How to Hold a Pencil When You Are Sketching
When sketching, the position of your hand on a pencil will determine the type of lines you create. You will need to change the position of your hand each time you change the type of line you are sketching. Horizontal, vertical, diagonal and curved lines have their own hand positioning needed to properly draw the lines. The position of your hand will also vary when you are shading or drawing freely as opposed to crisp, straight lines.
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Instructions
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Position the pencil between your thumb, index and middle finger, a little more than halfway on the pencil toward the point. Your ring finger will be used to apply pressure to the pencil. For bold lines, apply more pressure with your ring finger; for light lines, apply very little pressure to the pencil.
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Hold the pencil horizontally to draw vertical lines. Sketch up and down until the line is the desired thickness.
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Hold the pencil vertically to create horizontal lines, sketching left to right and back until the line is as bold as you want.
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Hold the pencil diagonally to create diagonal lines. The pencil should be held diagonally in the opposite diagonal of the type of line you want to draw. For a diagonal line going from bottom right to top left, hold the pencil diagonally from bottom left to top right.
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Place your hand lower on the pencil to shade and draw freely. For shading, the pencil should be held very close to the paper.
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References
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
