Advice On Pencil Portrait Rendering - The Side View

A interesting thing about drawing the side view view is that beginners find it much easier than the other views. Yet, the advanced draftsperson can find the profile quite demanding.

For the advanced draftsperson the test lies in the struggle to affect a three-dimensional sculptured look.

Looking at the arabesque in the profile view note how the skull is broken down into straight lines. Using these architectonic lines suggests a firmness of form.

At first, you should keep the shapes plain. Also at this time, do not draw all the profiled features. There are two reasons for this:

1. It is very likely that even the most gifted draftsperson will be off, and

2. Once a line is drawn the logical center of your brain will consider that association as correct one. Therefore, it will look proper to you but everyone else will see the error.

There is a better way. You begin with drawing the construct using architectonically straight lines. The main worries are fixing the general proportions and shape correctly. At a more advanced level you should also consider rhythm and movement.

Instead of immediately including the nose into the construct you should make use of the facial angle, i.e., the line from the forehead to the chin that breaks at the bottom of the nose. The landmark reference for the base of the nose is the tiny ledge-like bump.

A plumb-bob is an excellent device for correctly placing the base of the nose. A plumb-bob is a length of wire (preferably black carpet thread) that has a weight attached to it. The plumb-bob is utilized to check vertical alignments (when working with life models) and their relations to that vertical line. The vertical line is referred to as the plumb-line.

Aligning the plumb-line to the chin allows you more correctly to see the relationship of brow to chin. The brow is set back from the chin. By the way, the entire area of chin and mouth is referred to as the “muzzle”.

Having verified that the initial arabesque and facial angle are right you can now continue with placing the facial proportions, chief anatomical signposts, and the hair-line. So, at this point do not even think about drawing the full nose. Drawing the nose at this time is a sure prescription for disaster. The angle of the nose and the creation of the tip require a high degree of precision.

Instead, begin to sketch the general light/dark pattern.
The lights are painted out using a kneaded eraser. The effect we are looking for is that of a ghost image. That means, above all, not to add minutia. In addition, work from the general to the specific.

Once the general light/dark pattern is developed then the profiled features can be taken on. employing a very sharp pencil you can draw upwards from the chin to the forehead carefully seeing the form. As you draw mumble the anatomical terms of each feature that you draw. You would be surprised at how that illuminates the drawing process. Having an understanding of the facial anatomy will set your portrait sketching miles ahead of those who do not.

The tip of the nose, particularly, requires anatomical reconstruction to get it correct.

A common error novices make with the profile view is placing the eye too far forward. The eye sockets are recessed quite considerably into the skull. If you drop a plumb-line from the inner corner of the eye you will observe that the eye aligns itself with the node of the mouth.

Further sketching and hatching tones are accomplished with 2H and 4H pencils. Decideing how far you want to take your drawing is an artistic decision you have to make yourself. If you wish, you can leave the portrait somewhat unrefined.

In closing, drawing the profile view involves the same general principles relevant to any view. In this situation, the arabesque is particularly critical. The significant thing to remember is not to place the actual full features of the head too early in the process.

Do you want to learn the secrets of pencil portrait drawing? Download my brand new free pencil portrait drawing course here: portrait drawing tutorial.

Remi Engels is a pencil portrait artist and oil painter and expert drawing teacher. See his work at graphite pencil portraits by Remi.

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