Basic of Sketching,

Outlining, and Shading

 Drawing is the art of representing objects or ideas by means of
lines, marks, and symbols on a plane surface of paper. It is
considered a universal language because different peoples with
different languages can be best understand and idea or concept
when it is drawn rather than when written in words.
I. Sketching

• is a type of freehand drawing. It is the first step in designing. It

is used by designers to shape their ideas. With quick freehand
sketching, a designer can turn his or her creative work into
reality through the sketch he or she makes. A sketch is a rough
representation of an object or idea. It is through sketches that
final drawings are made.
 How to develop skill in sketching
• To develop skill in sketching you need a plain paper and soft pencils. Graphing
papers can be used later when sketches are to be scaled. For a start, sketches that
are smaller than the actual size, is more practical. Proportions should be
observed as that of the actual size.

• To develop the technique, learn how to draw lines and shapes first. To start,
draw lines with arm motion instead of mowing just your fingers and wrist. To do
this, hold the sharpened pencil loosely between your fingers. To draw vertical
lines, move your arm towards your body. To draw horizontal lines move your
arm from left to right.
• To draw slanted lines use a downward motion. For slanted lines with 45
degrees or more. Whatever line is drawn there are two points. The rule to
follow is this: Place the pencil tip on the starting point towards the end
point. Remember to keep your eyes focus on the direction of where you are
going.

• Another easy technique in drawing slanted line is to incline the paper or

drawing board at our desired angle or degree. To draw vertical or
horizontal lines you can use the edge of a pad paper. With the tip of the
pencil on the paper, move it along the edge until the desired length is given.
Sketching Horizontal or
Vertical Lines

Sketching Slanted Line

Sketching Lines Parallel to

Edge of Paper
Drawing Arcs and Circles
• When drawing a circle follow these steps:

1. Start with a square.

2. Sketch diagonal lines from corner to corner. . .

3. Locate the center of the square.

4. Draw one horizontal and one vertical line passing

through the center.

5. For each quarter of the circle, make a curving

motion with your arm, not the fingers or wrist.
 II. Outlining
• This is drawing lines – vertical, horizontal, diagonal, curve or broken to enclose a
space thus, forming a shape or a figure. For instance in planning to make a stuff toy
for your project, the first thing you do is outline the shape of the stuffed toy to create a
pattern. By outlining alone, one can understand or figure out what the objects is all
about.

Function of an Outline
• The function of an outline is it establish the boundaries of a form or shape or a figure.
It is the differences in his these boundaries that help one identify a specific object.
Outlining for Beginners

The beginning exercise for beginners like you in outlining objects is to start
drawing flat drawing. These are objects that you see only the front faces or the
front view, no dept, only the length and width of that object. For instance when
you draw a box, you see only the side of the box facing you. If you change
your position, that, is you go to the left side of the box, you see another view
of the box. In Outlining, you start with what you see in front of you. It is best
to start with singe line exercise to the more complicated angles of an object.
III. Shading

• This is part of the design process showing a presentation of lightness and

darkness in which obscure or light colors are applied on the surface of a
design.

• After doing your outlining, the nest step to do is to shade your drawing.
Shading makes the drawing of your object or scenery look three-
dimensional and solid.
Here is how to start basic pencil shading:
• Prepare your drawing papers and pencils of different grades-hard pencils for light shades
and soft pencils for dark shades. With the use of different grade of pencils, you do not
need to exert much pressure in creating shades.

• Use and overhead grip of your pencil when doing your shading. Hold your pencil at a
lower angle so that its tip is almost lying to the surface of your drawing paper. Used a
back and forth motion as you shade.
• Apply some techniques in shading.

a. Gradations – this is a continuous progression of values from light to dark or from dark
to light. Follow these steps:

• Draw your shading lines close to one another so that values become darker.

• Press your pencil lightly to create light shade. Press your pencil a bit harder to create dark
shades.

• Use softer pencils for much darker shades.

b. Hatching – This is a set of straight or curve lines that are drawn close to one
another. This is called hatching set. In a hatching set, the lines can be drawn
either far apart or close together. If lines are drawn far apart, you can distinguish
individual lines with light spaces in between. If lines are drawn close to each
other, you create a solid tone. See examples below.
c. Crosshatching – This is a shading technique in which one
set of lines crosses another set of lines. This means one
hatching set overlaps another hatching set.

d. Squirkling – This shading technique consist of scribbling

with circles. These scribbling are called squirkle set. When the
circles are drawn apart, they create spaces between the lines.
When the circles are close together, they create a solid tone.
This technique is used to create various textures of fabrics or
textured of curly hair. Squikles can therefore create shading
that is highly textured or very smooth.
Lettering

• It is the fundamental part of drawing. All letters are composed of uniform

width element called gothic. Gothic lettering has become universally
accepted as the style of lettering because of its simplicity. It is also easier
to perform. It is also a term applied to a letter done on printed style, but
with the use of a pencil and a pen, it is sometimes called freehand lettering.
In order to attain a uniform height of letter figure, everyone should not
forget to draw light pencil lines, called guide lines.
Lettering styles
A. Single Stroke Gothic Letters

All letters are represented by elementary strokes or items even widths or

thickness in each stem of a letter, by means of pencil or pen.

B. Roman Letters

All letters “accented” strokes. They are made up of heavy and light lines.
They are made with style C or D Speedball pen. The two kinds of roman letters
are the Old roman and the Modern roman. Modern roman is the standard letter-
style for map titles and name of countries and cities.
C. General Divisions of Letters

a. Drawn or Built-up Letters

b. Written or Single Stroke Letters

Guides Lines in Lettering

Guide lines are light lines used for drawing letters to achieve uniformity
in letter construction. It should be used when lettering any part of a drawing.
There are three general kinds of guidelines-horizontal, inclined, and vertical.
1. Horizontal Guide Line

Lower case

Cap line – This regulates letters with ascenders.

Waistline – This determines the general height of lower case letters.

Base line – This is where all letters rest or stand.

Drop lines – This regulates the letters with descenders.

2. Vertical guide lines are light lines that help keep the letters uniformly vertical.

3. Inclined guide lines are light lines in an angle similar to a slope triangle. It is used
in the preparation of inclined letters
Order of Stroke in Lettering

• Characters of the alphabets are different shapes and construction. Before starting to
do any lettering, it is advisable to study every stroke carefully in drawing of each
other.

• ILTFEH are the easiest letters to draw because the basic strokes are vertical and
horizontal only.

• The next group of letters that needs to be mastered are ILTFEH. These have inclined
line representations. These letters introduce a slant line aside from the vertical and
horizontal lines. They are more difficult to make than the previlage group of letters.
 KVMNAXZ
• The group requires closer study because of the introduction of the curve lines. They are
drawn in the manner they are illustrated.

PRBUI
• The last group of letters, which includes CGOQDS is based on a circle.

Normal Letters

These letters are used when the space for lettering is adequate. They are
neither too narrow nor too wide and have the same height.
Extended

These are wide than normal letters and are used when the space to be
used is wider than normal.

Compressed or Condensed Letters

Letters that are narrower than normal letters with regard to the
proportions of width to height is known as compressed letters. This type of
letter is used when the space is limited.
Alphabets of line
1. Visible line – consist of heavy, solid lines. It is used in outlining.

2. Invisible line – consist of uniform short line with uniform in between. It

represents edges or edges that cannot by other parts of the object.

3. Cutting plane line – consist of long, heavy dashes followed by two small
dases. This represents an imaging line cut through and object.
4. Center line - consist of a long line followed by two very short or dashes, then followed by
another long line. This line is used to locate the center of objects, arcs, and circles.

5. Dimension line – consist of two light lines with a break in between the two to provide a space
to write a measurement or dimension. The lines have arrows at their ends to signify a continuing
movement outward.

6. Section line – consist of one horizontal line with uniform short, slightly slanting vertical lines
attached to its side. It is used in making sectional views.
7. Long break line – consist of a well-defined break line to signify that part
of the drawing has been cut.

8. Short break line – consist of one continuous wavy line to show that part of
the drawing has been cut off.
Guidelines for Lettering
• Guidelines are important to make the letters vertically uniform. They consist of a line top
letters called cap line at the bottom of the letter called baseline. Look at the sample below:

• Follow lower case letter, there are four guidelines such as the one below.