Pointillism is a drawing technique with which shapes and images are created by making lots of dots on the sheet of paper. Pointillism is an interesting technique, almost like making real 'pixels', and although it takes a long time, it is suitable for young and old. If you are looking for a new challenge or a creative way to spend a few hours, try pointillism.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the Project
Step 1. Check the image you want to play
While you can draw an image you have in mind, it's much easier if you have a hard copy to look at as you draw. In addition to determining the position of people and objects in the composition, you will need to keep in mind other important elements. Look at the drawing in front of you and look for:
- The source of light and the direction of the light. The light determines which areas need more dots and which less.
- The brightness value of the drawing. It represents the position of each color (or tone) on the grayscale - that is, how light or dark the colors are. Value is closely related to light.
- The shapes present in the drawing. You will need to create people and objects without using lines, so look at the shapes that make up the figures and recreate them with dots.
Step 2. Choose which tool to use to make the dots
Pointillism is all about making hundreds of dots that form an image, so you have several ways to do them. Higher quality pointillism works are composed with more dots per square centimeter; they were made with a tool that made it possible to make very small dots. Keep this in mind, because although you can use any tool you want, the smaller the dots are, the more realistic the resulting image will be. Among the various tools for pointillism we find:
- The fine-tipped pen. Most artists who do high quality pointillism use a pen with a 0.7mm or 0.1mm tip. Tiny dots and lots of shading can be done.
- Pencils - colored or not. While using the pencil you run the risk of smudging the graphite and mixing the color, you can use it to make dots. Colored pencil causes less smudging, and makes your drawing more interesting (and difficult).
- Painting. It is the most difficult tool to use for pointillism, because you are more likely to draw lines instead of dots (compared to the pen or pencil).
Step 3. Decide the density of the dots
Before you start, you need to decide how dense you want the dots to be. A higher density allows for more detailed images. Remember that an image with a lot of dark values requires more dots than one with a lot of light. Test it on a separate sheet and create different shades of gray (or colors, if you use colored pencils) thanks to more or less dense dots. Take this test as a reference as you make the final drawing.
- The denser the dots, the longer it will take you to make a drawing.
- If you don't want to take too long but need to get dark values, use a pen with a thicker tip (2.5mm for example) or another tool that makes larger dots.
Part 2 of 2: Creating the image with pointillism
Step 1. Choose a starting point
Look at the reference image and decide where you want to start recreating it. It is usually best to start with the darkest part of the design. This way you can fix any mistakes by simply adding dots to cover the bad part.
Step 2. Start making dots
Carefully lift and press the pen (or other tool). The closer the points are, the darker that area on the paper will be. Start with the darkest area and then work around it, filling in all the dark areas. Then proceed to add the lighter areas with more spaced dots. While you work, remember to:
- Distribute the dots evenly. While you can make dots more densely and others more spaced apart, the finished work will look better if the dots are evenly spaced.
- Avoid making dashes. There is nothing worse than dashes for a pointillism drawing. Always lift your pen (or other tool) off the paper well before putting it away.
- Move slowly. You don't want to do things quickly when drawing with pointillism. If you work fast, you have a high chance of making mistakes, so be patient and take it slow. Pointillism is a time-consuming activity, so be prepared to spend many hours (or weeks!) On each project.
Step 3. Add the details
As the main shapes appear, start adding dots to create lines and shapes. From a distance these dots will look like lines, while up close you will see them as dots. You can also choose to start the image with a more accentuated pattern, for example by placing dots in rows / columns or diagonal lines. These patterns will only be noticed up close and in the clearest (most empty) spaces.
Step 4. Finish the project
Pointillism can take a long time, so don't rush. However, when you think you're done walk away from work and watch it. The test of this technique is its ability to create shapes and figures when viewed from a distance, not closely. If the dots are dense, from a distance they should look like full images and not just dots.
