Head of a Man

Light streams from the upper left, modeling the frontal planes of the face while the right side recedes into shadow. The massive curled hair dominates the upper portion with densely packed loops, while the face anchors below—a severe, bearded profile tilted slightly leftward. The eye lands first on the downward-gazing eyes and prominent nose ridge, which catch the strongest light. The composition reads as a study of contrasts: the intricate, rhythmic hair texture against the smooth, volumetric musculature of the face; highlights on the forehead and cheekbone against the shadowed jaw and neck.

The lightest areas are the upper hair mass and the bridge of the nose—pure paper tone. The darkest passages sit in the shadow plane of the right cheek, beneath the jaw, and defining the eye sockets and beard shadow. The face itself lives in an extremely narrow mid-tone band; when squinted, it reads almost as a single value interrupted only by gentle modeling. The paper's warm undertone unifies everything; there are no cool shadows.

• #d5c3a8

  Red chalk at lightest pressure; paper tone

  Highest highlights on forehead, upper hair, bridge of nose

• #d0b796

  Red chalk layered once, very light

  Cheekbone and temple areas in light

• #cb9e74

  Red chalk mid-tone, single layer

  General flesh tone of face and neck

• #bd8459

  Red chalk medium-dark, layered twice

  Mid-shadow areas: eye sockets, nostril, beard shadow

• #b2764e

  Red chalk dark, multiple layers

  Shadow plane of cheek, under jaw, deepest eye socket

• #9a5d3d

  Red chalk fully saturated, heavy pressure

  Darkest accents: pupil depth, deepest beard shadow, nostril interior

Edges throughout are soft and blended, created by layering chalk and working it with a tortillon or stump to merge values seamlessly. The hair is rendered with rhythmic, flowing strokes that curve outward to suggest form—each lock follows the underlying structure. Directional marks in the beard suggest texture without hard lines. Contours of the face are suggested through value alone, never sharply drawn; the transition from lit to shadow side is gradual and almost imperceptible.

1. 01

   Establish proportions and center the head

   Lightly block in the overall head shape, noting the three-quarter angle and tilt. Mark the vertical center line and horizontal placement of the eyes—they sit roughly one-third down from the top. Indicate the hair mass as a single large form above, and the jaw below.

2. 02

   Define the hair structure

   Block in the hair as a solid form using light, consistent pressure. Establish that it's fuller and extends back more on the left side, with ringlets curling around the face. Don't detail yet—just establish the overall silhouette and volume.

3. 03

   Place major facial features

   Lightly indicate the position of the eyes, nose, mouth, and jaw line. Check that the nose is properly centered and that the eyes align horizontally. Mark the shadow plane of the face (right side) with a light wash.

4. 04

   Build the face with middle tones

   Begin layering chalk to establish the basic flesh tone across the face and neck. Work gently, covering the entire front of the face. Pay attention to how the cheekbone and temple catch more light than the area under the cheekbone and jaw.

5. 05

   Develop the hair texture with rhythmic strokes

   Now begin the hair detail with curved, flowing strokes that follow the direction of the curls. Work from light to dark, layering strokes to build form. The strokes should radiate outward and curve back—think of the curls as spirals, not tight lines. Leave the upper areas lighter to suggest how light rakes across the top.

6. 06

   Model the face with shadow and feature definition

   Layer darker chalk on the shadow side of the face (right cheek and jaw). Define the eye sockets with a subtle darkening but avoid making them harsh holes. Suggest the nostril and mouth line with minimal marks. The beard appears as shadow more than texture at this distance—suggest it on the jaw and chin with slightly heavier pressure but still soft edges.

7. 07

   Refine subtle transitions and edges

   Use a tortillon to blend the transitions between the light and shadow planes of the face. Work very gently here—the shift from lit to shadow should feel almost imperceptible on the cheek and forehead. Refine the eye: suggest the iris with a light touch, and let the socket shadow do most of the work. Soften any hard edges around the nose and jaw.

8. 08

   Final details and character

   Add the darkest accents sparingly: deepest in the eye sockets and nostril, along the beard shadow on the chin. Adjust the hair so some locks read crisper and others fade—this creates depth. The overall impression should be quietly dignified, not overworked. Step back frequently and check the three-quarter view hasn't collapsed into profile or full-face.

• Hair texture can become monotonous if every curl is rendered equally—vary the weight of your marks and let some areas dissolve into the lighter background.
• The face can flatten without the subtle value shifts: the cheekbone and temple need to be slightly lighter than the planes that recede; the shadow side must transition gradually, not drop off abruptly.
• Eyes are frequently overworked here—they should read as contemplative and shadowed, not as dark focused points. Let the socket shadow carry the expression; the iris is barely visible.
• The three-quarter head angle is unforgiving; if the jaw or cheekbone placement is off, the face becomes distorted. Check proportions repeatedly against the reference.
• The paper's aged spots and overall warm tone are part of the work's character—don't sand or erase them. Adapt your chalk work around them.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility