Make sure you check out the other tutorial subjects available. I’d love to help you learn to get the realism in your drawings you’ve been wanting. Visit: www.jdhillberrytutorials.com/tutorials.html
I've taken a few art classes through my life and no one has really ever addressed this stuff. A lot of people who call themselves art teachers do not have the attention to detail to teach anything important to a serious artist. I've had to explore the internet to find people who talk about these kinds of topics. Thanks for posting this video.
For me... I use both Strathmore 500 series cold-press illustration board and Crescent no. 100 medium and heavy weight cold-press illustration board, both acid-free and archival. I use Sanford mechanical pencils which hold the thicker 3mm leads ranging from 2B to 6H. I use a thicker heavier paper towel folded in 1/4 even size squares to keep my palm off the paper surface. This way the paper towel absorbs any moisture and oils from the skin. I also use cotton balls for larger areas and q-tips for smaller areas to achieve soft and even tones while also using a kneadable eraser for highlights. With these tools and techniques I can achieve hyper-realistic pencil drawings.
lol! I wasn't exactly "playing" with the bird. He seemed real nice until I tried to pick him up. After I grabbed him, he turned his head around and really clamped down on my finger. My wife kept yelling, "Let go! Let go!" I said "Tell him that!" He was the one that wouldn't let go.
JD, the information you give is monumentally important! Who knows, maybe someone was thinking of giving up drawing, then they came across your channel. They watched, listened, and took notes. They said to themselves, "I bet I'll be as good of an artist as he is, if I follow his instructions.
The safest place for an original drawing is framed under glass. Using any other method will create the possibility of smudging unless a fixative is used. I suggest you experiment with the fixative before you spray it on a finished drawing to make sure it isn't going to alter your values. Also it's best to spray lightly using several coats rather than on heavy one. I don't suggest using a fixative on very light weight paper either.
You can tape it down with drafting tape so it doesn't move. Just make sure you put tape anywhere you are going to draw because it can alter the texture of the paper.
This has helped me IMMENSELY! I feel like I just took one art class and the teacher instructed me on how to fix every issue I’ve ever had. Thank you so much!
For tonal range studies, prior to watercolour painting, I find toned paper is great. You can highlight using white pastel and do the dark with a 2B or 3B pencil.
I'm glad you found it helpful. One of the reasons I didn't review any other papers is that I have done nearly all of my artwork for the past 24 years on the ones recommended and I only draw on white.
I never recommend hairspray. It contains alcohol which will eventually degrade the paper. It will become yellow and brittle. I suggest an archival fixative that is made for charcoal and graphite drawings.
I'm so glad I found this video. I recently bought a new sketching pad and it said "drawing paper" but its texture was too rough for my drawing style. I didn't even think of trying the backside until now. So thank you for that thought! :)
Great video, very informative. I never thought about the oils from my hands but as I get closer to moving over to better quality paper, I now know to be careful.
by the way, I see these videos are rather old but I sure hope you keep doing them. Your videos have touched me in ways I won't explain here but I appreciate what you are doing
I think it was good, but you spent 8 minutes telling us about keeping your hands off the paper, instead of talking about the paper. I wish you had shown more papers - such as Bristol, as well as using different pencils to get different values.
Keeping your hands off the paper is the biggest mistake I see my students make so I think it is extremely important to explain why. I don't particularly like or use Bristol so I don't have much to say about it. There will be other videos soon that will explain how I use different pencils to create different values. I didn't think it belonged in this video about paper.
thank god for this video! I use the tortillian & it never seems to work as good as I want it to. but now I know other ways I can get smoother blends. you've been a big inspiration for me since we learned about you in my drawing class in school last year. you were a major inspiration for my teacher and the class itself, a lot if our assignments were based off of your drawings! you never fail to amaze me! love your work & thank you for these helpfully videos :)
This a perfect video for those wanna learn drawings. It covered everything. Thank you so much Sir for sharing! I will look forward to your next or upcoming tutorial.
Amazing JD Hillberry! I can't thank you enough for your tips! I love the sticking of paper to the palm! You have been magnanimous in sharing this critical tip! Thanks!
Thank you for the tips 🙏 I never thought a tip on finger can ruin drawing... you are the best teacher and so kind/nice 🙂 I saw a few of your video tips, nice information. God bless you... Subcribed.
Thank you for these tutorials, I do a lot of artwork with graphite and I have had a lot of issues with getting the contrast that I want to achieve as well that that graphite glare "shininess". I found your tutorial on that issue was very interesting as well as this one on paper. I find myself to be an above-average artist, but still have a lot to learn and try. After the holiday season I will have to definitely have to pay a visit to your online store. Your stuff is great! Thanks again. -JDSwimm
Thanks, JD! This is an extremely informative video. I passed it on to several young people that will also find it informative and helpful. I also want to thank you for helping that cockatiel. It is fortunate for him, and his human, that you were there to help. (My husband has had many such bites on his fingers too.)
I'm glad I've inspired you to get back into drawing. For me, it's like medatation. I think everyone should draw or paint or something. The world would be a much nicer place. : )
Thank you so much. I decided I would like to go back to drawing, but was not sure which would be the best paper. You helped me to think it through. Good idea about keeping your fingers off the paper, would not have thought about that.
The only way to know is to give it a try. If you feel the front has too much tooth. But remember, the smoother the paper is, the harder it is to get it to hold the medium. That means it can be more difficult to get darker values on smoother paper.
I use workable fixatives and they can help to prevent smudging. Make sure it is a non-yellowing, archival fixative. However, the safest place for a drawing is framed under glass.
@@raymondtrinidad1153 As long as there isn't a lot of loose charcoal or graphite sitting on the surface of the paper, framing without using fixative is fine.
Wow I love the idea of sticking the piece of paper to your hand with duck tape. Very clever. I am a huge fan of your work, I too use Arches for most of my graphite pencil realism drawings. Thankyou for great little tips on your videos.
Hi, I have dreamed of drawing professionally. I been drawing since I was very young. My high school art teacher told my that I would never make a living at it because I wouldn't draw the way he told me. He said was only one way it suppose 2 be done, not free handed. So I stopped trying 2 go further & just draw 4 a hobby/stress relief. Now I was thinking about going 2 art school to enhance my talent but I was thinking I would be discouraged again. I like to find out more about your classes.
Gloves would keep the oils from getting on your paper, but you would still have to be careful not to put your gloved hand down on an area you have already drawn on. That would smudge the drawing, and collect the graphite on the glove that would start being distributed everywhere you put your hand.
So very pleased I found you. You're the best. So informative. Wish I had found you sooner. It's so gratifying to find such a great instructor who, not only informs, but explains. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and inspiring us.
Motivating and informative. The way you illustrate your point is very effective. Eagerly waiting for the next one. Till then won't mind to go back and watch a few over again.
I love you man. I have learned so much from a tiny little video and now I'm paranoid about the many times I may have left my fingers on my sketchbook paper haha.
Thank you so much for these videos so far!! Please Please Please keep them coming :) One of these days hopefully soon I'll be able to go to one of your workshops!
JD very thankfull for you videos. im just getting back into drawing after almost 20 years of not. i looking to work my wayy up to portraits and will be subscribing to you. again thank you very much
Loved the video. I once did a project on the back side of a gesso canvas. It was a challenge but it kept the graphite from getting shiny. In my ignorance I didn't know some of these things you are talking about in that video. It turned out beautifully and it was somewhere around 2 ft x 3 ft and I stopped counting the hours at 144. What was interesting about this particular project is that I found I could manipulate the tooth of the canvas to my advantage. Try it sometime
My teachers in fine art school in Russia taught me do not touch paper at all during the drawing process using an easel instead of a table. I even didn't have to use paper like on your video. But sometimes I draw by charcoal dust on fingers. It gives my drawings some kind of charm. And even so, there are no any finger prints on my drawings. However, I find your video very useful for beginners. Well done :)
+Maria Bozina I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Finger prints would show up if you were to use the techniques I employ to get extremely light, soft (air brush like) textures using a chamois. With darker values it doesn't seem to show up as much. Still, any oils from your hands can make your drawing surface unpredictable and whether this is a problem depends on your style and your goals for the final look of the piece. The important part of all this is if you like using your fingers to blend and it's creating the look and "charm" you desire, than it is the right thing to do for you.
Thankyou so much for sharing your wonderful tips for the pencil drawings and the papers to use . Your work is so realistic and so beautiful. The time spent on these drawings shows in your wonderful work. Again thankyou so much and have a wonderful day.
Hi Frank, I thought it was important to let everyone know how to handle paper firs. No matter what paper people end up using, it is very important not to let the oils of your hands ruin it. There are certainly varying degrees of whiteness of paper. Personally, I don't like extremely white paper for most of my drawings. It can be difficult to make a gradual transition between the light halftones and the highlights.
VERY eye opening advice, especially about the value darkness on one paper compared to another, ive often wondered if that made a difererance to both darkness and the revealing of the paper grain & it does it seems. thanks for the advice
Excellent video.!! As you say JD, paper type is sometimes overlooked and is so important to create the realism. I particularly liked the bit about resting your fingers on the paper. Never seen it demonstrated like that before and it certainly gets the point across. Look forward to seeing more of your videos.
Thanks for the technique and fingerprint warnings. I wonder if Bestine could leach out the skin oils from paper? It certainly does from my fingers. Might be worth experimenting. I know some people wear cotton gloves, and I know a pastel artist who wears finger cots (mostly because the pastel pigments are toxic). I've got a bunch of Arches for watercolor. Have to cut them into reasonable sizes and try that for pencil. And yes, Strathmore 400 definitely turns yellow, and not in 100 years-more like 20 (Strathmore 300 is even worse).
Hello, JD, thank you so much for creating these informative videos. I started drawing about a year ago and I am always looking for something new to watch and help expand my knowledge. Though I must ask... how do you get skin so smooth? No matter how hard I try, there is always some sort of texture or differences in skin tone/shadows aren't defined very well. Thanks(:
What do you think of Stonehenge paper or Fabriano Artistico papers for carbon pencil drawings? Is there any difference in paper choice for carbon pencils versus graphite pencils? I use Stonehenge for colored pencil paintings but have used Arches for colored pencil as well.
this video showed me a lot about paper, and I've seen the drawing you made of the man ripping out of the page before somewhere, excellent stuff. I will try to apply this for my drawings on my art channel. You have been subbed. Take care. ; )
I haven't used Derwent paper but Fabriano makes good quality paper. Just make sure you are using 100% rag paper with a texture you like for your original pieces.
Cold press paper is much more rough than hot press and it may be hard to get a realistic skin texture with colored pencil on a rougher texture. For the most part, I like pencil portraits better than colored pencil portraits. But it really depends on how well they are done.
I normally use a piece of printer paper. I know some people that use wax paper and I haven't heard of any problems with the wax rubbing off on the paper. If you have problems with that, try using printer paper.
Mr. Hill I love your videos and subscribed to your channel. I would like for you to do a video showing the drawing, shading and blending techniques you use when drawing people of color. Thank you
Hello JD Hillberry :) I'm just starting to draw realistic things such as faces. I find your tips of even PAPER quite useful. I never knew there was a difference in them until now. Someday i hope i will be talented enough to draw like you. But i have a question, which is better for blending? Blending sticks, cotton balls, or do you recommend something else? :) Thank you so much, and i hope you reply back
I've never used that particular paper, so I can't really answer that question. You will see a difference between the blending materials and techniques I recommend but I don't know if the textures will be the same on that paper
wow really informative, i never knew about the finger situations before and how much of a drastic affect it can have when drawing. very good demonstrations and lessons thank you for sharing!
Thank you very much for putting so much of your time t these videos. I am learning so much from you. You are very intuitive and informative as well as informative. Thank you.
+Oscar Maya Thank you Oscar. Im' so glad you are enjoying my TH-cam videos. If you are really interested in my techniques I have full length tutorials here: www.jdhillberrytutorials.com/drawing-tutorials.html. The one that will make the biggest impact on your ability to draw realistically is the "Realistic Drawing with Light, Texture and Contrast. Keep Drawing! JD
hi, i have learned a lot from your videos, but i was wondering if you could answer me some questions that have arised from watching them: 1)is erasing an integral part of your drawing process? how much can a plastic eraser damage the paper you are using? 2)do you ever use mechanical pencils? what are your thoughts on this subject matter? 3)how big would you recommend to draw if trying to achieve realistic effects? does it really matter if you draw small to save time?
I would be careful of using plastic or acetate sleeves since they can create static electricity and lift the graphite off your drawing on to the sleeve. If I can't frame a drawing right away, I create a folder out of foam core by taping one side of it closed so it will open like a book. Then I place small piece of a kneaded eraser or poster putty between the foam cores to create a space between them so it doesn't close all the way. You can hold your drawing in place with photo corners.
Hi JD, awesome video ! I just wanted to leave a comment in response to cold press papers not being able to achieve smooth textures. Im currently enrolled in a realist atelier in Toronto and we use cold-press papers like the Arches in this video and are still able to create the smoothest of finishes. However, it is more time consuming using our method then using a shammy, but it is still possible. Thanks a bunch for this tutorial !
Graphite is attracted to the NATURAL oils on our hands. Law enforcement used to usu graphite for fingerprint dusting powder. Washing hands hasn't ever kept any criminals from being caught.
Haha, at first I thought the band aid was like part of a "technique" you use when drawing until you explained it. This really helps! I hope you can post more videos :) I also wanted to know where you get your inspirations from?
Hi John, I'm glad you found the video helpful. Here's a link to a few other free videos on my website: www.jdhillberrytutorials.com/free-drawing-videos.html
I prefer drafting tape to the clips because of the creases you mentioned. Just don't put tape anywhere you are going to draw because even that will alter the texture a bit.
Make sure you check out the other tutorial subjects available. I’d love to help you learn to get the realism in your drawings you’ve been wanting. Visit: www.jdhillberrytutorials.com/tutorials.html
I've taken a few art classes through my life and no one has really ever addressed this stuff. A lot of people who call themselves art teachers do not have the attention to detail to teach anything important to a serious artist. I've had to explore the internet to find people who talk about these kinds of topics. Thanks for posting this video.
My art teacher could not draw, not even Manga
For me... I use both Strathmore 500 series cold-press illustration board and Crescent no. 100 medium and heavy weight cold-press illustration board, both acid-free and archival. I use Sanford mechanical pencils which hold the thicker 3mm leads ranging from 2B to 6H. I use a thicker heavier paper towel folded in 1/4 even size squares to keep my palm off the paper surface. This way the paper towel absorbs any moisture and oils from the skin. I also use cotton balls for larger areas and q-tips for smaller areas to achieve soft and even tones while also using a kneadable eraser for highlights. With these tools and techniques I can achieve hyper-realistic pencil drawings.
I've never used Strathmore 500. Is it really worth the price difference from the Strathmore 400?
lol! I wasn't exactly "playing" with the bird. He seemed real nice until I tried to pick him up. After I grabbed him, he turned his head around and really clamped down on my finger. My wife kept yelling, "Let go! Let go!" I said "Tell him that!"
He was the one that wouldn't let go.
i know its 8 years ago... but i can imagine you wanna let go and the bird grabbing your finger 😂😂👍
JD, the information you give is monumentally important! Who knows, maybe someone was thinking of giving up drawing, then they came across your channel. They watched, listened, and took notes. They said to themselves, "I bet I'll be as good of an artist as he is, if I follow his instructions.
what a CLEVER idea to attach the paper to your hand! thanks fir many helpful tips!
The safest place for an original drawing is framed under glass. Using any other method will create the possibility of smudging unless a fixative is used. I suggest you experiment with the fixative before you spray it on a finished drawing to make sure it isn't going to alter your values. Also it's best to spray lightly using several coats rather than on heavy one. I don't suggest using a fixative on very light weight paper either.
You can tape it down with drafting tape so it doesn't move. Just make sure you put tape anywhere you are going to draw because it can alter the texture of the paper.
4 years later and it still hurts me by just looking at your band-aid :( Thank you very much for these videos. Learned a lot :o)
Another wonderful tute, JD. Thank you.
A light cotton glove is effective on the left hand.
This has helped me IMMENSELY! I feel like I just took one art class and the teacher instructed me on how to fix every issue I’ve ever had. Thank you so much!
For tonal range studies, prior to watercolour painting, I find toned paper is great. You can highlight using white pastel and do the dark with a 2B or 3B pencil.
I'm glad you found it helpful. One of the reasons I didn't review any other papers is that I have done nearly all of my artwork for the past 24 years on the ones recommended and I only draw on white.
I change techniques depending on the paper and medium. Its always helpful to master more than one technique.
I never recommend hairspray. It contains alcohol which will eventually degrade the paper. It will become yellow and brittle. I suggest an archival fixative that is made for charcoal and graphite drawings.
I'm so glad I found this video. I recently bought a new sketching pad and it said "drawing paper" but its texture was too rough for my drawing style. I didn't even think of trying the backside until now. So thank you for that thought! :)
Great video, very informative. I never thought about the oils from my hands but as I get closer to moving over to better quality paper, I now know to be careful.
Thank you so much for the first tip about the oil on our hand. I never notice that. Thank you.
by the way, I see these videos are rather old but I sure hope you keep doing them. Your videos have touched me in ways I won't explain here but I appreciate what you are doing
A simply excellent lesson...
Really great tips, many thanks.
Wow, so good to see the fingerprint example! Hope that having the knowledge prevents me some problems.
I think it was good, but you spent 8 minutes telling us about keeping your hands off the paper, instead of talking about the paper. I wish you had shown more papers - such as Bristol, as well as using different pencils to get different values.
Keeping your hands off the paper is the biggest mistake I see my students make so I think it is extremely important to explain why. I don't particularly like or use Bristol so I don't have much to say about it. There will be other videos soon that will explain how I use different pencils to create different values. I didn't think it belonged in this video about paper.
I think the keeping your hands off the paper could have been done in another separate video tbh. I totally agree
JD Hillberry yeah, but it just didn’t really correspond with the title-
Thanks, you saved 8 min. Of paper talk.
thank god for this video! I use the tortillian & it never seems to work as good as I want it to. but now I know other ways I can get smoother blends. you've been a big inspiration for me since we learned about you in my drawing class in school last year. you were a major inspiration for my teacher and the class itself, a lot if our assignments were based off of your drawings! you never fail to amaze me! love your work & thank you for these helpfully videos :)
EXELLENT art work
This a perfect video for those wanna learn drawings. It covered everything. Thank you so much Sir for sharing! I will look forward to your next or upcoming tutorial.
This is very helpful .. I never was able to pick the right paper to draw on, but after watching this I know exactly what to pick .. Thanks
Amazing JD Hillberry! I can't thank you enough for your tips! I love the sticking of paper to the palm! You have been magnanimous in sharing this critical tip! Thanks!
Thank you for the tips 🙏 I never thought a tip on finger can ruin drawing... you are the best teacher and so kind/nice 🙂 I saw a few of your video tips, nice information. God bless you... Subcribed.
I Roy. Thanks for subscribing!
Thank you for these tutorials, I do a lot of artwork with graphite and I have had a lot of issues with getting the contrast that I want to achieve as well that that graphite glare "shininess". I found your tutorial on that issue was very interesting as well as this one on paper. I find myself to be an above-average artist, but still have a lot to learn and try. After the holiday season I will have to definitely have to pay a visit to your online store. Your stuff is great! Thanks again. -JDSwimm
Thanks, JD!
This is an extremely informative video. I passed it on to several young people that will also find it informative and helpful.
I also want to thank you for helping that cockatiel. It is fortunate for him, and his human, that you were there to help. (My husband has had many such bites on his fingers too.)
I'm glad I've inspired you to get back into drawing. For me, it's like medatation. I think everyone should draw or paint or something. The world would be a much nicer place. : )
JD Hillberry What did you use to blend the graphite for shading?
Excellent art work sir
Thank you so much. I decided I would like to go back to drawing, but was not sure which would be the best paper. You helped me to think it through. Good idea about keeping your fingers off the paper, would not have thought about that.
Hey My Brother.. It's so good to see you putting videos up again! Excellent treatise on papers.. Many Blessings!!
The only way to know is to give it a try. If you feel the front has too much tooth. But remember, the smoother the paper is, the harder it is to get it to hold the medium. That means it can be more difficult to get darker values on smoother paper.
I use workable fixatives and they can help to prevent smudging. Make sure it is a non-yellowing, archival fixative. However, the safest place for a drawing is framed under glass.
If you put it under a glass you wont need to put a fixative first? Newbie here. Thanks
@@raymondtrinidad1153 As long as there isn't a lot of loose charcoal or graphite sitting on the surface of the paper, framing without using fixative is fine.
Wow I love the idea of sticking the piece of paper to your hand with duck tape. Very clever. I am a huge fan of your work, I too use Arches for most of my graphite pencil realism drawings. Thankyou for great little tips on your videos.
Hi, I have dreamed of drawing professionally. I been drawing since I was very young. My high school art teacher told my that I would never make a living at it because I wouldn't draw the way he told me. He said was only one way it suppose 2 be done, not free handed. So I stopped trying 2 go further & just draw 4 a hobby/stress relief. Now I was thinking about going 2 art school to enhance my talent but I was thinking I would be discouraged again. I like to find out more about your classes.
Dont listen to your teacher go for it
I love the duck tape to the hand idea!
Gloves would keep the oils from getting on your paper, but you would still have to be careful not to put your gloved hand down on an area you have already drawn on. That would smudge the drawing, and collect the graphite on the glove that would start being distributed everywhere you put your hand.
JD Hillberry u are very generous guy!!u shared ur ideas to everyone..ur great!
Thanks so much for the tip about sticking the paper to the hand! That's very helpful.
I'm glad that tip helped. BTW, very slick paper (without much texture) works best.
So very pleased I found you. You're the best. So informative. Wish I had found you sooner. It's so gratifying to find such a great instructor who, not only informs, but explains. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and inspiring us.
Thanks Flora, I think people learn easier when they know WHY to do something a particular way, instead of just being told WHAT to do.
Motivating and informative. The way you illustrate your point is very effective. Eagerly waiting for the next one. Till then won't mind to go back and watch a few over again.
This is excellant advice for all beginners.
That smudging tip is golden!!
I'm glad you liked it!
I love you man. I have learned so much from a tiny little video and now I'm paranoid about the many times I may have left my fingers on my sketchbook paper haha.
Thank you so much for these videos so far!! Please Please Please keep them coming :) One of these days hopefully soon I'll be able to go to one of your workshops!
I had the problem of the finger print mark and I was unable to find why this is happening. Thank you for solving my problem..
Thank you JD, this information was very, very useful to me!
JD very thankfull for you videos. im just getting back into drawing after almost 20 years of not. i looking to work my wayy up to portraits and will be subscribing to you. again thank you very much
The finger print part was very helpful. It was a big problem for me in the past
Thank you - I can not believe how much information you share ... Useful all of it
Loved the video. I once did a project on the back side of a gesso canvas. It was a challenge but it kept the graphite from getting shiny. In my ignorance I didn't know some of these things you are talking about in that video. It turned out beautifully and it was somewhere around 2 ft x 3 ft and I stopped counting the hours at 144. What was interesting about this particular project is that I found I could manipulate the tooth of the canvas to my advantage. Try it sometime
Great teacher Great Art! thanks for sharing with us.
Great idea to stick the paper to you hand!
My teachers in fine art school in Russia taught me do not touch paper at all during the drawing process using an easel instead of a table. I even didn't have to use paper like on your video. But sometimes I draw by charcoal dust on fingers. It gives my drawings some kind of charm. And even so, there are no any finger prints on my drawings. However, I find your video very useful for beginners. Well done :)
+Maria Bozina I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Finger prints would show up if you were to use the techniques I employ to get extremely light, soft (air brush like) textures using a chamois. With darker values it doesn't seem to show up as much. Still, any oils from your hands can make your drawing surface unpredictable and whether this is a problem depends on your style and your goals for the final look of the piece. The important part of all this is if you like using your fingers to blend and it's creating the look and "charm" you desire, than it is the right thing to do for you.
awesome video JD...very informative even after attending the workshops ...thanks again for all your help
Thankyou so much for sharing your wonderful tips for the pencil drawings and the papers to use . Your work is so realistic and so beautiful. The time spent on these drawings shows in your wonderful work. Again thankyou so much and have a wonderful day.
Great stuff! Thankyou! Fruit is the trick for the stray bird
Good to know. He seemed to like the tortilla chips though. :)
Thank so much for this video!!!! You are an awesome teacher🍎
Hi Frank, I thought it was important to let everyone know how to handle paper firs. No matter what paper people end up using, it is very important not to let the oils of your hands ruin it. There are certainly varying degrees of whiteness of paper. Personally, I don't like extremely white paper for most of my drawings. It can be difficult to make a gradual transition between the light halftones and the highlights.
VERY eye opening advice, especially about the value darkness on one paper compared to another, ive often wondered if that made a difererance to both darkness and the revealing of the paper grain & it does it seems.
thanks for the advice
Excellent video.!! As you say JD, paper type is sometimes overlooked and is so important to create the realism. I particularly liked the bit about resting your fingers on the paper. Never seen it demonstrated like that before and it certainly gets the point across. Look forward to seeing more of your videos.
Thank you so much for this valuable information. I have been looking for this information without so much success! Thank you thank you!!!
I'm glad you found this video helpful.
Thanks for the technique and fingerprint warnings. I wonder if Bestine could leach out the skin oils from paper? It certainly does from my fingers. Might be worth experimenting. I know some people wear cotton gloves, and I know a pastel artist who wears finger cots (mostly because the pastel pigments are toxic). I've got a bunch of Arches for watercolor. Have to cut them into reasonable sizes and try that for pencil. And yes, Strathmore 400 definitely turns yellow, and not in 100 years-more like 20 (Strathmore 300 is even worse).
Right. Paper is the base of any drawing and painting.
Thanks.
Hello, JD, thank you so much for creating these informative videos. I started drawing about a year ago and I am always looking for something new to watch and help expand my knowledge. Though I must ask... how do you get skin so smooth? No matter how hard I try, there is always some sort of texture or differences in skin tone/shadows aren't defined very well.
Thanks(:
Very good information I just completed introductory drawing class and instructor never explained paper types for graphite
Hi Nick,
The correct spelling is chamois. Watch my blending video to see more of what it is and how it is used.
Your channel is a treasure ,thank you so much
Awe! 12 years later and this still pops up in my feed😊
What do you think of Stonehenge paper or Fabriano Artistico papers for carbon pencil drawings? Is there any difference in paper choice for carbon pencils versus graphite pencils? I use Stonehenge for colored pencil paintings but have used Arches for colored pencil as well.
this video showed me a lot about paper, and I've seen the drawing you made of the man ripping out of the page before somewhere, excellent stuff. I will try to apply this for my drawings on my art channel. You have been subbed. Take care. ; )
This video is perfect 👌
Wow I never knew that! Thank you for education me!
Very informative. Thank you for taking the time to share your skill and talent.
Excellent video JD Hillberry! Great info! I am using Derwent and Fabriano papers, any thoughts on it?
I haven't used Derwent paper but Fabriano makes good quality paper. Just make sure you are using 100% rag paper with a texture you like for your original pieces.
Thank you for replying :)
Cold press paper is much more rough than hot press and it may be hard to get a realistic skin texture with colored pencil on a rougher texture. For the most part, I like pencil portraits better than colored pencil portraits. But it really depends on how well they are done.
I normally use a piece of printer paper. I know some people that use wax paper and I haven't heard of any problems with the wax rubbing off on the paper. If you have problems with that, try using printer paper.
your advice is amazing
Mr. Hill I love your videos and subscribed to your channel. I would like for you to do a video showing the drawing, shading and blending techniques you use when drawing people of color. Thank you
Hello JD Hillberry :) I'm just starting to draw realistic things such as faces. I find your tips of even PAPER quite useful. I never knew there was a difference in them until now. Someday i hope i will be talented enough to draw like you. But i have a question, which is better for blending? Blending sticks, cotton balls, or do you recommend something else? :) Thank you so much, and i hope you reply back
I've never used that particular paper, so I can't really answer that question. You will see a difference between the blending materials and techniques I recommend but I don't know if the textures will be the same on that paper
wow really informative, i never knew about the finger situations before and how much of a drastic affect it can have when drawing. very good demonstrations and lessons thank you for sharing!
Thank you very much for putting so much of your time t these videos. I am learning so much from you. You are very intuitive and informative as well as informative. Thank you.
+Oscar Maya Thank you Oscar. Im' so glad you are enjoying my TH-cam videos. If you are really interested in my techniques I have full length tutorials here: www.jdhillberrytutorials.com/drawing-tutorials.html. The one that will make the biggest impact on your ability to draw realistically is the "Realistic Drawing with Light, Texture and Contrast.
Keep Drawing!
JD
hi, i have learned a lot from your videos, but i was wondering if you could answer me some questions that have arised from watching them:
1)is erasing an integral part of your drawing process? how much can a plastic eraser damage the paper you are using?
2)do you ever use mechanical pencils? what are your thoughts on this subject matter?
3)how big would you recommend to draw if trying to achieve realistic effects? does it really matter if you draw small to save time?
I would be careful of using plastic or acetate sleeves since they can create static electricity and lift the graphite off your drawing on to the sleeve. If I can't frame a drawing right away, I create a folder out of foam core by taping one side of it closed so it will open like a book. Then I place small piece of a kneaded eraser or poster putty between the foam cores to create a space between them so it doesn't close all the way. You can hold your drawing in place with photo corners.
Hi JD, awesome video ! I just wanted to leave a comment in response to cold press papers not being able to achieve smooth textures. Im currently enrolled in a realist atelier in Toronto and we use cold-press papers like the Arches in this video and are still able to create the smoothest of finishes. However, it is more time consuming using our method then using a shammy, but it is still possible. Thanks a bunch for this tutorial !
Superb video really helpful information, many thanks
the part of the video which relates to the video's title begins at 8:15 . There is a handy tip about shading and not touching the paper, before that.
Omg thank you. You saved me 8 minutes of my life.
Not being sarcastic
I can't wait for your next video
Graphite is attracted to the NATURAL oils on our hands. Law enforcement used to usu graphite for fingerprint dusting powder. Washing hands hasn't ever kept any criminals from being caught.
videos are pretty helpful and good. Thanks for sharing these.
Haha, at first I thought the band aid was like part of a "technique" you use when drawing until you explained it. This really helps! I hope you can post more videos :) I also wanted to know where you get your inspirations from?
This is an excellent video. Thank you.
I did not know that about paper thanks for showing this very helpful
Hi John, I'm glad you found the video helpful. Here's a link to a few other free videos on my website: www.jdhillberrytutorials.com/free-drawing-videos.html
Excellent information!! I’m new and this is the greatest help ever! 🙏🏻 Thank you so much Sir!
I'm so glad you found this video helpful, Joyce!
I prefer drafting tape to the clips because of the creases you mentioned. Just don't put tape anywhere you are going to draw because even that will alter the texture a bit.
Awesome video.