A drawing is a work of art made by making marks on a flat surface, often paper. Drawing is usually done with dry materials like graphite or charcoal, but it can also include wet materials like ink or watercolour. Drawings are often made with lines, although they can include washes or areas of shaded pigment. Drawing is one of the oldest forms of human artistic expression, dating back to the earliest known civilisations.
'The Wrestlers' or 'The Pancrastinae' probably 1883
Minnie Jane Hardman (1862–1952)
University of Reading Art CollectionDrawing is a foundational component of art education and has been since at least the Renaissance.
Students are taught the fundamental methods of creating a two-dimensional image of something by drawing before they move on to other mediums like painting or sculpture.
Often, students draw real human figures – which is called life drawing – or casts of ancient sculptures.
Through the practice of sketching, or making 'studies', artists hone their skills.
The Madonna and Child with Saint Mary Magdalene and a Pope, Saint Gregory 1540–1543
Bernardino Lanino (c.1509–after 1581) (probably)
The Barber Institute of Fine ArtsArtists often use drawing as a preparatory step in the practice of making an artwork in a different medium, like a painting or sculpture, or to design something more complex, like a building.
Because drawing materials are cheap and easy to work with, artists can work out their plans on paper before making a final product in a more complex medium.
Certain types of preparatory drawings are referred to as 'cartoons' – these were placed directly on the wall or canvas and traced, before being filled in with paint or other mediums.
Not all drawings are studies or preparatory works.
They can also be finished artworks that stand alone. Some drawing materials particularly lend themselves to creating a finished work, like pastels.
Some of these works blur the line between drawing and painting.
Drawings that are made to be illustrations in books or manuscripts are also good examples of finished works.
But even pencil drawings can be highly detailed, carefully executed artworks that are intended by artists to be a complete work.
Drawing on paper is a cheaper medium for artists and for collectors, so finished drawings can be more accessible for people to buy.
Sea Journals (triptych, left wing) 1988
Elizabeth Ogilvie (b.1946)
Museums & Galleries Edinburgh – City of Edinburgh CouncilBecause of drawing's versatility, it is a ripe medium for experimentation.
Contemporary artists have played with the boundaries of drawing, using materials like make-up, fire, and even their feet to make marks on surfaces that they call drawings.
This innovation and playfulness keeps the medium evolving.
You can explore all artworks categorised as drawings on the database, or take a look at a selection of drawn works below.
Susan Owens
Annette Wickham
Andrew Parkinson
Kirsten Tambling
Patrick Downing
Richard Barnett
Eliza Goodpasture
Eliza Goodpasture
Anna Maria Barry
Edward Richards
Sean Ketteringham
Edward Richards
Jessica Raja-Brown
Eliza Goodpasture
Eliza Goodpasture
Kirsten Tambling
Surya Bowyer
George Bothamley
Melissa Baksh
Caleb Carter
Karen Heatley
Alexandra Pereira
Michael Sheehy
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Jo Baring
Chris Owen
David Trigg
Matthew Cheale
Edward Richards
Charlotte Baker
