Mosquito Graphite Drawing & Tips - Ran Art Blog

My latest graphite drawing, a mosquito.
And, some drawing tips.

Try to avoid side views; they are not interesting.

If you do not want to smudge your drawing, draw from left to right (if you are left-handed, from right to left).

If needed, you can use a blank paper under your hand.

An angular view is more interesting.

Start by drawing (gently) the outlines (anatomy) of your subject.
You do not want to have lines in your final drawing, if you are aiming for realism.

Sometimes I like to start with the background.

Front and top views are boring too (usually).

Pay attention to edges.
Most insects have hard edges, but their cast shadow has soft edges.

If you do not like aphids in your garden, get some ladybugs (they prey on aphids).

To draw hair, do not use lines. Use areas with different brightness values.

And for a single hair, use tapering (meaning, gradually removing your pencil from the drawing paper, so the line gets thinner, and lighter).

Remember, hair is usually soft, so you can use soft edges.

When drawing under a transparent area, pay attention to edges.
In some cases, they will be less defined and soft.

The rest of the insect has hard edges (usually).

For a shiny surface, use strong contrast.

Meaning, strong highlights and strong shadows.

Like in metal.

If you want more tips, you can visit my insect drawing guide.

Ran

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