Gothic Alex: How to Make a Dark and Gothic Drawing

Are you dark? Do you love the macabre? Do the truly terrible things in life inspire you? Then release your creative potential with a Gothic drawing and share the darker side of life.

1) Become familiar with macabre and Gothic art. You might even want to read up on the historical Gothic art movement - but more likely, you should learn from the modern masters; artists such as Tim Burton and Edward Gorey are great places to start.

2) Consider what medium and style you want to work in. Gothic art runs the full gamut of media, from "simple" pen and ink to full-color CGI masterpieces. Pen and ink is good for a more traditional, Victorian look, and with various textures, it creates a very dark and moody style. If you like color, remember that less is more, and keep your tones)subtle and complimentary.

3) Compose the work. Think of what you want to draw. You may find it helpful to think of a theme for your drawing - some common Gothic themes include "Memento Mori", the power of past mistakes, death, passion, insanity and decay. As you compose, consider the following factors:

* Setting: As with Gothic fiction, the background setting of your piece should reflect and augment the instability and darkness in your characters. Ruins - whether ancient or modern - are a good stand-by to work with. Also consider studying Gothic and Gothic Revival architecture.

* Figures: They don't have to just be human. Animals such as snakes and bats are often associated with darkness and evil, while insects and rats are associated with decay. Supernatural creatures may also be used: nightmares, death hounds, zombies, skeletons, etc.

* (Mostly) Humans: Make sure your human (vampire, fairy, and/or demon) figures are well proportioned and unique. At this point, you want to consider what features you want them to have - costume, wings, teeth, tails - as well as their pose.

* Other features: If you are drawing a still life, or just want more things to put in the background, consider the symbolism of the features you may add. Clocks, hour glasses, and pocket watches are a common motif of time running out, while the skull is the classic symbol of death.

* General Composition: Balance your foreground and background figures, and make sure that the eye is led to your points of focus. To properly compose a piece, you may need to draw out several thumbnail sketches first. Also practice drawing your human figures to get a feel for their features and costumes.

4) Draw! Sketch lightly and generally at first, getting more detailed as you complete the piece. After the pencil is laid down, you may want to ink your drawing, and color, using any method or medium you please - or you can leave it in pencil and shade your piece.

5) 5. Finally, think of a name for your masterpiece. It should tie together your primary themes and motifs and be appropriately dark and moody. Sign your drawing and show it to family and friends. You'll be sure to darken their day!