By Cindy Wider

U09 Advanced: Faces and Figures

In this lesson, you draw a portrait of a three-year-old child to give you a better idea of the facial proportions of a child as compared to those of an adult.

Isha

This lesson is divided into the following seven steps: Step One: Mark in the initial guidelines Step Two: Continue the basic construction of the face and hair Step Three: Create the final outline drawing Step Three: transfer your drawing Step Four: How to draw hair Step Five: Add the hair to your portrait of Isha Step Six: Begin shading the features, starting with the eyes Step Seven: Continue shading the face Step Eight: Begin shading the jumper

Recommended for traditional and digital artists with advanced drawing skills, as well as students of home schooling, academic, and recreational fine art educators

21 PAGES 17 ILLUSTRATIONS

Published by Drawspace.com, Halifax, NS, Canada 2011

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Introduction
Please refer to the photograph of Isha as your main reference source (see Fig. 1) and the completed drawing as a guide and an example of what you are aiming to achieve in each step (see Fig. 2.)

Fig. 1. Photograph of Isha (use this photograph as a guide to measure from)

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Please note the following drawing examples are not drawn to scale you will need to measure the lines and shapes from the photograph (see Fig. 1) using your ruler. Consider printing the single page onto high-resolution photo-quality paper

Fig. 2. Drawing of Isha

Step One: Mark in the initial guidelines

First of all place a sheet of clear acetate or a plastic sleeve over the photograph of Isha (see Fig. 1) and tape it in three places across the top only. This is so that you can lift the sheet up and down to see the photograph more clearly if needed. You will be drawing on this clear sheet first so that you can discover and measure the guidelines and basic shapes you see demonstrated here (see Fig. 3.)
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Use your ruler and permanent marker to rule the following guidelines and construction drawing onto the clear sheet over the top of the photograph. (Notice how in a small child, the eye-line is further down from the top of the head than on an adult face.) Even though the head is tilted, the eye-line remains at a right angle to the central axis. Draw all the guide lines on first then draw the basic construction shapes by copying this image below (see Fig. 3.)

The central axis.

The eye line

Fig. 3. Initial guide lines and construction drawing

Tip!
In Lesson P10: Getting Under Your Skin, Brenda Hoddinott shows the placement of the facial muscles and their individual functions. This knowledge can help you to understand the shapes of tone that you see in the human face.
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Step Two: Continue the basic construction of the face and hair
1. Still drawing on the acetate sheet placed over the photograph, continue to place the lines for the hair, face and shoulders that you see drawn here (see Fig. 4.) Note that these are mostly just angles and not the final curves you see in the photograph. It is easier and also saves time to draw lines rather than curves as your initial guidelines. Once you are happy with the length, placement and angles of these lines, it is a simple step to draw the curves on top afterwards. That way you capture the major changes in the curves much more effectively. 2. Draw the basic outline for the eyes (look for three major angles on the top and bottom lids that form the opening of the eye; these are important angles that capture the unique eye and are often slightly different on both sides). 3. Once you have completed the angles for the hair and face, it is time to begin draw ing this sam e im age onto your paper . Use your HB pencil and draw on plain bond paper for this stage (you will be transferring your image to quality paper later.) Use your ruler to draw the initial central axis and guide lines. Measure as many places as you like, with your ruler or pencil to help you gain valuable accuracy.

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Fig. 4. Example of the initial guidelines for face, hair and shoulders

Step Three: Create the final outline drawing

1. Create the final outline drawing over the top of the guidelines and construction shapes you have just drawn. Use the guidelines as a starting point and adjust these according to what you see in the photograph (see Fig. 1) to finalise your outline drawing (see Fig. 5.) You will notice that with the hair (see Fig. 5) the outline of the major areas of tone have been drawn in. Draw both the very light areas and the very dark as well. You can use the drawing (see Fig. 5) as an exact guide if you choose, or be guided by the photograph instead.
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Fig. 5. Outline drawing of Isha

Step Three: transfer your drawing

1. Once you have completed your final outline drawing, transfer the image to quality drawing paper ready for shading.

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Tip!
You can create your own re-usable graphite transfer sheet by rubbing an entire piece of A4 size paper with a 4B pencil. (Do not use ready-made transfer paper as this does not erase well.) Place this sheet face-down onto your clean new drawing paper with your outline drawing taped to the top. You do not need to rub the back of your image in this case. Use your HB pencil to transfer the image and press softly, checking your image as you go. Your new image should show through easily.

Step Four: How to draw hair

We will just take a small break from our portrait to begin learning how to draw hair. This is just one way of drawing hair. In this two-stage section of the exercise you have the option to have a little practice at drawing hair before continuing on with your portrait of Isha.

Fig. 6a. Stage one

Fig. 6b. Stage two

Stage One: Draw the outline of the hair (see Fig. 6a.)
1. Use a sharp HB pencil to draw the outline of the hair but press softly (the image above is darker around the outlines of each clump of hair than it should be so that you can see the shapes more obviously.)
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2. It is easy to lose your place when drawing hair. You can use your finger to rest on the drawing page that you are copying from to help you to remember where you are up to. 3. Lightly shade the shadow areas using hatching strokes in the direction of the hair (see Figs 8a, 8b and 8c.) Remember that the hair always comes from the roots of the scalp. Separate the major sections of the hair by shading in some places and leaving the highlights exposed as the white of your page in other areas. 4. Use your click eraser which can be cut to a chisel point; to remove darker sections of graphite and to produce finer lines than can be achieved with the putty eraser (see Fig. 7.)
The tip has been cut into a chisel point using a craft knife. You can also just cut a thin slither of your plastic eraser with a pair of scissors if you dont have a click eraser or craft knife.

Fig. 7. A click eraser

Stage Two: Second layer of shading (see Fig. 6b.)

1. Use a sharp 2B pencil with medium pressure. Do not indent your page. 2. Imagine the large sections of hair as cylinder or cone-like shapes. Give each clump of hair a three-dimensional appearance by making the sections darker around the edges of each clump; tapering off lighter towards the ends of the hair (see Fig. 6b.) 3. Continue to leave the highlights exposed as the white of your page and refine these with your putty or click eraser as you go. 4. Use a sharp 4B pencil to deepen the dark areas even more using a series of curved or straight hatching strokes and apply medium pressure. Dont indent your page or make the surface too glossy. Continue to build up the darker areas. 5. To finish, add more single strands of hair with HB, 2B and 4B pencils in the appropriate areas. Then erase areas of graphite to refine the highlights. 6. Place a few loose strands around the outside and over the top of the hair as a finishing touch.

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Step Five: Add the hair to your portrait of Isha

There are many places to begin shading a portrait. Some artists begin with the eyes, others with the whole face itself or even the hair. In this case we will begin at the top of the portrait and gradually travel down the face, starting with the hair first (see Fig. 9.) Notice here that the outline drawing has been erased right back so that the outlines are barely visible. You can also do the same at this stage so long as you can still see your drawing. Although the scanned image hasnt captured the outlines, in reality they are just visible. 1. Begin the hair by adding hatching strokes to the top section using a combination of HB, 2B and 4B pencils according to how dark the areas need to be. Make sure that you are aware of what a hatching stroke should look like (see Fig. 8a.) A traditional hatching stroke is thick and blunt-ended at the base then gently tapers towards a thin more pointed tip that eventually disappears. This thickerbased stroke is naturally achieved because when the pencil is first placed on the page it forms an edge or beginning of the line. The tapering section of the line is a result of quickly whisking or flicking the pencil across the page surface whilst reducing pressure at the same time. Hatching is best done quickly. 2. Draw your hatching lines so that you have tapered ends on either side of the highlighted areas (See Fig. 9) by first of all drawing a series of hatching lines at different lengths to one another with different starting positions (see Fig. 8b.) then draw the second set of hatching lines in the opposite direction in different lengths and starting positions (see Fig. 8c.) this will give the hair a more natural and gentle appearance.

Hatching lines have thin ends

with thick and bluntended bases Fig. 8a. Fig. 8b. Fig. 8c.

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Hatching lines are drawn in here as described in step 5. Use variety with the placement of your hatching lines and make sure that they end in a thin taper on either side of the highlighted areas.

Fig. 9. Begin shading the hair using the hatching technique

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Step Six: Begin shading the features, starting with the eyes
Refer to the photograph provided rather than this drawing as the eyes were later adjusted as you can see in the final drawing (see Figs. 2. and 16.) You can also work in the eyebrow area in this step (see Figs. 1 and 10.) 1. To create realistic eyebrows, go easy on drawing the individual hairs and concentrate more on shading the major tones. 2. Use a combination of smooth shading and the occasional hatching strokes for the tiny hairs. 3. Dont draw everything you see, eyebrows shouldnt dominate the face, so try to keep them subtle. Less is best in this area. 4. Notice that the darkest level six areas are reserved for around the eyes. This is to emphasise this area and draw the attention of the viewer.

Fig. 10. Begin shading the eyes and eyebrows by referring to the photograph (Fig.1.)

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Step Seven: Continue shading the face

As we gradually make our way down the face, we are almost completing each section as we travel. Later we will go back and add some finishing touches to refine the shapes, but other than that you should consider each area practically finished. Make sure you dont rest your arm across your work. As you work in the contours of the skin look very carefully at the shapes of the shadows you see in the drawing and photograph (see Fig. 11 and Fig. 1) it will help to also read the recommended texts on human anatomy for artists to understand the underlying muscles and skeletal structure of the face. 1. Shade the skin on Ishas face very carefully with your HB pencil at first, then gently soften your shading by using your paper stump or cotton bud in soft circular motions. Be very gentle with the pressure on your pencil and stump as graphite can appear severe in the delicate face of a child. Be very specific where you are blending making sure you maintain the correct shapes at all times and dont overwork the paper.

Tip!

The shape and level of tone that you shade in the areas on the face are just as important as the shape of the outline itself. Every single area of the portrait is important and should be treated as so, right up until the last pencil stroke is laid down.

2. It is recommended that you also take a look at lesson Q06 page six to understand more about the five areas of highlight and shadow. Be careful to leave the full light level one areas as the blank page. It is always best to keep your page blank rather than having to go back and erase, however, sometimes there is no avoiding it and you do need to erase. Use your putty eraser in the areas around her cheeks, chin and smile-lines (see Fig. 12.) 3. Continue to travel down the face leaving the lips until after you have shaded around that area. 4. Shade the lips taking very careful notice of the area between the two lips (see Fig. 13.) Draw any major shapes (within the gap between the lips) into their correct position first then add the fine details later. Speak to yourself about the angles you see there.

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Tip
If you are seated in the same position throughout your drawing, you can use areas in the room as visual landmarks to help you consider the direction you need to draw a line or curve towards. Refer to things such as; This line is curving upwards towards the kitchen, this one is curving slightly to the side towards the mirror, now it is curving back upwards, only a little bit.

Fig. 11. Begin shading around the eyes and nose

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Fig. 12. Continue shading around the lips, chin and cheek areas

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Fig. 13. Take careful notice of the shape of the area between the lips

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Step Eight: Begin shading the jumper

Before you complete the face, make sure you are happy with the features. You can see that the eyes and various parts of the portrait of Isha were refined afterwards (see Fig. 16.) Once you have completed the face, it is time to begin shading the jumper. With the original outline drawing still softly in place you can shade the jumper in two layers. Use the photograph as your main reference and the drawing as a guide for ideas. This is just an example for you to refer to; 1. The first layer is gently shaded with a HB pencil. The smooth shading technique is used simply to position the various tones (see Fig. 14 and also refer to Fig. 1.) There are little dips and rises in this knitted fabric jumper (or sweater.) The dips have been shaded to a level 3 and the rises are a level 2 or occasionally left as the white of the page (a level 1 area.) Notice the different areas that have been shaded like this (see Fig. 14.) This is an interpretation and not an exact photocopy likeness to the photograph. 2. Once you have decided upon the main areas of light and dark, you can then lay in the final level 4, 5 and 6 tones while also carefully designing the pattern of the stiches and weave of the jumper as you go (see Figs. 15 and 1.) Some small curved hatching lines were used in this area.

Fig. 14. The first layer of shading on the jumper

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These tiny little curves that indicate stitching can only be drawn on one at a time. There is no shortcut to some things with drawing. Great patience is needed. The results are very rewarding.

Small curved hatching lines were made here after the area was lightly shaded.

Fig. 15. The final layer of shading on the jumper

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Fig. 16. Completed portrait drawing of Isha by Cindy Wider

Notice in this final image that there are several subtle changes made to the pupils, irises, eye lids, and to the lips. More shading was added and the shadow shapes were defined. This refining process happens after looking at the image for several days and seeking out any areas that need to be adjusted to achieve a closer likes to the model.

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Portrait of Isha; Student Example:

This drawing was completed by Ann K ristin Eriksson a previous course participant. Her delicate use of the smooth shading technique in Ishas face combined with confident, expressive hatching strokes used for the hair is a great example of what can be achieved during this week of the course. Ann has applied the theory of light and shade as well as accessing her comparison skills of sizes, angles and light and dark in order to create this realistic portrait.

Portrait of Isha by Ann Kristin Eriksson

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Cindy Wider
Cindy Wider is an empathetic art educator with a wealth of knowledge to share with you. Specializing in teaching absolute beginners learn to draw and paint, she is naturally gifted to encourage. Cindy has successfully helped many people from all walks of life learn to draw and paint who previously believed they were not able to. Cindy is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards including government sponsorships and scholarships. She has been commissioned by major businesses such as the Microsoft Corporation and is represented in many collections around the world. Cindy resides in Noosa Queensland Australia with her husband and two young daughters.

EDUCATION
Graduate Diploma, Fundamentals of Art Art Instruction Schools, Inc. USA, 2009, Studied under the advisement of Pauline Jonach and Ron Revitt Certification TAFE College, SA Train Small Groups, 1999

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Co-Founder and Instructor Drawpj.com, 2009 to present (Responsible for training instructors to teach the forty-two week curriculum that I designed for beginning art students in online or classroom environments.) Trainer Pomona and District Community House, 2009 (Provided training in painting techniques for staff in anticipation of Seniors Week 2009.) Art Instructor and Curriculum Designer Drawspace.com Nova Scotia, Canada, 2008 to present (I teach my own course curriculum in virtual art classrooms for the largest and fastest growing recreational art tuition website in the world.) Tutor Fairway Studios Goondiwindi, Queensland, Australia, 2007 Tutor Illustration House South Bank, Brisbane, Australia, 2007, (Tutored Weekend Workshop in Composition and Acrylic Painting) Founder and Tutor StuartCindy Art Noosa, Queensland, Australia, 2003 to 2007 Instructor of Creativity and Illustration TAFE College Port Lincoln, South Australia
Copyright to all articles, images, text, projects, lessons and exercises within this document belong to Cindy Wider and may not be reproduced or used for any commercial purposes whatsoever without the written permission of Cindy Wider.