Pencil Portrait Drawing Tips on the Line Drawing
In this article I will discuss the importance of a line drawing in producing a pencil portrait drawing. I will also discuss the details of rendering such a drawing. We start with a gridded reference image that has the same dimensions as the drawing we will produce. By the way, a gridded image which has the size of your actual drawing, will usually be too large for most printers to handle in one piece. So, print out the image piece-wise on regular 8.5 by 11 inch paper.
The first step is to draw the same grid on your drawing paper that you drew on your reference image. Use an HB or F pencil with a sharp point and draw very lightly. Remember that this grid eventually will have to be erased.
Once we have drawn the grid we are ready to start putting in the contours of the subject.
The advantages of using a grid are many. Here are a few:
* You can draw the content of one square at a time.
* All proportions and placements are easily discerned.
* Negative spaces become more evident.
* Rendering the correct perspective is greatly simplified.
Here are some guidelines on drawing the outlines (line drawing) of the subject in the photograph:
* For now, only draw lines, i.e., do not do any shading yet.
* Draw lightly and loosely. Use maybe a 2B or 3B sharp pencil. Sharpen your pencils frequently.
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Remi Engels, Ph.D., is a pencil portrait artist and oil painter. He is also the author of a popular Pencil Portrait Drawing Course. Get Your Free copy here: Remi’s Pencil Portrait Drawing Course while supplies last.
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