Remembering the Graphite Pencil

January 13, 2013

Our class began with simple exercises in order to practice using multiple kinds of graphite pencils. The set of pencils that I have range from 9H to 9B, with H being the hardest and B being the softest. It didn't take long for me to get back into the habit of working with the graphite pencils through the exercises given to us. We were assigned to create multiple sheets of value scales of the various pencil techniques and using all the different kinds of pencils: 4B, 2B, 2H, 4H and 6H.
These line techniques create value depending on the thickness and proximity of the lines to each other.

 

Crosshatching technique: using perpendicular lines to create value.

Shading: using a tortillion, or a stump of shading paper to create value. First I created horizontal hatched lines and blended the lines together with the tortillion.

Wavy lines: using circular, wavy or other kinds of fluid lines to create value in various forms.

Horizontal hatched lines.

Squiggly lines: using swirls and circles in proximity to create value.

Stippling: using small dots in various shapes and proximity to create value

Left-diagonal hatching 

Right-diagonal hatching

Vertical hatching

Overall, this practice allowed me to remember how to use a graphite pencil and practice with various techniques to create value. Value allows drawings to have a form and look more three dimensional rather than two dimensional.