Love it!!! My favorite medium to work with is graphite; however, I have not worked with graphite powder. This has given me a whole new approach for future projects! I absolutely love the softness and subtlety of graphite. I don’t, so much “draw” with graphite but rather lay it down on the paper and manipulate it around using blending sticks and brushes to achieve desired effects. Kneaded and stick erasers are used as assistive tools to lift graphite from areas or create highlights that help give the image depth and dimension. Thanks…I’m always excited to learn new techniques and creative ways to improve my expression of art!
Thank you so much for this video! I have wanted to know how to draw these spooky misty landscapes for decades. I feel like I’ve been given priceless knowledge. Please keep doing what you do!
Oh, way too many of MY prev post. Your landscapes are exquisite and the details subtle that evoke the atmosphere (lovely). I do like your voice as it is. Really enjoy others' comments, too. Adds to the learning experience, I have a long ways to go. Very appreciative.
These techniques are amazing. If they'd shown us stuff like this in school I might have ended up as an illustrator, or at least a contented amateur , without these vids I would have never known how art like this was created , thanks a lot Smoothie ! Need to sought out your camera focus though, how about a manual focus lens? thanks again.
There’s a technique I’ve seen in pastels where you scrape some of the stick into the page, like you do here, then place a sheet of glassine / wax paper / parchment on top of the powder and rub that in order to press the powder down, leaving the texture pattern. Have you ever tried this with graphite?
Excellent lesson, Smoothie! I learned quite a lot from your videos. Succinct and to the point. Amazing how the graphite directed your scene! Wonderful as always.
+Angelica G Thank you Angelica, your comments means a lot to me, its great to get positive feedback, and to know that you and other viewers are benefiting from these demos, it makes my day :)
working on a graphite portrait was thinking of using graphite powder for the background. so in addition to a really good lesson i now have my next landscape project. i have a 6 piece stick set HB,2B,4B,6B,8B & EE which is 50% Graphite and 50% charcoal. They are marked with the value. Never used powder so ill try it on a scrap page first. Thanks for the lesson tom
Mr.Smoothie , As a fellow graphite lover, I really like your explanations and techniques. I am really sensitive to sounds and voices and guess what? Mr. Smoothie, your voice is soft, calming and an easy listen. Looking forward to tuning into more of you tutorials. Thank you
Thank you for the tutorial, height and grade, I bought a small pot of graphite powder just to experiment, but will in future use the full graphite pencil.
Excellent and very helpful video! I tried to draw along with you (I just started drawing about two months ago, so i'm very green.) But i'm very pleased with the result. Thank you for sharing. I learned a lot.
+Louise Knudsen Thank you Louise, that's great to hear that you are drawing along with these videos and you you're learning a lot, I'm pleased you're getting results, it makes my day to receive comments like yours, I wish you all the best with your drawings!
Thank you so much. This is such a helpful demo. I enjoy drawing and this is such an exciting techniques to learn. As soon as I saw your first landscape, I subscribed and I'm telling friends about this. Your work is beautiful.
+Judith A Rowland Hi Judith, thank you for your kind words and subscribing, Using graphite powder is a wonderful technique, I hope you enjoy using it in your artwork, it can create some lovely effects, Happy drawing!
+Holly Briggs Thanks Holly, you're welcome, glad you found it helpful, it makes my day to hear you have created some nice drawings from watching these videos, thanks for taking the time to view and comment.
I have been struggling very hard with trying to draw storm clods with graphite pencil and I can't seem to get it. I have watched a lot of videos and no matter how hard I try it doesn't work. The one thing I just realized watching this video is that they do not show you how high to hold the pencil to get different effects. I was holding my graphite pencil really close to the paper while i was scraping it. The other thing they don't show you is to use the flat side of a paper towel to blend now I know why mine are coming out with scratchy lines. Thank you I'm going to watch and follow this video again I have subscribed I'm going to give it another shot I was going to give up
Hi Andy, and welcome, graphite is a wonderful medium to work in, as is watercolour, I like to work with both and combined them both too, hope you enjoy the channel, Thanks for commenting.
Absolutely marvellous again! I also love working with powder and you do it in a different way witch was very helpful and enriched my technique!! Love from Holland ;)
Thanks again Lineke, you have also helped and inspired me, I have learnt a lot from watching your videos, its great to see how other artists use graphite, I think its wonderful how we all unselfishly share our techniques with each other, peace and love from England :)
Thank you so much my dear Smoothie. I will always check out your video's and follow you around. The way you draw and explain is absolutely smooth, like your name... ;)
Thank you my friend, I have been subscribed to your channel from the start and always watch and thumbs up your videos, would be great to do a youtube collaboration with you sometime :)
you sir, are quite magnificent. Thank you so much for your efforts in teaching us this wonderful technique. I have learned much from your videos, recently discovered...I'm very much a fan...cheers from Australia.
I find that a graphite powder that I like is some I got at a hardware store in a small town that had no art supply stores it’s for lock smiths and you can achieve very dark to very light shades all in the way you apply it I have also got one brand that really only does light shades but however it’s makes a very nice shade it’s somehow different
Listen I just wanted to learn how to draw a mountain. Watched one of your videos and went out and bought all these different pencils and graphite sticks. I see what you do and thought I can do that. It’s not that easy. Mine looks bad in comparison. Using the graphite powder dose make a drawing look good. I bought one of those erasers too. You are a great teacher. I’m blown away by your drawings. Hope to get some of this down. Really great for stress.
Hello smoothie77 As always, a good video with great explanation :) Thanks again for taking your time to share these videos. I wish to sit next to you one day and draw/watercolor with you over a cupper. Best wishes, Thomas from Denmark
another awesome helpful vid..... thanks mate :) Is there any chance you could do a video, showing how you would draw or suggest a cabin nestled amongst the trees etc, in a drawing just like the one in this vid? I have this problem of trying to do too much detail when it comes to cabins lol, I think the suggestion of a cabin, amongst the misty bush would look amazing as well. It would be great if you could show how you would go about this, in a vid :) Thank you again smoothie for your vids. You've definitely inspired me to try different techniques.
+Rich W Thanks Rich, glad you're getting inspired, I will have to see what I can do about a cabin drawing, a future video maybe, I know what you mean a cabin would look good nestled in the trees.
that was a nice and interesting tutorial you have shared here. indeed you are an artist with a picturesque imagination, how i wish i could have that talent :) needless to say, i can't wait for my drawing set to arrive then start/try what i've learned from you,,, our teacher smoothie.
and that's another thing what i liked most with you. replying with our comments, so fast! no matter what. oh,,, don't you know it's 11:36 PM here at the other side of the planet? and here i am watching your videos! and that somewhat keeps me up all night for these past few days. :) cheers!
Most excellent demo. Thanks! The volume seems to have been increased by half. I'm happy with the volume if everyone else is but normally my TV volume is set to the number 15 and to hear your video I needed to set it at 25. Last video I needed to set it at 35 so I can tell you have made and adjustment and I'm fine with it but it does require 2 times as much volume as all other videos I watch. Happy New Year!
+TheWindGinProject Thanks, I'm pleased to here the volume level is better, I had everything on full with my mouth just inches away from the camera, I must admit I tend to whisper and mumble as I'm drawing and talking at the same time, Happy new year to you too!
+smoothie77 I sincerely like your narration and I would rather you not adjust you setup for me. I will just turn up my volume from now on and I happy to do it. You are an excellent artist and I really appreciate your efforts. Thank You
+TheWindGinProject Really its no problem, other views have mentioned the low volume too, I'm just pleased you can hear me better now, thanks for taking the time to comment and make me aware of it.
Thank you so much for your time and hard work to teach us drawing. I realy learnt a lot from your tutorials. I'm looking forward to your lesson on how to draw foliage. Thank you again :)
great videos, thank you for sharing your knowledge, especially when you do real time tutorials, as a beginner I feel I am going along, taking my time and learning a lot :)
Your approach is very tempting to try - definitely __way__ easier on the fingers than when I've tried grinding graphite sticks to make my own powder. I've noticed the same thing you mentioned where the graphite powder you buy doesn't tend to tell you what grade you're dealing with - not an encouraging feeling for using it. Very good video, really enjoyed it, and the picture you demo'd this with! - going to try your technique in the near future.
+Jak Xian Thanks Jak, glad you liked the video, give this technique a try you may find it works well for you, I guess it would be a good idea to grind your own graphite powder in various grades, it would certainly solve the problem of buying ungraded shop bought graphite.
Wow so helpful thank you. Do these come in sepia colours? Also can you add water to the powder please? I'm working on mindful tree and mushroom drawings. 👏👏
First I would like to thank you for all that you do. I am new to drawing and I have learned a lot by your videos. I do have a question. I tried this drawing using Strathmore medium surface drawing paper, 80 lbs (130 g/m). It is like a light cream color. It seemed to absorb the graphite. It came out great considering I just picked up a pencil two weeks ago. But the graphite did not spread like yours did and the waterfall didn't stand out like yours. What texture and what color paper is best for graphite work? Thanks again for your great work.
White paper is my preferred choice, I generally use Daler rowney or Derwent, paper, either slightly textured or smooth, Strathmore is excellent paper, but if you want things like waterfalls to stand out its best to use white paper, thanks for the kind words I wish you well with your drawing.
First, before it flies out of brain .. I usually like the forest to be the main character (sun or moon, midtones, & esp shadows), but boat is good here because, to me, it's framed by the two 'bowing' trees and the lighted path bending toward water. Second, thank you for underscoring your 3-step process and explaining which tools you are using .. no matter if I've previously heard, it re-enforces your lessons. Question: how do you determine the location of your highlights and shadows? Is this facing north with eastern light? Or later day with afternoon light? Also shadows on the water from the boat .. is the sun behind him? For me, I would leave the boat empty, with maybe a satchel or box inside. People distract me, but just my opinion. It's a really well-done person/boat. Thank you again, I have learned so very much and appreciate all your work (even tho' you're having a really good time, I think).
Thanks again for your kind words, I usually have the light coming in from a certain direction and let that guide me as to where I place the shadows and highlights etc, in the case of the boat/hikers the light is more of a backlight coming through the forest and a reflected light from the water so it can look a little confusing, I usually prefer the look of just a forest, shadows atmosphere, etc, but occasionally like to put in a strong focal point like a boat or people, ps, yes i'm have a really good time, its great to interact with all these wonderful people on youtube .
I use a cheek make up brush to spread graphite powder. It's great. I also do not spend money on the powder I use a few cheaper pencils n sandpaper as needed. This is great drawing as always perfection. Btw don't speak louder ur soft voice is part of the enjoyment n relaxation of the exspirence of the tutorial
+Mary Nestoros Hi Mary, a make up brush is a great idea! I sometimes use an old watercolour brush, another method I occasionally use is draw a patch of graphite on a piece of scrap paper, then rub the kitchen roll over it, trying to pick up as much graphite as possible, then use the graphite coated kitchen roll to draw with, it good for lighter effects, . You will be pleased to know I cant speak louder when i'm drawing lol I naturally talk quietly when I'm concentrating :) thanks again for the kind words, much appreciated.
I mentioned your volume because some had asked u to speak louder in a previous comment. Wow ok kitchen roll is a great idea I'll try it. In the states we call it paper towel so it took me a mint to realize what you meant. Lol
+Mary Nestoros Lol we also call it paper towel as well as kitchen paper, sorry, I should have said paper towel in my previous comment instead. Yeah a few people have had difficulty hearing my voice on the video, I had several comments about it, so I moved the mic closer to me, hopefully that's solved the problem :)
I really enjoy your tutorials, but I think you are wrong about graphite powder. It is actually much used in engineering as a dry lubricant and is pure graphite. The grading of pencils is decided by the amount of binder in the lead, which is usually clay. The more clay the harder the pencil and the less graphite, therefore a lighter colour. For quality drawings always use graphite powder.
Gosh, what planet have I been on the last few months, another video I've missed. I so want to give this a go now. Now that I've got over my fear of using graphite powder because I didn't think I could do it there are so many more pictures I can do. Also why did I think I had a set of wordless graphite pencils and not use them
Its very easy method Margaret, I recommend this for beginners because its easy to do and encourages imagination, and yes you can use woodless pencils for regular drawing too, try to avoid the water-soluble woodless pencils, they don't work well for graphite powder.
smoothie77 yes I did know that about the water soluble ones, I think I just didn't have the confidence before to do anything freehand whether with an eraser or a pencil. If you had seen me with the castle complete with set square and ruler and counting mm I don't know how many times to try and get it right you would have laughed lol but something has changed in me as I've progressed through the drawing largely thank to you
Hello, I actually came across your video a couple months ago when I was researching graphite powder techniques and since then I learned a few more things. You are actually wrong about the origin of graphite powder that comes in jars, it's not actually leftover graphite from pencil production. It actually makes no sense why they would do that since graphite is a powder in the first place which they mix along with the binder, clay in this case, to make the pencil leads. The pencil grade refers to the proportion of graphite powder and clay within the lead, H grade pencils contain more clay and less graphite which makes them harder and lighter whereas B pencils have more graphite and less clay which makes them softer and darker. This also applies to graphite sticks. The graphite powder that comes in jars is just that, pure graphite with no binder and therefore no grade. You can actually get darker shades with pure graphite powder than even by using 9B pencil shavings. It's also finer so you could easily apply some on a mop brush and cover large areas with a light value. I recommend that you try it out, though the end result isn't likely to be much different than what you're doing right now, I personally find it more convenient. Also if you use it often it's cheaper, a 250g jar of Roberson graphite powder from Jackson's is only £4.60 and should last for a long time.
Thanks for the info, please don't think I was stating facts I was only guessing and not stating facts about graphite powder, and I did ask if anyone knew about this subject, so thank you for kindly replying, I have been wondering about this subject for some time, you have told me the answer I was looking for, I have seen artists using graphite powder with mop brushes to achieve nice results but always thought they had little control over the tonal values, whereas using graded graphite sticks/woodless pencils would be a better way of controlling the lights and darks, I would imagine trying to achieve a light sky area in a drawing would be difficult with natural graphite powder that is darker than 9B, not so with an HB woodless pencil, I will buy a jar of graphite powder to see the difference, i'm very curious to now I have read your message, Thank you so much for putting me right about this.
You're right, it is harder to control the values with pure graphite powder but it shouldn't take that long for an experienced artist to get the hang of it and it's not like you have to use that exclusively anyway. One possible method to get the lighter values over a larger area is to apply some graphite powder on a chamois and then rub it first on a scratch piece of paper to rub off some of the excess graphite and then use it on your drawing surface.
Chrysostomos Chrysostomides Funny you should mention chamois, I recently bought one and I'm experimenting with it, getting some good results too, i will try it with natural graphite...ordering a jar tomorrow :)
I hope you'll like it. Another technique I recently heard about but haven't tried myself yet is to mix the graphite with denatured alcohol or paint thinner to make an ink like substance that you can apply with a paintbrush. It's suppossed to give much darker values this way, but I don't know how well it would blend with dry graphite or if it's possible to create smooth transitions in value this way. Maybe it would be good for the darkest details like the pupils in a portrait.
Interesting! I heard about using solvent to blend dry graphite in much the same way as coloured pencil, never saw the point as graphite blends beautifully anyway, but using solvent and graphite like a paint does sound interesting, I know the Artgraph company make a water soluble graphite that is used like paint, and obviously there are water soluble graphite pencils, I'm certainly open minded to try any graphite products and techniques, and will try the graphite powder with solvent when i get it, thanks very much for sharing this info with me, much appreciated.
Before you mess with graphite powder you should read this from the CDC: www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0306.pdf I am concerned about particulate matter in the lungs because my entire family was involved with asbestos insulation. A lot of those men are already dead from asbestos exposure and my father is now dying of mesothelioma and has less than two months to live. Particulate matter kills. Another art item that can cause potential health problems if accidentally inhaled is powdered Mica. Please be careful and wear a mask for particulates while using these items. Please don't die for your art.
Thanks very much for your concern, I read the info on the link you sent, the exposure limit stated their was quite high, I don't think I come anywhere near close to those limits, the very small amount of graphite I scrape off only takes a few seconds and the graphite particles are quite big and don't waft about, also they are rubbed in to the paper in a matter of seconds, I'm not expose to graphite in the same way as someone who works 8 hours a day in a graphite factory.I'm very sorry to hear about your father, i really am and i wish you both peace. Thank you for you thoughtful comment.
I must say that I am not a scientist and I don't understand what the amounts are. I just worry for folks because I've seen some pretty terrible things related to particulate inhalation and I'm still witness to it. Thank you for listening to this worry-wart Grandma. Stay safe and happy sketching!
