In this article we will discuss the blocking-in of large masses of tone or value. Value is commonly thought of as shadow. Beginners commonly first sketch an outline of the shadow and then fill in the shadows bit-by-bit. They usually begin with an eye and then grow out the shadows. Inevitably, the result is a mish-mash of disconnected darks and lights. There are two distinct ways of viewing value: in Western culture we see value as shadow; in Eastern culture value is seen as color. A European viewer seeing a Chinese drawing will be struck by its flatness. Conversely, Chinese connoisseurs in the 17-hundreds seeing for the first time Western portraits were perplexed by the "dark scuff-marks" under the nose. Applying, or more accurately, constructing value should be approached with a sculptural sensibility. That is, think of your sketch as a block of clay that is to be carved. Once roughly carved, you then model the surface forms with varying degrees of value while manipulating their edges thus defining the shapes present in the skull. A portrait sketching from life or (photograph) begins with the drawing of the arabesque. Two things must be accurately sketched: 1. the form of the complete skull; and 2. the proportions (i.e., length and angle relationships). This is a learned ability that no one is born with. Once the arabesque has been struck, the complete skull is then broken down into two pieces: a large light and a large dark. No more than that. At this time, do not worry about whether or not one area is darker than the other. Only the large light/dark pattern counts. Observe that squinting is a good way to more clearly see the value patterns because you are not distracted by details. A good rule of thumb is to divide an area in 2. For instance, if an observed dark patch is not completely uniform in value divide it in 2 and block-in the 2 slightly differing values. Before long a complex yet unified array of values will emerge. From the blocking-in of the primary darks you can then readily sketch the features. Over time you should try to memorize the complete anatomy and "sense" the form three-dimensionally. This, too, is a learned ability. You must know your anatomy to be successful in sketching portraits even at the most fundamental level. Study the anatomy in small portions as you sketch along. A good way to sketch is to toggle back and forth between line sketching and tonal sketching or hatching. Another way is to first do a complete line sketching of the subject. That is, to sketch a "map" of the skull that encompasses all planes and scores the boundaries of the various tonal areas. As a second phase you can then hatch-in the correct values. While you shade be always aware of the planes of the skull and the bearing of the light source. Another skill to be acquired is the skill to cross-hatch patches in a flat and even manner. There is nothing more distracting than rough looking cross-hatching. Lastly, take note of a strange optical illusion called "simultaneous contrast". It takes place when light and dark values lie next to each other. In general, white is expansive while black is contractive. The result is that the white patch looks larger than it is while the black patch will look smaller. In conclusion, keep the blocking-in procedure simple. Look for large masses first and then for the smaller ones. It is always better to sketch from the general to the specific. And, at this point, ignore the details.
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In this article we talk about the construction of value. We explain several techniques and approaches to observe and block-in large masses of value. We also remark on the importance of studying the anatomy of the skull.
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