Pencil Drawing - Back to Basics

Stumbled upon a couple websites today and settled with actually going all the way back to learning to wield that pencil. it is, after all important to know how to make marks and control that pencil at all angles...

ctrl+Paint has really great short videos, simple and to the point with really simple yet engaging exercises to top. and head over to Proko, for entertaining funny and very informative videos, Stan is awesome!

and my mind really relaxes while carving the pencil tip. woohoo!

(no I haven't been able to get that pretty tip this is from proko!)

though i'm not sure if I really miss all those pencil smudges that end up on my elbows arms and palms. xD

Exercise 1:
Fill five pages with ovals, holding the pen the overhand way, remembering to use your arm and shoulder. not the wrist.
Had lots of fun doing this one, I haven't got an easel and my sketchbook (which is really an ancient abandoned free lined notebook from the mall) isn't large enough to prop on my thighs comfortably. So stood it up. Well, whatever works. AND IT DID!

Exercise 2: (recommended by proko.com 5.58 to go direct to the exercises) 

connect the dots.
-draw two big dots and join with a single straight stroke.

-draw four big dots and join with an eclipse, using ghosting (gesturing where the line is gonna be above the paper) before drawing it
-draw a box and fill it up with downward only strokes, maintain the pressure let the tone be even

HAPPY PENCIL WIELDING!

Resources:
http://www.ctrlpaint.com/videos/ctrlpaint-unplugged-road-map

http://www.ctrlpaint.com/videos/unplugged-pencils-and-erasers

http://www.ctrlpaint.com/videos/ctrlpaint-unplugged-introducing-the-pencil