Pencil drawing is the oldest form of fine arts and also plays a major role in other forms of visual art like oil painting and water color. While some may consider a pencil drawing a stage for another grander art work, drawing with a pencil is actually a major form of visual art and even a forte in itself.
Painting or sculpture is understood by many to make up a great part of fine arts, many artists actually still practice drawing as a final work of art. Most, if not all fine artists started with this genre that is why it is considered to be the oldest form of visual expression.
Many may think that drawing or sketching with a pencil is a limited form of visual art as it uses only one medium, that of the pencils lead. That understanding of this form of fine arts is actually a mistake. Pencil drawing may not use many mediums, as, in fact, it only uses one, that of the pencil, but however, there are variations that one must know in order to understand how this wooden stick makes wonders.
Here are some suggestions that how your drawing can be improved:
Experiment on the subject matter. There are infinite possibilities of ones drawing subject. One can draw representations of living things like people, animals or plants. The most common form of drawing, but is sometimes harder to draw are human portraits.
Places, landscapes and sceneries are also very good subject in drawings. Buildings, bridges and other structures are good architectural subjects; which depicts an appropriation of the real object. For highly stylized drawings like cartoons, caricatures and manage, artist subjects are often a creation of ones own imagination. In this kind of subject, the limit sits in ones own mind.
Use different shades and kinds of a pencil. Pencil as a medium can offer a very limited choice of shade. However, using different shades, size and types of lead will give you more ways to contrast your work of art.
There are leads which are lighter than the others, while other kinds are darker in shade and broader in application. One must realize that even the medium of pencil can have many variations, ready to be used and tried for the perfect shade.
Try different kinds of materials. Materials for drawing to come in different sizes, kinds and qualities.
There are papers in newspaper grade that can be used for practice. There are also high quality papers which are relatively expensive and sold in individual sheets. Texture, acidity, hue and strength vary from one type of paper to another.
One can also use different kinds of card boards to hold their drawing which is usually stronger than paper.
Every aspiring artist must understand that pencil is the most common tool in any field of visual art but its use, variation and its result should not be underestimated. Although there are some viewers who appreciate the complexity of colors in an artwork, some also find simple yet exquisite pencil works as appealing.
