Drawing in always entails four separate steps: line, value, texture, and shape. In the special case of pencil portrait drawing we can refine the list of steps to six: shape, proportion, anatomy, texture, value, and planes. In this commentary we will give a detailed description of each of those pencil portrait drawing steps. (1) Form Shape or Shape - The illusion of three-dimensionality in drawing and art in general has been central to Western art for centuries. The carving out of shape using line, structure, and value was essential to almost all Renaissance art. On the other hand, oriental and a great deal of contemporary art emphasize flatness of shape although this period in contemporary art is drawing to a close. All shape in drawing can be reduced to four basic 3-dimensional solids: bricks, cones, cylinders, and spheres. The proper use of these forms together with perspective and value leads to the illusion of 3-dimensionality even though the drawing is, in actuality, located on a two-dimensional sheet of drawing paper. In portrait drawing, the arabesque of the head, the square structure of the head, and all elements within the head (nose, eyes, etc.) are all two- and 3-dimensional forms that contribute to the overall illusion of 3-dimensionality (2) Proportion - includes all sizing and placements of shape. Proportion refers to the concept of relative length and angle size. Proportion gives answers to these two questions: 1. Given a defined unit of length, how many units is a particular length? 2. How big is this particular angle? Answering these two questions every time correctly will yield a drawing with the right proportions and placements of all forms. (3) Anatomy - refers in effect to the underlying structures of bone and muscle of the head. It is essential to study as much as you can about anatomy. There are a lot of studies available on anatomy for the artist. For a portrait artist it is particularly important to understand the anatomy of the head, neck, and shoulders. Anatomy studies unfortunately include many Latin terms which makes it somewhat complicated to grasp. The idea is to study slowly and a little bit at a time because it can be quite exasperating. (4) Texture - in portrait drawing expresses the range of roughness or smoothness of the forms. The texture of a concrete walk way, for example, is quite different from that of a window pane. There are several methods and tricks to assist you with the creation of the proper textures. Creating textures gives you the opportunity to be very creative and to use each possible type of score you can make with a pencil. In portrait drawing textures occur in places such as hair, clothing, and skin. (5) Tone - refers to the variations in light or dark of the pencil marks and cross-hatchings. Powerful portrait sketches employ the complete palette of contrasting lights and darks. Starting artists often fail to reach this full "stretch" of value, resulting in timid, washed-out drawings. (6) Planes - produce the sculptural sensibility of a portrait. The head has numerous planes each with a different direction and therefore with a different value. The idea is to think of the surface of the head as a set of discrete planes with a certain direction relative to the light source. You should try to recognize each of the planes and sketch its correct shape and value. The correct handling of planes contributes very much to the likeness of your model as well as the illusion of 3-dimensionality.
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In this article we discuss in detail the 6 elements of a pencil portrait drawing: form, proportion, anatomy, texture, value, and planes.
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