plate no. 6929

A 105 Year -old Farmer Form Qamsar Kashan

Morteza Katouzian, 1993

pencil, paperRealismportraitportraitmanbeardhatfaceold age

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in rendering realistic textures using graphite and understanding light and shadow to create depth. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and conveying character through facial features.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the overall proportions and pose of the head and shoulders.
step 02
Establish the main shapes of the face: the nose, eyes, mouth, and ears.
step 03
Begin adding darker values to define the shadows and contours of the face.
step 04
Develop the textures of the skin, beard, and hat using various pencil strokes.
step 05
Refine the details of the eyes to capture the subject's expression.
step 06
Add background shading to create depth and separation.
step 07
Adjust the overall values and contrast to achieve a balanced composition.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the portrait.

color palette

primary · graphite · white (of the paper)

secondary · various shades of gray

Achieve different shades of gray by varying the pressure applied to the pencil and using blending techniques.

techniques

·hatching
·cross-hatching
·blending
·value shading
·rendering textures

common pitfalls

→Overworking the drawing and losing the freshness of the initial sketch.
→Failing to establish a full range of values, resulting in a flat or muddy appearance.
→Getting lost in details before establishing the overall form and proportions.
→Not paying attention to the direction of light and shadow.

materials

surface · Drawing paper (smooth or slightly textured)

required

·Graphite pencils (HB, 2B, 4B, 6B)
·Eraser (kneaded and/or plastic)
·Drawing paper (smooth or slightly textured)
·Blending stump or tortillon
·Pencil sharpener
·Ruler

optional

·Chamois cloth
·Sandpaper block for sharpening pencils

Use a variety of graphite pencils to achieve a full range of values. Experiment with different blending techniques to create smooth transitions and subtle textures.

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