Dark black technique

Here’s about dark black technique.

Dark Blacks- alot of people have trouble getting a dark black. Honestly, black is not really an option with graphite. If you want dark blacks, try using charcoal. For a dark tone with graphite, take a SHARP 7B pencil. Pressing fairly hard and using the circulism technique, apply the graphite to the paper. Anytime you are dealing with dark tones and graphite, there will be a shine that results. This happens because the tooth of the paper absorbs the graphite quickly and there are extra layers left on top. Glare/shine is a reality when working with graphite. One way to diminish glare is to spray your drawing with a fixative when it is completed. I would recommend using Winsor and Newton Workable Fixative. I've had bad experiences with other products. Also, remember that if you are framing the drawing, shine will be lessened once it is behind glass.

(black shading example)