Shadows

[Mille]

Hello Zindy,

I am just wondering how you get the shadows so smooth. It looks so realistic, I hope you can give me some tips

/Mille

[Zindy]

Originally Posted by Mille

Hello Zindy,

I am just wondering how you get the shadows so smooth. It looks so realistic, I hope you can give me some tips

/Mille

Hi Mille!

Well, I will answer your question as good as I can. When I draw with coal I use my fingers a lot to fade out the coal. That way it gets the smooth and soft look. When I draw with a regular pencil I never use my fingers cause it ruins the drawing. I work a lot on the shadows.
If you need more advice you can step by my tutorial, maybe you'll find something helpful there
Otherwise just ask me again

Zindy

[Nina du Preez]

hey Mille...

You can also use an earbud for charcoal. I find that earbuds are good for detail work in charcoal, and likewise cotton wool or like Zindy said your fingers.

Pencil work comes out best when you build up the shadows...

[squeej]

Do any of you use tortillons or stints? They are practically solid pieces of paper sanded to a point on both ends like a pencil. Or do any of you make your own and use them for skin tones and shadows

[Nina du Preez]

have tried using stints...but find that they do not want to do what I would like them to most of the time, which is why I have gone back to using earbuds..

[Art15]

I agree with Nina, stints can be difficult to use but earbuds are much more 'user friendly'. Personally i prefer not to achieve a smooth finish and rather see the pencil work

[squeej]

Can you refer a website or post a pic of what an earbud looks like? Not quite sure what one is.

[Nina du Preez]

Originally Posted by squeej

Can you refer a website or post a pic of what an earbud looks like? Not quite sure what one is.

are you serious???

Its one of those small thingies with the cottonwool at both ends that you use to clean your ears with...

Arent they called earbuds in the US????

Originally Posted by Nina du Preez

are you serious???

Its one of those small thingies with the cottonwool at both ends that you use to clean your ears with...

Arent they called earbuds in the US????

I belive they might be called q-tips in the US.

ah yes - q-tips it is - see here for a page - both with pictures and a description of how they got their name - who would have guessed they where originally named baby gays?

http://home.nycap.rr.com/useless/q-tips/