H pencils. H pencils are the hardest pencils, and are used for sketching thin, straight, non-blend-able lines. These are mostly used for architecture and business sketches. Get an assortment including 8H, 6H, 4H, and 2H pencils (8H is the hardest, 2H is the softest). B pencils. B pencils are the softest pencils, and are used for making smudged and blurry lines and for shading your sketch. These are the favorites of many artists. Get an assortment including 8B, 6B, 4B, and 2B (8B is the softest, 2B is the hardest). Fine art paper. Sketching on regular printer paper may be easy, but the paper is thin and doesn’t hold the pencil as well. Use fine art paper with a bit of texture for the easiest time sketching, and for the best overall appearance.
You might want to try different versions of the same object to brainstorm and later decide which you like best.
When you are finished using this pencil, you will notice smudges on the pages since the lead on this pencil is softer than the previous one. Remove all smudges with the eraser. Make sure you use a soft eraser like the putty eraser so that your erasing does not rip off the top layer of the page. The putty eraser will lighten your lines, not completely eradicate them.
Use a mirror when drawing. Periodically, look at your drawing and the thing you are drawing in the mirror. Leonardo DaVinci did this and recommended it. It helps to see your drawing differently and note the mistakes.
This is good practice for a sketch - kind of like a pre-sketch.
Find the source of light. Locating the primary light source will determine where you sketch the lightest and where you sketch the darkest. Look for any movement. Whether actual movement from a real-life subject or perceived movement in an image, determining movement in your subject will determine the shape/direction you make your sketch strokes. Pay attention to primary shapes. All objects are made up of a combination of the basic shapes (square, circle, triangle, etc. ). Look for the shapes that underlay your subject, and sketch these first.
