Covid #6 Challenge: White on White

I am often asked how to draw in graphite white subjects onto a white paper. There are many different techniques and I will look at one today. I will be focusing on using negative drawing to create positive/white areas.
Your challenge is to draw a white object in graphite on white paper.

First, are some important things to remember about using white in your graphite drawings.

1. Remember to always retain the white of your paper - keep it clean. This will be your whitest area and highlights in your drawing. Don't rely too much on erasing to achieve this because;
2. Erasing can leave marks and doesn't always remove all graphite leaving dirty smudges in your whites.
3. If you like blending with tortillion be careful as once you blend you can never get the white back no matter how much you erase as the blender will push the graphite into the paper fibres.
4. Your darks will always define your light tones.
5. Finally, remember just as Black is never totally Black, White is never completely White. There are always tones and gradients.

Negative drawing is the technique of using the darks surrounding an object to define the shape. Mike Sibley has a very excellent introduction on the ArtInstructionBlog. Click this link for some very useful information and exercises.

"It (negative drawing) permits you, when drawing spontaneously, to quickly create white objects on the paper by simply drawing the shadows between the - hair and grass, for example." Mike Sibley

Observe this drawing of an Iceberg Rose I created for this post. Note carefully how it is the dark surrounding leaves and hatching that create the 'white' of the rose. Observe also how I am not afraid to use dark tones within the white of the rose to create interior depth and cast shadows. Below the completed drawing is a 'step by step' image that shows you how this work developed.

'Iceberg Rose - Graphite' by Linda Weil©

'Iceberg Rose - Step by Step' by Linda Weil©

Now it's YOUR turn! Select an object or photo where the white object is surrounded by a darker background. If you do not have a suitable image available you are more than welcome to use the shot I took of my neighbors rose that I used for this exercise. If you use my image you can use the above 'steps' to assist you in your drawing.  Have fun!

Iceberg Rose - photograph by Linda Weil©