Pencil paintings

Pencil drawings

A pencil is perhaps the most versatile, simple tool for drawing and the first one a person encounters in his life. Any child in childhood drew before he learned to read and write.

With the help of a pencil, an artist can draw any images that allow him to express his thoughts and feelings and convey them to the people around him.

From the history of pencil drawings

Charcoal drawing dates back more than 300 years. This simple and accessible technique replaced the silver needle technique used at that time.

One of the apologists of the sketch as an independent direction of painting was the German artist Albrecht Durer. Portraits and genre scenes done in pencil became some of the master’s most famous works. He completed his first pencil work at the age of 13.

Until the end of the 14th century, pencil drawing was used only for sketches and sketches, and not as an independent artistic document. Starting from the late Gothic period and the beginnings of the Renaissance, the printing industry developed, which led to the peak of demand for pencil graphics. Such masters of painting as Jan van Eyck, Leonardo da Vinci, Hans Holbein, Hans Baldung and Raphael drew with pencil.

Italian artists Simonio and Lindiana Bernacotti created the wooden design of the current pencil in the 16th century, which is much more convenient for drawing than a single lead. But the tool did not receive mass distribution for quite a long time.

Until the end of the 17th century, designs were made using a piece of silver sharpened on one side and inserted into a holder. The color of the lines turned out to be gray-blue, which over time turned into brown due to oxidation.

The method of drawing with graphite and colored pencil is used today by many modern Ukrainian artists. It requires the creator to be attentive, accurate in drawing details, and able to convey light and shadow. They create images on paper, canvas, board and other surfaces. These can be realistic and unusual, simple or complex graphic drawings, black and white or color masterpieces. Such paintings attract with a variety of shapes, the ability to convey the smallest details, and the play of shades using strokes of different thickness, intensity and hardness of pencils. They will look original in a private home, office or other establishments.

Popular pencil drawing techniques

The main techniques are considered to be shading and shading, but there are a number of additional techniques that expand the capabilities of pencil drawing:

1. Cross hatching is a pencil drawing technique that involves outlining the tone, texture and shading of a design using parallel lines. When these lines intersect, they form cross-hatching. Depending on the distance between the lines and their density, the shape and shading of objects is adjusted. The method is often used to create architectural landscapes in pencil.
2. Circularism. As the name suggests, this method uses a series of very small circles that overlap each other. It is not necessary for each circle to be perfect, just that they are small and close to each other. The darkness or shadow will depend on the size of the circles. Circularism is used in drawing portraits, it can also be used as a finishing touch before completing a sketch.
3. Shading. This technique is performed in two ways - open and closed. The difference between them is how the pencil is held. Using a tool with increasing or decreasing pressure allows you to level out the depth of tinting.
4. Scheme method. A continuous stroke is performed using a slow movement with light pressure along the contour of the object. Elements and details, depending on the force of pressure, visually move away or move closer to the viewer.

In most cases, the final stage of the painting is shading or smoothing, which allows for better detail in the image.

Buying pencil paintings

Having decided to buy a pencil painting, you can choose them in our online gallery KyivGallery. Our website offers a wide range of graphics:

• portraits
• animal painting
• still lifes
• abstract drawings
• pencil landscapes