The brush is an incredibly versatile tool for the draughtsman. Here are some exercises to practice drawing lines and textures with waterproof ink.

Don’t charge your brush too much; a little ink goes a long way. I hold the liner close to the ferrule, with the edge of my hand resting lightly on the paper. This helps me control the pressure on the point of the brush. However, how you decide to hold your brush is your own choice, as in time you will find the most comfortable position. Try to make as thin a line as possible then a thicker one, and feel how the NOT surface responds to your touch. I tend to ‘break’ my lines, ideally conveying the age of the old house. After trying out some line work, you can practise the following drawing textures that will show the versatility of the brush.

Brickwork

Tip your brush at an angle that’s almost parallel to the paper surface, and slide an almost dry brush sideways in short horizontal strokes. Vary the pressure.

Roof tiles

You can render roof tiles in many different ways, depending on the distance you want to convey.
Look at an old roof and you will notice that, although the tiles are broken and worn out, they still follow a (sometimes rough) horizontal pattern. In this exercise, I exaggerated the occasional dips in the old roof with short strokes, slightly altering their angles and varying the pressure on the brush point.

Timbers and woodwork

For the uprights or beams, draw two vertical lines, between which you can drag an almost dry brush on its side in one downward motion. The NOT surface does half the work. I use the same technique for the door to convey a wood grain effect.

Shrubs and trees

Stippling and worn-out brushes are the ideal tools for this task. Old flat brushes, in particular, will render all kinds of foliage. Over the years, the acrylics have solidified in the ferrule, splaying the hair. Again, varying the pressure will help achieve the wanted effect.

Roads and wall surfaces

The trick here is to create visual interest by adding texture by stippling and scumbling. For scumbling, grab a No. 1 or 2 Round (or flat) brush and run it from side to side as you ‘travel’ up the road. Ease the pressure in the distance. Keep in touch with the perspective. Blank wall spaces are made a little more interesting by light touches of scumbling here and there, using the dry-brush technique. Don’t overdo the effect.

 

Shadows

This is to emphasise a roof or jetty overhang, or shading thrown from the side of a wall or chimney. Underneath the roof gutter, I draw a fairly thick line with a well-charged brush and, while the ink is still wet, quickly drag a finger downward on the paper. This should result in a graduated and textured shading effect.

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This extract is taken from the September 2011 issue of Leisure Painter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reg's DVD, Drawing and Painting Ancient Buildings, can be purchased via his website, www.regsiger.com