Drawing Dimension Quotes

“Remember that to be a good artist, you must take risks and go out of your comfort zone.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“Stick-style erasers are a more precise alternative to conventional block erasers. They come in a long, cylindrical shape encased in a protective plastic case, often with a convenient clip on the side. Many stick erasers can be advanced or retracted as needed. The rubber is soft, pliable, and won’t tear the paper. The best stick erasers are small in diameter and result in clean and precise mark removal, as the wider versions do not allow for thin erasure lines. Refills are available for some brands of eraser stick even though replacements are not frequently required, as these erasers last a while. This tool is best utilized when putting the finishing touches on an artwork. Drawbacks to using this tool is the temptation to use it too early. Creating highlights and light lines on an artwork too soon can cause an artist to focus on small details before the composition and first lay down of shade is complete. Also, the stick eraser should only be used on small areas.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“The next important utensil in an artist’s toolkit is a blending tool. Blending is the process of merging different shades together so that each lay down of tone flows smoothly into the next. Blending utensils can be helpful if an artist plans on combining tones to create realistic shade and shadow. Stump A blending stump is a great option to choose when blending one area into another. A stump is a solid, cylinder of felt paper that is tightly rolled up into a solid wand with two pointed ends. Stumps are used to blend marks made by pencil or charcoal into one another so that tones appear smooth in a drawing. These tools can work well for large areas that require detail and control. Stumps tend to be large and wide but are available in thinner forms for use in areas with more detail. Care needs to be taken when using stumps because over-blending with them can create an area of muddiness and blend fine gradations into flat tones. Also, too much use in one area can destroy the tooth of the paper surface. Stumps can become soiled with use but can be cleaned by rubbing the points with fine sandpaper to keep them tapered. Tortillon tortillons are another blending tool, similar to a blending stump in that they are created with rolled paper. The difference is that a tortillon forms a tight cone, having only one pointed end and is typically narrower and shorter than a stump. An artist should use the tortillon at an angle because when it is used vertically, the tip will get pushed back into itself and become blunt. This can be remedied by pushing the tip back out with a paperclip or toothpick. The tip of a tortillon is effective when shading in fine areas where precision and detail is important. With a tortillon, more effort is required to keep an even tone because the material is not as soft as the felt of a paper stump. The differences between a tortillon and a blending stump can be subtle but significant. Each creates a very specific effect, so knowing how to use them properly is crucial when choosing a tool to blend with.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“it. This combination of letters and numbers indicates the grade of the pencil and the hardness or lightness of the mark it makes. This grading system indicates the hardness of the core graphite (H, B, etc.) and the degree of hardness (2, 3, 4, 5, etc.). If a pencil has an “H” on it, that letter indicates that it is a hard pencil. H pencils make light, sketchy lines, which are useful for drawing and sketching. The number in front of the H, ranging between 2 and 9, indicates how light the mark will be. The higher the number, the harder the writing core and the lighter the mark left on the paper. Therefore, a 9H pencil will leave a mark that is much lighter than a 2H. A 9H pencil will leave a hard, light line, great for mechanical drawings. Some scales will show an “F” grade between the “H” and the “HB.” “F” often indicates “fine,” “fine point,” or “firm.” If a pencil has a “B” on it, that letter indicates that it is a soft pencil. B pencils make dark and smudgy marks, which are excellent for shading with. The higher the number, the softer the writing core and the darker the mark on the paper. Therefore, a 9B leaves a very soft, very dark, very intense mark, one that is much more intense than a 2B. Note that softer pencils (B) will dull faster than harder pencils and usually require more frequent sharpening.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“Stumps can become soiled with use but can be cleaned by rubbing the points with fine sandpaper to keep them tapered.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“Hot press papers are used by artists for fine drawing, etching, watercolor, or printmaking.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“Hot Press is a term used to describe paper that is pressed and flattened with heated cylinders during the manufacturing process. This paper is very smooth and offers little to no texture.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“Cold press papers are usually used for watercolor, pastel, and charcoal. This is the most popular paper choice used for creating texture in an image.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“Cotton fiber offers the most durable type of drawing paper and is usually the highest quality, offering a crisp feel while allowing tones to appear richer and deeper, and handling a moderate amount of erasing. Bristol is a type of cotton fiber-based paper that is pasted together to form a thick board, known for its durability and versatility. Bristol board provides a stiff, strong surface to work on without the need for mounting. Cellulose fiber paper is the most common type of paper. It is made out of wood pulp, which is acidic, but the material can handle different marking materials and plenty of erasures. When devoting time and effort to an artwork, an artist should use acid-free, archival quality papers.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“An artist should choose a paper weight that is durable so the artwork will last—usually 50 lbs. or more depending on the medium and the project”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“Actual drawing papers can make shading look more realistic and can be easier for the artist to get results faster. Papers made especially for drawing will help the artist to achieve a tight consistency between tones. Also, higher quality drawing papers are made from cotton or linen fibers, which makes them more resistant to chemical breakdown and degrading over time. Archival papers are of the highest quality, acid-free papers are of medium quality, and other papers are best used for sketching.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“When choosing a drawing paper, there are four things to consider: the quality of the paper, the weight of the paper, what it’s made of (content), and the finish.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“When shading, I utilize the 2B, 4B, and 6B pencils, so I often solely purchase the specific pencils I need.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“writing core and the darker the mark on the paper. Therefore, a 9B leaves a very soft, very dark, very intense mark, one that is much more intense than a 2B. Note that softer pencils (B) will dull faster than harder pencils and usually require more frequent sharpening.”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“light the mark will be. The higher the number, the harder the writing core and the lighter the mark left on the paper. Therefore, a 9H pencil will leave a mark that is much lighter than a 2H. A 9H pencil will leave a hard, light line, great for mechanical drawings. Some scales will show an “F” grade between the “H” and the “HB.” “F” often indicates “fine,” “fine point,” or “firm.” If a pencil has a “B” on it, that letter indicates that it is a soft pencil. B pencils make dark and smudgy marks, which are excellent for shading with. The higher the number, the softer the”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students

“If a pencil has an “H” on it, that letter indicates that it is a hard pencil. H pencils make light, sketchy lines, which are useful for drawing and sketching. The number in front of the H, ranging between 2 and 9, indicates how”
― Catherine V. Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques—A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students