Draw textiles & textures
Tim Von Rueden develops a pencil image that showcases different materials and surfaces, while fulfilling one convention attendee’s request for art diversity
Put yourself into unfamiliar settings and see beyond them, into the unknown
One of the workshops I used to teach was called I Can Draw ANYTHING. It was rooted in the idea that as artists we can draw literally anything, but the real trick was learning how to believe in that.
My students ranged from basic to intermediate skill level, but with some encouragement they learned how empowering your mind can give you belief in your own abilities. This led into learning how to learn and how to train your eye to really see.
Materials and textures are the perfect example of this and because of that, I’ll include a lot of material studies in this workshop. Over the next few pages, this workshop will go over a similar learning set to showcase how to distinguish the materials you’re creating and the attributes that are unique to each.
Breaking the process down into the simplest of terms, I believe in taking four simple steps for drawing any material or texture. The steps are observe, analyse, interpret and execute. First, you need to observe the world around you. This is the easiest step because we’re constantly looking around us and seeing what’s there. Put yourself into unfamiliar settings and see beyond them, into the realm of the unknown.
However, you must also analyse what you’re seeing, look at different subject matters and determine two key factors. Is this object reflecting/ absorbing light, and does this object have a smooth or rough surface? Every material can be placed on these two spectrums, and therefore, can be interpreted on how to capture its likeness. So a metallic smooth surface will have a higher contrasted look while a wool sweater will be matte in appearance with a focus on the surface texture. With time and enough practice, you’ll be able to draw anything.
For this workshop, I’m demonstrating this knowledge as I draw different materials and textures. I want to show how to use these different elements to create a beautiful and engaging piece of art.
Tim is an independent, travelling convention artist. He aims to inspire and mentor others through hard work while encouraging ambitions. See his art at www.instagram.com/vonnart.
1 The importance of thumbnailing
Thumbnails help to generate variety and creative flow when thinking about how to capture your illustration. I had this idea in my head for over a year after talking with a convention attendee, who wanted to see more characters of colour represented in the fantasy genre. So ever since then I’ve wanted to create that character as a majestic angel. With this workshop, her moment has come!
2 Creating your own references
I recommend using your own reference pictures because you can create a more direct pose and interpretation, and avoid any copyright issues. Have fun with it and if you can’t take them just of yourself, include your friends: they may bring something better to the shot that you weren’t considering before.
3 Digital thumbnailing
Although I mostly work traditionally, I taught how to paint in Photoshop so I still have a love for gesturing and capturing a larger illustration first in a digital format. This enables me to make minor adjustments easily – or carry out aggressive reimagining if necessary!
4 Beginning on the underdrawing
After I’m set with this digital underpainting, I print the image at one per cent Opacity. I like to keep it light so that it acts as a foundation rather than a final image. I strongly believe in letting intuition take over in the creation process so I work with the underdrawing more as a guideline. You’ll see how my final result slightly varies.
5 Starting on the skin
For this workshop I’m separating each material so that it’s clearer to see the progression along the way, beginning with skin, which absorbs light unless it’s covered in a coating such as sweat or water. So I’ll shade it to give it a matte appearance. With a darker skin shade, I like to work in layers to build up that darker value.
6 Detailing the skin
With a good value foundation of her skin in place, I begin to add the details and contours of the underlying anatomy and structure. This is heavily dependent on the reference for the nuances, so be aware of that during your photoshoot session. I’m also depicting a valued face with less contrast so that the character stands out among the other materials that are in the scene.
7 Looking for hair inspiration
My art inspirations include Mucha and Harry Clarke, so I use this illustration as an opportunity to showcase a different way of creating hair against more realistic materials. I start by outlining the hair strands, almost like spaghetti. I’m focusing on the flow and arrangement of hair as shapes.
8 Ensuring the hair captures the viewer’s attention
With the time-consuming outlining finished, I decide to darken the hair and add gradients throughout the hair to help drive the viewer’s focus. Hair is always tricky for artists, but my advice is to block it out in shapes, even with realism. The less you focus on creating every individual strand, the better!
9 Drawing the figure’s wings
Feathers tend to be less reflective and more focused on the texture, whether smooth or rough. So I begin creating them with a value pass and light blocking to help save time. It’s a more efficient way of working. I turn my pencil to the side to give me more surface area to work with.
10 Adding details to the wings
Feathers and wings are so much fun to draw, and I recommend having references to hand so that you can capture them accurately (wings have a specific patterning to them). Usually, they begin with smaller feathers leading into larger ones for the wingspan. I also enjoy creating the imperfections they may have, such as a wedge of space or a cut.
11 Laying the foundations of the staff
The staff was meant to be polished marble with gold accents. These reflective properties are in high contrast to the more matte elements such as skin, feathers and the fabric around it. I’m creating this effect with higher contrasts and a focus on highlights littered throughout. But first, I’m choosing to outline the staff, which will give me a strong foundation to start putting down my details.
12 Making the staff stand out
With the outline foundation set in place, I can comfortably shade within it to create a high-contrast object. The more intricate detailing can also be meticulous, but it’s worth the effort in the end. I also shade a slightly darker value around the staff to add more contrast, making it appear to stand out further.
13 Establish the appearance of the fabric
Fabric can range from sleek and shiny to matte and dull. How you shade it will help sell the idea of the fabric you’re trying to depict. I’m working to create a similar look to my reference image with golden sheets of folding fabric, but with less intensity. I begin by outlining the shapes and blocking out areas of shadow.
14 Categorise your fabric
I can now add value and shading to create further layers of depth and weight. When drawing and recreating fabric, the types of wrinkles created can all be placed under three separate categories: hanging/relaxed, stretched/tension, and scrunched/compressed. Hanging fabric tends to be loose and have a flowing appearance. Stretched fabric creates long lines, usually with a point of support. Compressed fabrics bunch into each other, creating scrunched-looking areas.
15 Giving the drawing a final polish
Now begins the exciting time of executing the final polish on the illustration. Often, this means erasing any type of smudging while working, adding tighter lines where they’re lacking, and editing values throughout to create a more cohesive and better-flowing value composition. And if you created your materials correctly, they should balance each other in your style while still feeling distinctly their own.