03-14-2025, 10:44 AM
Have you tried Blackwings, the 602 or the Matte black? They layer very well to get to very dark, and are just beautiful to use. Tombow mono 100s are also very good pencils that layer up dark well.
A main strategy to get darker is to draw in light layers using multiple dirrctions (circular and hatched) and creep up to the darks rather than try and blast in the dark heavily in only a single pass or two. It allows the paper to take more of the graphite as it gets filled slowly and more completely, and the weave of the paper hasn't been destroyed by heavy pressure. The paper you use also matters.
Regarding taking good graphite 'scans'. The best way to get high quality images is to use a polarised light source and a polarising filter on your camera.
You need a dslr or mirrorless camera (as good quality as you have access to). You need a CPL Circular polarising filter on the lens, and lights that also have a polarised filter on them. You can use a relatively cheap hotshoe circular led flash / fill light for the camera and get some polarising filter sheets to put in front of the light to polarise it.
The polarised light and the C/PL on the camera work to cut out any reflective glare that comes with trying to capture graphite drawings by camera in normal unpolarised light. Can provide more info if you wish.
It is some setup and cost if you don't already have access to a camera or these other things, but it really is worth doing it if you really do want to have high print quality digital copies of your work. I have a setup and it is amazing how much better it does at capturing the work accurately.
Might not be worth it if you aren't going to be using them for professional purposes, like making prints.
A main strategy to get darker is to draw in light layers using multiple dirrctions (circular and hatched) and creep up to the darks rather than try and blast in the dark heavily in only a single pass or two. It allows the paper to take more of the graphite as it gets filled slowly and more completely, and the weave of the paper hasn't been destroyed by heavy pressure. The paper you use also matters.
Regarding taking good graphite 'scans'. The best way to get high quality images is to use a polarised light source and a polarising filter on your camera.
You need a dslr or mirrorless camera (as good quality as you have access to). You need a CPL Circular polarising filter on the lens, and lights that also have a polarised filter on them. You can use a relatively cheap hotshoe circular led flash / fill light for the camera and get some polarising filter sheets to put in front of the light to polarise it.
The polarised light and the C/PL on the camera work to cut out any reflective glare that comes with trying to capture graphite drawings by camera in normal unpolarised light. Can provide more info if you wish.
It is some setup and cost if you don't already have access to a camera or these other things, but it really is worth doing it if you really do want to have high print quality digital copies of your work. I have a setup and it is amazing how much better it does at capturing the work accurately.
Might not be worth it if you aren't going to be using them for professional purposes, like making prints.
