Paper, pressure
and placement
Use these notes when a texture needs a little adjustment. For the complete starting setup, see How to use SketchTiles.
If the pattern is faint
Try a soft pencil and thinner paper first. Keep the paper flat against the tile and make a light swatch. Adjust the pencil angle before adding pressure.
Thicker sheets can make the texture harder to pick up. Test a scrap before working on your drawing.
If the pattern looks doubled
Check whether the paper or tile moved between passes. Hold both steady on a firm surface and try a fresh patch.
To cover a larger area
Extend the pattern in small sections. Keep the tile edge against a ruler as you move it, and match the pattern to your existing marks before rubbing the next section.
Practise the join. Try the alignment on scrap paper first. Moving the tile will not always produce a seamless repeat.
To compare scales
Flip the tile and make a second swatch. Look at both from the distance at which the finished drawing will be viewed. Choose the scale that makes the surface read clearly.
To add colour
Transfer the texture with a pencil. The two-pass grid guide shows how marker colour and finishing shading sit alongside the pencil pattern.