How to Draw from Photographs

Drawing Techniques

There are many, many ways to use your pencil to create lines and textures. Here, I’ve demonstrated some more common techniques. Practice these and develop your own, too! Don’t be afraid to switch between the point and side of the pencil for different effects. Experiment with the pressure as well as the length of the strokes. And try varying the width between strokes to create lighter or darker tones.

Cross-hatching Draw even parallel strokes, and then change the direction and repeat. You can even change angles several times, creating darker tone.

Curved Cross-hatching Make parallel strokes as with regular cross-hatching, but ...