Author: jane gardner

Abstract Art And The Spirit

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It has been a long and raging arguement that the abstract expressionists of the 50's, 60's and 70's were very busy contemplating their own navels and trying to find the "zen" in everything they did.

I would argue that they were in fact just one very important example of the hungry sleep-drugged soul seeking a way to be heard. However, many artsists of those times, and indeed today, would flatly deny anything remotely to do with spiritual things - or worse still - religious things.

Take, for instance, one of my favourites - Mark Rothko.

This tragic artist committed himself to the task of producing massive canvases with many vaguely resembling the outline of a window - especially an after image once the eye has closed. His vast expanses of colour seemed to hunt out a corner or edge in a desperate attempt to complete, or conclude, the picture. Not satisfied with that he went on to give up titling his work saying that he did not want to influence the onlooker in any way. Ironically he failed ... and sadly took his own life. For me his works speak of wonderful tantilizing clues visually demonstrating the struggling spirit seeking (and succeeding!) in revealing herself - now that is real influence!

Let me explain by an apparently unrelated route:

I seek to assist my own spirit in attempting to make manifest even the tiniest, most pathetic, weakest fact that the spirit in us all is not only just trying to communicate with us - but is in fact actively seeking to set the whole human balance right ... which is the spirit leading the mind and body back to her source - not the other way round - the mind and body leading the blinded soul to ... well, eventually death.

Not so long ago I came across the writings of Meister Eckhart, a fourteenth century Christian mystic. His words amazed me. He described in his many sermons what he believed to be the truth as to why we are here. He also revealed many tantilizing "images" of the spirit from the least angelic being right up to God Himself. His descriptions were ... how can I put it simply? ... abstract!

In one of his sermons he described God as ... "unknowable" ... "not able to be understood" ... "undefinable". In another he made a statement (one of many which may have contributed to him being accused of heresy!) "People say God exists ... God does not exist ... " left out of context that would be a truly blasphemous assertion. But he went on to say that "... God is far greater ... God is beyond existance". These and many other controversial sayings have impressed me so much that I have come to "see" God as an abstract entity - not, I hasten to add, an anarchic abstract form - but rather a God far more powerful, far more greater - than I can imagine ... in other words totally undefinable. Rather than this putting a distance between me and God, it has done exactly the opposite. And when Eckhart began to describe the life of Christ in an almost completely abstract way - Eckhart said that Christs life was the greatest example of the seeking and finding the uncreated source of the pure soul - my imagination began to run like a film of frenzied obscure visuals. Eckhart has become, to me, the patron saint of abstract artists.

The beauty of Eckharts enigmatic words are intensely inspiring. What better way to illustrate his poetic writings than to describe Gods "isness" in the very basic form of a gigantic flat area of one saturated colour untainted by anythingelse. Strangely enough this could be part of an exact description from one of Rothko's immense, sometimes almost monochromatic, paintings.

But this is by no means the whole story ... one of Eckhart's contradictions said that on the one hand God is totally unapproachable, yet at the same time God is actually very, very approachable ...

However, that is another article.

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Landscape Painting Tips For Watercolor Artists

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watercolour painting on location of dolphin legend

One of the biggest challenges beginners face with any type of art, is the ability to really connect with the creativity that is inside of them. It’s difficult in the beginning to just let go and paint from your heart and soul. Your mind is being filled with techniques and systems for approaching painting, which in my opinion, tends to drown out your inner creativity. Learning techniques is essential, but there should be a point where you begin to draw from your own creative imagination.

When painting a subject, whether it is a person or a landscape, it is important to first observe your subject. You have to get close and personal to what you are painting. If you want to learn how to paint great landscapes, then you should spend time near the area that inspires you to paint in the first place. Only then can you really understand how to transfer what it is you see to canvas.

Take a ride out to the area you wish to paint. Bring along some pencils and paper. The best way to become really intimate with the scene is to just spend time there doing some sketches. This will really force you to observe what you see and burn the image and the environment into your senses.

Painting with watercolor on location is quite challenging, especially if you are a beginner. The scene is constantly changing. There are certain techniques in watercolor that require the paper to be at certain angles, or the paper needs to be saturated to a certain degree, etc. To get everything right within such a short time span is quite difficult, which is why you should bring a camera in the event you are not able to capture the scene. Once you find a composition that you like, take a bunch of shots at different distances and angles. When you get back to your studio, you will now have a few reference sketches as well as a bunch of great photos to work with. In the beginning, while painting on location, try to choose compositions that are not overly detailed or complex.

One of the best ways to immerse your self in watercolor landscape painting is to find people with the same passion. Search online for any groups or websites for landscape painters in your area. Start chatting and get to know everyone. Many of the artists in these groups love to connect with other artists and plan painting trips. This is a really great way to gain experience.

You do not need to bring your entire studio with you when painting on location. Many beginners will bring far too many supplies, which becomes more of a nuisance than help. Only bring the colors and supplies that you really need to work on a particular scene.

Remember, things change very quickly outdoors. Lighting conditions and weather can change in a matter of minutes. You must be able to paint quickly without being too sloppy. Block in all of your large areas first then go back and start adding your details.

Many landscape artists usually block in the sky area first. The sky is generally paler than the rest of the painting, which enables you to work from light to dark. The sky area also influences the way you paint the rest of the objects in your painting.

When painting objects in the foreground that require great detail, do not try and paint every single leaf or blade of grass that you see. This will usually create too much detail that will draw focus away from the center of interest in your painting. It is also far too time consuming if you plan on painting on location. Besides, a painting is not meant to be an exact replica of what you see, rather your unique impression of the scene. If you want exact details, you are better off taking a photograph.

Don’t be afraid to use your imagination. If you are painting a scene and feel that you should add a few trees here, or a bush there, or a bird on a branch, then by all means go for it.

If you find one particular location appealing, and have already painted there once before, don’t hesitate to go back and paint it again, only this time go out on a cloudy day instead. You will be surprised how different a scene can look when the weather changes.

I hope these watercolor painting tips have helped. If you ever find yourself getting discouraged or frustrated by your progress, don’t give up. Instead, welcome and learn from your mistakes. It will make you a much better painter.

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Learning to Draw? You’re Gonna Need a Pencil

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drawing of an eye

If you're going to be doing any pencil drawing you're going to need a pencil. I know, I know, thank you captain obvious.... But, in this article I want to talk about some of the different options available.

Here are some of the options:
Mechanical Pencils, Lead Holders, Woodless Graphite, And of course traditional wooden pencils

Mechanical Pencils:

You're probably familiar with these. They're the ones that hold the lead (graphite actually) inside and when you push on the eraser more lead comes out. What you may not know is that, like traditional wooden pencils, the leads are available in various degrees of hardness which can be used to achieve lighter or darker tones as needed. We'll talk more about that later.

Lead Holders:

These are somewhat similar to mechanical pencils in that you can use various leads with them. But rather than push a button to release more lead, these pencils actually have sort of a claw that grabs onto and holds the lead. Hence the term "lead holder".

Woodless Graphite:

These pencils are basically a piece of graphite in the shape of a pencil. There are also some woodless graphite pencils that are encased in a laquer coating rather than wood.

Wooden Pencils:

Okay. We all know what a wooden pencil is. It's the yellow one with a pink eraser on top and a number 2 on it. You know, the ones we used to fill in the little circles on our multiple choice tests in school.

Well yes, those are pencils, but a set of good quality drawing pencils comes with a lot more variety than that.

All of the pencil types mentioned above come in varying degrees of hardness and are labled with a number and the letter H or B.

The pencils labled H are on the hard side and the ones labled with a B are the soft ones. I don't know where the "B" comes from but that's the way it is. Pencils range from 9H (the hardest) to 9B (the softest).

The number 2 pencils we're so familiar with are right in the middle in terms of hardness. They're equivalent to an HB pencil.

If you're just starting out drawing or you're just doing some doodling or sketching an HB or #2 will work just fine for you. But, if you want to get a much more interesting drawing you'll have to have some contrast between lights and darks. If all you've ever drawn with before is a number 2 pencil, the way you achieve your darker tones is simply to press down harder.

But there is a better way. That's where the softer pencils come in. After #2 in terms of softness comes B then 2B, 3B ect. all the way up to 9B. Although many artists never use anything softer than a 6B. With a 6B you can get some very dark tones and it's not going to be as soft and thus crumbly as a 9B.

For the harder pencils, I rarely use anything harder than a 2H and that's usually just for the initial line drawing before any shading takes place. Doing the initial line drawing very lightly allows you to erase any mistakes you might have made. Once your line drawing is acurate, it's time to get the softer pencils out and start shading.

So to wrap this up, if you're planning on getting a little more serious with your drawing you'll want to get a set of pencils. There are some sets out there that have just 4 pencils in them. So if you're strapped for cash this is an option. Pencils are also available individually so you can pick and choose whichever number / letter combo you need.

I prefer traditional wooden pencils for my drawings and my brand of choice is Derwent. They make sets of 12 pencils that range from 4H to 6B or from H all the way up to 9B. And, you can get a set of 12 pencils for about $12 - $15 so it's not terribly expensive to get into drawing.

So now go out, get yourself some good pencils, and start drawing....

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Make Some Art Work Today

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painting of an abstract flower bunch


When decorating a home or office, many people turn to the most popular and expensive stores to find pieces of art work to add to their space. And while this is a great way to decorate and to support your local art industry, it can be costly and make your home or office look just like everyone elses.

A solution: make some of your own art work to display proudly in the places your love.

Making your own art work might sound daunting or unrealistic, but it doesn't have to. It can be much easier and more fun than you think. One of the best things about creating your own art work is that it gives you endless options for decorating uniquely.

Think about it: if you decorate your home or office using just what you find in stores it can be pretty hard to create a unique space or to have a finished product that is really you.

Making your own art work solves those problems. Your art work allows you to make pieces that fit exactly into the plans and dreams you have for your home or office.

Consider the home or office that you are decorating. Take time to dream about the possibilities and keep a list of what things you like and of what you hope your space will turn out to be like.

Consider how a few well-made pieces of art work could add to the uniqueness and beauty of your space.

Would a painting of a beach scene fit perfectly into your living room? Would a piece of pottery adorn your bookshelf in the perfect way? Don't let your lack of artistic abilities keep your mind from dreaming. At this point, consider all possibilities and leave worrying about the 'how' for later.

Gather ideas for your art work from as many sources as you can. Look in decorating magazines, in store catalogs, online, or even in the homes or offices of your friends. Keep your eyes peeled for ideas no matter where you are! The perfect piece of art work for your space could be similar to something you see with a few simple modifications.

Once you have a few ideas about art work that could make your space beautifully unique for you, then begin the process of figuring out how you can make your art work. Perhaps it will be as easy as visiting a local art supply store to gather the right materials, or perhaps you will need to enroll in an art class or two. Whatever it takes, stick with it.

Creating unique art work for your home or office will be worth it no matter what. Friends and family will marvel at the beauty of your space and at how perfectly it fits you.

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Buying An Abstract Painting

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watercolour pour

You may be mistaken in thinking that buying a piece of abstract art would be a simple thing to do. You just select the work you want... and buy it!

The truth will creep up on you as soon as you look at the first painting "it is not quite the right one, so I will look for another".

Here is the first realization - and question to ask yourself - why exactly is this piece you are looking at "not quite right"? The answer can be manifold:

1. It includes a colour I do not like
2. I am not sure it will go with another item in the space I would like to place it
3. A slow realization that a certain personal undesirable association is being emitted from the painting
4. It looks great but I am not sure it will fit the space
5. It is just right but the price is a little bit more than I wanted to pay... and the list goes on.

Although I do not have all the answers I will endeavour to reveal, from my own personal experiences, a few solutions.

So, you see a picture you like but the colour combination is wrong. Put simply the thing to do is to contact the artist and tell them your dilemma. You will find that some of them will either be able to reproduce a similar work in the colours you prefer, or they will be willing to notify you when and if they produce a work that might be nearer to the colours theat you require.

If size is an issue then I would advise the same as above - contact the artist and tell them the problem. I believe you will receive a similar reply to that which I have written above.

Make sure that when you do make a purchase that the artist is offering a return policy. I have a ten day return policy which means that if you buy a painting and hang it in your space - if within ten days of purchasing it you become uncomfortable with it for any reason and you cannot live with it, then you may return the piece and your money will be returned. An important point here worth mentioning is the fact that you have made certain decisions on buying this piece of work, therefore it is worthwhile mentioning it to the artist which will enable them, if they so inclined, to produce a work that has omitted the undesirable entity. This way you may well end up with a work that will be of greater value to you - having communicated your dilemma.

Price can be a tricky challenge - but many artists offer different ways to help you buy the piece you want. If, for instance, the piece you like is too expensive for you then you have a number of choices. Perhaps the most preferable choice is for you to negotiate the price with the artist. However, please bear in mind that the artist has produced a totally unique painting - there is nothing like it in all the world! Also spare a thought for the fact that the artist will have spent time struggling to get the work out onto the canvas.

A well known saying is that a piece may well have taken only a few hours to produce, but you should also take into account the years the artist has been at work -

so if someone says to me "it can only have taken you three hours at the most" I reply "no... it has taken me FORTY YEARS and three hours!"

If you keep these in mind then negotiate with what you might see as a realistic price for you and a price that will have taken the above into account for the artist.

Some artists will not barter prices - but they may be willing to sell you the work if you pay by installments. You have to ask yourself here "Do I REALLY want this piece?" If you answer yes then you will find the money... because you want to - you want the work.

Let us say that you see an artists work - you love the style - you would very much like to have a painting on your wall... but you see nothing that grabs you. Try contacting the artists and commissioning them to painting you a picture... this way you may be able to influence the end result by instructing the artist to use certain colours, or specific shapes. Or if they are not inclined to work that way then they might put you on their mailing list that will inform you when their latest piece is about to go on show - you will be offered "first refusal".

One final thing worth mentioning is the fact that a growing number of artists are making their works available as high quality giclee prints. These reproductions are very close to the original work, and some of the reproduction houses actually ensure that every brush stroke has the appropriate texture and "feel". So in many ways you could purchase a work that is almost identical to the original piece except for one very big fact - the price of the print. The print will be of a limited edition, making it a collectible investment - and it will have been checked, numbered, and signed by the artist.

If none of the above proves to be useful to you then the simplest thing to do is contact the artist and just talk to them, tell them what you think of their work, what you are looking for - anything... just communicate with them, and I think you will find that you will not only buy yourself something that you will love and cherish ... but you will also bond with the artist themself in a way that you could never do if you walked into a place selling paintings and chose a piece hanging on a wall.

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A Quickie Art Primer

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Learn the difference between Multiple Originals, Original Prints and Reproductive Prints and become an informed art buyer.

Most collectors understand and feel knowledgeable when speaking of singular original works of art like paintings, pencil drawings, pen and inks, acrylics, watercolors, etc. hTe artist has created one work of art with his own hand. The surface might be paper or canvas or even masonite.

colour black white print of face

A bit more complicated are Multiple Originals…commonly called Original Prints.

Traditionally, the artist creates a master image for the purpose of making a small number of prints that he will sign and number. The master image might be created upon a block, stone, plate or screen  any of which assists in conveying the image to the print surface.

The blocks, plates, stones and screens cannot be considered originals. They are just vehicles to produce Original Prints.

Next there are Reproductive Prints.

The artist has produced an original work…and photograph technology and automated printing equipment create reproductions. Fine art print reproductions are usually signed and numbered in limited editions and care must be exercised so they remain in mint condition in order to preserve their value.

A similar, but much advanced process, creates giclees which is the state of the art prints now taking the art collecting world to a whole new level.

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Creating textures in visual art

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blue texture painting

Creating textures in any visual art gives the art excitement, movement, and variety. Somehow an otherwise drab looking artwork comes alive when textures and texture contrasts are incorporated into the painting. Aside from that, depths and shades are better executed, monotony is removed, and interests are sparked.

There are combinations and variants in creating texture some of the most often practiced are:

Splattering textures involves loading a brush with color and tapping the brush at a height to towards the paper. Care is observed when splattering a texture since too much water in the brush might lead to big blots and blobs that will not be as easy to control. Another technique at splattering a texture is to use a pencil or the handle of another brush when tapping the brush that is loaded with color unto the paper.

Spraying textures is very much like splattering although in this technique the artist use toothbrush instead. Since toothbrushes are made of nylon and could therefore not hold much paint and water, charging the toothbrush with paint from a paint brush is preferred rather than dipping the toothbrush in a puddle of water diluted color. Again care is observed that the toothbrush is not loaded with too much water as dripping will ruin the work. To spray the texture, rake the bristles of the toothbrush along the points where sprayed textures are desired.

Sgrafitto Textures. Sgrafitto is scratching a layer of paint to reveal the paint underneath. To do this, use thin plastic materials that you could hold firmly or the angled scrapers built into (some) brushes to scrape the underlying colors. This technique is used for detailing flora, branches, and trees.

Stamped Textures. Stamping is applying color using just about anything except the brush. Organic materials are the favorites like leather, sponges, laces, leaves, cross section of tubers; possibilities are endless as textures are. The most commonly used though are sponges and tissue papers. Sponges for example are dipped into the color and applied into the paper to form shapes that are intended.

Back Wash Textures remains the widest used texture in watercolor painting. Backwashing involves the laying of a predetermined area with color and while still wet lays another color that creates and interesting mix as the color merges. The texture is influenced by the natural conduction of water to leave different marks on paper depending on its degree of dryness, wetness, and texture. After that, the brush is dipped in water and flicked over the painting further creating textures and shapes of interesting value as the colors merge.

Alcohol Textures creating this texture is very similar to the backwash and the splatter except that instead of water, alcohol is flicked over the artwork. The chemical composition of the alcohol creates interesting patterns on the paper very different compared to pure water flicking.

Salt Textures. The natural action of salt when it is sprayed in small amounts of water is that it tends to absorb it. This absorption creates patterns different from that of flickering alcohol of pure water. Salt however will accelerate the rotting of the paper over time. In creating textures with similar effect, some artists use saw dust instead that will be brushed off when the painting dries.

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A Look At The Crystal Bridges Museum of Art

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Some critics might say Jasper Cropseys The Backwoods of America, part of the Crystal Bridges growing American Art Collection, is a symbolic icon for billionaire Alice Waltons passion for the arts.

Designed by world renowned architect Moshe Safdie, and funded by billionaire Alice Walton, the 50 million dollars that is just the cost of the facility and does not include the artworks Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is in Bentonville, Arkansas.

The museum will house a permanent collection of signature works from American artists along with galleries dedicated to regional art and artists including Native American art, but oddly enough, this monumental task is not making everyone happy.

The depth of the museum is indicated in a purchase from Christies Americas auction house in New York City in 2004 of Charles Wilson Peales portrait of George Washington for $6.1 million. This is causing some critics to puff up, believing that the art works are being snatched from their own backyard. No need to worry, collaborating with other institutions will be an important focus of Crystal Bridges, even before the museum opens, and they can also rest easy to know Bentonville does have an airport.

A number of the works from the Crystal Bridges permanent collection are already on loan at various museums throughout the United States including: The Hudson River School masterwork Kindred Spirits which was loaned to The National Gallery in Washington, D.C. for public viewing from 2005 – 2007. It is currently on loan to the Brooklyn Museums exhibition by the same name featuring the works of Asher B. Durand. The same exhibition will also travel to Washington D.C. and San Diego.

Thomas Eakins Portrait of Professor Benjamin H. Rand is currently on loan to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Jasper Cropseys majestic depiction of early American frontier life, The Backwoods of America, is now featured in the American galleries of The Nelson-Atkins in Kansas City, and the most extensive surviving group of Colonial American portraiture, the Levy-Franks family paintings, is currently on loan at The Jewish Museum in New York City. Also, the distinctive painting George Washington (The Constable-Hamilton Portrait) by the American painter Gilbert Stuart is currently on view at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.

While the puffers puff, others admire Waltons passion and dedication to the arts, and recognize the fact Crystal Bridges will be the premier American Art Collection, once it is in place. The collection is headed up by Bob Workman, formerly associated with the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.

The museum complex will encompass approximately 100,000 square feet of gallery, library, meeting, and office space, a 250-seat indoor auditorium, areas for outdoor concerts and public events, gallery rooms suitable for large receptions, as well as sculpture gardens and walking trails. Walton is building this American Dream on 100 pristine, wooded acres her family owns in Bentonville.

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7 Ways To Ensure Your Artwork Is Print Ready

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A quick guide on what to think about when preparing your artwork for printing.

It is important you follow these guidelines as any errors made are likely to cause a delay or cause unnecessary stress should the final print quality be sub-standard.

1. Check your files
Check your artwork for spelling mistakes, grammar and ensure all images used are high resolution.

Double check to make sure as any errors found will delay the turnaround of your product.

2. Bleed
Bleed is the extra bit of the design page which you design on, as normal, with the knowledge that it will be trimmed off the finished flyer.

Any images on your artwork should bleed off the page, and essential text should be away from the trim edge by a good few mm’s.

We use a 2mm bleed area on each edge.

3. Text
Keep essential text away from the edge of the flyer, by about 8-10mm for best results.

4. Print Resolution
Ensure your artworks resolution is at least 300dpi. The higher the resolution the better.

5. File Formats
If you are using un-common fonts, ensure you supply your artwork as a flattened jpeg or tiff. This will ensure there will be no font problems when your artwork is checked.

The most commonly accepted program formats are Quark, Illustrator, Photoshop, Corel Draw, Corel Paint, Freehand, InDesign and Paint Shop Pro. Vector files such as .eps and pdf’s are becoming more common and ensure a better end product.

6. Colours
Unless you have a calibrated monitor your artwork is likely to have slightly different colours when printed. Ensure your colour choices are correct before sending to print.

7. A Final Check
Before sending to your printer, have one more final check that everything is as expected.

WARNING
There are two things you should consider when designing your prints:

Due to the quick turn around of our flyers, they are trimmed down not long after they are printed, in most circumstances we try to give a printed sheet 8 hours to dry completely, this isn’t always the case. This is noticeable when one side of the print is left white, and the other side bleeds rich colour to the trim edge. This will cause slight powdering of the rich ink over, on to the white side. In this circumstance we recommend the use of borders.

Borders on the edge of a flyer, can sometimes give the flyer a classic look. But make sure the borders are a good few mm in from the trim edge, because of the way we print flyers (up to 32 at a time) and the speed at which we turn them round (from payment, to your door) these borders may not be an accurate trim to the exact 10th of a mm. This is why we ask for a 2mm bleed. The cutting blade could go either way. We cannot be held responsible for imperfect results if these borders are slightly uneven.

These are some of the things you have to check before you send your artwork to the printer for high-quality prints.

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Almost all artists learned first and then studied later

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drawing of an eye

Almost all artists learned first and then studied later. From the greatest to the least, every one of them practiced and learned with very little guidance if any. Along the way though, without exception, mistakes are made and as realization ultimately comes, are corrected.

The following is a compilation of the most common mistakes in drawing that you would want to avoid.

  • Do not start drawing with a hard pencil. Hard pencils are good for light shading but if you must start sketching use instead pencils with darker values like a 2B or a 4B.
  • When you are a beginner, do not use flash photography as reference. Flash photography because of the nature of its lighting gives you no depth to work on. Aside from that, perspective points are located behind the head that tends to flatten the features and expressions more. Even professional artists find it very hard to duplicate the expressions on a face when using flash photography. Making it harder is the fact that there is often a smile in the snapshot. The sketches from snapshots are more likely to produce faces that grin without a lively mirth to it.
  • If you must sketch a face, the model should face slightly to one side. This way you could have a good evaluation of skin tones, lights, and shadows that are natural and the natural expressions of the personality behind the sketch that you are working on.
  • Sketch for balance. Focusing much on a person’s feature especially those that stands out will tend to overemphasize a particular feature drawing them too big making the rest of the head out of proportion.
  • When starting to sketch, start with light stokes and ensure that the features of the model are in the correct angle with the rest of the head. This mistake is one of the most common as we are used to looking at a face straight on that when an angle is done, twitching and distortion of features occur.
  • Most sketches are not shaded past grey, when you shade, do not hesitate to go darker. It will add more strength and expression, give your drawing more depth and drama. Limiting your shades to dark grey decreases your tone range. So experiment with darker values. To get a better idea, have a dark colored (even black) paper at the edge of the drawing and use it for tone reference.
  • Choose the paper well. Papers that are manufactured with sheen on the surface will result to pale drawings, as the paper is too smooth to hold pencil particles. On the other hand too coarse a paper will hold too much of pencil particles that your application of shades will be off. Select a paper which is neither too coarse not too smooth.
  • When sketching foliage, do not use circular hand motion and strokes. Use instead crescent shaped marks. That way your foliage and trees will appear more natural and realistic.
  • Among the common mistakes in drawing grass or hair is to draw every blade and every hair leaving a mangled wiry effect. Use contrast instead. To avoid this, apply also feathery light pencil strokes.

But of course, you need to make mistakes to progress so don’t worry if you do a terrible drawing. To get better, you need to make mistakes.

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