Graphite Pencil Drawings - Don't always believe your eyes

[TUBESTEAKNIG]

ahaha wow even the tape, table, and paper are drawings

[jdhillberryvideos]

@TUBESTEAKNIG Ha! Next I'll draw the monitor you are watching the videos on!

[DavidByrne85]

brilliant video

[TamiRatlick]

what kind of paper should I use with charcoal ?

[jdhillberryvideos]

@TamiRatlick I use Arches 140lbs hot press watercolor paper for nearly all my work these days. Use the back side of the paper. The front has a textured pattern that can sometimes stay visible in the drawing and overpower the textures you are trying to create.

[TamiRatlick]

@jdhillberryvideos thank you so much that really helped :') you are my idol in drawing keep it up XD

[Missyunforgettable]

Extremely helpful advice. I now understand I was trying to achieve the impossible with my graphite pencils. I thought other artists were doing it. But how do you achieve contrast in your drawings?

[TimHearne]

I just used a carbon pencil in my latest portrait where I had to draw some dark sunglasses. Great advice.

[TheDrawingLab]

If you want to make a part of your drawing black, can you go straight to carbon pencils, or do you have to first add a few layers of graphite, and then add a final layer of carbon?

[jdhillberryvideos]

@TheDrawingLab

I don't suggest trying to layer carbon or charcoal OVER graphite. Graphite is very slick and it can be difficult to get any other medium to stick to it. You can layer over very light graphite but not darker graphite. I suggest you experiment a little to see the difference between carbon or charcoal by it's self and carbon or charcoal over a light layer of graphite.

[MirooGamal]

i want to draw something like this is there a tutorial for this? im kinda of a begginer in this :$

[dishy200]

I love your work. I have your book but I'm the type that stays with only ordinary pencil... I'm trying to snap out it and use different pencils. I even have all your materials. Just not your skills lol. Can you also make a tutorial from start to end drawing anything really. I find I learn more with hands on explanation. Your great !!!!

[jdhillberryvideos]

@dishy200 The more you experiment with the other pencils the more you will get used to them. It is well worth it to be able to make more contrast in your drawings. I'm making some "start to finish" tutorials that will be available on my new tutorial website. Make sure you sign up on my email list to get a notification when they are available.

[AnFGirl]

how long did it take for you to finish the 3 drawings in this video?

[jdhillberryvideos]

@AnFGirl They vary. Detailed drawings like this can take anywhere between 60 to 200 hours. It isn't quick, but when you learn to enjoy the process and time flys. You have to enjoy the journey and not be too concerned about the destination.

[dezkenob1]

P.S. I love your videos, keep 'em coming.

[dezkenob1]

I don't think it's fair to say that a drawing shown online with great contrast is mostly a trick using PhotoShop to "fool" people. Yes, there are people who do set out to 'fool' others. If I ever use PhotoShop it is only because my scanner washes my drawings out. I use PhotoShop to adjust contrast so it looks like it does in real life, NOT to make it look better or fool. If anything, I struggle with drawing light lights as opposed to darks. The darks do tend to reflect light when scanned though.

[jdhillberryvideos]

@dezkenob1 You are right. I should have added that not everyone is intent on fooling people. However, once people are in a photoshop program it can be very tempting to keep moveing the sliders a bit further to make it look even better. In fact, many programs have an "automatic" button that will find the darkest values and make them 100% black. I still stand by my statement that graphite cannot get that dark.

[LyonKnives]

I am glad to see you posted another one so quick. The videos are coming out great.

[JDAHAWAII]

I think if a drawing is bad, no level of enhancing through photoshop can fix it. Sure contrast can be boosted in order to make it pop out more, but if the artist is lacking a strong knowledge of anatomy, lineweight, value, composition, etc, the drawing will still fail everytime. Just my opinion.

[MrJerryGo]

Thanks for your video, I enjoyed it. Looking forward to being able to purchase a DVD of your methods when they become available. Any and all help you are able to send my way is of great worth to me! As a real beginner, I need your imput so that I may learn to draw things to look natural.

Jerry

[papisNY]

amazing as always...thank you for inspire us to do drawings....actually we are drawing with our own hands with your support...Thanks for a great work

[JamesRLathrop]

Terrific information well presented.