The Must Have Skills for Every 5-Pencil Method Artist

8 lessons - You’ve probably experienced it. It’s the “normal” way that most of us learn to draw. Most of the time, it is also the way that we naturally teach ourselves how to draw when left on our own to just figure it out. You may have been drawing for years — or perhaps you’ve just bought your first “how-to” book from the local craft store. Either way, there’s a good chance that your drawings, as good as they are, wouldn’t argue with having a few new pencil tricks to use on them.

Do you ever feel “locked in”? There’s a good chance that you find that your current drawing approach leaves you “locked in” and prevents you from correcting the mistakes that you see only after it’s too late; and when you go to fix the issues, your heroic efforts leave you with high blood pressure and an “I quit!” mood hanging over you.

Many times, artists (aspiring or not) find that this “normal” approach leaves their drawings feeling flat, yawn-inducing, maybe even cartoonish, and certainly not the “get-up-and-walk-off-the-page”, “stop-you-in-your-tracks” masterpiece that they had set out to make.

Unlock your drawing skills…There’s a simple answer to this frustration. Darrel Tank’s Art Studio lessons 1-8 give you the power to take control of your drawings from the very start! No more staring at a blank sheet of paper and wondering how to turn your pencil strokes into the work of art you’re hoping to create. Gone are the days of reading a drawing book and then trying to figure out how in the world those words translate to the paper glaring up at you.
With Darrel’s unique virtual classroom you can watch, rewatch, and draw along as Darrel breaks down each step and applies his 50+ years of drawing wisdom.

BACK TO BASICS
Lessons 1-8 are the core, the nucleus, the nitty-gritty! Whatever you want to call them, this set is the perfect place to start your adventure as an artist. You’ll unveil the basic tools and techniques needed to get started, catch a whiff of Darrel’s recipes for success, and get a good look at what makes the 5-Pencil Method so special!

KNOW YOUR TOOLS
Do you have tools in your garage that you don’t even know how to use? A tool can’t be very useful if it’s not doing what it was born to do, wouldn’t you say? That’s why Darrel not only hooks you up with his time-tested tools of choice, but he assigns exercises specifically designed to teach you how to use them—all the while furthering your skill set!

THE LIGHT ADVANTAGE
Once you understand that light (or the lack thereof) affects every teensy-weensy inch of your drawing, you’ll be light years ahead of the rest! It’s a fundamental truth that so many artists ignore—but not Darrel! He’ll show you the ins and outs of light and how consistently representing it in your drawings will have your audience crying foul play—“That can’t be pencil!”

TIME TESTED
It all comes down to experience, and Darrel’s got it! With 40-plus years of trial and error under his belt, he’s both able and willing to help you avoid some of the pitfalls you’re bound to face on your own journey. The road to being an artist doesn’t have to be one teeming with frustrations! Why not let Darrel’s experience make it more enjoyable?

pencil layering cheat sheet

self critique checklist

Visualizing Light Exercise

Buffer zone exercise

sphere reference

The MUST HAVE PENCIL SKILLS for Every 5-PENCIL Method Artist

Must Have Skills - part 1: Preparing to Succeed.

Must Have Skills - part 2: Perfect your Stroke

Must Have Skills - part 3: The Eraser as a Tool

Must Have Skills - part 4: Bending the Rules of Light.

Must Have Skills - part 5: Putting It All Together

Must Have Skills - part 6: The Safety Buffer Zone.

Must Have Skills - part 7:  Visualizing Light Direction

Must Have Skills - part 8: Make It Your Own

8 Lessons - Don't let common drawing mistakes limit your potential!


What is ArtStudio? Watch the video below to learn more:

**Weekly Critique submissions:** To use one of the CRITIQUE tokens on your account (purchased or earned) **[CLICK THIS LINK TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK AND REFERENCE IMAGE](https://form.jotform.com/71506781794163)**. EACH WEEK... the deadline for Art Studio Classic submissions is Tuesday evening at 10 pm EST. For the Art Studio PhotoRealism Class deadline is Sunday night at 10 pm EST. You may submit up to 2 works. Darrel will pick 3 to 5 each week to include at the end of his Wednesday Live Class or to add onto the recorded PhotoRealism lesson on Monday . Your token count will be reduced only if your critique is selected for Darrel to use during class. Please be sure to use a scanner if possible. If you need to use a picture, please be sure to have good lighting with no shadows or borders on your photo. If you need any assistance, please email support@fivepencilmethod.com or call 833-5-PENCIL.

Critique Tokens

The Must Have Skills for Every 5-Pencil Method Artist IV

Layering Diagram Example Sphere Exercise When you put all of your pencils together, you can create what Darrel calls a full range of value; which creates the illusion of 3 dimensions. You'll learn skills like which pencil to use first, the order to layer your pencils, which direction you should be making your strokes, and how to "doodle in the gaps."  Create the outline of your sphere and select the direction and source of your light. Then, using your 4H pencil, begin laying down the darkest areas of your sphere;the parts furthest from your light source. Remember, you aren't using your 4H to just color in the circle you've created! You never want to allow your drawing to go flat at anytime in the process, by having everything the same color. Remember your patch exercise? Well, the inside of your sphere is essentially a series of overlapping patches. Create a patch: start in the darkest area, with the lightest values, adjusting pressure to smoothly transition to light. Be sure that your strokes feather off at the top and bottom. This will be essential when connecting and overlapping your patches. When one patch is complete, extend it using the same procedure that you have practiced, rotating your paper when necessary to keep your best stroke consistent. Once you've laid down your 4H, move to your 2H pencil and repeat the process on top of the 4H base. Keep in mind that you are moving from the darkest portion of your sphere to the apex;the place getting the most light. Next, break out your 4H pencil again. Its time to extend your coverage even closer as you reach further toward the apex of the spheres highlight. Continue connecting your patches, getting lighter and lighter as you approach the lightest part of your sphere. Now, go ahead and use your HB pencil to go back over the darkest places, keeping in mind that as you add value to one place you will need to increase the others values throughout. Use your 2H pencil to reinforce the 4H in the lighter areas. Then extend the 4H to lay down a new foundation, as you work toward the spheres highlight. Continue this process, taking advantage of the full range of value with each pencil before moving to reinforce the next darkest values. Finally, use your 4B pencil (if you need to) to add value to the darkest parts of your sphere. There's no need to press hard and try to get things completely black; still maintain a smooth contour all the way through the gradations or shadows. TIPS Remove imperfections with the tip of the eraser. Go back and fill in gaps with short, tapered strokes. Skip over dark lines so you dont continue to exaggerate them. Dont conform your stroke to the shape of the sphere. Rotate your paper to maintain your best stroke and position. Have fun drawing!



Must Have Skills sphere finished.jpg

Must Have Skills sphere layers.pdf

Discover the reasons that the 5-Pencil Method materials were selected and the special properties of each one that make them work together. Plus, learn the elements of the tapered stroke and how mastering this basic skill is the foundation to your drawing success. The tapered stroke is going to become a faithful companion throughout these lessons. In part one, we want you to familiarize yourself with the technique; the sooner the better! Follow Darrel's advice for holding your pencil and move your hand in fluid compass-like motion to create a stroke that goes on lightly, gains value in the center, and lifts off gradually at the end of your stroke.
Practice this motion over and over until your strokes are consistent and you feel comfortable with the movement. Later in the lessons you will be combining your tapered stroke to create seamless transitions between your lines and smooth overall texture - so you'll want to be sure you have a good handle on this core concept. 

Must Have Skills - part 1: Preparing to Succeed

Take a deeper look at the fundamental components of the 5-Pencil Method and how they all work together to put you in control of your drawings. You'll also learn how to use your tapered stroke to create consistent lines that you will use for almost everything you draw. In this lesson, you're going to practice using your tapered stroke to create a gradient with each of your five pencils. Starting with the 4H pencil, start laying down your tapered strokes side-by-side. As you put stroke on top of stroke you're going to build up value, so there's no need to press hard to make something darker. Now, if you're right-handed, you would move from the left and get lighter and lighter as your move to the right. In other words, the darkest portion of your gradient is on the left and it will get lighter as you move to the right. Remember, the pressure you apply to the pencil doesn't change. The change in value comes from spending less time lingering in an area and building up value. Be sure that your gradient doesn't just stop abruptly. You want it to transition smoothly throughout and gently fade out. Once you get further into your drawings, harsh lines like these can destroy the illusion of contour and dimension, so it's best not to start bad habits. Repeat this process for each pencil. You should have five gradients in total. Have fun!

The kneaded eraser is a tool for drawing - not just for fixing mistakes. In this lesson you will discover the 5-Pencil Method technique for using your eraser; how to use your pencils and eraser together to draw smooth, seamless contours; and how the shape of your eraser makes all the difference. 
Try extending your patches end-to-end using the tapered stroke and patch techniques you have been learning. Matching the value of your previous patch, use your tapered stroke to extend your line as far as you like. Track with your lines to create a full range of value and the illusion of a contour. Be sure that your two lightest ends are equal to your full value.

Find a pattern - or create your own - to show the same rules of light as the "Darrel Barrel". It could be stripes, polka dots, paisleys, checkers - any pattern that has dark parts and light parts within the pattern. Then draw the pattern you have selected around a contoured curve, showing a primary light source and a reflected light source. The curve could be around a cylinder, a shirt collar, a fold of cloth, or any other shape that is curved rather than flat. Remember - follow each rule of light as you're drawing your pattern: the dark parts get darker in the shadows just like the light parts, and the light parts of the pattern get lighter in the highlights just like the dark parts of the pattern. Also, for this exercise make sure there are no abrupt changes in value as it goes around the contour - continue to practice creating natural, flowing transitions that don't stand out.
Learn to spot the clues that will tell you which direction your light source is coming from - and whether there is more than one light source. Also, find out how light, with the help of shadow, creates the illusion of depth, making your drawings pop off the page. 

Buffer Zone Exercise Example - Sometimes a simple little technique makes all the difference. Here's a secret that will help you stay expressive with your stroke while staying in control of your drawing. Start with the outline of a sphere. Create a "buffer zone" by building up value with your 4H pencil at the edge of the sphere. Too often strokes will become lighter at the edges due to fear of crossing over lines. Creating a buffer zone enables you to safely pull away, out of the dark and into the light and still maintain a clean edge. Once you have created the buffer you can pull your texture away from the edge. Use the side of your pencil to create texture or create bands with your tapered stroke - it's your decision, be creative! The important thing to remember is to maintain the texture you want for each portion of your drawing. Pull your texture away from the edge, out from the shadows and into the light. Once the texture is on the paper, go over it in the opposite direction (at a 90 deg. angle) with your 4H pencil to maintain and create your range of value. As you lay down value over your texture, be sure you are following the rules of light. Areas furthest from your light source will be the darkest. Transition smoothly from dark to light using the 5-pencil layering techniques you have been learning. Don't feel like you have to do a complete sphere this way. You can choose an edge and show just a section of texture. The idea is to show texture and how things get darker as they move away from the light and maintain the specific texture. This is great preparation for the more advanced skills we will be learning in the future. If you want to go beyond this exercise, you can also continue refining your sphere from the last lesson. Go back over it and see if you can see areas that need improvement. Think about each point you've learned. Try to internalize the skills you have been learning. Be your own critic. Never stop improving!

Must Have Skills buffer zone.jpg

Visualizing Light Exercise In this lesson you'll learn a step-by-step process for actually visualizing light direction. You'll start with a simple, flat image defined only by outlines and follow a process that will unveil lights crucial role in making your images come off the page. Choose one of the two provided images. As you can see, these images are just flat, boring outlines, which is why we need you to bring them to life. The purpose of this exercise is to create as much dimension as possible using a combination of the skills you've been learning. With the image you've chosen, follow the grid procedure that Darrel presented in the video to transfer the provided image to your own paper. Once you've laid out your outline you will need to decide which direction you want the light source to come from in your drawing. Your light source can come from the left, the right, top or any other direction it's your decision. You may also decide to show a second, reflected light source as well. Go for it! Just remember that your light sources need to remain consistent. After choosing the direction of light and whether or not you want to show reflected light you will want to stop and think about what this means for your drawing. Look over your image, keeping in mind which direction the light is coming from and decide which places will be the darkest and which will be the lightest. Remember, in order to avoid a flat, lifeless drawing, value must always be changing. Start in the darkest portions and move to the lightest -- dont just color in the white spaces. Begin with your 4H pencil, laying in value in the shadows. Then, following the 5-Pencil Method layering technique, increase value one pencil at a time, utilizing the full range of value for each pencil. Lets recap... Layout your image. Choose the direction of light; Where is your primary light? Will you have reflected light. Analyze your image ; With your chosen light direction what portions will be dark, what will be light. Layer in your pencils ; Refer to layering chart from lesson five. This lesson should be a fun one! You now have the chance to use the skills you have been practicing all along. The tapered stroke, tracking, principles of light, layering, and creating a buffer zone, will all play a part in the execution of this exercise. Don't be surprised if you have several aha moments during the process. Enjoy yourself!



Must Have Skills visualizing light.pdf

Learn how to analyze your own artwork. Darrel will take you through a 29-step self-critique checklist that will help you avoid the common stumbling blocks that stand in the way of achieving your best results. Armed with knowledge, you can approach your drawings with newfound confidence. The goal of this lesson is to get you one step closer to having a full set of technical skills and understanding of visual concepts that you can use in “auto” mode — skills that become so natural that they will give you confidence and flow out onto the paper without “thinking” about them.

