Graphite is an awesome, readily-available material that can achieve so much. From one pencil comes a wide range of value from dark to lights. This post guides artists through using graphite to render a detailed image of a rose. I find that a basic grid system is really helpful for beginners. This tutorial provides a free grid reference photo of a rose, free artist worksheet, information about graphite basic, a video tutorial, and step by step photos to use at your own pace. Let’s get started!
What materials will I need for this activity?
- Piece of white paper or sketchbook
- Ruler
- Pencil (I recommend at least 3 different pencil grades (2H, HB, 2B)
- Blending stump, if available
Why use types of different pencils?
Pencils have different grades which refer to the level of hardness of the graphite. This can help artists to vary values with ease and control the value the pencil produces on the paper. Some grades produce very light value and some grades produce very dark marks easily. Artist pencil packs are available with a wide range of pencil grades (ranging from 6B to 6H, for example. Some key things to remember:
- H stands for ‘HARD’ and produces a very light value. It does not smudge easily, and can put leave impressions on the paper if you push to hard due to its hardness.
- ‘B’ stands for “BLACK” and produces a a very dark value. The graphite is very soft and smudges easily.
- ‘HB” stand for ‘HARD BLACK.’ This produces a mid tones.
For beginning artists, I recommend a simple pencil pack like this one from Amazon Basics. It comes with a few different pencil grades, a blending stump, a sharpener, eraser, and a few other goodies to explore. All the essentials to get started and a great price!
Photo reference of rose with and without grid
Photos taken by me, Stephanie Villiotis. They have a Creative Commons license, so feel free to use in your art making. I encourage it!
Video tutorial:
Step by step photos with directions:
Step 1: Prepare your grid drawing
Use a ruler to draw a perfect square with your choice of size. For example, 5″ x 5″, 10″ x 10.” Then use a ruler to connect lines from corner to corner to draw an ‘X’ lightly. Then, use a ruler to draw a ‘+’ sign lightly through the mid point. DRAW GRID LINES VERY LIGHTLY!
Step 2: Sketch the contours of your rose
Following your grid lines as an aid for accuracy, lightly sketch the contours of the rose. Feel free to erase out grid lines one your contours are complete.
Step 3: Build up value
Observing the photo reference, begin layering your graphite to build up value.
Step 4: Finalize & refine
Strive for contrast of very dark shadows and bright white highlights. Clean up edges and refine details.
I hope you found this tutorial to be helpful! I would love to see your graphite rose! Feel free to send me your work at makeamarkstudios@gmail.com or tag me on Instagram @makeamark_studios. I’d love to feature your work if you are interested. Want to keep up with the latest from Make a Mark Studios? Follow me on Facebook!
–Stephanie Villiotis, creator of Make a Mark Studios
If you enjoyed this skill building activity with pencil, check out this realistic colored pencil drawing lesson on how to draw a blob of paint!
