23 Sketching tips for the beginner

By Nicole Tinkham

As a beginner artist, you most likely know two things are sure: 1) If you want to get better at your art, you’ll have to practice often AND, 2) you should keep a sketchbook handy. To improve and grow as an artist you’ll have to be all in. You’ll need to start taking your art seriously. If you make one commitment today to better your art, make it to sketch DAILY. If you’ve purchased a brand new sketchbook before, you know there’s no better rush of excitement than opening it up to the first page. But don’t stop there. Filling that first page in can set the pace for where the rest of the sketchbook will go. So, where in the world do you start? Our best piece of advice is to just get started. And we have a list of 23 sketching tips to help you do just that. Note: These tips will cover a little bit of everything from choosing the right pencil to shading techniques. Let’s begin!
1.    Always start with the basic shapes. Draw these in lightly and add in more details as you go.

2.    Avoid smudging by placing a sheet of paper under your hand when shading. Right-handed artists should shade from left to right and left-handed artists should do the opposite.

3.    Don’t use your finger to blend! The oils from your skin will end up on your project and they can make taking away graphite in these areas difficult.

4.    Instead, use a blending stick to blend the graphite. Use a small circular motion for even blending. This will give it a more natural look.

5.    When shading, work from light to dark. Otherwise, the dark graphite could get stuck on your blending stick and mixed in with your lighter areas.

6.    Add some texture by using different mediums in your sketch like watercolor pencils. You can add water on parts and leave other parts dry.

7.    Use “H” (harder) pencils for lighter lines and “B” (softer) pencils for a darker line. More on pencil lead options here.

8.    Get a very soft look by scribbling on a scrap piece of paper with your pencil. You can then pick up the graphite with your blending stick and transfer it to your project. This way you won’t get those pencils lines in your sketch.

9.    Choose a paper with a “tooth” for added texture.

10.    The closer you hold your hand to the end (lead end) of the pencil, the more control you have.

11.    Use a photo as your reference. The nice thing about photographs is your object won’t move and the lighting won’t shift on you.

12.    Vary your line widths for a more interesting drawing.

13.    Use cross-hatching or stippling to shade for a different and unique look.

14.    Practice every single day! Whatever you’re struggling with, just keep sketching it out and you will get better.

15.    When creating 3D objects, you’ll have three different tones to pay attention to: highlights, shadows, and mid-tones. Your highlight area will be the part directly facing the light. Shadows are the area facing away from the light and mid-tones are the other area (not directly facing the light source and not directly away from the light source).

16.    When choosing a reference photo, make sure there are both light and dark areas.

17.    To achieve accurate proportion (especially when working on a portrait) use the grid system. Lay a grid over your reference photo and lightly draw a grid on your drawing paper to scale.

18.    Practice blind sketching. This is a fun technique that loosens up your drawings, like a drawing warm up. Basically, you’re drawing the subject without looking down at your sketchbook. This is just a fun way to get those creative juices flowing.

19.    Carry a sketchbook with you everywhere you go. Observe and sketch often!

20.    Draw what you see. Pay close attention to your subject matter. Really look at shapes and shadows.

21.    Always keep your outlines light. Real life objects don’t have dark lines running along the edges. However, if you’re drawing in a cartoon style, this tip doesn’t apply.

22.    Choose which details to include and which ones to leave out. It’s not necessary to include every single detail in the leaves of a tree. Think about what’s aesthetically pleasing and decide what can be left out.

23.    Add color! Bring in some colored pencils, pastels, or even watercolor paint to your work to add some color.

We stressed in the beginning of this blog that these tips are meant for the beginner but actually, any artist regardless of their experience can use them. Print this post out and save it. These are excellent tips to look back on when you’re struggling or have artists’ block.

As with many of our other posts, we’re always adding and changing it based on what our fans have to say. If you have a killer sketching tip you want to see on the list, leave a COMMENT below and we’ll add it. Do you think we can reach 100 tips on this post??

5 minute art projects for when you’re short on time

By Nicole Tinkham

We hear it all the time. You want to get more art time into your daily life but your schedule is so packed that you simply can’t make it happen. It’s unfortunate because this is how you grow as an artist. To get better at anything, you must practice consistently. If you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel at the moment, let us introduce our favorite 5 minute art projects for when you’re short on time.

1.    Zentangle
Zentangle is basically organized doodling. It allows you to clear your mind and completely relax. When you only have 5 minutes, work on a smaller scale. You can use 3”x3” cards and do quick little zentangle designs. It’s super easy to get lost in a zentangle project so you may want to set a timer if you have other things on your agenda.

Learn more about zentangle and how to get started here.

2.    Stamping
Next time you’re in the art supply store, grab a few stamps that jump out to you and ink pads in your favorite colors. When you have a few extra minutes, play around with them. We love making our own greeting cards. It doesn’t take up much of your time and there’s so much to experiment with (like embossing powder). Let your imagination run wild!

3.    Sketching
We encourage ALL ARTISTS to carry around a small sketchbook with them wherever they go. You never know when you’ll gain pockets of time throughout the day when you could be practicing your art. If you’re at work, take a 5 minute break to sketch and clear your mind. Sketch on your morning commute (as long as you’re not the one driving) or 5 minutes before you leave the house in the morning. Once you start actively looking for these segments of time, you’ll realize there are more opportunities than you thought.

4.    Writing
Writing can sometimes seem unrelated to the art we’re normally familiar with but what’s more creative than telling a story? Remember that there are many ways to use your creative mind that don’t involve drawing or painting. If you don’t have a sketchbook (or even if you do), carry around a journal to jot down inspiring thoughts for the day, a story, or some poetry.

5.    Coloring
Have you heard about adult coloring books yet?? They seem to THE hobby to get into these days. We love them because it requires some creativity but you don’t have to put yourself entirely out there if you don’t feel comfortable with your artwork yet. There’s no pressure to finish the page you’re coloring right away if you don’t have time and it’s a great way to escape for a little while.

We only put our artwork on the back burner because we THINK we don’t have time for it. If you’re serious about working on your art every single day, here’s what we want you to do. Write down every single thing you do in a day and how long it takes you to do it. This will open your eyes to where you have some extra time and what you should stop doing or cut back on doing so you can focus on what really matters, your ART!

Tell us, how do you get just a little more art in your daily routine? Let us know in the comments below.

How to draw faces the simple way

By Nicole Tinkham

Do you cringe at the thought of drawing a portrait for fear of seriously messing up the features? I know I do! I can NEVER seem to get placement right and for the life of me can’t figure out what looks off when I’m finished. The eyes are normally too far up and far apart, the nose is always too big, and the mouth too small. Let’s just say I’m a mess when it comes to portraits. If you’re anything like me, this simple guide will be a life changer for you! In this blog we’ll break down the features of the face into BASIC SHAPES, we’ll draw guidelines that will actually help us (not confuse us) and learn easy tricks to get everything lined up perfectly. Read on for the key steps every beginner needs to know about drawing faces.

SHAPE OF THE FACE

The key to drawing faces is to look at them as basic shapes instead of complex forms.  Let’s begin by drawing an egg shape. It’s shouldn’t be round but not quite oval either. Next, draw in the jaw line. This will be different on each person so really look carefully. Some people have a very angular jaw line and others have softer edges. See below for example.

CREATE GUIDES

Very lightly you’ll want to create guides so you know exactly where to line up the eyes, nose, and mouth. Start by making a vertical line down the middle of the face.  Now make a horizontal line across the face in the center. This is where the eyes will be placed. Draw another line halfway between the eye line and the chin. This will be where the bottom of the nose reaches. Divide the remainder (the bottom of the nose line down to the chin) into thirds and draw your final line. This is where the top of the lips will be placed. See below for example.

THE EYES

Next up are the eyes which can be difficult to position correctly but we’ve discovered a helpful trick! On your “eye line” draw two almond shaped eyes. The distance between the two should be the length of one eye and you should be able to fit 5 almond shaped eyes across the entire face. This will help you learn the correct sizing and placement for eyes. When drawing your almond shapes, keep in mind that the inner corner of the eye typically tilts down and the outer corner can tilt either up or down.

THE NOSE

As you may be familiar, the nose is narrow between the eyes, and widens at the nostrils. Use your center vertical line and “bottom of nose” line to guide you in nose placement.  Note: The width of the nostrils should be just slightly wider than the corner of the eyes. See image below for example and keep in mind everyone’s nose will be slightly different.

THE EARS

Begin drawing in the ears at the “eye line” and remember that the ears should be wider at the top and narrower towards the bottom. Since ears can be complicated, try to keep it simple at first until you get the hang of drawing them. See the example below for placement.

THE MOUTH

For the lips, you want to draw a wide “U” shape that dips below the top of the mouth line. This will be the bottom of the lower lip. Next you’ll draw the top of the upper lip which will reach the “top of mouth” line. Think of the shape as a wide “M”. Do the same exact thing with the bottom of the upper lip only this time make the “M” shape with much smaller curves. Note: The corners of the mouth should line up with the center of the eyes. Use the image below as an example.

EYEBROWS

Now that we have the basics down, it’s time to add in some details. When it comes to eyebrows, remember that they typically extend beyond the eye and are thicker toward the bridge of the nose. Eyebrows vary greatly from person to person so keep that in mind when working on a portrait.

HAIR

Hair can be tricky and everyone’s is so different from one another but we have a helpful trick that can help you. As with everything else, look at hair as basic shapes. Take note on the flow of it. Is it straight? Curly? How does it shape the face? Remember to focus on the BASICS to start out. Also, don’t place hair on top of the head. The hairline is usually a quarter of the way down from the top of the head to the top of the eyebrows.

Obviously, there are additional features to add to your portrait but this guide will help you get the basics down. It doesn’t seem so scary anymore, does it? Remember that with anything, it does require lots of practice to really get the skill down. You can always grab your sketchbook when you head to the Doctor’s office to practice sketching patients in the waiting room or just hang out at a coffee shop.

Tell us! How has this guide helped you with drawing faces?? Let us know in the comments!

13 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Started Art Journaling

Hi, I’m Laure Ferlita! As I’ll be teaching an Introduction to Art Journaling class at Keeton’s soon. I thought a discussion on what exactly Art Journaling really is might help. You may also be wondering what the “rules” are.

Here’s the short answer—Art Journaling is a combination of art and words on the same page. After that, it’s all up to you to decide! There really are no rules as you can use any medium, any materials, any combination of art and words. It can be full color or black and white. It’s really about what motivated you to create a page in your journal. Whether you add a lot of art and a few words or add a few doodles to your words, that’s Art Journaling.

Even the most intrepid journal keeper can be slow to start or get bogged down by some of the challenges of keeping a journal. Below are some of the thoughts that immediately bubbled up when I started thinking back to my beginning days as I learned to keep an Art Journal.

13 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Started Art Journaling

1. Begin. Today. Now.
All you really need to begin is a pen or pencil and a piece of paper. An open mind is very helpful as well as an eagerness to learn. Do not over think. Do not make this complicated. It’s not. It doesn’t have to be fancy or colorful. It just has to be on the page.

What are you waiting for? Go! Get busy!

2. The more you sketch the more you’ll learn, the faster you’ll sketch, the less fearful you’ll become and the result of this continued practice will be a much more enjoyable experience.
Bottom line—you have to learn the skills first and the only way to do that is to begin and to keep pushing through every so-called failure. Perhaps you’re the rare individual who enjoys the learning process. Most of us don’t. We want to be an expert the first time we make a mark on the page.

3. A blank page isn’t something to fear.
Chances are good you have at least 25 more chances. These chances are known as pages. If you don’t get it right on the first one, you still have 24 more chances.

Bengal tiger on the loose, a rabid raccoon…now those are something to fear!

4. Accept that you will make mistakes.
It’s how we learn and usually, it’s the lessons we make from mistakes that stick with us far longer than the lessons we learn from succeeding.

And the good news? Journaling mistakes are seldom fatal!

5. Don’t let the fear of making mistakes paralyze you.
Everybody makes mistakes, even so called experts or pros. No matter how long you sketch, no matter how many journals you fill, no matter how good you get, there will be mistakes. Rather than fear them, embrace mistakes for the learning opportunities they are.

Don’t sulk about making them either. It’s not pretty.

6. It’s okay to turn the page and holler out, “Next!” when the page has gone too far south.
It happens to all of us. There are gonna be days when every line goes wonky, every pigment turns to mud, perspective leaves the building and proportions just don’t work. Finish the page anyway (you might just surprise yourself!) and then begin again. See number 4.

7. Make art journaling fun.
If it’s not fun, why would we continue doing it? Art journaling is suppose to be fun and if it’s not, evaluate why it’s not. Chances are good it will have something to do with unrealistic expectations. Hmmm, what could those be? See Number 11. Remember, we learn quicker when it’s fun.

As my brother says, “If it ain’t fun, we ain’t doing it!”

8. Never, ever, Ever, EVER, NEVER compare your work to someone else’s work!
This is a biggie. There are few things more demotivating than comparing your work to someone else’s and to think your work coming up lacking. And no matter how long you sketch, if you look around long enough you will always be able to find someone else with work you like better than your own.

9. If you must compare, compare the sketch you created today with the one you did yesterday, last week or last month.
Use comparison to see how much you’ve grown, how your skills have strengthened, and what still needs strengthening.

10. Everyone started at the same place—the beginning.
No one got a free pass from learning the skills and techniques of how to sketch. No one came out of the womb with a pencil in one hand and paper in the other. So every time you’re tempted to use the excuse, “I’ll never be as good as so-and-so,” sit yourself back down and start sketching again. And no, you’ll never be as good as so-and-so, but you will be as good as you can be…and that’s even better!

11. Sketching is an evolution of skills but seldom a revolution.
Yes, I know, you want to know how to do it TODAY and you want to do it PERFECTLY. Ain’t gonna happen. This is another biggie—give yourself permission to make mistakes, learn, fail, and to not like every page. We create so-so sketches. Sometimes, they’re down right awful (to us). It’s okay, that’s what the next page is for. And the one after that. And the next.

12. Not every page is gonna be “all that.” They can’t all be masterpieces.
Is every endeavor you undertake marvelously, brilliantly done? No? Mine either. Don’t put this kind of pressure on yourself, it will kill the fun. See number 7. And if your inner critic opens his or her mouth, kindly tell them it’s not their day to complain and next month’s not looking good either.

It’s okay to have an off day…or month. See number 6 and 11.

13. Challenge yourself…to sketch something you think is beyond your current skills.
Even if you think you can’t, you may just surprise yourself. And it’s how we learn, how we get better. And if you fail (gasp!), count it as a success anyway—because you had the courage to try.

This is in no way an exhaustive list, however, I hope it gives you courage (to try), comfort (if you’ve suffered from mistakes) and inspiration (to get out of your comfort zone) to try something new and fun. Art Journaling is an immediate way to add art to our lives while we capture the moments of our lives that sometimes go by unnoticed.

I hope you’ll join me on Friday, October 24th for An Introduction To Art Journaling: An Imaginary Visit To The Bakery! We’ll be learning about drawing, page layouts, lettering and as an added bonus, we’ll get to eat our subject matter afterwards. Yum!