How to create texture in art drawing? – London Art Exchange, Art Gallery London

Creating texture in art drawing is a fundamental skill that enhances the visual and tactile quality of artwork. Texture gives a sense of realism, depth, and interest, helping viewers to connect more deeply with the subject. In a drawing, texture can be real (tactile) or implied (visual). While real texture involves physical materials and surfaces you can feel, implied texture is an illusion created by the artist using various techniques to simulate the look and feel of different surfaces. This essay explores the concept of texture in art drawing, techniques to create it, materials involved, types of texture, and how texture affects the overall composition.

Understanding Texture in Art Drawing

Texture is one of the key elements of art alongside line, shape, form, value, color, and space. It can be broadly categorized into two types:

1. Actual (Tactile) Texture: This is the real, physical texture that you can touch. For example, a canvas with thick impasto paint or a collage with added materials has an actual texture.
2. Visual (Implied) Texture: This is the illusion of texture created by the artist on a flat surface. In drawing, since the surface is typically smooth paper, texture is implied by using various marks, lines, shading, and patterns that mimic real-world textures.

Since most drawings are on flat surfaces, artists mainly use visual texture to suggest texture, creating the illusion of roughness, smoothness, softness, or hardness.

Why is Texture Important?

Texture enhances the sensory experience of a drawing. It adds realism, making objects feel more tangible, or it can be used abstractly to evoke moods and emotions. Texture also helps differentiate between materials—metal looks shiny and hard, fabric can appear soft or coarse, wood can be smooth or grainy.

Types of Textures in Drawing

In drawing, you can represent a variety of textures:

• Rough textures: Tree bark, sandpaper, gravel, brick walls.
• Smooth textures: Glass, polished metal, water.
• Soft textures: Fur, fabric, feathers.
• Hard textures: Stone, ceramics, metal.
• Wet or glossy textures: Water droplets, wet surfaces.
• Patterned textures: Textiles, tiles, scales.

Understanding what kind of texture you want to depict is the first step in choosing the appropriate technique.

Techniques to Create Texture in Drawing

Creating texture in drawing involves manipulating lines, shading, patterns, and marks. Here are some common methods:

1. Hatching and Cross-Hatching

Hatching is the use of parallel lines to build tone and texture. Cross-hatching involves layering sets of parallel lines at different angles. Varying the density and direction of the lines can suggest different textures. For instance, tight, smooth hatching can suggest a sleek surface, while rough, irregular cross-hatching can imply coarse or rugged textures.

2. Stippling

Stippling is the technique of creating texture with dots. The density and size of the dots control the value and texture. Stippling is effective for representing rough or granular textures like stone, sand, or skin pores.

3. Scumbling

Scumbling uses small, scribbly, and circular marks to build up a textured surface. It’s good for depicting soft textures like clouds, fur, or foliage.

4. Blending

Blending smooths out pencil or charcoal marks using a blending stump, tissue, or finger to create soft, smooth textures. This technique is often used for skin or glass surfaces.

5. Erasing

Using an eraser to lift graphite or charcoal can create highlights and texture effects. A kneaded eraser can be shaped to make specific marks, useful for adding texture like light reflections or the appearance of hair strands.

6. Using Different Line Qualities

Line weight and quality affect texture. Thick, bold lines can convey rough or coarse textures, while thin, delicate lines are better for smooth or fine textures. Broken or jagged lines can create a sense of irregularity and roughness.

7. Imitating Real Textures

Observing real-world textures closely and mimicking them with marks can create believable textures. For example, drawing the scales of a fish might involve overlapping small oval shapes with highlights and shadows.

8. Sgraffito

Sgraffito is scratching into a surface to reveal the layer beneath. In drawing, this can be done by layering charcoal or graphite and then scratching into it with a blade or sharp tool to create texture.

Materials and Tools for Creating Texture

The tools you choose can influence your ability to create texture:

• Graphite pencils: Available in different hardness (H for hard, B for soft), allowing varied textures from smooth to rough.
• Charcoal: Offers rich, dark tones and works well for bold, expressive textures.
• Colored pencils: Allow layering of colors and can create textured effects by controlling pressure and layering.
• Ink pens: Fine lines are great for hatching and stippling.
• Blending tools: Stumps, tortillons, tissue, or fingers for smooth textures.
• Erasers: Kneaded and precision erasers to create texture by removing marks.
• Paper type: Rough paper enhances texture, smooth paper offers fine detail but less tactile surface.

Step-by-Step Process to Create Texture in Drawing

1. Observation: Study the object or surface you want to depict. Note the characteristics of the texture—Is it rough, smooth, patterned? How does light interact with it?
2. Planning: Decide which drawing techniques best suit the texture. For example, stippling might suit a sandy surface, while hatching might be better for fabric folds.
3. Sketch Basic Shapes: Lightly sketch the overall form of your subject to establish proportions.
4. Layer Texture: Start applying your chosen textural technique in light layers, gradually building depth and complexity.
5. Add Value and Contrast: Texture is enhanced by contrast between light and shadow. Use shading techniques to add dimensionality.
6. Refine Details: Use erasers or sharpened pencils to add highlights or intricate details that make the texture believable.
7. Step Back and Assess: Frequently step back from your work to see if the texture reads well and adjust as necessary.

Examples of Textural Effects

• Wood grain: Use irregular, curved lines with varying pressure to imitate the growth rings and knots.
• Fur: Short, directional strokes layered in varying lengths to mimic hair direction.
• Water: Smooth shading with highlights for reflections and subtle ripple patterns.
• Stone: Combination of stippling and rough cross-hatching to capture grainy, irregular surface.

Tips to Master Texture in Drawing

• Practice different marks: Experiment with lines, dots, scribbles, and blends.
• Use references: Work from photos or real objects.
• Control pressure: Varying pressure affects line thickness and tone.
• Layer gradually: Build texture step by step to avoid overworking.
• Mix techniques: Combine hatching, stippling, and blending for complex textures.
• Keep paper texture in mind: Rough paper naturally adds texture.
• Experiment with tools: Try different pencils, pens, or charcoal for diverse effects.

Conclusion

Creating texture in art drawing is a dynamic and rewarding process that adds life and authenticity to your work. By understanding the types of textures, practicing various techniques like hatching, stippling, blending, and using the right tools, you can convincingly depict surfaces from rough bark to smooth glass. Texture not only enriches visual storytelling but also engages viewers on a tactile and emotional level. Like all artistic skills, mastering texture takes observation, experimentation, and practice. Embrace the tactile nature of marks and the illusion of surface qualities to elevate your drawings from flat images to compelling, textured experiences.