A pencil portrait sketch from life starts with the "striking" of the arabesque. Striking the arabesque means drawing the outer contour of the skull with the accurate proportions, form, and theappropriate symmetry. Once you have drawn a reasonably appropriate arabesque it is time to locate the main landmarks of the skull. That means that we will accurately locate the most significant spots of the skull. These spots will then be used as references for mapping out the rest of the skull features. Here is something that may help you with this task: work with your eyes to some extent out-of-focus. This is called looking with a "soft eye". Somehow this makes it easier to accurately determine shapes and sizes. It also aids you with suppressing the set notions we all have of certain objects. Let us imagine that we are working from a three-quarter skull profile. * The Brow Ridge - is the first critical landmark. To locate the brow ridge you must first take your best estimate at where you think it is and only then check it by sighting. Note that to train your eyes it is better to first estimate distances, angles, etc. and verify them later. There is nothing to gain from pre- sizing. Sighting means to use your pencil with fixed arm and marking distances along the pencil with your thumb and index finger and an eye closed. So then, first sight from the bottom of the chin to a point on the brow ridge (just select an arbitrary point on the ridge. But once chosen you should stick with it. Now hoist your pencil so that your thumb is on your point on the brow ridge and make note of where your pencil point is. It should be a tiny distance above the top of the skull. Mark on your sketch where you can best place that spot above the skull. This point is called the "check-point". Note that whenever there is a choice, you should always measure the shortest distance because doing so tends to be more accurate. Your point on the brow ridge should, if it was placed accurately, be exactly halfway between the bottom of the chin and your check-point. If it is not – then change the placement of your brow ridge. * Jaw Hinge - Now you can fix the width of the head. In the three-quarter view the hinge of the jaw is an essential landmark. Again, take your best estimate then check by sighting horizontally from the hinge of the jaw to the far edge of the cheek bone and vertically relating that measure from the bottom of the chin. * Top Nose Bone - Since we have already situated the brow ridge we now only have to guess a small distance to place the top of the nasal bone. If you spotted the hinge of the jaw accurately, it should equal the distance from the bottom of the chin to the nasal bone. If you are off a little, then correct the placement of the hinge of the jaw. Again, imagine that the shortest distance estimated is the accurate one. Now that these key landmarks are situated you can further work out the arabesque. I find it best to further resolve only the back, least intricate, part of the skull at this early point. * Facial Angle - Finally, you have to locate the facial angle which is the center line of the face. Draw a slightly bending line from the middle of the mental tubercle up to the center of the brow ridge. The placement of the facial angle is very critical. You have to feel your way through this as there is no way to rightly measure it. Once the facial angle is situated proceed with resolving the arabesque carefully observing the form of the mouth area, the forehead, and all the other features that are articulated in the form of the arabesque. With this, we have situated all the essential landmarks that will assist us with the mapping of the rest of the features such as the nose and ears.
Article Source: http://www.articlecontentprovider.com/articlesubmit
In this commentary we talk about the all significant drawing and establishing of the principal landmarks of the skull. Aside from the arabesque, these include the brow ridge, the jaw hinge, the top of the nasal bone, and the facial angle.
Download my brand new complementary pencil portrait sketch tutorial here: Pencil Portrait Sketching Course. Remi Engels is a pencil portrait artist and oil painter and skilled sketching instructor. See his work at Pencil Portraits by Remi: http://www.remipencilportraits.com Visit Tips on Pencil Portrait Drawing - Positioning Head Landmarks.
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 5 4 out of 5 3 out of 5 2 out of 5 1 out of 5
