But I have decided to keep plugging away at it as you never know, I might just get one right someday! In the meantime, these courses are wonderful, providing some much needed instruction and skills.

  9. I,m so glad to have found this site and I love this video on sketching. I always find myself and have been told by art teachers that when I do a sketch I am trying to put too much detail in it and I treat it as a finished drawing. I have such a hard time just sketching for studies etc etc because I am a perfectionist. Are there other tips I could use to stop drawing to do so much detail and just sketch?? I am going to practice this lesson every day for at least an hour to try and get better. Thank you matt for this amazing site.

  10. hi..matt..loving the courses. I have done 25 days to better drawing..now started on graphite. I would love to practice sketching and learning how to shade or cross hatch and add form..what should i do next?

  12. Is the first sketch considered perspective… if so how do you approach the sketch free hand? I want to be able to sketch a scene like that though don’t know where to start
    Thank you in advance
    Frank

  13. Hello Matt, it seems that the videos keep pausing and will not restart unless I reload the page. I tried using different browser and my internet is super fast, I have no problem watching videos online. Is there any problem on your side? Thank you.

    • Hi Ekaterina,

      The videos appear to be playing normally and I cannot replicate the issue that you’re having. If you are experiencing a stoppage in the video, this is usually the result of the internet connection. It may be fast, but if it is inconsistent you may notice buffering. If this is the case, you may try lowering the quality of the video by clicking on the gear icon that appears after scrolling over the video. If this resolves the issue, then it’s safe to assume that the internet connection is the issue.

  14. Hi Matt,
    I am an absolute beginner who believed I could not draw and decided to challenge that belief. I bought a book before I stumbled on to your website and quickly became a member.
    You have a natural, systematic way of teaching, which is a gift in itself and having completed the secrets to drawing I am now working through this course.
    My aim is to work in colour pencil.
    I am finding proportion and perspective an issue and was wondering if you have any suggestions on how to improve in this area. With this task for example, is there a way of breaking the diagram down to correctly establish scaled heights and widths of various aspects of the drawing to help with my sketch.
    This is not coming naturally for me, so I am open to suggestions.
    Thanks for your wonderful resources and I look forward to developing my “I can do it” attitude which is thanks mainly to you.
    Bruce

  15. Thank you! I am one of those that want to do it perfect now, this lesson I sketched, I actually saved the first ref in B&W started to do entire pic, but decided to zoom in towards top of towers . It looks horrible but that’s ok because I learned what I was and was not looking at, e.g focused on dark openings, vs, the ornate pillars I guess they are . No ruler or anything, that is a first for me. Sincerely, Lori Miller

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