The ghosting method for confident lines

Ghosting means rehearsing a stroke in the air before you draw it. It is the simplest way to turn hesitant, scratchy lines into clean ones.

Three steps

1. Plan. Mark where the line starts and ends (two dots), or picture the curve.
2. Ghost. Move your arm along the path a few times, pen just above the page, at the speed you will draw.
3. Commit. Lower the pen while your arm is moving and draw the line in one stroke. Don't stop, don't correct, don't go over it again.

Why it works

Most wobble comes from deciding where to go while you are drawing. Ghosting moves that decision before the pen touches the page, so the stroke itself is just playback: smooth and fast.

With a mouse or tablet

Ghosting works the same way digitally. With a mouse, move over the path without pressing the button; with a pen tablet, hover the pen just above the surface. Then press and draw in one go.

Practise with a score every day →

Questions

How many times should I ghost a line?

Two or three passes is usually enough. If you are still unsure after five, re-plan the line.

Is ghosting slower?

At first. Within a few weeks the rehearsal becomes quick and almost unconscious, and you redraw far less.