In this lesson I will be showing you how to lay in a portrait study using just pencil and then complete the sketch by shading in the forms.
Materials I used:
– ‘Pith’ A4 Sketchbook
– Faber Castell 9000 Graphite pencil
– Faber Castell Kneadable Eraser
Process:
Begin by lightly sketching in the outside lines of the skull and hair as well as major face landmarks (the beard and eye line in this case).
Then you can make adjustments before fuzzily suggesting noticeable shadow shapes and darker notes.
Then you can fill in more detail between the major landmarks. Make sure to hold the pencil very far back to make it easier to lay in simpler and softer lines initially.
Finally, you can reinforce all the darker notes, shadows and darker halftones. This is a good place to take a break before rendering more fully.
Start going over the top part of the sketch (in this case the hair). As you will be less likely to smudge the drawing if you work downwards as you render.
Pay close attention to the darker shapes and shadows. You will also need to add softer edges to these forms to give the impression that they are turning towards the light.
Finally, you can lay in dark accents, erase highlights and add texture to things like the beard and the clothing.