Information on Pencil Portrait Sketching – Sketching a Chin Supporting Hand Including Shoulders
Including a hand in your portraits adds a major measure of drama but can quickly destroy an otherwise fine portrait if done badly.
The goal is to incorporate the hand so that it is not only proportionally and gestural correct, but is in agreement in personality with the expression of the face.
For instance, an agreeable facial expression juxtaposed with a clenched fist may not yield the effect you want unless you intend to add an ironic twist to your portrait. On the other hand, a hand supporting the head fits very well with a stern scowling expression.
First, absolute novices should not be attempting to draw both the hand and portrait together. Things will quickly get muddled. The lesson for the absolute novice here is to get an appreciation of the importance of acquiring a solid foundation of your skill.
In a pose where a hand supports the head there is a delicate forward tilt because the model is slightly hunched and leaning forward. For the draftsperson, this situation translates into the presence of a subtly foreshortened and reclined portrait. In the hand/head case this means that the chin is somewhat receding relative to the forehead.
As always, you should begin with the construct, which in this situation, includes the hand and the shoulder. If you first draw the head and then attach the hand to it you are really asking for problems. The hand and the head will lack cohesion and will give the awkward impression that they are two distinct objects that are coincidentally next to each other.
When striking the construct be aware of the negative as well as the positive spaces. Also, do not pre-measure any aspects of the construct. It should be drawn with as much fluidity as possible without losing your sense of proportion. Strike first then verify.
Further build upon the construct by placing the face, hand, and shoulder signposts and sizes. The internal architecture of the construct is initiated by blocking-in the keydarks and painting out the lights with a kneaded eraser.
What you are doing is to set the stage for drawing the facial features, the hand, and the shoulder. The hand must be situated and sized in accordance with the head and the facial features. The compression of the jaw into the palm must also be reckoned with.
Making use of a sharp pencil you can now further develop the value and shape with cross-hatching, stumping down, and erasing. In this, you will be going back and forth hoping that you know when to stop. Rendering is about making decisions, i.e., knowing what to build up and, just as essential, knowing what to leave out.
In the hand/head situation you have to be particularly careful how far you develop the hand. The hand should be seen as a prop, that is, a supporting element that should not be part of the focus. Do not feel compelled to refine every element in your drawing. Everything in rendering is about balance and communicating your intent directly to the viewer’s eye.
In closing, it is important to see the hand and the shoulder as parts of one whole. Starting your drawing with rendering the construct will aid you greatly with maintaining this cohesion. Treat the hand and shoulder as supporting elements that surround the face. This means that you should draw them in a subordinate role.
About the Author
Download my brand new Free Pencil Portrait Rendering Course here: Pencil Portrait Rendering Course. Remi Engels is a practicing pencil portrait artist and oil painter and practiced drawing teacher. See his work at Pencil Portraits by Remi: http://www.remipencilportraits.com
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