How Pencil Drawing Saved My Eyesight

Mark D. Ruffner © 2013

As my profile mentions, I started my career as an illustrator. At that time, computers were not the ubiquitous tools that they are today, and businesses didn't have the ability to simply download clip art as they do now. So for a while I made a living selling art to advertising agencies.

Mark D. Ruffner © 2013

I didn't have a distinctive style, but instead emulated whatever style an advertiser wanted to achieve, and became better known as someone detail-oriented. One of my more popular styles was to draw with a pencil in a way that almost looked like air-brushing. (The drawing above was for a sound company that works with broadcast media.)

I achieved fine gradations by starting with the darkest areas, using very soft pencils, usually a 5B or 3B pencil. I would then work over the same area — and progressively lighter areas of the composition — with progressively harder pencil leads. The middle pencil above might be an HB or 2H pencil and the pencil on the right might be a very hard lead, like a 6H pencil.

If you look at the first pencil photo, you'll see that there are unevenness's and flecks of darker color. The progressively harder pencils not only add lead to the paper surface, but they also serve to smooth out the softer lead. By the third layer of lead (on the right), the gradation is becoming smooth.

Now here's the interesting part. In order to see the gradation better, I would unfocus my eyes. I found that if I blurred my vision, I could actually see pockets of unevenness better! So as I was creating very detailed pencil drawings, I was essentially alternating between sharpening my focus and resting my eyes in a meditative way. In hindsight, I was giving my eyes healthy exercise the whole while.

In fact I didn't wear glasses until I started sitting in front of a computer.

Mark D. Ruffner © 2013

 I wish I had a dime for every time I've drawn a dollar!

Mark D. Ruffner © 2013

This illustration accompanied an ad that listed the many amenities of the Tampa Hilton, a lot of fun to do.

click to enlarge   |  Mark D. Ruffner © 2013

Here's an illustration drawn for an affiliate of CBS. It features Buck Rogers, Elvis Presley, pitcher Sandy Koufax, the assassination of Lee Harvey Oswald, Flower Power, Orson Welles recording "The War of the Worlds," the moon landing, Jimmy Dorsey and Little Orphan Annie.

I hope you enjoyed my illustrations!

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