PENCIL DRAWING WITHOUT TEARS

  Beginning students need to believe challenges can be met. Not being familiar with pencil techniques and vocabulary can be very intimidating, complicated by the fact many are also drawing challenged.

  After an introductory unit in collage, we'd slowly get into the three terms of pencil techniques: shading (Tonal), single line (Linear) and line texture (Crosshatch). Using simple geometric, natural or imagined shapes, we'd proceed to a skill practice drawing of 3 simple shapes/objects in which each of these techniques would be displayed.

    Having several models of spheres, pyramids and hexagons, students were invited to choose one and do a small skill practice showing they understood each of the pencil rendering methods. The cone drawings showed simple shape rendering as well as offering the possibility of changing the shapes if they chose to do so. Yes, we did some practices with Elipses which all levels of students need to recall.

For a final drawing, students were invited to use familiar shapes they knew, combine the models we used, or feel free to invent shapes of their own. There's some examples below.

  It was encouraging to see how many students did not feel bound by borders. We used 3X5 cards with a small frame cut inside for spotting pleasant "cut-offs". Holding this up to the finished drawing and moving it around gave some help where borders could go over or under the drawing, and then modifying what was needed.

  We stressed one aspect of linear and crosshatched line drawing, which was to try closer, heavier and shorter strokes for dark areas, and longer and wider spaced strokes for lighter values.