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Including a hand in your portraits adds a major measure of drama but can quickly destroy an otherwise fine portrait if done badly.

The goal is to integrate the hand so that it is not only proportionally and gestural correct, but is congruous in personality with the expression of the face.

For example, an agreeable facial expression juxtaposed with a clenched fist may not yield the effect you desire unless you intend to add an ironic twist to your portrait. On the other hand, a hand supporting the head goes very well with a stern scowling expression.

First, absolute beginners should not be attempting to draw both the hand and portrait together. Things will quickly get muddled. The lesson for the absolute beginner here is to get an understanding of the significance of acquiring a solid foundation of your skill.

In a pose where a hand supports the skull there exists a faint forward tilt because the subject is a little bit hunched and leaning forward. For the artist, this situation translates into the presence of a faintly foreshortened and reclined portrait. In the hand/head case this means that the chin is slightly receding relative to the forehead.

As always, you should start with the construct, which in this situation, includes the hand and the shoulder. If you first render the head and then attach the hand to it you are definitely asking for problems. The hand and the head will lack cohesion and will give the awkward impression that they are two distinct objects that are coincidentally next to each other.

When sketching the construct be aware of the negative as well as the positive spaces. Also, do not pre-measure any aspects of the construct. It should be rendered with as much flair as possible without losing your sense of size. Draw first then verify.

Further build upon the construct by locating the face, hand, and shoulder landmark
s and sizes. The internal architecture of the construct is initiated by hatching-in the primedarks and painting out the lights with a putty eraser.

What you are doing is to set the stage for articulating the facial features, the hand, and the shoulder. The hand must be established and proportioned in accordance with the skull and the facial features. The compression of the jaw into the palm must also be taken into account.

Utilizing a sharp pencil you can now further develop the tone and form with cross-hatching, stumping down, and painting out. In this, you will be going back and forth hoping that you know when to quit. Sketching is about making decisions, i.e., knowing what to build up and, just as significant, knowing what to leave out.

In the hand/skull situation you have to be extra careful how far you develop the hand. The hand should be seen as a prop, that is, a supporting element that should not be part of the focus. Do not feel compelled to refine every element in your drawing. Everything in drawing is about balance and transferring your meaning directly to the viewer’s eye.

In conclusion, it is important to see the hand and the shoulder as parts of one whole. Starting your drawing with sketching the complete arabesque will aid you greatly with maintaining this harmony. Treat the hand and shoulder as props that surround the face. This means that you should draw them in a subordinate role.

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

Remi Engels is a pencil portrait artist and oil painter and practiced sketching teacher. See his work at graphite pencil portraits.

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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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A smile is the consequence of happiness. It lifts and extends the bottom of the face and the raised cheeks will often crease the flesh just below the eyes resulting in the so-called “crow’s feet”.

To understand the makings of a smile in its numerous manifestations we must first appreciate the underlying anatomy.

Below we list the 3 significant muscles that add to a smile:

* The Zygomaticus Major - is the main “muscle of happiness”. This extended muscle initiates at the front area of the Zygomatic Arch (cheek bone) and attaches to the node.

When the zygomaticus major contracts it bulges and raises the cheek while further deepening the Nasolabial Furrow or smile-line.

* The Malaris - lies on top of the zygomaticus major and is a long, ribbon-like deep-seated muscle. It initiates at the temple and inserts into and forms the lower part of the nasolabial furrow.

The malaris is the cheek muscle. It draws up the cheek in an outwards and back bearing making it swell and giving it the puffy cheek look.

* The Buccinator - quadrilateral muscle forms the “cheek pad”. It begins on the rear, inside of the jaw and inserts into the “corners” of the mouth.

When smiling the buccinator contracts thus heaving at the corners and widen the mouth.

As the mouth is widened and heaved by both the zygomaticus major and buccinator the lips are extended and flattened. So is the chin. The philtrum is shortened and the nostrils flare to some extent.

Below are still other minor muscles that add to the smile:

1. The Risorius - is a curious muscle because not each person has one. Some people only have a risorius on one side of the face. Other people have a large, expansive triangular shaped one.

The Risorius begins in the tissue of the Masseter (whose action is employed largely for chewing) and attaches to the node of the mouth.

The risorius delicately heaves the node backwards and up. Its effect is mainly observed in gentle smiles.

2. Incisivus Labii Superioris and Inferioris Superioris - The superioris does the heaving. These thing, band-like muscles begin just above the incisor tooth area and also attach to the corner.

When fully shrunk, a puckering up of the lips (a kiss) is produced.

3. The Levator Labii Superioris is a thin, quadrilateral muscle whose effect on the smile is somewhat restricted.

But, the upper part of this muscle contributes to the volume of the cheek and the smile-line.

Over the three critical muscles goes the most complex of all the facial muscles, the Orbicularis Oris which operates throughout a large range of movements and expressions.

During a smile the bottom eyelids are also pressed upward. This is a consequence of a secondary action where the Orbicularis Oculi (the muscle of the eye socket) shrinks.

The nasolabial furrow is deepened as it is simultaneously heaved and pressed upwards and outwards. It is best to play down the sharp fold of the nasolabial furrow otherwise the smile will deteriorate into a grimace.

As the node of the mouth is heaved out and upwards the skin is gathered into subtle vertical ridges.

The interstice of the mouth curves upward, broadening and flattening the lips while reducing the philtrum. The nostrils of the nose also broaden as they are drawn outwards.

The top portion of the nasolabial furrow is produced by a slender, three-part muscle named the Levator Labii Superioris Alaeque Nasi. This is the muscle that produces wrinkles in the nose during sniffing.

The elements of this muscle are the furrow part which inserts into the top part of the nasolabial furrow; the alar section which attaches under and behind the wing of the nose (Alae Nasi); and the lip portion which inserts continuously into the ridge just above the top lip and to the philtrum.

When sketching the smile-line be careful not to over-do it. A delicate suggestion is all that is needed. Otherwise your lovely smile will quickly degenerate into a scowl.

With this we have detailed and discussed the most significant muscles that are involved in the smile. This should put you on the accurate path for appreciating the anatomy of the smile.

Do you want to learn the secrets of pencil portrait sketching? 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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Sketching hair is dictated by several factors: the type of hair, its tint, texture, quantity, the arrangement and styling of the hair, the character and mood of the model or the photo, and the light effect upon the hair.

The contour of the hair is part of the overall arabesque. A correct arabesque is critical to the likeness of the hair. Many novice artists start with the face and grow outward from there. This is however a poor approach and instills bad practices that will prove difficult to break.

In fact, the arabesque is especially essential when draw a coiffure. Attempting to sketch the hair working from the inside out, piece by piece, is a recipe for failure. The hair will end up in being either too small for the head or too large.

Working within the arabesque of the hairdo, first put in the main darks. These darks are best seen by squinting until an overall pattern of light and dark is observed.

Next, you need to blend the graphite in a painterly fashion following the overall gesture and motion of the coiffure. For this you can utilize your fingers, a tissue, or a paper stump. If you make use of a paper stump be careful not to deaden the look. If you use your fingers make sure they are dry and also wipe them constantly with a paper towel.

Then, make use of your putty eraser like a loaded paint brush to pick out the relevant lights. Do not be overly fussy here. A more virtuoso approach effects a sense of life and rhythm into the hair. If you make a mistake just stump down the graphite again with your fingers or stump and do it again.

Occasionally when you block-in the coiffure other light parts of the skull pop out. This is one rationale why sketching the head as a whole is necessary.

French braiding is a gorgeous coiffure style, but extremely complicated and hard to sketch. The purpose is to render these French braids fluidly and with motion. A balancing act is required here: the intricacy of the hair’s styling is best handled by first line-rendering the main locks and braids. As you lay out the braids make certain to plumb and carefully measure and establish each main lock and braid.

When sketching from a photograph there is the pull to duplicate it down to the smallest detail. You may or may not give in to this pull but you should always make sure that the hair retains its liveliness. However, in most cases, you will not need to sketch every detail.

Further block-in the darks taking into account the direction and motion of the relevant locks of the hair. The most difficult thing is to refrain from plunging into an area of detail. Not to do this demands mental discipline. Best is to follow a layered approach that progressively piles the arrangement of the hair, lock by lock.

You also should smooth the edges of the hair line so that it blends into the forehead and sides of the face. Hair does this naturally.

Be sure to used sharp pencils because dull pencils lead to dull, dead coiffures.

Having first mapped out and blocked-in the major locks of hair makes the rendering of the finer regions much easier, but is still labor intensive. You should be prepared to spend quite a lot of time on a hairdo.

Also, step back from the drawing to maintain an overview of the primary light/dark pattern because detailing can result in a flat chaos in which the tones close in on each other.

Hold back from rendering bangs too soon in the process. This helps ensure that the coiffure and flesh can be unified into a coherent sense of spirit.

Sketching coiffures so that it reads naturally and has a rhythmic gesture is difficult. Usually it takes as much time and effort to render the hair as it does the face and neck. You must spend as much care in preparing the coiffure as you would for the remainderof the portrait. If you draw from life be sure you do the hairdo before your model takes a break because the hair will very likely have changed when the break is over. The idea, then, is to devote a whole 20 to 30 minutes of a pose segment to the hair.

With these procedures you can be certain that in time your sketched hair will look authentic and energetic. Do not forget that drawing hair takes time so that you do not get irritated.

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 practiced sketching teacher. See his work at graphite pencil portraits.

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