plate no. 4496

The Artist Saul Steiberg

Hedda Sterne, 1944

oilExpressionismportraitportraitmanglassesheadface

suitable for beginners

Recreating this drawing will help students develop skills in proportion, shading, and capturing likeness using graphite. It also provides practice in creating subtle tonal variations to suggest form and depth.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 4 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the overall shape of the head and shoulders, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the center line of the face and the eye line.
step 03
Sketch in the basic shapes of the facial features: eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
step 04
Refine the shapes of the features, adding details like the glasses and hair.
step 05
Begin shading, starting with the darkest areas and gradually building up lighter tones.
step 06
Pay attention to the direction of light and how it affects the shadows on the face.
step 07
Add subtle details and refine the edges of the forms.
step 08
Erase any unnecessary guidelines and clean up the drawing.

color palette

primary · graphite · white (paper)

secondary ·

Vary pressure on the graphite to achieve different shades of gray.

techniques

·hatching
·cross-hatching
·blending
·tonal shading

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions can significantly alter the likeness.
→Overworking the drawing can lead to a muddy or lifeless appearance.
→Failing to establish a clear light source can result in flat or confusing shadows.
→Using too much pressure too early can make it difficult to erase mistakes.