Glass can be a difficult subject, but with a lot of practice and a good setup, it is a fun illusion to render. In the video below, I break down the process I use to create the illusion of reflection and transparency of glass with charcoal and white conte during a charcoal drawing demonstration during my drawing class at The Art League in Alexandria Virginia.
5 Reasons why it’s important to learn how to draw glass.
There were a few drawing exercises I would assign during every basic drawing class, and one of those subjects was glass under a one-directional light source. By practicing drawing glass lit this way, you learn so many things! Here are a few:
- You will learn how to integrate foreground, middle ground and background relationships. (Especially a clear glass!)
- Experience transitions and blending techniques that give the illusion of volume and light.
- It’s important to fool your mind, and see masses and shapes. The glass is not a glass, but broken shapes of light and dark.
- Do you know how important, broken edges are? These are important when drawing glass. You are drawing something solid without line.
- There is a strikingly similar process to drawing, no matter the subject. Everything you gain by drawing glass will easily transfer to other subjects such. Even the figure and landscape.
The mediums I used in the video demonstration are:
- Faber-Castel FC129997 Pitt Compressed Charcoal Sticks (3 Pack)
- Strathmore (400-108) 400 Series Drawing, Smooth Surface, 18 by 24″, 24 Sheets
- Conté à Paris B 2 Count Sketching Crayons, White
- GENERAL PENCIL CO. GPBM2-BP Factis Pen Style Eraser Carded (3-Pack)
- Faber-Castell Erasers – Drawing Art kneaded Erasers, Large size Grey – 4 Pack
