Learning Objectives:
  •  Understand how mark-making can be used to create variations of tone in drawing
  •  Explore how mark-making can be used to add texture to a drawing
  •  Creatively explore different forms of mark-making and consider when different marks might be used
What you will need: 
Sketching paper (or your sketchbook), a soft pencil (preferably 2B or 4B), rulereraser, pencil sharpener and a black fineliner pen.
Sketching paper (or your sketchbook)
Your Task:
  1. Watch the video demo below.
  2. Have a go at creating your own textures in a similar grid, following the worksheet below the video.
Demo
If you would like to trace the outlines for the boxes, you can download a template by clicking on the button to the right.
Mark-Making Worksheet
Extension Activity
  •  Use your imagination to invent some new unique marks that are very different to all of the others. 
  •  Imagine drawing a particular object and then draw all of the appropriate marks to draw it, e.g. bark, rocks or fish scales. 
Top Tips
  • Consider how marks that are close together will make objects look darker than marks that are further apart
  • Avoid drawing pictures, but instead try to keep your marks abstract. They will look less abstract when you use them as a small part of a much larger drawing
  • Think about when you might use each mark-making technique in your work
Examples of previous students' mark-making experiments:
What do you think they have done well and what might they have done to improve?