Drawing: Pets

GETTING STARTED

Before you begin sketching, you’ll want to get accustomed to using your whole arm—not just your wrist and hand—to draw. (If you use only your wrist and hand, your sketches may appear stiff or forced.) Practice drawing freely by moving your shoulder and arm to make loose, random strokes on a piece of scrap paper. Try to relax and hold your pencil lightly. You don’t need to focus on a particular subject as you warm up—just get used to the feel of a pencil in your hand and the kinds of strokes you can achieve.

LEARNING CONTROL

Once your arm is warmed up, try the strokes and techniques shown here. Although making circles, dots, scribbles, and lines may seem like senseless doodling, creating these marks is actually a great way to learn ...