Freshdesigner.com

Quick sketch is a short, 3-5 minute drawing used for the study and practice of key drawing fundamentals. The techniques used in this tutorial are derived from the Reilly Method. Generally, quick sketch is done using charcoal on paper, but ballpoint pen makes a good substitution. Being able to draw heads well is a vital fundamental skill to have, so let’s get started.

The subject of our demo will be “Beat” Takeshi Kitano, the legendary Japanese filmmaker. This picture works really well for this demonstration because of the high contrast lighting and clearly defined shadow pattern. We’ll get into shading later, but first let’s start with the basics.

Step 1: Beginning the Lay-in

OK, so this is pretty much how ALL of my head drawings start and how a lot of artists approach head drawing. At this stage I try to observe the key landmarks that will guide the construction of our drawing. For more info on some of the key landmarks of the head, check out the last portrait painting tutorial.

Reilly method emphasizes good design so the first step (Fig. 1-a) is to: 1. accurately estimate the subject’s head width and length, and 2. plot and design where the head will be on the paper. For a quick sketch like this, composition isn’t too much of a concern, but it’s good practice to plot where the head will be placed and to design the composition of your image.

Next, I draw in the centerline to establish the tilt of the head. Then, I draw a line through the brow ridge. This gives us the angle of the of subjects gaze and begins to define the planes of the head.

Correctly defining the tilt of the head and angle of the planes of the face is critical to the success of a head drawing, so practice, practice and practice. Make sure these marks are done right before moving on to the features.

Step 2: Laying in the features

First, I anchor the head by blocking in the contour of the neck and shoulders. Using the brow ridge as I guide, I estimate their depth and distance apart, and draw marks through the center of the eyes. Using centerline, I lay-in the bottom of the nose and center of the mouth.

Step 3: Constructing the features

At this stage of the drawing, I describe the shape of the eye opening (which follows the orbital bone), the ‘keystone’ of the brow ridge that leads to the nose, and the width of the nose. My main focus now is giving myself enough information to plot the separation of light and dark which will be the next step.

*Please note that this has been oversimplified for this tutorial. There’s a lot of great material out there on head construction, so I won’t go into too much detail here. For more in-depth information on head construction, the work of Andrew Loomis is a good place to start.

Step 4: Seperate light from dark

Alright, we’re almost at my favorite part of Reilley method drawing, the shading, but first, we need to capture the shape of the shadow area. By simplifying the values, I can clearly cut-out or separate the border of light and dark. I also begin to describe form by introducing firm and crisp edges. Generally the core shadow (the border of light and dark) will have a firm edge and cast shadows will get a nice crisp edge.

Edgework can be a tutorial in itself and takes a lot of practice to master. For now, let’s just focus on simplifying the values and getting accurate separation. I’ve drawn over the image in blue (Fig. 4) to show what I was looking for on our subject. For the comic fans out there, look at the work of Frank Miller or Mike Mignola for reference on how to simplify values and design the shadow shape.

*Tip: if you’re having trouble separating light and dark, and simplifying the values, squint when you look at your subject. Or if you’re working from photo, bump up the contrast using a photo editor.

Step 5: Adding tone

Alright, this is the fun part. This is the payoff for all the hard work of good plotting and designing. Using the shadow shape as a guide, drop in a middle value tone. By middle value, I mean mid-way between white (light side) and black. I generally drop the initial tone in one direction, but you can also hatch in the direction of the form you’re describing.

I still remember the first time I was introduced to Reillly Method drawing. I was so dazzled by the elegance and beauty created in the shadow area. To this day, I still get mesmerized when I see it done well. For example, check out the quick sketch drawings by Sergio Sanchez, who was my teacher and mentor.

Step 6: Suggest half-tones and final touches

It’s time to add some finishing touches. First, I punch in some darks. Observe the darks in your subject, but generally, punch in the darks in the eyes and darken up the core shadow to really make the forms pop. Next, I finesse the edges along the core shadow, hair, contour and features. Finally, I add hints of half-tone (the value between white and the middle value) along the cheeks, forehead and nose.

Half tones add a little more life and depth to our drawing, but this is a quick sketch so we don’t want to go too crazy with introducing values. Hint at a background, sign and date and we’re good to go.

** Tips on Head Quick Sketch **

1.  Draw light

When drawing your lay-in and construction lines, have a light hand and draw as light as possible. Especially if you’re working in pen!

The only reason the construction lines are visible in this tutorial is because I bumped up the contrast of the scans. Even if you’re using charcoal or pencil, practice having a light hand and a light touch when making marks.

2.  Work small

This drawing was done in my pocket moleskine, which measures 3″ x 5″. You don’t have to work this small, but a quick sketch is just that, a quick study of the subject. Working small and working quickly, 3-5 minutes, will help you to really focus on good fundamentals.

This first few steps are the key, the rock, the foundation of drawing. So do a lot and practice, practice, practice.

3.  Do a little everyday

Drawing heads well is not easy. It can take a lifetime to master. The beauty of quick sketch is that it is quick and doesn’t require a lot of commitment of effort or time. Anyone can take out 5 minutes a day to draw. If done consistently over time, you can see some amazing progress in your drawing, dexterity and overall skill level. Here’s a an example of drawings I did from Feb. 3rd through Feb. 7th, 2009.

If you want to see some dramatic improvement in your head drawing, try this challenge:

Draw a quick sketch every day for 30 days.

If you can’t do 30 days, get out there and draw for a week, or two weeks. But the key is consistency. If you complete the challenge, send me your drawing from Day 1, and the last drawings in the set.

** The first person to complete the challenge will get an original sketch from me! **

Must be a minimum of 7 consecutive days (1 week). If you have Photoshop, arrange them onto a single jpeg image. Good luck, keep drawing and I look forward to seeing your entries.