Sketch Book for the Artist

THE

BODY

Hands and Feet

THERE ARE MANY different ways of approaching hands and

feet, and they need not be daunting to draw. This exercise

is useful when struggling with proportion. It also helps the

beginner to progress from drawing outlines to drawing

confidently across the surface of the whole form.

Practice by drawing your own hands and feet, or those

of a friend. A mirror increases your range of views, and a

gooseneck lamp casts shadows that clarify planes and depths

of form. When starting, it is important to leave aside all

details of the fingers and toes, especially the lengthwise

divisions between them. Focus instead on how planes

change direction across the knuckles from one side of the

hand or foot to the other. These planes, drawn in relation

to each other, express structure and gesture far more

successfully and easily than ten worried outlines wandering

up and down between the fingers and toes.

2

Start honing the shapes of the dominant

planes, starting with the largest. Then

subdivide each shape so that you work from

large to small, general to specific. Keep lines open

to change and take measurements if they help.

GESTURES OF THE HAND

1

Begin by drawing lines to encompass the

whole hand, swiftly marking its essential

gesture. Draw large shapes and their orientation.

Group the fingers together as one mass. Do not

separate them yet, and ignore all details.

Open Palm

3 Build your drawing gradually from light to

dark. Don't worry about achieving perfect

solutions, but regard these practice studies as

ongoing processes of thought and observation.

Add details such as nails last if you wish.

Curled Fingers