Your first texture
A small swatch gives you a feel for the tile before you bring it into a drawing. Use this as a practice exercise alongside How to use SketchTiles.
What you need
- One tile, with either Fine or Coarse facing up.
- A soft graphite or coloured pencil.
- Thin paper and a firm, flat work surface.
Start with printer, tracing or marker paper. Thicker sheets can make the pattern harder to pick up.
Make a small swatch
- Place the tile under the paper. Position it beneath the area you want to texture.
- Hold the paper and tile steady. Movement between passes can double the pattern.
- Rub lightly with a pencil. Make another pass if you want a stronger mark.
- Compare the other scale. Flip the tile, move to a fresh patch of paper and try the same pencil and pressure.
If the texture is faint: try a softer pencil, a different pencil angle or thinner paper before pressing harder.
Bring it into a drawing
Try the pattern inside a simple shape, such as a stool seat or a shoe panel. Keep the surrounding area plain so you can see what the texture adds.
Keep a useful reference
Note the tile, side, pencil and paper beside your swatch. To cover a larger area, see the placement and alignment notes.