The Atelier Tier: The Sphere Project
🕑 Added 2023-07-01 08:12:48 +0000 UTCIf you're looking to enhance your technical drawing skills, expand your repertoire of techniques, refine your attention to detail, and unlock the full potential of your drawing abilities... Then this is the project for you.
Through this comprehensive lesson, you will develop a strong command over the following techniques:
- Understanding Form: Master the art of capturing three-dimensional forms on a two-dimensional surface.
- Graphite Manipulation: Explore the nuanced techniques of manipulating graphite, including controlled pressure, varied line/edge quality, and deliberate shading methods. Learn to wield your pencil with precision, creating seamless gradations.
- Rendering A Visual Impression: Unlock the secrets of effectively portraying light and shadow on a spherical surface. Acquire skills to accurately depict highlights, shadows, and subtle variations in tone.
- Refined Observation and Replication: Sharpen your observational skills, allowing you to keenly study references and replicate intricate details with precision. Train your hand-eye coordination to accurately capture the essence of the subject.
Here are all of the materials you will need:
- Graphite pencils- from 2H-2B
- Paper- white/off-white/pearl grey, Stonehenge or Canson mi-teintes
- Kneaded erasers
- Paper stumps- a variety of sizes
Source image is attached at the bottom of the post.
Link to the silent draw-along video: https://youtu.be/IHHrRa_h9R8
Comments
Stephen Bauman Artwork
Smooth side! 👌
David Almeida
Hi stephen! With canson, should I use the more or less textured side?
Stephen Bauman Artwork
While we're here, white Bristol is a pretty tough paper to work on in my opinion. In general, I wouldn't use anything harder than an HB to block in. There are arguments to be made for using harder pencils than that but on average and HB will do just fine. After that getting into values why don't use something softer? Get into your 2B-4B range.
Ryden Williams
what pencil are you using. what is a good all around one becuase all the ones I have are all super hard and dont show up well on my white bristol paper
James Treweek
I've been attempting more serious drawing over the past 4 years but I've come back to this lesson, which is so well explained here. It's such an important lesson but also, I've never seen it demonstrated and explained in such a clear, intelligent way. "Back to the drawing board" for me, in many ways.
Stephen Bauman Artwork
Technique = mileage. More drawing, better technique.
Ivonne Ramírez
Hi. Happy New Year 2025! I just finish the sphere. It was very tough, specially working on the lighted surface. To be sincere I had to “imagine” some of the gradations in the light areas because I didn’t “see” them. The Lambert’s scale is confusing for me, I understand the concept, but the execution IS the problem. Beside keep practicing on the sphere, do you have others suggestions to help me grab the technique? I did a smaller sphere in ink using the same principles, I think it helped me... some in learning to “seeing”.
Ivonne Ramírez
Do you rotate your pencil as you shade these big areas of the drawing? I feel the difference in shading if I keep the pencil in the same position for a while and then turn it.
Ivonne Ramírez
Hi! In the initial shading. Do I have to make it with H2 pencil? I began to use HB and H in the first background shading because I want it little more darker. I will like to know if this is ok. Thank you so much, you are a brilliant teacher, learning so much already.
Stephen Bauman Artwork
First step...
João Vitor Ávila
Goddammit! I'm having a hard time trying to draw a decent sphere. This lesson showed me that I know nothing about drawing.
Patricia Tamayo
Your lessons are amazing! I can’t wait to learn more
Parmiss Ghooparanloo
Wow this is great lesson of taking a simple sphere to the next level, let’s see how far I can go… game on! Thank you Stephen!
Stephen Bauman Artwork
Graphite shine can affect the appearance of the values in the drawing when viewed from different angles. Personally, I am not too bothered by it, but I know that in the community of graphite artists it is a concern.
Antonino
Hello Stephen! You have insisted in the technical aspect that pressing too much the graphite make the drawing shiny. Why is the shinny shadows bad in a drawing?
Erick Camarillo
This has to be one of the most important lessons an artist can be taught, the concepts and the deepening of the development of the concepts is incredible. Thank you for sharing your knowledge at this level.
Stephen Bauman Artwork
Only streaming for now, sorry.
A
Hi Stephen - how do I download this? I'd like to work on it on my plane ride tomorrow
Stephen Bauman Artwork
Thanks!
Stephen Bauman Artwork
That’s what I’m here for 👍
Stephen Bauman Artwork
Maybe in the Studio tour… August perhaps.
Stephen Bauman Artwork
The link to that is in the caption of the video post.
Stephen Bauman Artwork
Have you checked your messages? This is where I send the scheduling link. I have also emailed a welcome email with all of the info you will need to know to proceed. Please let em know if either of these messages haven’t arrived.
Moore
Stephen PayPal paid 75.00 to Patron on June 18th. I have no info on a conversation with you.
Laura Hausler
Hi Stephen ! Amazing timing , I truly need this lesson today. Feeling the defeat of the paper 😬. You mention at the end a 3 hours video that is silent . Has that landed ? Thanks again
Phyllis Riley
Beautiful but Stephen when are you going to show off and explain that beautiful portrait behind you?!!!!!! We’ve seen her face but for me at least this is first glance of full length. Just wow!!
Joshua
These basic tutorials offer so much great information...thank you
Lewosz Kamil Artwork
i like how do you represent graphite and paper texture idea