Help with hard edges in drawing?

[Jennifer Geary]

Hi all!

Well, I have been practicing my drawing a bit more, and am trying to learn to soften my edges a bit. I think in the below drawing, I still need to do just that. I use Ebony pencils for my drawings...on illustration board. If you can give me some pointers on this, I would appreciate it! I am trying to master pencil drawing, (my husband loves those the best), and I know I am in the right place to get some help! Thanks in advance! I will post a detail of Grace's head for you as well.

[Jennifer Geary]

...and here is a detail of Grace's face.

[Steven Sweeney]

Jennifer,

Best course here is to review Chris Saper's exposition on Edges.

I'm not quite sure what areas in this drawing you're focusing on, but I'd just briefly suggest that you not be concerned so much about getting rid of hard edges, as about orchestrating edges, hard and soft, lost and found, to create the effects you want.

One facet that I might mention is your definition of shapes by relatively heavy lines (I'm looking at the ears, the jawline, the lower edge of the bottom lip, for example). I suspect that those lines are some of the "edges" you're having trouble with. Try to remember that there aren't any lines in nature around, say, the perimeter of an ear or a hand. Instead, one hue or value ends -- perhaps in rapid transition (harder edge), perhaps in a more graded transition (softer edge). If the values in adjoining shapes are similar, the "edge" may be lost completely -- a very useful and often very lovely effect. In pencil or charcoal drawings, try to define the separation between shapes or value areas by accurately capturing the values of the respective shapes or areas and the rate of transition between them, rather than drawing a line and leaving it there, a visibly separate element of the drawing having little to do with the subject.

Also remember that abrupt or sharply defined changes in values in the face indicate significant changes in the facial planes. That doesn't happen often in the round features of the face, especially a toddler's. Mold a kneaded eraser into a point and tap out some of the dark value in the transition area between lighter and darker areas, to create a less sharp "edge" between those areas.

[Chris Saper]

Dear Jennifer,

This is a lovely little drawing! I know you have specifically requested input regarding edge quality, and I hope you don't mind, but I don't think it's possible to consider edges in isolation, because in this piece they are intricately related to value and design. Here's what I mean.

As Stephen has noted, the outlining of shapes contributes to the edge issue (although I must say, I have seen work that has an outlined quality, and it doesn't necessarily distress me...it's generally in someone's illustrative-oriented style, which can be very distinctive), and more so that the outlines are rather uniform across the surface. There is little I can add to Stephen's specifics about edges.

The lines/outlines become more noticable for two additional reasons. First, the lines are substantially darker in value that the shapes they describe. By way of example, I look at the cheek on our right, and the place it touches the collar. The skin will be darker in value than the white shirt; by concentrating on the more subltle value relationships, I think you can convey the separateness of shapes and planes without so much reliance upon lines. There is likewise a greater value shift between the background and the chair elements, than in most of the figure, (the hair is quite successfully described, I think) so the chair becomes an unintended center of interest, in competition with the head. One way to deal with this might be to make the darkground more middle-toned in value, and the chair more similar to the bachground in value, so that the the lightest lights and darkest darks remain with the figure.

The second component of this drawing which is aggravating the edge issue is the design. You have quite a few tangents going on...(areas where shapes or lines come together in a way that draws unintended attention or shapes). For example, the ear on our right forms an oval with a shape that reads as a seashell - perhaps a knothole in the wood - and is further underscored by the very dark line on the slat behind. With regard to the ear on our left, the edge of the chair slat points like an arrow to the outer edge of the ear, and is an invisible achor to the hair behind. This would be easy to fix by just eliminating the slat. It is difficult to arbitrarily alter the postiion of something like the chair slats, which are quite regular and mechanical in their construction. However, with something like a tree or drapery, you would simply move one of the shapes so that they read as an overlapping of forms, rather than as a tangential joining of forms.

Despite my long-winded comments, you should feel very pleased with this drawing. It is fresh and spontaneously drawn, with a fine likeness.

[Jennifer Geary]

Ah, I see what you mean, Chris. I was worried that my edges were making the drawing look too 'sharp'. My husband, who often critiques my work with an artful eye, thought it looked a bit too edgy...but then if you look back at my other drawings, it seems to be something I carry with me throughout them. Part of my style?? I am not sure if it is a good thing or a bad thing. I agree with both you and Steven, and it seems I have to find a middle ground between the two. I don't want my drawings to be TOO 'photographically real', I want to see drawing strokes in there. Most important for me is capturing the essence of the person. I want the viewer to look at the image and see that individual's personality. I am working on it, slowly! I think you can definitely see Grace's personality in this drawing. I am glad you like it!

Thanks, you two, for answering my question! It will help me with my future attempts!

[Sharon Knettell]

Jennifer, in one ff my previous lives, I did pencil fashion illustration that ran in newspapers. I had to learn to make my values very strong and readable. The following tips, I hope will help you, and relate to your style.

A. Use Arches hot press 300 lb. paper with 4b and 6b Turguoise pencils. It is like drawing on velvet, you get the most beautiful,deep blacks. The paper is very sensitive,you can get great detail and clean greys.

B. Study your photo reference. Notice the head has a light source coming from your upper left. That side is light, the other side is darker. Squint, notice how the tones go sequentially from light to dark on the photo. Place your drawing next to the photo and squint, notice the photos sequence of light to dark, look at where your drawing does not match. Also look at them through a mirror. The light tones in the hair and face on your right side are almost the same value as they are on the left hand side, thus weakening the form.

C. Strenghthen and design your tonal patterns. The hair could go darker and be your darkest grey or black and the chair could be a 50% grey. The skin tone would of course be a full range. Keep the tones flatter,darker and simpler in the hair and chair (sublimate hair and wood patterns) and model up the face in a more sensitive range. As Chris has pointed out clean up confusing areas like the ear. Keep, as you have, the shirt linear. Edit out what is unessesary to descibe the form. See Ingres and Kathe Kollwitz. I would like to see this redone, I think you would surprise yourself.

[Jennifer Geary]

Hi Sharon!

Great ideas you just gave to me! I ordered some of the paper you mentioned and dug out my other pencils, too. I will redo this drawing, most definitely! I think my problem lies in the fact that I am just stuck with using Ebony pencils, since they are so rich and I can get nice lights and dark darks. I do need to break out of my norm and experiment with other techniques. Thank you for sharing some of your ideas. I will take them into consideration when I redo this drawing! I will post it when I finish!

All the best!
Jen

[Lon Haverly]

I like this drawing, too. I have no remarks on the edges. I would say that the shading in the face itself seems a little weak. It appears that you have not decided whether to stump it or to use lines for the subtle shading of the face. I like to use the broad sanded tip for shading of the face, and heartily recommend that you give it a try. You can achieve wonderful shading effects with just the sanded tip of the pencil. Perhaps your quest for softer edges would be realized if you utilized the sandpaper block.