✏️ Why do I sharpen my pencil like that?
#38 September QaA
Hey my demon 👋,
Welcome to the edition #38 of the Art Missive! We are 4,703 😈 in this newsletter. Whether you have been here from the beginning or you have just arrived, thank you so much for reading ❤.
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In this Art Missive
⌛ Reading time : 3 minutes
🥊 Actionnability: immediately actionable
💪 Goals: Improve your art
Build a strong artist mindset
Have more fun drawing
Introduction.
Last Monday of the month = FAQ Time!
This month, you asked me some funny but useful questions:
1- Why do you sharpen your pencils like that?
2- Did you go to art school?
3- Can I use your art as inspiration or training material?
Pick the questions that interest you and…
Let's dive in!
1/ Why do you sharpen your pencils like that?
Over the past few weeks, there's been a massive controversy on my Instagram account. A topic of the utmost importance...
Every week, I receive dozens of DMs containing this same question (a life or death question): why do you sharpen your pencils like that?
The internet is going crazy over how I sharpen my pencils...
I find this situation amusing. Some artists are curious, while others even criticize me in DMs, explaining that I shouldn't sharpen my pencils this way and that I’m the worst example for other artists...
This situation highlights that most artists don't have access to basic artist best practices and struggle to learn the fundamentals.
But that's why this newsletter exists! So, let me explain.
💡 Your takeaways:
I discovered the importance of correctly sharpening my pencils by attending Master’s workshops and online traditional art masterclasses.
Now, when I sharpen my pencil, I aim to leave about 1 or 2 cm of graphite lead and 1 or 2 cm of wood, making sure the tip is perfectly sharp. This serves two simple purposes:
👉 This configuration allows for a wide variety of lines with a single tool. I can create very fine and precise lines using just the tip or thicker lines using the side of the lead. I can even vary my lines to add depth and a nice organic feel.
👉 Some grips and drawing techniques, like the over-hand grip position or the ghosting technique, require using a pencil with a long graphite surface.
I promise you that the lead won’t break (except if you are pressing down on your pencil like a maniac!) ! Pencils designed for drawing are meant to be sharpened this way. So give it a try and you'll see how much more fun drawing can be like this.
2/ Did you go to art school.
This question has been on your mind, and I can understand why. Many artists, including myself, grapple with a significant impostor syndrome.
So, here's the short answer: Nope, I'm self-taught, I studied law. But, honestly, I think we focus on the wrong thing here.
In my opinion, it's not artistic skills that make a great artist. Instead, it's your ability to create works that convey a clear message and evoke emotions.
And all those skills, mastering materials, learning techniques - they're just tools in your arsenal. Being skillful should never be the endgame for an artist. Artists level up to fill their toolbox with stuff they can use to achieve their ultimate goal: conveying a message.
Once you start thinking like that, all that pressure about whether you're legit, good enough, or educated enough, it fades away.
Art becomes a journey, not just a destination.
💡Your takeaways:
If, like me, you haven't been to art school but are determined to become a successful artist:
👉 Focus on your true goal: why you create art. Let go of your fears of not being good enough. Your willingness to make meaningful art is already the only requirement, and you've fulfilled it.
👉 Embark on adventures to enrich your toolbox. It's not your current level that makes you an excellent artist, but your determination to constantly improve. So, sign up for workshops in your city, enroll in your favorite artist's online course, buy artists' books, and study their methods... Collect new tools that will help you create art that speaks to people.
👉 Allow yourself to fail. Exploring, failing, doubting... It's mandatory for growing as an artist!"
3/ Can I use your art as inspiration or training material?
Yes. Next question?
…
On a more serious note, I've explained why it's crucial to copy artists you admire in these two previous editions: Missive #31 and Missive #22.
In short, no professional artist creates in a vacuum. We all draw inspiration from other works.
The key is to make a clear distinction between “copying an artist and claiming their work as your own” (which is a no-no!) and “studying several artists and drawing inspiration from them for your own creations.”
💡Your takeaways:
👉 Recreate works by an artist you love.
👉 Identify their thought process, methodology, and how they chose to solve a specific challenge.
👉 Don't copy elements from their art into your art, but incorporate the lessons you've learned from them into your practice.
Conclusion.
To sum it up, here's a piece of advice that wraps up these three questions nicely:
Keep a learning-focused mindset.
Being an artist is essentially a way of life, one where you constantly seek tools in your surroundings to express emotions.
Try not to get carried away by social media and any lofty expectations you might hold. Because what truly matters is to look at everything with curiosity and a constructive perspective.
Be it an oddly sharpened pencil, an astounding artist's sketch, or the smile of an elderly lady you pass on the street...
Everything should be observed not with judgment but with an eagerness to learn.
That's all for me. See you next Monday!
Léa, Mama demon for those in the know.
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