The goal is to incorporate the hand so that it is not only proportionally and gestural accurate, but is congruous in personality with the expression of the face.



For example, an agreeable facial expression juxtaposed with a clenched fist may not yield the effect you want unless you intend to add an ironic twist to your portrait. On the other hand, a hand supporting the skull fits very well with a stern scowling expression.

First, absolute novices should not be trying to sketch both the hand and portrait together. Things will quickly get muddled. The lesson for the absolute novice here is to get an understanding of the importance of acquiring a solid foundation of your craft.

In a pose where a hand supports the skull there exists a faint forward tilt because the subject is slightly hunched and leaning forward. For the artist, this situation translates into the presence of a faintly foreshortened and reclined portrait. In the hand/skull case this means that the chin is slightly receding relative to the forehead.

As always, you should begin with the all encompassing arabesque, which in this case, includes the hand and the shoulder. If you first sketch the skull and then attach the hand to it you are definitely asking for trouble. The hand and the skull will lack harmony and will give the awkward impression that they are two distinct objects that are coincidentally juxtaposed.

When striking the construct be aware of the negative as well as the positive spaces. Also, do not pre-measure any aspects of the construct. It should be sketched with as much flair as possible without losing your sense of proportion. Draw first then verify.

Further build upon the construct by situating the face, hand, and shoulder landmark

s and sizes. The internal architecture of the construct is initiated by hatching-in the keydarks and painting out the lights with a putty eraser.

What you are doing is to set the stage for rendering the facial features, the hand, and the shoulder. The hand must be positioned and proportioned in accordance with the skull and the facial features. The compression of the jaw into the palm must also be reckoned with.

Employing a sharp pencil you can now further develop the tone and shape with blending, stumping down, and painting out. In this, you will be going back and forth hoping that you know when to stop. Sketching is about making decisions, i.e., knowing what to build up and, just as major, knowing what to leave out.

In the hand/skull case you have to be extra careful how far you develop the hand. The hand should be seen as a prop, that is, a supporting element that should not be part of the focus. Do not feel compelled to finish every element in your drawing. Everything in sketching is about balance and transferring your meaning directly to the viewer's eye.

In closing, it is essential to see the hand and the shoulder as parts of one whole. Starting your drawing with rendering the construct will help you greatly with maintaining this harmony. Treat the hand and shoulder as props that surround the face. This means that you should sketch them in a subordinate role.