Checklist for Hyper Realism Drawing

Many things play a part in creating hyper-realistic drawing- such as paying acute attention to detail and a lot of patience. Over time I have accumulated essential techniques and tools for helping to create the most true-to-life graphite drawings.

Here are my six essential tools for creating hyper-realistic graphite drawings:

1. Varied tones of graphite pencils
   

2. Blending brushes & paper stumps
   

3. Malleable/knead-able Eraser
   

4. Sandpaper board

5. Sharpener
   

6. Pencil-extender

7. High resolution reference photo

1. Varied tones of graphite pencils As explained by curtisward (http://curtisward.com )

"Sketching graphite pencils come in a range of grades, from 9B to 9H, that describe the tone of the line that each pencil will produce. The ‘H’ stands for ‘hard’ and the ‘B’ for black. The harder pencil leaves less graphite on the surface, resulting in lighter mark-making. The pencils classed as ‘B’, on the other hand are softer and leave much more graphite on the surface- hence, the marks are blacker. For both types, the higher the number, the harder or blacker they are. There are also HB pencils, which fall in the middle of the scale and are used as much for writing as drawing, and ‘F’ pencils which are firm.” I usually only use a specific few tones- my favourites being (from light to dark): 6H, HB, 2B, 4B and 6B. I believe these 5 tones generally cover the tones I want to create in most of my drawings, however sometimes I may use a 3B or 5B if the reference photo calls for it. It is also important to note that some paper surfaces have different textures to others, and may require softer or harder leads accordingly.

2. Blending brushes & paper stumps These two tools are my go-to for blending and shading. Depending on the coarseness of the tone I am trying to create determines whether I will use a brush or stump. Stump:

Paper stumps come in a variety of sizes and are great for covering large areas of coarse blending. I generally use the larger stumps for laying a block of base-tone of which I will later build layers upon later- such as covering the ear of a dark coloured dog, and later draw in the detail of the hair and add highlights. The smaller, thinner stumps are great for smoothing-out small areas such as hands and eyes, pressing in small lines and really polishing up a spot that still has the residue of the graphite- which, in hyper-realism- we don’t want.

Brush: For my blending brushes, I just use dry normal Acrylic paintbrushes in the size/shape that I like and keep them dedicated solely

to shading- never will they touch paint! These brushes are great for achieving a seamless tone, so are best used for areas such as skin and sky, where we want to give the impression of gradual tone-change. I use my blending brushes also to sometimes brush over a section of the drawing to “set-in” any residue of graphite laying around, or to gently and briefly “wash-over” the drawing at the end to really blend it in and make it come together. 

3. Malleable/knead-able Eraser This little gem is my one “can’t-do-without". I have not done

a hyper-realistic drawing without one since I first discovered it. It is basically an eraser with the consistency and appearance of Blu-Tack, and is super effective at lifting graphite from the paper. It is very malleable, which means you can mould it to whatever shape you need- whether that be a point or ball or an edge- and apply it to the graphite you wish to remove. I use it mostly for highlights, such as in the eyes or the dog’s nose, light wisps of hair, or the shiny part on a surface, as well as tidying up any stray bits of shading. 

4. Sandpaper Board This is exactly what it sounds like- a miniature board with sandpaper on it. Although I don't use this all the time it is handy to have nearby, especially if you’ve trekked it all the way to the cafe to do some public drawing and realize you’ve forgotten your sharpener...

Basically, it's a tool that you can use instead of a sharpener to quickly get a sharp point on your pencil by gliding the edge of the lead over the board on all sides until it becomes pointed. It is worth noting, however, that it doesn’t take long for the lead to wear away and you’ll need a sharpener to shave away the wood again. 5. Sharpener

Well, this one’s a no-brainer, really. BUT- it is important to ensure that you get a good-quality one that won’t constantly break your lead or chew the wood. I recommend any from the quality brands such as Prismacolor, Fabercastell and Staedtler, and it is always worth buying a sharpener of the same brand as the pencil you are using, as they are generally made to look after them; for example Prismacolor have very soft, almost waxy leads and so require a sharpener that won’t be too harsh on them.

7. Pencil-extender

This tool helps to get as much use out of your pencils as possible. When your pencil gets too short it becomes quite difficult to use, so by simply inserting the pencil into the hollow shaft of the extender you are able to hold the pencil comfortably and use it until it is right down to the very last bit of lead.

8. High resolution reference photo

The importance of a high-quality reference photo is paramount. In order to achieve the most realistic drawing you will need to be able to see as much details in your reference as possible. This includes: 

-good lighting to display the various tones, highlights and shadows

-if your image is digital it should be high-resolution so that you can zoom in without the image becoming pixilated

The importance of the reference photo is highly underrated but so necessary to achieve photo-realism- what you see is what you will draw.

Whether you are just starting out in learning how to draw, or you're a professional Artist, I hope these tips will help you to develop your skills in creating life-like drawings. In time, I hope to produce video content explaining how I use these tools and the techniques I use to achieve my standard of realism drawing. Reach out to me on social media to let me know your thoughts, at Art by Madeline.

Until next time, keep creating.

Madeline x