Failing to achieve darker tones

[Brenda]

Thank you. That has been really helpful.

And, yes, an index would be great!

[Mike Sibley]

And, yes, an index would be great!

One of our members - and my chief test pilot for the videos - made a start... but there's a long way to go........

I'll see what I can do as time allows.

[Francoise]

Thanks everybody for your suggestions. I'm sorry I didn't come back to the forum earlier but life just got in the way.

Mike - I'm pretty sure the main issue is that I don't like very hard surfaces and usually draw straight from the pad. I suppose I'll have to wean myself off that habit. Then I'm probably quite conservative about the amount of pressure I use - being a coloured pencil artist, I tend to allow for multiple layers and work with a very light hand. I did try to use heavy pressure though...

Thanks to your ideas, I can now get down to work again

PS: I have no idea how to quote previous posts in yellow, if anyone can help...

[Mike Sibley]

I'm pretty sure the main issue is that I don't like very hard surfaces and usually draw straight from the pad. I suppose I'll have to wean myself off that habit.

Preferably, yes. One of the main problems of drawing on a pad is you have to constantly relearn what your pencils can achieve. If you have a surface that's a known constant, such as a drawing board, your pencils will behave exactly the same way every time you use them.

The other main problem is that the sheets in the pad cushion the pressure you apply. With a hard surface under your paper, you'll probably have to use LESS pressure to achieve the same value. Since ALL the pressure will be transferred to your drawing, and not lost in the spongy sheets beneath.

Then I'm probably quite conservative about the amount of pressure I use - being a coloured pencil artist, I tend to allow for multiple layers and work with a very light hand. I did try to use heavy pressure though...

Ultimately, you need to find what works best for you and use that. I can tell you what works for me, but there are always other ways to do anything. All that's essential is that you produce strong darks, where strong darks matter. Otherwise, you'll draw light drawings that always look flat and often lifeless. You need that contrast to make your drawing POP!

PS: I have no idea how to quote previous posts in yellow, if anyone can help...?

Easy-peasy! In the top right-hand corner of any post you want to reply to, click QUOTE icon (looks like two inverted commas "). Then you can edit the quote to however much of it you want to use before replying.