
plate no. 9112
Leopold Pollak, 1832
Recreating this drawing will help students develop skills in accurate proportion, shading techniques, and rendering textures with graphite. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and expression.
technical profile
approach — 8 steps
Lightly sketch the overall proportions and pose of the subject.
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
Begin adding shading to define the form of the face and neck.
Render the hair, using small, curved strokes to create the texture of the curls.
Add details to the clothing, using hatching and cross-hatching to create shadows.
Refine the background with subtle shading to create depth.
Add the signature and any other text present in the original.
Make final adjustments to the values and details to complete the drawing.
color palette
primary · graphite · white (paper)
secondary ·
Varying pressure on the graphite pencil creates different shades of gray.
techniques
common pitfalls
surface · Smooth drawing paper
required
optional
Use a variety of graphite pencils to achieve a full range of values. A blending stump can help to create smooth transitions between tones.
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