Creating texture with Jim Pavelec’s powdered graphite technique

Sketching from the Imagination: Dark Arts contributor Jim Pavelec shares the powdered graphite technique behind some of his work in the book.

In this three-step tutorial, Jim discusses how you can create texture on your sketches using powdered graphite, a hard object, and an eraser. Jim features in Sketching from the Imagination: Dark Arts where he shares his inspirations behind his work and shares images using this technique. If you've not tried it before it's a great way to add another element to your drawings!

Powdered graphite texture: Step 1

Here you can see an area of powdered graphite that I've applied to the toned paper with my pounce. Simply tap the pounce lightly on the paper several times. The powdered graphite will sift through the fibers of the cloth and onto the paper.

Tapping the pounce lightly on the paper will produce a powdered graphite texture as the powder sifts through the fibers of the cloth.

Powdered graphite texture: Step 2

Now press the large kneaded eraser firmly into a stone orof hard textured object of your choosing. Here you can see a sampling of my collection. Then press the eraser into the powdered graphite on the page (not too hard as to flatten out the ridges in the eraser) and pull it away gently.

I have a variety of different hard objects to create different textures using this technique in my work.

Powdered graphite texture: Step 3

You are now left with the mirror image of your textured object. See where the shapes lead you. Build up shadows with your pencil and highlights with your pastels until a convincing three-dimensional representation has been achieved.

The outcome. As you can see, the texture has transferred onto the paper, giving the image more of a 3D effect.

The final image, Andromalius.

Discover more of Jim's sketches and techniques and 49 other accomplished artists in:

Sketching from the Imagination: Dark Arts, available now in our online shop.