Drawing: Light & Shade (Graphite)

Adding light and shade to your drawings can be a powerful way to make them look real. In this class we will introduce an effective, step-by-step approach to making realistic drawings with light and shade using a range of soft to medium hardness graphite art pencils and related tools. There will also be an exercise using several colors of paint or a dry medium of each student’s choice, for which colored pencil, watercolor, gouache, pastel, or acrylic paint may be used. This will be discussed on the first day of class.

In this class we will start with a review of basic mark making techniques and an approach to line drawing that works well for realistic drawing in light and shade. Taking the Beginning Drawing class through the CLL, or previous experience taking a beginning drawing class in another context, to get practice with drawing in line before taking this class will be helpful.

After reviewing line drawing we will learn to consider light and shade in a systematic way, working from direct observation of still life objects. We will learn a step-by-step process for building drawings that gradually and effectively capture the degrees of light and shade in what we see, making drawings comparing degrees of lightness and darkness, and also that emphasize essential effects of both light and shade. This will build an understanding of how to effectively characterize light and shade in our drawings, making them look and seem real.

A significant aspect of drawing in light and shade involves consideration of colors in terms of how light or dark they are. We will learn techniques to see, compare, and understand relative lightness and darkness of colors, reinforced with an exercise using students’ choice of colored medium and graphite.

The class’s drawing practice will be augmented with discussion of useful concepts in art making, and discussion of optional ways to continue the learning process outside of class and after the class is over.

This class may be useful for students who are exploring making art for fun or recreation, or for those with potential professional aspirations.

PREQUISITE: In order to get the most out of the class students should have experience taking a Beginning Drawing class and some familiarity with the practice of proportional measuring.

SUPPLIES: The following supplies or their equivalent are recommended for this class. If you have questions or concerns about purchasing supplies, please let us know prior to the class start.

Note: Bloomington Fine Art Supply, a local, independent art store located at 207 S. Rogers Street near the corner of 4^th and Rogers Streets, has a copy of this supply list and is a recommended resource for supplies for this class. Bloomington Fine Art Supply’s website is bfasupply.com, their phone number is 812-369-4013, and their email is bfa.supply@gmail.com.

Required
- Graphite art pencils: 12B, 10B, 8B, 6B, 4B, 2B, HB – Staedtler-Mars preferred - brands other than Faber Castell recommended (Faber Castell pencils are of good quality but are relatively harder than other brands)
- Your choice of colored pencils, watercolors, gouache, pastel, or acrylic paint, individually or in a set, including the six primary and secondary colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet
- 18”x24” Strathmore 400 Series drawing pad, or other drawing pad (not sketch or newsprint)
- Snap blade cutter (if you already have a sharp box cutter or utility knife that will work)
- Kneaded eraser
- Pink eraser 
- Workable fixative 

Optional
- Mechanical pencil style eraser – Tombow Mono round or rectangular - recommended
- Drawing board with clips and large rubber band approx. 20”x26” (This is useful for drawing on the 18”x24” pad at home. - Drawing boards and clips will be available for use in class.)
- Sketchbook - 9”x12” suggested – use of a sketchbook will be discussed in the class.
- Vinyl Eraser