Tip on Pencil Portrait Drawing – The Problem of Seeing
By Remi Engels
Symbolic preconceptions are part of a subconscious visual language that uses symbols to represent known objects. This language of symbols evolved as a mechanism to help us survive as a species. These symbols help us, for example, to instantly recognize food sources or dangerous predators.
When we observe an unknown object our subconscious mind immediately tries to form a new symbol to represent and store the object in memory. Often beginning artists will more accurately draw unknown objects than familiar ones because they are not yet married to the new symbols.
However, when they attempt to draw the same object a second time, it is likely that a more symbolic picture will emerge because ready to use symbols have already been stored in the brain.
Consider, for example, the word “head”. Immediately an image comes to mind which is symbolic for the head. Unfortunately, this symbol is only a schematic representation of a head and is invariably a gross simplification of a real head. Nevertheless, there is a strong subconscious pull to draw the symbol instead of what we actually see.
It is this conflict that artists must learn to overcome. This is particularly a problem for pencil portrait artists. When drawing a portrait the artist must resolve numerous layers of symbols to achieve a realistic effect.
We now will describe a very good exercise to learn to overcome the problem of symbol drawing.
We will be drawing from an upside-down photograph. This way our symbolic preconception of the head is disrupted. We will be forced to draw without our symbols. The result will be a purer drawing experience unfettered by a tainted perception.
As you draw the lines and block in the tones you will feel quite awkward in your drawing. This is a good thing. Do not be overly concerned of how your drawing looks. This is an exercise in seeing.
When practicing line and tone this way, beginning artists often get better results than from the right-side up way. Trust yourself and throughout the exercise only look at your photograph in the upside-down position even though it may feel quite uncomfortable.
You will learn to see and draw tone as shapes and will be able to break down hard edges into short, straight lines instead of the usual symbols your brain will assign to the nose, the ears, etc.
Thinking of and naming perceived objects will lead you down the garden path of almond shaped eyes, two holes for nostrils, a bunch of lines for hair, cauliflower ears and something that looks like the letter M sitting on a bowl for a mouth instead of what is actually there.
Artists will never be free of symbolic preconceptions. The symbols actually adapt and become more sophisticated. It is by constantly analyzing and abstracting form that we are able to draw realistically.
Remi Engels is a pencil portrait artist and oil painter and expert teacher. Check out his Pencil Portrait Course and his Portrait Print Package Special
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You Asked – Recipes for Mixing Acrylic Paints?
Today’s questions comes from Pierre:
“Hi, I’m looking for a site or a person that have recipes to mix acrylic paints.
Examples: Recipe for vibrant greens, reds, blacks…etc
Thank you”
Do you have any information that may help Pierre?
Please leave your response in the comment box below. Thank You!
Interview with Artist Helen Harris
About Helen
Exploring mixed media art has been my quest in recent years. I am a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Art ( University of the Arts). A BFA in Graphic Design introduced me to a career in the commercial arts.Freelance and teaching assignments ranging from coloring books to spot illustrations later evolved to include employment in signage and display.
I was born in upstate New York. My childhood exploration of fields,lakes and mountains inspired my early interest in art. While raising three daughters, my interest in painting was never forgotten. Today I exhibits my mixed media paintings at outdoor shows and galleries in the northeast.
Click here to reach Helen’s Website
ARTIST STATEMENT
Fragmented by rock forms,forests and turbulent waters, these multi-layered landscapes,seascapes of mixed media define my work.
Using only calligraphic brush strokes to define detail, the mix of color is splashed through an assortment of watercolor and rice papers,papyrus and fibers.
THE INTERVIEW
Q: What medium or mediums do you work with?
A: I work in watercolor,gouache and acrylic with a mixed media of textures. The textures are usually torn papers of rice banana,bark and papyrus and painted watercolor papers.
Q: How long have you been an artist? How did you get started?
A: I have been painting professionally since 1974. A BFA in Graphic Design introduced me to a career in the commercial arts.Freelance and teaching assignments ranging from coloring books to spot illustrations later evolved to include employment in signage and display.
Q: Do you have any formal training or are you self taught?
A: I am a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Art ( University of the Arts). The public library and North Light Book Club sustained later years of study.
Q: Do you have any favorite art supplies that you would like to recommend?
A: I use Kilimanjaro 300lb. watercolor paper (available from Cheap Joe’s). I recommend it for anyone using collage techniques. It is very supportive for collaging techniques as well as providing a superb surface for watercolor,gouache and acrylics and requires no stretching.
Q: Do you work with any specific styles or subject matter?
A: My subject matters are generally landscapes & seascapes with textural elements enhancing the surface.
Q: Can you recommend any books videos or other resources that will help new artists?
A: I highly recommend the creativity books by Julia Cameron, especially “The Artist’s Way”. I have found the work of marketing coach Alyson Stanfield helpful in heading an artist in the right direction professionally. Read her book “I’d Rather be in the Studio”
Q: How do you get ideas to create a piece? What inspires you?
A: Walks, bike rides ,car rides..anywhere I see the lay of the land. Early in my studies I made a habit of forming a composition of a scene as I passed by .Blinking as if my eye were a camera and capturing that particular moment, the light,a scene, an object, as I passed. Those images, cataloged in my minds eye are then what I draw upon for my later paintings.
Q: Are there any artists that have influenced you and why?
A: Gerald Brommer..collage techniques.
Nita Engle..sparkle & light and freedom in watercolor.
Pat Dews…design,collage
Stephen Quiller..acrylic
Don Getz..watercolor/acrylic
Each of these artist have given me an “ah-ha!” moment that advanced my work.
Q: Do you have a website you would like to share?
A: This link will bring you to Alyson Stanfield’s marketing site with a free newsletter and information to purchase her book that I recommend to anyone trying to make a living as an artist.
Q: Finally do you have any last words of advice for beginner artists?
A: If you treat every painting or line as precious then you show that you are fearful that you will never create again. Paint,draw ..with abandon,everyday!Have at it..it’s only a piece of paper,not brain surgery!
Pastel Portrait Drawing Demonstration
ABOUT THE ARTIST
George Max is a Geologist, Fine Artist and Professional Translator from central Guatemala in Middle America. He was born in 1968 in a small town called of Cobán, 200 km north of Guatemala City. He traveled to the USA (Colorado State) in 1989 to study English under a one year scholarship program. He started getting acquainted with art since his first year in College in 1988. As an autodidact, he started his labor of art in 1992 making oil paintings on canvas. Nevertheless, it was until late 2004 when he began to produce formal artwork (oil paintings mainly) for exhibition and sale to date.
Artwork Website: http://www.georgemax.co.nr/
Translation Website: http://www.geodirect.co.nr/
Artist Email: georgemaxart@hotmail.com
Translator Email: geodirect07@hotmail.com
ABOUT THE SUBJECT
For this pastel drawing I used the portrait of a little fellow from the highlands of Western Guatemala. His skin is burnt brown because of the cold climate there. He is wearing typical clothes and a decorated hat from the region; Todos Santos Cuchumatan. Although I printed the picture in my Canon iP1300 the colors came out bright so I used the picture in my screen for better reference to the colors, hues and shades.
THE MATERIALS
For this demonstration I used a 64-color set of Mungyo soft pastels (27 mm x 8 mm) and a sheet of Strathmore Pastel paper (11” x 14”) of the clearest color. I found out that this paper requires at least 5 mm sticks or pastel pencils to be able to fill the texture more efficiently and render details in realistic drawings.
The Palette: To the lower left are the yellow ochre colors I used to do the face. In the middle, the brick or maroon tones for the cheeks and lips. To the lower right are the orange and pink colors for the “neck warmer” of the kid’s shirt. In the middle row are the brown and dark colors I used to define, draw and shade the eyes and hair. Grays were used for the shines in the hair and other shades in the eyes and else. To the middle right are the pale blue colors I used for the sweater. And to the top left are other random purple, dark reds, and reds I used to strengthen some values in the neck warmer. To the top right are the dark blues I used for the dark areas and shades of the sweater.
THE DRAWING PROCESS
Although I have used oil pastels for head portraits before, my contact with soft pastels has been limited to sketches and a few drawings due to material unavailability. It is until this year (2008) that I began to make some formal pastel drawings and build my own collection.
In the following, I will go on describing the process or method I used to make a pastel portrait drawing. I would like to say that this is not an instructional demonstration rather my inventive approach to creating a portrait using soft pastels.
Base Drawing: A precise drawing is always required to begin a pastel drawing. For this case I made a nearly fainted drawing which I have enhanced for the purpose of viewing it on the web. The only thing I have modified is the eyes. The subject is now looking straight to the viewer. Notice that I have drawn a line at the bottom as the base for my drawing which I can later use to crop the drawing if framed. You can also notice that I have fitted and centered my subject horizontally as compared to how it is in the picture. In another demonstration I will show you how to create a pencil portrait over drawing paper.
STEP 1: Using the lightest yellow ochre I begin filling the lightest areas such as below the eyes, lower nose, above the upper lips area and on each side of the face. For this primary layer, it is important to just gently and slightly rub the pastel over the paper to avoid bloating it. This is just a reference to our coloring which we will later redefine and enhance. Square strokes are not good for any drawing so I just hover the pastel stick over the paper in circle patterns without applying much pressure.
STEP 2: Using darker yellow ochre I continue filling the areas above the cheeks and below the sides of the nose. Some darkest yellow ocher is used to define the nose, and the areas below the cheeks and the eyebrows.
STEP 3: Here I have tentatively defined the eyes and the eyebrows. Not much filling is yet noticeable. This is just yet with the lightest brown color so that we can overwrite it later. The mouth has also been slightly defined with brick and dark red colors. Some gray is noticeable below the lower lip and left side of forehead.
STEP 4: Most areas of the face have been filled and facial features are identifiable. Hair and cheek colors and some light brown on the right of the forehead have been added. Overall, this is just a thin layer which can be easily removed with a kneaded eraser if needed to correct color inconsistencies.
STEP 5: As soon as I have filled most of the face area, I begin to work on the adjacent elements to help me limit and redefine the shape and size of the face. I constrain and verify proportions and location of features at this stage. We don’t need to rush on filling or finishing an area at once, just pause your work as necessary and come back later when you feel like to continue your drawing.
STEP 6: Once I have constrained proportions and progressively but slowly continued to fill more areas, I extend my drawing up and down. I start to define overall color balance and contrast at this stage. This is at the second day of the drawing I haven’t yet constructed the eyes.
STEP 7: At this time (2nd day, late night) I have carefully filled and defined the eyes and eyebrows. To produce a fine tracing and avoid making mistakes I use the corners of the sticks. I continue drawing the hat and sweater as I continue polishing and refining the face and features. This is a long process but it renders good results in soft pastel drawing. Dark shades in the cheeks are not yet added.
STEP 8: Here I continue filling adjacent areas and working on the hat as well. Also I start to add the dry grass on which the kid is resting. For this I use the lightest yellow ochre and the darkest hues to define strings and strips of the dry grass. Some details in the lappets are also visible.
STEP 9: Now I have almost finished with all surrounding elements and continued drawing the sweater to the end of the arm. You can notice that I have at last added the darks in the cheeks that give them a burnt effect in the skin. Red hues are intermingled with the darks hues by rubbing pastel over the previous layer.
STEP 10: At this point only some details in the clothes are pending and then I continue with the drawing of the hand.
STEP 11: Almost at the final stage here. Some overall detailing is necessary for completion.
FINAL STATEMENT:
After our subject has been thoroughly and evenly covered with pastel I proceed to do a final refining and polishing as a final step. This will give chance to work on some final detailing, strengthening and enhancing color values and defining more contrast and color balance. Note that the overall coloring of the drawing is brighter than the reference image. Due to my limited palette I was not able to produce much of the original values and hues. Also my digital camera picks up much brighter colors that they really are in the drawing.
I hope you can grab something important and useful from this pastel portrait drawing demonstration. Please feel to contact me for any comments or questions you may have on this pastel drawing demonstration. Until another drawing demonstration I wish you all the best in the making of your artwork.
Artist Spotlite – Sana Almimar
Artist Name: Sana Almimar
Location: Iraq Baghdad
Title: Shanasheel
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 60 x 50 cm
Comments from the Artist: I have always loved drawing and painting since my childhood but unfortunately i have not had enough time to draw and paint only one year ago after retirement. My subject is about a style of building in Iraq called “Shanasheel “. It is a cultural style.For me painting Shanasheeel is a challenge because and as you see this kind of building has a queer features and drawing or painting it is not an easy task . Please give me your opinions .Thanks a lot .
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