plate no. 0852

Cafe No. 2

Yasuo Kuniyoshi, 1936

oilExpressionismportraitfigureportraitcafehatfurchair

some experience helpful

Recreating this drawing will help students develop skills in tonal shading, creating textures with hatching and cross-hatching, and capturing the likeness of a subject.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the overall composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and major elements.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the drawing, such as the fur coat and hat shadows.
step 03
Begin building up the mid-tones using hatching and cross-hatching techniques.
step 04
Pay close attention to the direction of the hatching to suggest form and texture.
step 05
Refine the facial features, focusing on accurate proportions and subtle shading.
step 06
Add details to the background, such as the sky and cafe elements.
step 07
Use a kneaded eraser to lift out highlights and create a sense of depth.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and details to achieve a balanced and expressive drawing.

color palette

primary · graphite gray · charcoal black

secondary · white (paper)

Varying pressure and layering of graphite/charcoal creates the range of values.

techniques

·hatching
·cross-hatching
·tonal shading
·blending
·erasing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the drawing and losing the freshness of the initial sketch.
→Creating muddy or flat values by not varying the pressure of the pencil.
→Neglecting the importance of highlights and creating a sense of depth.
→Getting lost in details before establishing the overall composition and values.

materials

surface · Drawing paper (smooth or slightly textured)

required

·Graphite pencils (HB, 2B, 4B)
·Charcoal pencils (soft, medium)
·Drawing paper (smooth or slightly textured)
·Kneaded eraser
·Pencil sharpener
·Blending stump or tortillon

optional

·Ruler
·Fixative spray

Experiment with different grades of pencils and charcoal to achieve a range of values and textures. Use a light touch when applying the initial layers of graphite or charcoal.

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