See also: 30 Days of Watercolor
Sketches will be here: Mini book, 2025
- Leaf edge detail – Contour lines
Slow down, trace the shape with intention. - Moss patch or lichen – Texture building with stippling
Dot party. Use B pencils for depth. - Feather tip – Directional shading
Follow the strands, keep it light. - Twig cross-section – Cross-contour lines
Shade to suggest roundness and bark texture. - Pinecone scale (just one) – Hatching & shadows
Look for overlap, exaggerate shadow depth. - Vein structure of a leaf – Line weight variation
Use H and B pencils together. - Insect wing (dead or photo) – Transparency & layering
Graphite whispering. Use the side of the pencil. - Snail shell spiral – Gradation (value transitions)
From H to 4B, like a tonal workout. - Bark detail (small patch) – Implied texture
Don’t draw every crack—suggest them. - Single petal – Soft blending
Use tissue or blending stump—go velvety. - Acorn cap texture – Stippling + crosshatching
Busy texture = slow hands. - Dandelion seed head (zoomed) – Negative space focus
Draw what’s not there. - Pebble with cracks – Tonal contrast
Push the graphite range. - Tiny mushroom cap – Shading + perspective
Slight tilt = instant charm. - Dew drop on a blade – Light source and reflection
Graphite magic trick. Keep your whites clean. - Grain in a piece of wood – Rhythmic line work
Like waves. Flow with it. - Bee (just the fuzzy abdomen) – Soft texture
Use circular strokes and pencil side. - Fur on a small creature (e.g. mouse) – Directional texture
Short strokes, follow fur direction. - Tiny root tendrils – Fine lines, composition
Let the layout lead the eye. - Butterfly wing pattern – Precision + repetition
Measure lightly. Shade patiently. - Bud about to open – Form + shading
Think volume, not outline. - Thorn or spine – Hard edges, cast shadow
Use a sharp H for definition. - Pine needle cluster – Layering lines
Organize the chaos. - Shell surface (like limpet or barnacle) – Contrast texture
Use both dry and blended strokes. - Tiny sprout – Delicate lines
Less pressure. Barely touch the page. - Spider web fragment (morning dew) – Negative space + detail
Let the background do some work. - Seed pod detail – Volume & pattern
Repeat shapes but vary pressure. - Raindrop on rock – Highlight and distortion
Use eraser for sparkle. - Feather shaft close-up – Fine texture gradient
Go from firm core to fluff. - Tiny leaf curl – Foreshortening and shadow
Twist and turn for interest.