How to use the Stipple Effect in Drawing

Use graphite pencils to create an unusual but detailed pencil sketch.

The stippling effect creates images that look as though they were created through pointillism, a technique where small groups of dots create shapes or shades that would usually be made with ink or pens. But while pointillism uses color to create value, stippling uses space between dots along with tones of a single color to create various values in a composition. The stippling effect does not have to be relegated to ink. Graphite can be used to create a dynamic composition by substituting the shading with the more common hatching or cross-hatching methods with stippling.

Things You'll Need

• Easel or drawing board
• Drawing paper
• Printer
• High-quality printer paper
• HB pencil
• 3 or 4B pencil
• 2B pencil
• Kneaded eraser
• Matte fixative

Instructions

1. Set up an easel or drawing board near a strong light source. Attach a sheet of drawing paper to the work surface. Print a photograph or image of the subject you wish to draw on high quality photo paper. Tape the image near your work surface for easy reference.

2. Create a simple contour drawing by drawing the outline of your composition with an HB pencil.

3. Draw light shapes over your composition to delineate the darkest areas where the shadows fall on your subject.

4. Fill in the shadows by using a heavy grade pencil, such as a 3 or 4B pencil, making small points or dots. Hold the pencil at a 90-degree angle to make a single point, rather than a dash or line. The closer the dots are to each other, the darker the value of your shadow will be.

5. Draw the mid-tones or lighter shadows of your subject with an HB pencil. Repeat the "dotting" process but use harder pencils, between the HB and 2B range. Use small dots close together to create a darker, solid value, and fewer dots spaced farther apart for a lighter value.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a kneaded eraser to remove shadows to create highlights where the light hits the brightest on your subject.

• Spray your work with a matte fixative to prevent the graphite from smearing on the paper.

References

• Cool School; Lesson 9 -- Stippling; Kendra Brott
• "The Complete Colored Pencil Book"; Bernard Poulin; 2011
• "The Encyclopedia of Drawing Techniques"; Hazel Harrison; 2004