Draw Like A Pro

Sketching in general entails 4 distinct elements: line, value, texture, and shape. In the special case of pencil portrait drawing we can refine the list of elements to six: shape, proportion, anatomy, texture, value, and planes.
In this article we will give a detailed description of each of those pencil portrait drawing elements.
(1) Form Shape or [...]

The nose is crucial in relation to the overall scale of all other facial features of your pencil portrait subject. An incorrectly drawn nose will very much affect the likeness of your subject. The nose is also a study in shading and blending.
Here are some issues you should keep in mind when drawing a nose:
* [...]

In this series of four short articles, I have tried to point finger to those things which are important in portrait making. But one and the most important aspect of learning the art of drawing or painting is the presence of artistic fire within a person.
Here in this final stage, you are to rectify whatever you [...]

Backgrounds are useful in enhancing your vision of how you want to represent your subjects. Backgrounds can soften the presentation or make it more energetic or dramatic.
However, whatever you do, make sure that the background works with the subject and not against it. Also, do not forget that the subject is the reason you starting [...]

Value is one of the most troublesome elements of portraiture. The majority of artists are very hesitant about tone and do not push the shadows far enough. This is often because:
1. Their eyes are not yet trained to see the subtle variations.
2. The fear of losing a drawing.
Beginning artists can see large [...]

Suppose that we have a profile where the head, arm, and fingers are visible and are in contact. Very often, the starting artist will endeavor to draw each of these elements individually. The approach will always lead to frustration and ultimately often to disappointment.
Instead of drawing each item individually, the first step in your drawing [...]

Cropping is a presentation technique that displays a subject within the borders of your paper and often involves a truncation of some parts of the subject. For example, part of a hat or an arm may be truncated or cropped.
Cropping is a device that can be applied often to great dramatic effect. It usually brings [...]

* Tone and Shape – are two of the 4 elements of drawing. The other two are line and texture.
In this commentary we will discuss the idea of plasticity and how it relates to the concepts of tone and form.
* Elasticity – is the visual push and pull of lights and darks which, when presented [...]

Whether or not your pencil portrait turns out to be a masterpiece depends to a large extend on the type and quality of your drawing tools. This is, of course, true for any craft. In this article, I will present an overview of the tools the professional pencil artist uses when drawing a pencil portrait.
What [...]