# sketch for painting question



## mcfearless (Mar 25, 2014)

I was just wondering if anyone uses pencil on canvas to sketch prior to painting. Is this considered cheating? This is the only way I paint but I would hate to continue doing it this way if it takes anything away from my work. I'm attaching a sketch that I did today on an 18x24 canvas. 

Roland


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## pencils (Feb 10, 2012)

There are times when I wonder if some questions on this site are genuine.
Cheating? really, use whatever works for you. You really think you`re the only person who draws something before painting it? I know the web can be full of crap sometimes, but it also can be useful...watch some You Tubers, see what very well advanced painters do, and then worry less about nutty things people say.


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## derrickmiller (Mar 31, 2014)

do i dont think its cheating!i always draw the image on to canvas with pencil, or carcoal before painting.


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## derrickmiller (Mar 31, 2014)

do what works for "you"


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## mcfearless (Mar 25, 2014)

pencils said:


> There are times when I wonder if some questions on this site are genuine.
> Cheating? really, use whatever works for you. You really think you`re the only person who draws something before painting it? I know the web can be full of crap sometimes, but it also can be useful...watch some You Tubers, see what very well advanced painters do, and then worry less about nutty things people say.


Thanks for your reply pencils. It honestly was a genuine question. I don't have a lot of experience in art other that one semester in 2012 that I took for painting and I don't have any artist friends to critique anything that I've ever done. I loved to draw growing up but I never did anything with it because I never thought that I was good enough. 

As far as the sketching questing goes, that just comes from me thinking about how old school painters did it back then. I don't think they had any pictures to go off of and make graphs like I do. I'm always my worst critic and that's why i asked that question. I thought that true artist would only paint free hand. Forgive me for my ignorance.


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## RobWilkinson (Mar 31, 2014)

Why would using pencil be cheating? its you that's laying the paint down, if using pencil to guide you as the 'bare bones' of the subject, so be it! 

I trace the subjects I like, and transfer this onto the board. Tracing isn't perfect but if I can locate all the main parts of the subject then I am good to go.


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## AZACRYLIC (Feb 12, 2014)

No, its never cheating.Some people are great with pencil and others are great with Pen or and ink - does not matter. What does matter is the end result, if it does what you want it to.


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## RobWilkinson (Mar 31, 2014)

For me its essential to get some guidelines down, you can get proportion and perspective where you would like them to be rather than guessing and then getting it wrong.


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## RobWilkinson (Mar 31, 2014)

This is what I do, think of a theme. Go look on the net for some images and copy the ones I like, usually objects like ships and planes. I keep them on a folder for my art templates, copy off on a printer and them trace and transfer to the board. I don't try to get it photorealistic, this lets me put my own touch to the work. Its about getting proportion and perspective, if you can get that then your painting, while not being technically awesome (mines not, by any means) will appeal to you, and others


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## MegansBeadedDesigns (Mar 11, 2014)

I prefer to use white chalk (it shoes up after a solid layer of color is covering the entire canvas) that way there is no risk of the lines showing through the work, as the paint sort of "erases" the outline as it covers the canvas.


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## mcfearless (Mar 25, 2014)

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I will try out all suggestions and see what works best for me.


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