W04 - Carved in Stone

Brenda Hoddinott
W-04 Advanced: Studio Diary Series
The drawing of a stone dragon featured in

this diary, demonstrates the process of
rendering high contrast shading with
squirkling and stippling, so as to create the
textures and patterns of highly polished
smooth stone, jagged stone, and glass.
You can choose from various approaches to exploring the creative and technical
processes of rendering this drawing, including:
Printing this lesson, curling up in your favorite comfy chair, and closely examining
the thirty-six illustrations as you read.
Rendering a drawing of this sculpture by following along with the text and
illustrations.
Using this lesson as a guideline while drawing a stone object of your choice, or a
similar subject from a photograph, life, or your imagination.
I get my sketch off to a great start by first setting up the lighting and composition, and
then sketching accurate proportions. From there a detailed outline of the sculpture allows
me to plan my shading approach. To protect my drawing from accidental smudging, and
maintain the crisp edges of the high contrast shading, I work from the upper section of
the drawing downward to the cast shadow.
16 PAGES – 36 ILLUSTRATIONS
Recommended for artists with advanced drawing skills, as well as home schooling,
academic and recreational fine art educators
Published by Hoddinott Fine Art Publishers, Halifax, NS, Canada – 2005
-2-
If your goal with this lesson is to simply explore the creative and technical processes of
my drawing rather than draw, simply print this lesson, curl up in your favorite comfy
chair, and closely examine the thirty-six illustrations as you read. On the other hand, you
may prefer to render a drawing of this sculpture by following along with the text and
illustrations. Or you can use this lesson as a guideline while drawing a stone object of
your choice or a similar subject from life.
If you are drawing from your own subject, choose something that appeals to you.
Otherwise you may get bored halfway through. If you’re a beginner, choose a subject that
you feel is very, very simple. You set yourself up for a frustrating experience by taking
on a project beyond your skill level.
Set up your subject and plan your drawing before you begin. Rotate the object until you
find an angle that pleases you and take the time to set up suitable lighting. Then plan your
drawing format. Choose an approximate size. Decide if your completed drawing should
be horizontal or vertical, and whether a rectangular, square, oval, circular or another
shaped format is more appropriate for your subject.
The subject of my drawing is an original sculpture made for me as a gift by my friend
Jesse Wilts. Unfortunately, the actual sculpture cannot be included with this lesson! ☺
So, I took a couple of photos to give you an idea of what it looks like.
Always place a piece of clean paper under your hand as you draw. Each
time you work on a new section, remember to move your paper so it’s always
under your hand. This prevents you from smudging your drawing, and protects
the paper from the oils in your skin.
Copyright to all articles, images, text, projects, lessons and exercises within this drawing class belong to Brenda Hoddinott and may
not be reproduced or used for any commercial purposes whatsoever without the written permission of Brenda Hoddinott.
E-mail: bhoddinott@hoddinott.com Web site: http://www.finearteducation.com or http://www.drawspace.com
-3-
Setting up accurate proportions is a great way to make sure my drawing is off to a great
start! As I sketch with an HB pencil, only the weight of the pencil itself creates the very
faint lines. The lines in the next few illustrations seem dark; however, in reality the lines
are so light that I can barely see them. I have made them darker in a computer program so
you can see them.
-4-
Don’t press too hard with

your pencils! No matter how careful
you are, accidents do happen and you
may need to erase a section.
I prefer using mechanical pencils to avoid

having to constantly sharpen my pencils.
On the other hand, when I do draw with
regular pencils, I keep the points very
sharp with a sandpaper block.
I visually measure the proportions

of my sketch, while constantly
comparing them to the sculpture.
Confirm that spaces

and perspective elements are
drawn correctly.
Check the relationships of
the various parts to one
another, observe that
angles, sizes, and
proportions are
accurate, and
adjust as
needed.
Pay close
attention
to the
shapes of the
negative and
positive spaces.
-5-
The head of
the dragon is
drawn as it was
created. First I
outline the
form of the
stone and then
slowly “cut
away”
sections.
The edges of the forms of this

sculpture are neither parallel
nor perpendicular to one
another.
However, having
a firm grasp of
the rules of
perspective is a
tremendous help
with rendering
many aspects of
this drawing.
To learn some of the basic elements of perspective, refer to lessons A-

14: Perspective Basics, B-26: One Point Perspective and C-27: Above,
On and Below the Horizon Line.
-6-
I sketch the final details, including the

fingers and toes.
At this point, my initial sketch is almost
complete. I check my proportions
carefully by comparing my drawing to
the actual sculpture and fix problem
areas.
I use my kneaded eraser to gently pat my
entire sketch until the lines are so light
that I can barely see them. With a freshly
sharpened HB pencil, I lightly outline the
entire drawing and add additional details.
As I draw, I constantly study the sculpture in

search of intricate details that will enhance
the accuracy of my drawing.
Draw slowly. Accuracy

is more important than speed.
Your speed automatically
improves with practice.
After patting the outline
with my kneaded eraser,
my drawing is ready for
shading.
The light source is from the upper left; hence, the overall
shading on the left will be lighter than on the right.
However, additional very dark shadows are visible in the
carved out crevices, such as the eye and nostrils.
-7-
I use various grades of

pencils from 2H (for
the lightest values), to
6B (for the darkest
shadow sections).
The high contrast
shading technique I use
for the stone texture of
this sculpture,
combines squirkling
with stippling.
Squirkling is an easy
method of shading, in
which randomly drawn
curved lines, squiggles,
scribbles, and squirkles
are combined with
circular shapes to create
textured values.
Stippling (sometimes
referred to as
pointillism) is a shading
method in which
various dots are used to
create values.
High contrast shading is created by

drawing very dark values beside the
highlights and light values.
As you can see in this close up, the

high shine of the polished stone in
the upper sections of this sculpture,
is achieved by utilizing high
contrast values rendered with
squirkling and stippling.
-8-
I add a few dark spots with a 2B

pencil (in the light sections) and a 6B
(in the shadow sections) to accentuate
the intricate patterns within the stone.
The eye and nostrils are cut into the
stone and therefore in shadow
(shaded with a 6B pencil).
To maintain a realistic
representation of the
sculpture, I vary the
thicknesses and
values of the lines that
outline the edges of
the forms.
-9-
As my shading extends downward

to the shoulders and arms, I
become increasingly aware of the
sharp contrast between the light
values on the left as compared to
the extreme darks on the right.
A combination of tiny circles,
dots and squirkle lines continue to
create the wonderful texture and
pattern of the stone.
- 10 -
The shiny texture

of the glass egg is
slightly different
than that of
polished stone.
To accentuate the
high gloss sheen
of the egg, I blend
it slightly with a
Q-tip. I then use
my kneaded eraser
to brighten the
highlight, and the
reflected light on
the lower right.
I then add thin
lines to indicate
the pattern.
The shading on
the right side of
the wing
exemplifies high
contrast shading.
The very dark cast
shadow on the
inner section
wing, where the
light is blocked by
the arm and
shoulder, is
shaded with a 6B
pencil.
In contrast, the
highlights on the
upper section of
the wing are the
white of the paper.
- 11 -
Accurately
rendering the
reflected light,
is integral to
creating the
illusion of
three-
dimensional
reality,
especially on
the leg, foot,
and toes.
- 12 -
As I draw, I continually refer back to

other sections that are almost complete,
compare those values to the section in
which I am working, and make
adjustments as needed.
To make a section darker I
simply add more shading.
To lighten a section, I pat it
very gently and carefully
with a kneaded eraser that
is molded to a point or
wedge shape.
The upper section of the
base of the sculpture is
slightly less shiny that
the dragon.
Numerous
highlights
and
shadows
need to be
rendered so
as to
accurately
portray the
uneven
surface of
the base.
- 13 -
The frontal edge of the base of the statue is mostly shaded with light values. This section
has not been polished smooth like the figure; hence, its natural stone texture is highly
evident, and captured in the drawing with irregular shaped sections of shading.
I have purposely made the outlines along the edges of the base more ragged looking than
in the actual statue, so as to enhance the jagged texture.
As you complete
your drawing - a word of
caution - Handle your
drawing paper by the
edges only.
Don’t touch (or let
anyone else
touch) the surface
of your drawing
paper, unless
absolutely
necessary.
Natural oils
or dirt on
someone’s
hands can
damage
your
drawing.
- 14 -
The edge of the base on the right is in shadow and therefore shaded with dark values.
However, some areas are left slightly lighter so the jagged forms of the stone are visible.
I layer a light value

(with my HB pencil)
over all the darkest
shadow areas, to very
slightly darken any
tiny sections of white
paper that are still
showing through.
Less is more! I
am very
careful not to
overdo this – I
stick to the
darkest
shadows only!
As the grand finale, I add the cast shadow with crosshatching lines (as in the next
illustration). But, I simply can resist putting the drawing away for an hour or so, and then
coming back for one last look. I find a few things that need to be touched up, such as
making some sections lighter or darker, using my kneaded eraser to brighten highlights,
and adding more spots to the pattern of the stone.
- 15 -
As an artist, you should work toward creating drawings that make you
happy, and subsequently motivated to continue onward in your art making
journey. In addition to drawing from life, you should also feel comfortable in
using whatever drawing tools are available to you, such as viewfinder frames or
grids. In closing, remember that learning to draw is not a short term goal but
rather a lifelong journey.
- 16 -
BRENDA HODDINOTT - BIOGRAPHY

As a self-educated teacher, visual artist, portraitist, forensic artist, and illustrator, Brenda
Hoddinott utilizes diverse art media including graphite, technical pen, colored pencil,
chalk pastel, charcoal, conté crayon, and oil paints.
My philosophy on teaching art is to focus primarily

on the enjoyment aspects while gently introducing
the technical and academic. Hence, in creating a
passion for the subject matter, the quest for
knowledge also becomes enjoyable.
>Brenda Hoddinott<
Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Brenda grew up in the small town of Corner Brook.
She developed strong technical competencies with a personal commitment to self
directed learning, and the aid of assorted “Learn to Draw” books. During Brenda’s
twenty-five year career as a self-educated civilian forensic artist, numerous criminal
investigation departments have employed Brenda’s skills, including Royal Canadian
Mounted Police and municipal police departments. In 1992, Brenda was honored with a
commendation from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and in 1994, she was awarded
a Certificate of Membership from “Forensic Artists International”.
Her home-based art career included graphic design, and teaching recreational drawing
and painting classes. As supervisor of her community’s recreational art department,
Brenda hired and trained teachers, and designed curriculum for several children’s art
programs. In 1998, Brenda chose to end her eighteen-year career as an art educator in
order to devote more time to writing, drawing, painting, and developing her websites.
Drawspace http://www.drawspace.com incorporates her unique style and innovative
approach to curriculum development. This site offers downloadable and printable
drawing classes for students of all abilities from the age of eight through adult. Students
of all ages, levels and abilities have praised the simple step-by-step instructional
approach. This site is respected as a resource for fine art educators, home schooling
programs, and educational facilities throughout the world.
LEARN-TO-DRAW BOOKS BY BRENDA HODDINOTT

Drawing for Dummies (2003): Wiley Publishing, Inc., New, York, NY, this 336
page book is available on various websites and in major bookstores internationally.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Drawing People (2004): Winner of the Alpha-
Penguin Book of the Year Award 2004, Alpha - Pearson Education – Macmillan,
Indianapolis, IN, this 360 page book is available on various websites and in major
bookstores internationally.

W04 - Carved in Stone

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

W04 - Carved in Stone

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Brenda Hoddinott

W-04 Advanced: Studio Diary Series

The drawing of a stone dragon featured in

Don’t press too hard with

I prefer using mechanical pencils to avoid

I visually measure the proportions

Confirm that spaces

The edges of the forms of this

To learn some of the basic elements of perspective, refer to lessons A-

I sketch the final details, including the

As I draw, I constantly study the sculpture in

Draw slowly. Accuracy

I use various grades of

High contrast shading is created by

As you can see in this close up, the

I add a few dark spots with a 2B

As my shading extends downward

The shiny texture

As I draw, I continually refer back to

I layer a light value

BRENDA HODDINOTT - BIOGRAPHY

My philosophy on teaching art is to focus primarily

LEARN-TO-DRAW BOOKS BY BRENDA HODDINOTT

You might also like