Smudging pencil

[Darla Dixon]

I use tissue (Kleenex without the lotion), tortillions, stumps, even Q-Tips on occasion.

Maybe when the instructor said not to smudge, he/she meant don't do that with your finger, because of the oil that is in your finger.

This warning is also true for kneaded rubber erasers...don't ball it up in the palm of your hand while you work, or it'll get oily from your hand as well and this will transfer onto the paper.

If you want to get very nice even blending, you can't do this in a humid environment. I live in GA, so I sometimes have to turn on the air conditioner even on mild days, to get rid of some of the humidity so I can blend my pencil.

My artwork is primarily 2-B pencil, and sometimes I will use some black Micron ink for the darkest parts, but this is rare.

Sometimes I will do an intentional 'smudge' for backgrounds.

Embrace the smudge

[Michael Fournier]

Well, I was reading the post on drawing and smudging. You guys got a little side-tracked in a discussion on nudes there, but back to drawing. I personally like to draw without blending or smudging. That is not to say without half-tones; but I do it all with direct application with the pencil lead, using hatching, crosshatching and line. Sometimes I follow the form or work across it. Sometimes I use the point, other times the side of the lead. But I try to never lose the white of the paper. (That's to say if the paper is white to begin with.) Also, in drawings that are to be finished illustrations I love how the line reproduces without the gray smudges. Now this is just personal style. I like a very direct style in both drawing and in paint. I prefer to see line work in drawing and to see brush strokes in paintings. Attached is a quick sketch very similar to what I show clients when I am still working on a composition or the early stages of an illustration. But this is the same way I draw in more finished drawings I just work more carefully.

My drawing style is very influenced by the work of Illustrator Mitchell Hooks http://www.societyillustrators.org/p...ion/hooks.html. Some of his drawings here: http://www.graphiccollectibles.com/s...g/iaindex.php3

I won't even get into the side discussion of figure drawing and the nude.

[Lon Haverly]

Very very nice, Michael. Your drawing illustrates what I like about pencil.

[Michael Fournier]

Thanks, Lon. I remember seeing your drawings and I liked them a lot. I really only posted this as an example but I'm glad you liked it.

[Tammy Nielsen]

Thanks for the example, Michael. A picture's worth a thousand words.

Tammy

[Elizabeth Schott]

So do all the thoughts posted here referring to smudging pencil also apply to pastel?

I find that the sticks (tortillons) scratch more than blend, q-tips and brushes erase and it always feels funny to use the surgical gloves, I have grown accoustomed to my bare fingers.

So I am leaving oil behind on the paper? I honestly believe what little oil was left in the skin of my old fingers has been lifted by the pastels... they are always dry and my nails, yuk!

Thank you, Karin and MIke, for posting the links to that great site.

Peggy, your work is incredible and Lon - do I have a penis story from my first sculpting class for you... blush!

[Lon Haverly]

Regarding pastels, Elizabeth, I use them in courtroom drawing, to the great puzzlement of my courtroom artist collegues. Most of them use watrercolor and pens. I smear like crazy the whole paper with soft pastel backgrounds, and then go in and detail with conte. I always smudge with pastel, but never with pencil. Just a personal preference.

This week, I worked for all the major networks, CBS, ABC, CNN, and Fox news, covering the Al Qaida cell suspects arrested in Portland. It was great fun. I will be up there quite a bit for this case.

[Elizabeth Schott]

Lon, that was my favorite "class" long ago in school. We would go to the Broward County Courthouse and draw. I loved it, what a talent you must have, I will be watching for these recent ones. Is there a link to one of the network's sites that might show your work?

[Rebecca Alzofon]

Hi,

This thread's been dormant for awhile, but I thought I would take advantage of another Forum's file uploader that accepts larger images. Here is a recent drawing demo that I gave, using black & white chalks. You can see the smudged areas pretty well in this image. Discussion welcome.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/i...moB&WChalk.jpg

[Jean Kelly]

Hi, I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your Prud'hon tutorial. Marvin Mattleson introduced him to me in another thread, I started searching and discovered your in depth analysis on Prud'hon's technique. Thank you for making it available on the web!

Jean