This tutorial will introduce a more fluid and gestural approach to drawing the head. The focus is on the major gestures, or “thrusts” as Steve Huston refers to them, and their relationships to one another. We’re also want to keep our lay-in simple, by using geometric shapes. The first shape we will use is the “pie”.

Step 1: Using The “Pie” Shape

The geometric shape we will use to capture the head in side or 3/4 view is called the “pie”. The name comes from the resemblance to a pie slice or wedge. We get the pie shape by connecting the major thrusts of the head.

The first major thrust is the frontal plane of the face. To get the frontal plane, simply draw a gesture through the point of the forehead (sometimes will be defined by the edge of the hairline) and the tip of the chin (Fig. 2).

This defines where the features of the face will lie and the general length of the subject’s face.

The next step is to draw a line through the point of the forehead to the back of the cranium (Fig. 3). Often times this point will be hidden because of hair. In this case you will have to rely on intuition to guess or estimate where that point is.

To develop this intution, first observe and then use your minds eye to imaging the subjects cranium. With that line and shape in mind, confidently make your mark. Through study and practice of drawing from life, your judgement and observation will naturally improve.

The final major thrust is drawn through the back of the skull to the tip of the chin (Fig. 4).

As you can see. you’ve created a pie shaped triangle. However, it really has all the essential movement and information that the rest of the drawing can be built upon.

Step 2: Grounding The Head

Having captured the pie shape, draw 2 thrusts for the neck that will anchor our head to the torso (Fig. 5).

The key is observation and good estimation. Use the point of the back of the head as a guide for the back of the neck, and the point of the chin as a guide for the front of the neck. The key is good observation, confident estimation and fluid marks. As you make your marks, always consider their relationships to the whole.

Stpe 3: Laying In The Features

First, I plot the major anatomy such as the brow ridge, bridge of the nose, mouth and mandible (Fig. 6). At this stage, I still want to stay fluid and rely on observation and instincts. I dont want to get too caught up in measurements and structure.

Next, I draw a fluid curves for the jawbone and then follow the rhythm up around to give me the back of the ear. Then, I more accurately fill in the cranium, or shape of the hair, hats, etc. (Fig. 7). Of course, I could also add as much construction as needed to guide me when adding details, light and shade.

Satisfied with the lay-in I can flesh out the features and add light and shade (Fig. 8).

For more info on lighting and shading, check out the head drawing tutorials and videos. For reference, here’s a step by step diagram of this process.

The great thing about this approach is it’s fluid nature. It’s also a good way to quickly establish the tilt of the head. Fig. 9 below is an example of the always tricky up-tilted head. Fig. 10 is a down tilt. The numbers are the stroke order.

Below are 2 step by step diagrams for reference.

A lot of this approach is inspired by the work and teaching of Steve Huston. If you want to study this approach further, there was a recent American Artist article featuring Steve’s drawing approach. If you can’t dig it up, I’ll post a review of that article in the future.

In the meantime, find yourself a live model session and try drawing your 3/4 or side view heads using  the pie shape and major thrusts. It will be great exercise in observation and intuition and really add some dynamic ‘punch’ to your head drawings.  As always, I would love to see your drawings and progress so please comment or drop me a line.

This video is demonstrates how to construct the limbs (how the draw the limbs) during a figure quick sketch drawing. The video demonstrates basic figure construction of the arms and legs. Topics covered include gesture drawing, anatomy and landmarks. There are examples from 3 different poses. Narrated by the artist.

This is the video version of the how to construct the limbs tutorial.

The approach from the torso study tutorial is sometimes called a “construction” approach. It’s a methodical way to observe and de-construct the figure. Besides construction, there are other considerations when laying in the figure. For example, gesture and rhythms are what animate our figure drawing and give it life.

For this tutorial, I will use a a combination of construction and rhythms. It all depends on what the pose is giving me. Some poses the structure is prominent (or can be made prominent), in some poses the gesture (and thus the rhythms) are very interesting. Bottom line, good observation leads to good judgment and good judgment leads to good marks and so on. So always observe, observe, observe. Speaking of observation…

Step 1: Observe

The first thing you want to look for is the gesture. The major and minor rhythms, swoops and arcs. All the visible, and sometimes invisible lines that give our figure movement and life. Then, when you’re ready to construct your figure, look for the landmarks.

As a general rule, the legs are of greater significance then arms which is why we follow the torso with the legs. The key landmarks are: the connection to the crotch, connection to the hips, point of knee, connection of thigh (hamstring) to calf, , connection of lower leg to foot, point of ankle bone, heel and big toe. Yes, big toe (Fig. 1). That sounds like a lot, but with practice, good observation will become second nature.

Step 2: Gesture

Having identified our landmarks, we describe the gesture. The major rhythms may not always follow the form, but when possible, use the landmarks to guide your gesture marks. Start with the thighs move down to the the calf.

Step 3: Cross sections

Cross sections really help to define form. They also describe perspective and foreshortening. Before randomly drawing cross sections, observe the model’s anatomy. For example, cross sections can be added at the peak of the thigh, the end of the adductor (thigh) muscle, the top and bottom of the knee, the ankle and depression of the calf.

Add cross sections as needed to describe form and anatomy. It’s not necessary to cross the entire figure. Our objective of the lay-in is to give us enough information to add light and shade.

Work your way down to the feet and then move on to the arms. Approach the arms the same way. Becomes of the arms range of motion, they will tend to lend themselves more to a rhythmic approach. Of course it all depends on the pose.

Let’s go through a few more examples.

Summary

That pretty much sums up basic limb construction. First, observe for landmarks. Next, draw the gesture and rhythms. Then, add cross sections as needed to describe anatomy and form. In their most basic and geometric form, the limbs can be thought of as jointed tubes. Using a dynamic gesture line as a guide will give our “tubes” movement and life.

Keep in mind, the lay-in is simply the framework for our drawing. It’s not necessary to replicate the figure with our lay-in lines. The key is to give yourself enough information to add light and shade. Let the light, shade (values) and edges do the work of describing form and anatomy (Fig. 8).

More information on shading, can be found in the other figure quick sketch tutorials and videos.

*** Quick Sketch CHALLENGE! ***

This demo is meant to be a guide and a starting point. It’s almost impossible to learn and appreciate all the nuances of figure drawing from a static tutorial. The best way to apply the techniques is to watch it first hand or go to a live figure drawing session and draw from the model. So here is the challenge:

Draw a full page of quick sketch figures.

The first person to reply with a full page of quick sketch figures will win an original charcoal quick sketch drawing.

When I say page, I mean 18″x24″ newsprint pad, but that size isn’t necessary. It’s just an ideal size pad to practice. Above is a page of 5 minute poses I did during an open figure drawing workshop.

The minimum number of drawings to qualify are:

• 8 full figures at 3-5 min. pose length or
• 20 full figures at 1-3 min. pose length.

Basically whatever you can draw during 2 live sessions. Generally, a session is about 20-25 minutes.

Pretty simple. Just some incentive to get out there and draw from the model. First person to respond with a jpg snapshot of their quicksketch sheet wins. Good luck and I look forward to your entries.

This is part 2 of a series on how to render Concept Art using Photoshop. This video demonstrates how to use an overlay layer to add lights and highlights to concept art.

This video is perfect for those who are new to Photoshop or are starting out in Concept Art or digital illustration. Narrated by the Artist. Music by Japanese DJ Artists Tsutchie.

This video is perfect for those who are new to Photoshop or are starting out in Concept Art or digital illustration. Narrated by the Artist. Music by Japanese DJ Artists Tsutchie.

This video is a demonstration of head quick sketch drawing using the Reilly Method, narrated by the artist.

Quick sketch is a name for a short, 1-10 minute, drawing or study from life or model. Topics covered in video:

• drawing fundamentals
• head lay-in / construction
• adding light and shade
• edgework

This is the video version of the Head Drawing tutorial.

This tutorial is a detailed, step by step walkthrough of my process in making a Sci-fi character concept / Illustration. This image was originally an assignment for a PC Gamer cover, which unfortunately never got used. The subject is a sexy Borg female. Since it was a cover assignment, I wanted to have some fun and do a little spoof on the famous Janet Jackson Rolling Stone cover.

This a very long and detailed workshop. It’s a also a Photoshop (PS) tour-de-force. Meaning, I wanted to pull out all the stops and use as much PS “tricks” and fx as possible. This is a special treat for those who want an insider look at how to leverage PS to quickly add a professional looking finish.

I often use this same approach for creating concept art, and the techniques can also be applied to texture mapping. There’s a lot of content here, and we’ve got a lot to talk about, so let’s get right into it.

Step 1: Rough sketch

Since I already had an idea for the pose in mind, I go ahead and start sketching the figure. To draw, I use my trusty hard round brush and a cool 50% gray with a slight green hue. At this stage, I also start to design the areas of machine parts and roughly define machine details.

Step 2: Adding Tone

1. I drop the opacity of the drawing layer to about 75%.

2. I fill a layer beneath the drawing with a middle gray (50% gray) that has a touch of cool green (about 3% saturation).

3. I add a first pass of shadow using a Multiply layer. A 50% gray is enough to give a nice transparent wash of tone.

This approach is similar to using gray markers on paper. Adding a bit of color to the gray tone will help us later on when we start the coloring process.

Step 3: Redefine the drawing

I come back in and re-establish the drawing to give some structure. I also start to add details like facial features and machine parts. This gives me a road map and sets me up nicely for the tonal rendering.

Step 4: Begin Tonal Render

Up to this point, I was working with layers and transparencies, now it’s time to go opaque. First, I want to define the extremities of the value range. I do that by:

1. Taking a dark green-gray mixture (almost going to black) and punching in the darkest areas.

2. I take a cool-green white mixture (almost going to white) and punch in the areas of brightest light and highlights.

I start with the head because I want the head to be the primary focal point. This is generally good practice for character pieces. Having such high contrast areas around the head will really help to draw the eye there. Working this way also gives me a benchmark, or guide for the rest of the tonal render.

Step 5: Tonal Render cont.

Satisfied with the head I work my way down to the body and then the arms. As I work, I’m constantly referring to the head (focal point), to help me add the right balance of detail and polish throughout the piece.

Step 6: Polishing the tonal render

Again, starting with our focal point, I add a final layer of polish to our tonal render:

1. I define the tech around the eyepiece, arms and hands. Since her face is the focal point of the image, the eyes will be the focal point of the face. I also want to follow the old Illustrator’s rule and give the hands extra attention as well.

2. I refine the edges. I generally work with a firm brush first and then come back in with a hard opaque brush to get some nice crisp edges. I use hard edges like values and punch them in to define form and add nice contrast.

My main areas of focus are the edges of her flesh, especially her arms, face and chest. Taking the time to refine edges gives our character a higher level of polish and detail.

Even though I’m using Photoshop, I always come back to my experience with traditional media and solid fundamentals. Fundamentals carry over to any medium, and this an example of how they apply to digital.

Step 7: Tonal Render Final

Once the figure is complete, I address the background. Using a textural brush, I play with the values and add some texture to the background. My focus here is to ground our character and make the overall image cohesive. I also continue to refine edges and define the silhouette of the figure.

I sharpen the edges of the contour and push the contrast to make the figure “pop” off the background. Finally, I make a slight rotation of the image, adjust the canvas size and our tonal render is complete. Now we can move on to color.

A close-up of the finished tonal render.

Step 8: Color

1. I create a palette using a cool green as our primary local color.

2. I take an Overlay layer above our tonal render and fill it with a desaturated mixture of our cool green.

Because our tonal render had a bit of saturation, it will create a mix closer to our intended color. This is one drawback of using blending modes to colorize art. It can be tricky to control how the colors turn out.

Step 9: Color cont.

Having defined our base local color, I start bringing up the saturation. First, I start with the greens. Then, I paint in warm reds for flesh and in areas of the machine parts. I also punch up the saturation in the eyes and face to really draw the eye to the face and give me a nice contrast of color.

I continue to build saturation slowly by adding glazes of color. I add and refine color until I reach a balance of warms and greens; gray and saturated areas.

Step 10: Contrast and background

Satisfied with the color, I want to push the contrast. I add touches of dodge using a desaturated gray-green. I want to give the illusion of a bright spotlight from above so I push the highlights of the planes facing up, especially the forehead, cheek, arms and breasts. I also push the brightness of the negative space around the head.

Next, I make an opaque layer and continue to punch in whites and refine edges. I also continue finesse edges. My goal is to create a nice play between the hard edges of machine parts and softer edges of the flesh.

Step 11: Adjust the canvas and composition

Since this was I cover assignment, I adjust the composition and canvas size to include space for the logo at the top of the page. I also refine details in her arm and eyepiece. Essentially, my color render is complete and I can now begin to add materials.

Step 12: Adding “Bling”

“Bling” is my nickname for material overlays and Photoshop fx. Material overlays give digital pieces a nice touch of polish and it’s really quick and easy to do. If it’s done right, it gives your pieces some nice eye-catching pop (or “bling”) without a lot of effort.

1. First I take a pre-made Borg machine texture and begin to overlay it over the machine parts.

2. Then I take a pre-made vein texture sheet and overlay it over the flesh.

In this case I play with several blending modes until I settle on “Screen” mode. Each blending mode, gives a unique effect, so I always take some time and have fun experimenting.

Detail shots of the first material pass. It’s still very subtle but adds a nice layer of detail. Since materials are so easy to do, it’s easy to get carried away. Materials can add a nice layer of polish, but it comes second to the foundation of the piece, which is solid drawing and good design.

Step 13: Adding “Bling” to the background

Well, it works so nice on the figure, let’s add some bling to the background. For this background, I experimented like crazy. Using another pre-made Borg machine texture, I used several different blending modes and PS fx to get the final result:

1. I adjust the levels and contrast of the texture.

2. I overlay the texture sheet using “negative” mode.

3. I duplicate the same texture layer and overlay it as “linear dodge”.

4. I brush out the areas around the figure using alpha masks.

Since this is a character piece, I don’t want the background to be too busy or noisy. I drop the opacity of the background texture to make it more of a subtle touch. I want to focus to still be on the character and I always believe in giving the viewer’s eyes plenty of space to rest.

Step 14: Dodge

Speaking of rest for the eye, I decide to remove the vein texture overlay and to paint the flesh details by hand. This came from stepping back away from the piece and taking some time to do research on Borg skin. Don’t be afraid to step away from your piece and get a fresh perspective.

1. l also add another layer of dodge and keep pushing the contrast. Again, starting with the head and the planes facing up I use a de-saturated greeny-gray to paint in dodge to really give the illusion of overhead spotlight on our figure. The hotspot created by the dodge was a nice happy accident.

2. Then I add dodge to the cables to give then more depth. I also use dodge to add some subtle red LED like “lights” in her legs, body and arms to help balance the red in her face. Then I push the contrast again of the silhouette.

3. Finally I paint in dots of light on the skin and refine the edges of the highlights. This gives her skin the illusion of being slightly cold, wet, transparent and plastic. Not a good look for normal female skin, but perfect for cyborg skin.

Step 15: Finishing touches

I brush in a combination of dodge and opaque color for the background. I use a more saturated greed and add touches of dodge around the head.Then, I brush in a greenish white using a textural brush to make a compositional cross of light. This marks the end of the rendering process.

Step 16: Final Image

This step was necessary because the piece was created using a Cintiq. From my experience Cintiq displays tend to have much greater contrast and saturation then a normal monitor so I wanted to adjust the image and present it the way I saw it on the Cintiq.

1. I take the finished piece and move to the second monitor.

2. I add adjustment layers and play with the curves and levels until the contrast matches what I saw on the Cintiq.

Details of the Final Image.

Generally if you working on normal tablet and monitor, this step may not be necessary. Adjustment layers are a quick and easy to apply, so it can be a fun way to make some subtle changes.

This video is a real time demonstration of a complete quick sketch drawing, narrated by the artist. This is the video version of the figure quick sketch tutorial.