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Analytical drawing - OCRMaterials and media for analytical drawings

Artists use analytical drawing techniques to explore and record their subject matter. Designers also often use analytical drawing to investigate the visual qualities of their sources of inspiration.

Part of Art and DesignPortfolio and External Assessment

Materials and media for analytical drawings

The materials and media you use will play a big part in how successful your analytical drawing is. Your choices should depend on your purpose, techniques you would like to try and the situation you are working in.

Purpose

Student tonal study of a hand.
Figure caption,
Tonal drawings need dark media to show shade and shadow effectively, like in this student's example

Ask yourself why you are creating an analytical drawing. Will you concentrate on overall shapes, particular details, tones or colours?

If you want to create long continuous lines for a contour drawing, it will be better to use a pen or pencil, rather than a brush and paint which might run out.

If you want to change the width of a line to suggest depth, you might be better using charcoal or ink applied with a brush or other tool.

For cross contour drawing, pencil or pen might be best so that you can produce precise lines of varying weight.

Tonal drawings will need media that is dark enough to show the areas of most shade or shadow, such as a 4B pencil or charcoal.

Detail studies will need precise lines, such as from a hard pencil or a fine pen.

Technique

Ask yourself what technique you are interested in using.

If you are interested in blending tones or colours then soft pencil, pastels, ink washes or watercolour could be effective choices.

For hatching or cross-hatching techniques, pen or a fine pencil will allow you to build up fine lines.

Oil pastel drawing of a woodland scene using bright oranges and greens
Image caption,
Different techniques were used by this student to blend oil pastels together and build up contrasting colours

Situation

Pen and ink study of a church
Figure caption,
Pen and ink are good materials to make quick studies on location, as used by this student

The time you have and the location you are working in will affect what media you can use.

If you are drawing a landscape or built environment study on location you will need materials that are quick and easy to use.

Pencils, pens, oil pastels or a small watercolour set would be more appropriate than taking tubes of paint, different bottles of ink and brushes. These would need more set up and washing facilities than might be available.

If you are trying to capture changing conditions or studying animals or people who are likely to keep moving you will need to work fast. Again pencils, pens, charcoal or pastels can all be used quickly.