plate no. 4116

Portrait of an old man

Aleksandr Deyneka, 1916

oilRealismportraitportraitmanbeardfaceclothingsketch

some experience helpful

This drawing is a good exercise in understanding value and line weight to create form. Students will learn to build up tone gradually using hatching and cross-hatching techniques.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the overall composition, focusing on proportions.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the drawing, such as the shadows under the beard and clothing folds.
step 03
Begin to build up the mid-tones using hatching, varying the pressure to control value.
step 04
Add layers of cross-hatching to deepen the shadows and create more complex tones.
step 05
Pay attention to the direction of the hatching to suggest the form of the subject.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Add the background with light hatching to create a sense of depth.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and line weights to create a cohesive and expressive drawing.

color palette

primary · graphite · white (paper)

secondary ·

Varying pressure and layering is key to achieving different shades of gray.

techniques

·Hatching
·Cross-hatching
·Value gradation
·Line weight variation
·Contour drawing

common pitfalls

→Applying too much pressure too early, resulting in a flat and lifeless drawing.
→Not varying the direction of the hatching, which can make the drawing look messy.
→Ignoring the proportions of the subject, which can lead to an inaccurate likeness.
→Overworking the drawing, which can make it look stiff and unnatural.