Sketching in always entails four distinct steps: line, tone, texture, and form. In the special case of pencil portrait sketch we can refine the list of steps to six: form, proportion, anatomy, texture, tone, and planes.
In this commentary we will give a detailed description of each of those pencil portrait sketch steps.
(1) Form Shape or Shape - The illusion of three-dimensionality in drawing and art in general has been fundamental to Western art for a long time. The carving out of form using line, structure, and tone was essential to almost all Renaissance art.
On the other hand, oriental and lots of contemporary art emphasize flatness of form although this period in contemporary art is drawing to an end.
All form in drawing can be reduced to four basic 3-dimensional solids: cones, cylinders, spheres, and bricks. The proper use of these forms together with perspective and tone leads to the illusion of 3-dimensionality even though the sketch is, in reality, located on a two-dimensional piece of drawing paper.
In portrait drawing, the arabesque of the skull, the square structure of the skull, and all elements within the skull (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 form. Proportion refers to the idea of relative length and angle size.
Proportion gives answers to these two questions:
1. Knowing a defined unit of length, how many units is a particular length?
2. How big is this particular angle?
Answering these 2 questions every time correctly will yield a sketch with the right proportions and placements of all forms.
(3) Anatomy - refers in effect to the underlying structures of bone and muscle of the skull.
It is important to learn as much as you can about anatomy. There are many studies available on anatomy for artists. For a portrait artist it is really important to study the anatomy of the skull, neck, and shoulders.
Anatomy texts unfortunately include many Latin terms which makes it a bit difficult to grasp. The idea is to learn slowly and a little bit at a time because it can be very frustrating.
(4) Texture - in portrait drawing expresses the range of roughness or smoothness of the forms. The texture of a rhino skin, for instance, is very different from that of a window pane.
There exist quite a few methods and tricks to help you with the creation of the proper textures. Creating textures presents you with the chance to be very creative and to use each possible type of score you can make with a pencil. In portrait drawing textures occur in spots such as hair, clothing, and skin.
(5) Value - refers to the degrees in light or dark of the pencil marks and cross-hatchings. Commanding portrait drawings use the full range of contrasting lights and darks. Beginning artists often fail to achieve this full "stretch" of tone, resulting in timid, washed-out drawings.
(6) Planes - produce the sculptural sensibility of a portrait. The skull has many planes each with a different direction and therefore with a different tone.
The goal is to think of the surface of the skull as a set of distinct planes with a particular direction relative to the light source. You should try to identify each of the planes and sketch its accurate shape and tone.
The accurate handling of planes adds very much to the likeness of your model as well as the illusion of 3-dimensionality.
About the Author:
Do you want to learn the secrets of pencil portrait drawing? Download my brand new free pencil portrait drawing course here: Remi's Pencil Portrait Drawing Course. Remi Engels is a pencil portrait artist and oil painter and expert drawing teacher. See his work at Pencil Portraits by Remi: http://www.remipencilportraits.com Visit Tips on Pencil Portrait Drawing - The 6 Steps of Portrait Drawing.