Drawing Portraits & People
Part 2

Thank you for joining us!
​remember to refresh your browser page for new content added.

 This Page is best viewed on a computer (vs. a phone)

This page is just for your group. please don't share link with others  thank you!
​

1) Colour & Hands - HANDS & touch on skin tones
2) Life Drawing - fabric, longer poses, from life vs. images, etc.
3) Portrait - composition, measuring, lighting, 
4) Portrait - transfer, processes, FOCUS render, feedback, render


​Skin tones / colours


When painting, I mix all skin tones using the same colours in varying amounts : primaries cyan, magenta, yellow, and white.

When working in greyscale, we can describe skin tone by adjusting what part of the value scale we are using. One's skin tone may fall between values 4-8, another more like 2-6.

This project by angelica dass is well worth a look:

Reference from Humanae project by Photographer Angelica Dass
https://angelicadass.com/photography/humanae/

Try using colour pencil, pastel , or paint to mix swatches of colour and make a gradient
The corresponding greyscale shows the range of values those colours translate to.
For different skintones, try putting the reference photo into greyscale and determine the range those tones fall into. are they V-4 v-8 or v2-6?


Hands:

1) Begin with a few overlapping blind contours of your non dominant hand - experiment with position and scale
2) sketch structures that can be used to understand and draw the hand
3) sketch 5-10 hands putting to spaceitce
4) one longer study of a hand holding an object
A few models to rotate and sketch from (there are others if you browse hands)
​
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/hand-b043f35a952141538c2f8920b8353609

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/pencil-hand-pack-f8ac468d9f1047f88e3506f0cdd1aab0

https://line-of-action.com/practice-tools/app#/hands-feet

​https://ca.pinterest.com/Hearbug/hands/

Picture
Sarah Simblet - Anatomy for the Artist
Picture
Sarah Simblet - Anatomy for the Artist

Take this further & Try sketching feet at home too!

Picture
Sarah Simblet - Anatomy for the Artist
Picture
Escher
Picture
Escher


​WEEK 2

Set Up: Drawing big today - large paper and boards/clips, easels and chosen materials to sketch with
(I'll do some pencil, colour pencil, charcoal...)

Warm up: Gesture sketches - fabric and clothing

Quick Drapery overview and note for further study

Main focus:  Life drawing -longer sittings
- TAKE TURNS POSING FOR EACH OTHER  
- approx 10 - 20 min poses, use background, prop, seating...
- notice difference drawing live vs. photo
- lighting, fabric, and holding a pose (also tricky!)
- photo reference for later use

Discuss:
- Share & reflect on our piles from today
- Portrait references and preparations for week 3
please send a reference by Sunday


​Some clothed gesture samples:


​

Pinterest Board - Bodies & Fabric Practice:
https://ca.pinterest.com/Hearbug/life-drawing-fabric-clothing-references/

​Pinterest Board - 100 Heads
https://ca.pinterest.com/Hearbug/100-heads/​


​Further Exploration:

Drapery Lesson from college text(focused on still life):
Exploring The Basics of Drawing - Victoria Vebell

Note - sometimes the scroll function on here may put you out of place - if so, back out and click on next
This is  great exercise to try at home!

NOTES on modelling and drawing a model:

- When posing, choose a point on the wall you are looking at (and a separate one for where your face is pointed if needed) so you can return to the same spot after a break and/or notice if you shift position. 

- Staying very still for long periods is hard!  posing for others in class is important to get a feel for it (and to be able to direct your friends to pose for you)!. 

- You can direct each other to help find an interesting pose that is also comfortable enough to hold for a length of time. CAREFUL NOT TO HOLD YOUR ARM IN THE AIR TOO LONG FOR EXAMPLE, IT'LL GO NUMB.

​- THIS CAN ALSO HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE MIGHT LOOK FOR IN A POSE, WHAT IS POSSIBLE TO HOLD FOR CERTAIN LENGTHS, AND BE ABLE TO MORE EASILY DIRECT OTHERS.

- While drawing - if the model is speaking or closes their eyes for a few moments to rest, just continue working another area of the piece until that part is still again. Expect them to  shift a little.

- For even longer drawings, sketch from the subject live if you can, capturing the feel of the forms in space with our depth perception. Then, take reference photos to refine later.

- Drawing a background (at least some) not only can give us context, but gives a value other than stark white for comparing the subject to.  

- practice this by sketching your friends or family lounging in the house or doing an activity where they are relatively still. Take a photo for reference backup, but sketch mostly from life. 

- When drawing with open ended time After all these 10 minute studies, we can capture gestural elements and lines with movement relatively quick, then refine as much as we like.

​Try a few with a few tools at home without the time crunch and see what feels good!

Choosing a portrait Reference:

You may prefer a photo you already have that serves this purpose, or you could ask a friend or family member to pose for you and take photos with the lighting etc. that you'd like.
​

Consider lighting, composition, story, what media you'd like to work in, etc 


reference examples using screenshots:
a screenshot from video can capture right moment (I often do this with my family / friend videos) , but lets look at a variety of setting, lighting and composition from some popular instagram accounts / models as an example.
(some limitations apply as the quality will be lower than a still photo)

Have a peek and reflect on how the context of a space, activity, costume, prop etc. can add interest to a piece.

I hope this helps give an idea of what visuals I'd look for in a reference (see comments on individual images). Choosing one you feel good about makes a difference! It goes smoother when I enjoy the picture.

A few past portraits with a prop to give context and life to it.

Additional reference:
Jen - speed drawing (Likely a 3-4 hr session)
the features shifted a lot as I struggled to find a likeness - building slowly here meant I hadn't damaged the paper too much with dark marks so I could more easily shift features into place.  

WEEK 3:
approaches for refined Drawings with more time
​

Set Up:
​- boards, tape, printed references, tracing paper

Warm Up: 
Sketch fabric samples? (blind + tonal study + line drawing)

approaches - measuring & planning:
- sketch a few thumbnails to determine composition and movement..
- grid method (great for scaling up and breaking down a complex image into bite size chunks) 
- Comparative measurement (continue on what we've been doing! trains your eye well! take it slow and allow room for shifting)
- notes on adjusting for output - ex. acrylic on canvas vs. a small drawing.
- we will draw lines on messy paper then transfer to your chosen paper (stonehenge for example is a nice smooth paper at a decent price and usually in stock at the shop - it comes in 22"x30" sheets, so I'd cut it down to pieces) store it flat & keep it clean. 

Draw: We need lines to transfer (outlines and shadow pattern)
- Using your chosen approach, begin mapping out your drawing on rough paper (at scale to output). I'll circulate to help out.
- Mid point-ish - Break and circulate giving feedback for fresh eyes
- continue to adjust / refine your line drawing.

No need to shade this one in, that's for next week! make adjustments if you need to and we will cover transferring process next week.


Observational Drawing TOOLBOX :
MEASURING METHODS

If I plan to spend longer refining / rendering a drawing, measuring first will ensure I have the lines where I'd like them without beating up the nice paper or being intimidated by it.
​

Depending on the output I'm hoping for, I pull from various toolboxes for measuring. While one tool may get photocopy level accuracy, it is time consuming and doesn't capture movement the same. Comparative measurement would be real hard on a mural, where grid method would shine. I can use sighting in person to measure from life, but I can't carry around a giant grid frame (or I'd prefer not to).

Ultimately learning a little about some available tools gives our brains a few ways of viewing things and solving puzzles for any situation and different end results / styles. You may even come up with your own preferred combination!

lets look at some of our photo pile together:
(also play with the image in your photos app - contrast, brilliance, black point... all can help us isolate certain aspects to see them better)

Grid Method:

great for scaling up or down - breaks down a complex or large image into bite size squares.
 
1) draw a grid over your reference image (size depends on reference, but approximately 1" squares is a starting point)
2) on paper the size of your intended output, DRAW A GRID with the same number of squares.  The squares can be larger or smaller but it must be the same number.
3) Lightly label 1-? and A-? to ensure you can keep track as it is easy to lose track of which square you're in.
4) Beginning in the top corner, go through each square one by one, honing in and  drawing the abstract lines you see just as they relate to the enclosing square. WHEN YOU REACH AN AREA WITH MORE DETAIL, YOU CAN BREAK THAT SQUARE DOWN INTO HALVES AS NEEDED.
5) Once sketched out, lift the overlay and refine the contours 

(see timelapse video demo - real time took 1hr15, using 1.5" grid on reference, showing scale down to 1" and up to 2". 2" grid used for line drawing)

Comparative Measurement

Works at any scale. Use a pencil or preferably, a thinner tool like a knitting needle / skewer to compare one part of the reference with another (i.e. width of eye goes into width of head x times). moving over to the drawing, create those same proportions in relation to itself.

1) Mark out your desired output size first, then find the proportions of the overall shape (i.e. width of head fits into head X times) Double check it as we will use this for other measurements.
2) Next, to grasp large shapes first, find basic divisions and mark them out (like eye & brow line , neck, shoulder/arm etc. big landmarks). 
3) continue measuring (like the width of the eyes next) working big to small and take alignments regularly. Depending on the level of accuracy / detail, you can continue adjusting.
4) ONCE SKETCHED OUT, LIFT THE OVERLAY AND REFINE THE CONTOURS

Remember that a measurement can have a domino effect.  To avoid this, return to the same base measurement (like the width of the eye) and double check your measurements regularly.

See Sample Demo Below (around 1hr drawing- Here I'm using some comparative measurements, mimicking angles, and taking alignments. visualizing negative space, basic shapes, and  underlying structures (as we've been doing).

DISCLAIMER:
It was getting late and I struggled with the angle a little lol, then The video cut off before refining, but you see where we're headed - play on double speed if you like.


As you'll see, each method yields a bit of a different style and each has pros and cons. Decide if you'll use grid method or comparative measurement and get started!

Remember we we transfer to nicer paper, so a line drawing and shadow pattern is ideal. If you want to block in shadow areas to visualize them you can, but don't waste time on shading this rough drawing.

EDITS IN PROGRESS BELOW

​Week 4​


- Transferring to fresh paper (time for the nice stuff!)

TRANSFERRING:IF YOU HAVE CARBON PAPER HANDY, GREAT! I NEVER DO, SO I RUB DARK PENCIL (6B / 7B/ 8B) ON THE BACK OF THE DRAWING, TAPE IT DOWN CAREFULLY TO MY FRESH PAPER, AND DRAW OVER THE LINES I WANT TO KEEP, WHICH TRANSFERS THEM TO THE NEW PAGE. USING A COLOUR PENCIL CAN HELP KEEP TRACK OF WHERE YOU'VE DONE ALREADY. BUT ANY TOOL MAKING PRESSURE WILL MARK THE NEW PAGE.  LIFT CORNER TO CHECK BEFORE FULLY REMOVING AS IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO LINE IT BACK UP AGAIN. *DON'T PUSH TOO HARD, JUST ENOUGH.

- approaches to shading + my preferred process

Directional shading can help express forms if it is looking flat.  shading all in one direction which has a nice effect too. Experiment!

The smoothness of marks depends on both the paper and the grip / angle we are shading from as well as how quickly we are moving.

- Block in main values (and note darkest and lightest areas)

BEGIN RENDERING - FIRST THINKING/ generalizing into LARGE SECTIONS - WHAT IS SHADOW, MIDTONE, HIGHLIGHT ETC. EVEN JUST DESCRIBING THE SHADOW PATTERN HELPS US UNDERSTAND SHAPE. (SEE SKETCH)
IF YOU ARE TEMPTED TO PUSH HARD, TRY SWITCHING TO A DARKER PENCIL FOR A DARKER VALUE WITHOUT BURNISHING.

- Lift out and add in to stretch darks and add subtle shading to lights

BUILDING LAYER BY LAYER AND LIGHTENING AS NEEDED WITH A KNEADED ERASER, WE CAN ADJUST THE VALUES AND EDGES. NOTE WHICH EDGES ARE SOFT OR HARD AS THAT TELLS YOU ABOUT THE FACE SHAPE TOO. CHECK IN WITH THE SAME TRICKS AS YOU WORK

- fresh eyes, feedback...

Now and then we should give ourselves fresh eyes by walking away, flipping it upside down, looking in a mirror, etc. and ask others for fresh eyes too. 
I OFTEN LEAVE IT FOR A DAY AND DECIDE IF IT NEEDS MORE - NO NEED TO OVERWORK IT AND WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR A PHOTO REALISTIC IDENTICAL LIKENESS.  IF YOU CAPTURED AN ASPECT OF THEM IT IS STILL SUCCESSFUL.

- Protecting from smudging, transporting, final presentation (CP is same process)

secure a piece of tracing paper to protect one section of the drawing or give the  arm a place to rest without smudging and printing. Be sure the paper doesn't slide around - tape it down.

While transporting or leaving work for a while, same thing, just the full page covered so nothing can rub against it and I don't need to brush off dust. I sandwich another board ontop and clip together for further protection when storing longer periods or transporting it.

If you use a eraser that leaves bits, be careful not to swipe them away

Once completed, I spray fixative to help it from smudging and then frame it behind glass (ensuring it doesn't rub against the glass - preferably using a matte to add space between)


​ Your various Pencils make different marks and have different values:

a 2H for example is a harder lead that makes lighter marks - push hard with this one and it won't get darker (but it may dent your paper) - a 2H is great for very light lines before going darker or as a light outline under watercolour - they don't smudge as much.

an HB is the same firmness as a yellow #2 pencil - a good light drawing pencil that is also suitable for writing etc. 

a 2B is usually my favourite to sketch with - a little softer (and therefore darker) than the previous two mentioned - with a light hand I can still achieve light marks, but with a little pressure I can get good shadows.

a 4B is softer and therefore more rubs off onto the paper - this is helpful to get deeper shadows or for keeping a more loose sketch style - fun for gestures too.

a 6B is even softer / darker (and the numbers continue up to 12 or 14B in some brands) - 6B is one I use for gestures, loose sketches, and getting an even deeper darker shadow area if I need higher contrast. It also works for rubbing on the back of your paper to transfer a drawing to a fresh page.

​Softer pencils smudge and transfer easier
​Play with your pencils and get to know eachother better =)

Colour Pencil Sample:
Colour Pencil works best when slowly built up through layers. The depth this gives is lovely, but requires patience and a light hand. 
I would / could continue refining this a little at the end, but capped the recording at an hour drawing.

Here I used blue to block in the cool shadows, and a warm yellow to block in lights. Rather than try to find one pencil that matches skin tone, we can layer many colours to give more depth,dimension, and interest.

If using colour pencil, try to maintain values as well to describe form.

thanks for being here =)