How to Draw from Reference: The Ruins of Whitby Abbey Ink Drawing – Speed Art Tutorial, by Balogiannis Art on YouTube. 7 min 39 s.
- Video length
- 7 min 39 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Pick a reference photo of Whitby Abbey with clear light and shadow. Print it or keep it on a screen beside your paper so you can glance at it easily.
Lightly block in the main shapes with an HB pencil. Mark the outer walls, the tall window arches and the ground line before adding any detail.
Check the proportions by comparing the height of the ruins to the width. Adjust the pencil lines now, while they are still easy to erase.
Sketch the broken edges of the walls and the empty window openings. Keep these lines loose and broken to show the crumbling stone.
Go over the main outlines with a fine black pigment pen. Vary the line weight, pressing harder on the near edges and lighter on distant ones.
Add texture to the stonework with short hatching lines. Follow the direction of the masonry rather than scribbling randomly.
Fill the deepest shadows, such as inside the windows and under ledges, with a medium pen. Leave the sunlit faces mostly blank.
Erase the leftover pencil lines once the ink is dry. Step back from the page to check the balance of light and dark.
Tips and common mistakes
Draw what you feel about the scene, not every stone. A loose impression often reads better than a copy.
Test your pigment pen on scrap paper first so you know how fast the ink flows and dries.
Let ink lines dry fully before erasing, or you will smudge the drawing.
Questions
Do I need special ink pens?
No. Any black pigment pen with a fine and a medium nib works. Pigment ink is better than water-based dye ink because it stays dark and does not fade.
Can I use a photo from the internet as a reference?
Yes, for practice. If you plan to sell or publish the drawing, use your own photo or one with a licence that allows it.
How long should the pencil stage take?
Keep it short, around ten minutes. The pencil is only a guide, and most of the character comes from the ink lines.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
