Marah Maitale Art

Videos · Sketchbook Drawings

How to Draw a Floating Island in Graphite and Charcoal

13 min · real-time drawing, no talking · watch on YouTube

How to draw a fantasy floating island with graphite pencil and charcoal: sharp mountains, a hidden village and clouds, shaded step by step in my sketchbook.

Graphite and charcoal drawing of a floating island with tall sharp mountains, a small village and a rocky base dissolving into mist
How to Draw a Floating Island in Graphite and Charcoal — Marah Maitale Art

A floating island hangs in the air: huge, sharp mountains rise toward the sky, a small village hides between them and a winding path connects every corner. Below, the rocky base of the island slowly fades into the clouds.

The drawing is built up with a 0.7 mm mechanical pencil and a charcoal pencil. Graphite gives the fine details and textures of the rocks and houses, charcoal adds the deep shadows and drama; blending stumps and a kneaded eraser soften the gradients in the clouds.

Everything comes from imagination – a small exercise in world-building in a hardbound Canson sketchbook. There is no voice-over, only the drawing process with calm music.

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