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DrawingAcademy

FROM FINGERS TO PENCILS: A Brief History of the Drawing Tool

Article by Ronnie Rayner Larter

Most drawing tools artists use today originate from ancient writing tools. Over 4000 years ago for example, man used a bronze or bone tool to scratch into clay tablets. 1000 years later the Egyptians used thin reed brushes or reed pens on papyrus scrolls. Later still, the Romans used a metal stylus for writing into thin sheets of wax and after 600AD, in Europe, the quill pen was invented…

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Rising Sun

My passion is painting and I like to learn new techniques from books and videos. I believe if I can follow a useful course of study in painting, I would be able to improve my skills which helps me in paintings in old master’s style…

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Artwork by Steven Nielsen

I was a graphic artist briefly until I changed career fields to Federal Law Enforcement after the 911 attacks. I am glad to serve my country but miss art! …

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Artwork by Keedo

Have been drawing since I was a kid, but decided to turn my passion for drawing into a serious hobby about 6 years ago, though I never went to art school. For the past 5-6 years I’ve been drawing almost daily, and did various online courses in figure drawing specifically. I’ve heard and read about the classical approach to drawing and have always wanted to explore it…

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Artwork by Mutale Kasonkomona

:-) To be honest, I don’t even know where to start from. I’ve got too much to tell. So pardon me if I jump from point to point.

Am from Zambia and I live with my aunt and uncle. I love Art and it’s all I want to do in my life. Without it, I am lost. I can’t do any Art course because I cannot afford. My guardians would love to help but we do not have any Art schools in Zambia. So that means I have to go to another country that has and they cannot afford that either…

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PAMPA BANERJEE (oil portrait)

Hi, I am from India and do pursue my hobby aided by guidance from various sources…I haven’t developed any style depicting my individuality..the only element I do try to exhibit is realism.

I do like contemporaries but yet its not my field of work…I am a college student and I do nurture my skills whenever possible…its a great source of pleasure when my artworks turn out to be good. I have a great interest in portrait painting in classical styles and am greatly inspired by Web Art Academy in this context…

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Drawing by Parham Panahi

I started drawing about 2 months ago. I am 16 years old. And I want to learn classical drawing My final goal is to become a concept artist and art director for movies and animation…

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TO SMUDGE OR NOT TO SMUDGE: That is the Question?

Article by Ronnie Rayner Larter

Over the years, as an artist, I always smudged graphite to create smooth, graduated tonal blends. I used various materials for blending such as the cotton bud, piece of soft leather, piece of linen, tissue, paper stumps etc., each one creating a slightly different result. However, there is a problem when adding more blended graphite to achieve a darker tone; the drawing often looked lifeless and shiny, which spoilt the final study. I was at a loss about how to overcome the problem. I tried not to take the smudging of graphite too far; but without darks, the drawing appeared weak.

This left me with a dilemma. Do I continue smudging graphite or not? Or do I push myself to use another medium such as charcoal. Because graphite pencils have been my favourite drawing medium, I decided to continue smudging but persuaded myself to find a way to overcome the problem. I used most of the grades from 4H to 8B to obtain all the tonal values I needed, but the 4Bs to the 8Bs were the main problem; they were the pencils that created the glossy look…

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Life Drawing Academy
Old Masters Academy
Watercolor Academy
Anatomy Master Class