Including a hand in your portraits adds a important measure of drama but can quickly ruin an otherwise fine portrait if done incorrectly.

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

First, absolute novices should not be trying to draw 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 view where a hand supports the head there is a subtle forward tilt because the model is slightly hunched and leaning forward. For the artist, this situation translates into the presence of a subtly foreshortened and reclined portrait. In the hand/head case this means that the chin is somewhat receding relative to the forehead.

As always, you should start with the all encompassing arabesque, which in this case, includes the hand and the shoulder. If you first draw the head and then attach the hand to it you are definitely asking for problems. The hand and the head will lack cohesion and will give the awkward impression that they are two distinct objects that are coincidentally next to each other.

When sketching the complete arabesque be aware of the negative as well as the positive spaces. In addition, do not pre-measure any aspects of the complete arabesque. It should be sketched with as much flair as possible without losing your sense of proportion. Strike first then verify.

Further build upon the complete arabesque by establishing the face, hand, and shoulder landmark
s and sizes. The internal architecture of the complete arabesque is initiated by blocking-in the primarydarks and painting out the lights with a kneaded 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 sized in accordance with the head 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 cross-hatching, stumping down, and erasing. In this, you will be going back and forth hoping that you know when to quit. Sketching is about making decisions, i.e., knowing what to build up and, just as essential, knowing what to leave out.

In the hand/head case you have to be particularly careful how far you develop the hand. The hand should be seen as an extra element, that is, a supporting element that should not be part of the focus. Do not feel compelled to refine every element in your sketch. Everything in rendering is about equilibrium and communicating your meaning directly to the viewer’s eye.

In conclusion, it is critical to see the hand and the shoulder as parts of one whole. Starting your sketch with drawing the complete arabesque will help you greatly with maintaining this cohesion. Treat the hand and shoulder as supporting elements that surround the face. This means that you should draw them in a subordinate role.

Do you want to learn the secrets of pencil portrait sketching? Download my brand new free pencil portrait drawing course here: pencil portrait course.

Remi Engels is a pencil portrait artist and oil painter and practiced sketching teacher. See his work at pencil portraits by Remi.

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Posted in: Drawing Tips | | January 2009