Do I sketch in normal HB pencil or in fineliner?

I'm doing Architectural sketching and I'm wondering if I should start sketching in fineliner. I am used to sketching with a pencil however, I started to realised that with a pencil, the drawings are semi-visible. Any advice?

Reply 1

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Experiment and see what works for you.

There’s no single “correct” medium

Reply 2

normaw

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

Try a B or 2B pencil. The higher the number the blacker the mark.

Reply 3

Emir_0808

I’ll try different mediums. I think I’m going to start practicing with fine liner if I find it not suitable then I’ll switch back to pencil with 2B and 6B

Reply 4

keeks05

I usually do a rough sketch in a HB mechanical pencil then go over it in detail with a fineliner, but experiment and do whatever works for you!

Reply 5

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

I can't even imagine drawing in HB, that sounds torturous! I think the hardest pencil I ever used for sketching back when I was doing art was 2B...Maybe it's different for architecture though :dontknow:

Note that softer pencil leads will allow you to make darker marks. HB tends to be very light and hard to see (part of why I disliked using it). Incidentally they're also more brittle and prone to the lead breaking in the pencil...

You might also want to experiment with e.g. graphite sticks or similar depending on the exact type of sketching you're doing? For more concept stuff that might give you more options in expressing the concept. For technical drawings it may be unsuitable.

Reply 6

Emir_0808

Original post by artful_lounger

That's the reason why I might want to switch my medium when I'm sketching. When I use HB pencils for sketching it tends to be light. For me that's fine but when my tutors or other students look at it during the presentation, it is very hard to present it. I will try using more darker pencils or try to use a fine liner. I have charcoal pencils too so I might try using them one time.

If you don't mind me asking you, are you still doing art or something that surrounds art nowadays? :smile:

Reply 7

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Emir_0808

If you don't mind me asking you, are you still doing art or something that surrounds art nowadays? :smile:

No, not really :/ sometimes I'll do a bit of doodling in a little sketchbook I have or okay around with CSP on my laptop but I don't do much art-y these days - I enjoyed it in school a lot but went in different directions for academic study afterwards (although I like doing art I was never enormously creative so I decided against any kind of creative arts degree in the end, although for a fair while in school I wanted to do illustration as a degree!)

Reply 8

Emir_0808

Original post by artful_lounger

It's still cool because you can do the degree you've wanted to do and you can keep a mini sketchbook for doodling when you're bored. I always loved art however, I feel like some of the art-y courses at university you can do and learn them at home therefore I chose the architecture pathway (right now I'm doing a foundation) where I can still do some drawings and carry the art passion with me. :smile:

Reply 9

SebastianMesser

@Emir_0808 I agree with @artful_lounger, I would not sketch with any pencil harder than 2B. If you are trying to build up your confidence and skill at sketching architecturally, then (counterintuitively) I’d always recommend work large and use a graphite stick or Sharpie - a thick line demands you draw confidently rather than with tentative, ‘hairy’, lines…

…and look at how other people draw, e.g. https://www.makearchitects.com/media/publications/the-architecture-drawing-prize-2020/ and the RIBA Serjeant Prize http://www.presidentsmedals.com

Reply 10

SebastianMesser

Also, don’t use a mechanical propelling pencil for sketching, get a clutch pencil and practice ‘rolling’ the pencil as you draw to keep the point sharp longer.

Reply 11

Emir_0808

Original post by SebastianMesser

Thank you for the advice, I’ll try sketching with different mediums instead of using the same HB pencil and look at which one works the best. I’ll have a look at the website too. 🙂

Reply 12

Emir_0808

Original post by SebastianMesser

Also, don’t use a mechanical propelling pencil for sketching, get a clutch pencil and practice ‘rolling’ the pencil as you draw to keep the point sharp longer.

I think rolling the pencil while drawing will be a challenging technique but practice makes perfect 🙂

Reply 13

username4591444

Charcoal pencils smudge more easily, I personally rarely use pencil as I like a bolder look, but would use a 2B-4B range mostly.

Fineliners are ideal, I also use them with a watercolour brush pen as the ink dissolves, it’s a beautiful way to experiment with line drawings. But you will need to develop new drawing techniques with ink for shading and imperfect lines so that you can do it quickly and confidently for sketching.

Reply 14

Emir_0808

Original post by xxx0xxxo

I’ve been using HB pencils for almost anything.😂 Time to start sketching with newer and bolder mediums. I am interested in sketching with fine liners and watercolur brush pens but I feel like that medium would be suitable when you’re doing a final sketch or when you’re sketch your 3D models when it comes to projects since it might be time consuming. I also wanted to use some markers, I’ve seen some students and some other architecture students on YouTube using it and it looks nice.

Reply 15

username4591444

Original post by Emir_0808

I find them way faster than pencils actually because the water does it's own thing, and shades itself, unlike pencil where you have to do it all. But the fear of making mistakes or wanting to cross out is why people shy away from ink. It takes a bit of practice but still everyone just has their preferences.