plate no. 1574
Secrets
Youssef Idrissi, 2018
some experience helpful
Recreating this drawing will help students develop skills in tonal shading and capturing subtle variations in value to create form. It's also good practice for observing and rendering the human figure.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the overall composition and proportions of the figure.
- step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the hair and clothing with charcoal.
- step 03
Begin to build up mid-tones on the skin, blending gently.
- step 04
Use a blending stump or tortillon to smooth out transitions between values.
- step 05
Add highlights to the hair and skin with a kneaded eraser.
- step 06
Refine the details of the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 07
Soften the edges of the figure to create a sense of depth.
- step 08
Adjust values as needed to create a cohesive and balanced drawing.
color palette
primary · graphite · charcoal
secondary · white pastel · grey
Vary pressure and blending to achieve different shades of gray. Use white pastel sparingly for highlights.
techniques
- ·tonal shading
- ·blending
- ·highlighting with eraser
- ·rendering form
- ·charcoal drawing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the drawing and losing the initial freshness.
- →Creating harsh lines instead of smooth transitions.
- →Failing to accurately capture the proportions of the figure.
- →Not paying enough attention to the subtle variations in value.
materials
surface · drawing paper
required
- ·drawing paper
- ·charcoal pencils (various grades)
- ·graphite pencils (various grades)
- ·kneaded eraser
- ·blending stump
- ·tortillon
- ·fixative spray
optional
- ·white charcoal pencil
- ·ruler
Use a paper with a slight tooth to better hold the charcoal and graphite.
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