The Complete Book of Drawing Techniques

49

Pencil projects

STEP BY STEP DRAWING OF A HEAD

The illusion of volume is central to the
success of the following portrait, which I
built up in a series of six drawings. I used a
2B pencil and cartridge paper, but almost
any pencil would do, as would any type of
paper. You might like to practise drawing
ellipses, cylinders, eggs or ovoids before
starting.

1.

METHOD

1/ Draw the shape of an egg/ovoid. Try

to do this with a free, expansive movement,

sensing the shape rather than using your eye

to gauge it precisely. Repeat the shape several

times, drawing over your original lines, as I

have done here. Now draw an ellipse, as

shown, to give the shape the appearance of

form.

2/ Create the basic form of the neck by

adding a cylinder to the bottom of the egg

form.

3/ Draw in outline the back of the head.

Now extend the ellipse to meet these lines,

giving the form of the skull. The lines of the

ellipse are called cross-sectional analysis

lines. They enable you to have a full visual

understanding of the form and a sense of the

back, front and sides of the head you are

creating. These lines also provide the illusion

of volume.

4/ Now we begin to build the face. Draw

two parallel lines at a slight angle from the

centre plane of the forehead. This appears as

a wedge protruding out of the front plane of