W06 hallie kate

Brenda Hoddinott

W-06 Advanced: Studio Series This heavily illustrated diary demonstrates the process of drawing my favorite style of caricature, affectionately referred to as a gigglecature (a word you will probably not find in any dictionary). As you explore the creation of this lifelike gigglecature of a young child, a complex grid will help with such challenges as rendering believable proportions.

If you are very familiar with setting up and working from a grid, you may wish to consider using photos of someone special to you, and just follow along with my guidelines. If you decide to work from a photo, make sure you choose a large one in which the facial features are clear and in focus.

This lesson is divided into the following three sections:

PLANNING THE DRAWING AND SETTING UP THE GRID: Using the lines of the graph paper as guidelines, I use an HB mechanical pencil and a ruler to draw a rectangle, and divide it into 48 squares

OUTLINING FACE, HAIR, AND CLOTHING: I lightly sketch the outline of the facial features, the yarn-textured hair, and the unique clothing.

GRADUATIONS, TEXTURES, AND INTRICATE DETAILS: I add shading to the entire drawing, according to a dominant light source from the right and above.

ADDING FINAL TOUCHES: I lighten some sections of shading with my kneaded eraser, and darken others with a 2B pencil to enhance the overall contrast.

This project is recommended for artists with strong drawing skills, who have a well-trained eye for details and an incredible amount of patience. The actual drawing time on this project will be 20 to 40 hours. Curriculum is designed for advanced students of home schooling, academic and recreational fine art educators.

30 PAGES – 44 ILLUSTRATIONS

Published by Hoddinott Fine Art Publishers, Halifax, NS, Canada – December, 2005

Copyright to all articles, images, text, projects, lessons and exercises within this drawing class belong to Brenda Hoddinott and may not be reproduced or used for any commercial purposes whatsoever without the written permission of Brenda Hoddinott.

E-mail [email protected] Web sites http://www.finearteducation.com and http://www.drawspace.com

2

PLANNING THE DRAWING AND SETTING UP THE GRID This caricature came to mind as I watched a movie on TV, starring a young child actress with an incredibly endearing face. You may know Hallie Kate Eisenberg from her numerous acting roles, including soft drink commercials and The Miracle Worker.

The drawing of her wonderfully animated face is based mostly on memory, from which I retrieved this rough sketch. One of an artist’s best friends is a sketchbook, in which I often capture creative thoughts as visual images.

I drew her freehand, but wanted to make it into a lesson; therefore, I made numerous scans of the work in progress.

The grid is added to the drawing simply to help students accurately render such intricacies as her clothing and curly hair. However, not everyone likes working with a grid, so feel free to draw freehand. As you draw, simply ignore any references to the grid.

To accentuate her most distinctive feature, her eyes, I plan a tightly cropped composition.

The dark shading of the background, hair, and clothing will surround and frame her very fair face. Hence, her dark eyes will become the focal point.

Feel free to use your creative license to modify this lesson any way you wish. Maybe you would prefer to do a caricature of someone you know, or simply make up a character from your imagination.



3

To set up the grid, I first carefully tape the corners of my Arches 140lb. watercolor paper to a large sheet of graph paper.

My drawing is quite small, 6 by 8 inches and the grid is made up of 1 inch squares.

For a larger drawing use 1.5 inch squares (9 by 12 inch drawing), or 2 inch squares (12 by 16 inch drawing)

Using the lines of a sheet of graph paper as guidelines, I use an HB mechanical pencil and a ruler to draw a rectangle and divide it into 48 squares.

Starting from the left, I number the vertical squares along the top and bottom with numbers 1 through 6.

Starting from the top, I letter the horizontal squares down both sides with letters A through H.

Always draw grid lines VERY lightly, preferably with an HB mechanical pencil. For increased accuracy, draw diagonal lines in the grid squares to help you place the features more accurately.

Only the weight of the pencils themselves created my very faint lines. They are so light that they barely showed up on the scan, so I had to adjust the contrast in Photoshop.

By the way, this entire project is rendered with 0.3mm and 0.5mm mechanical pencils, from 4H to 2B.



4

OUTLINING FACE, HAIR, AND CLOTHING I lightly sketch the outline of the face, and then add the intricate strands of hair around the perimeter of forehead (refer to the drawing on the next page for a close-up of the hair).

Drawing the contents of one grid square at a time is much simpler than trying to tackle a whole section at once.



5

I lightly outline the eyes, nose, and mouth.

The placement of the facial features of this child, follow the same proportional guidelines as realistic portraiture.

Strong drawing skills and a good knowledge of facial anatomy are important aspects of drawing both caricatures and cartoons of people. When you know the rules, you know how to break them successfully!

As I work, I constantly double check both sides of my drawing to make sure her features are symmetrical (see the close-up drawing on the next page).



6

My favorite methods of checking a drawing for problems are to turn it upside down, or hold it in front of a mirror.

An accurately rendered preliminary drawing, helps make the shading phase of this artwork seem much simpler.

I continue adding strands of hair to the upper section of hair on the left (see the following two illustrations).

I find it very helpful to follow each strand of hair from its origin to its ending, over, under, and behind other strands.

By now, you have no doubt, discovered why this drawing is considered advanced.

You not only need an incredible amount of patience, but a little OCD would be considered a definite advantage.

☺



7

I complete the outlines of the hair on the left. Even though all the individual strands of hair are curved, many are thicker than others. They overlap and intertwine throughout the hair.

Draw slowly and check the proportions often. Carefully observe the relationships between the lines, shapes, and spaces inside each grid square.

Take time each day to capture your creative thoughts as visual images in your sketchbook.



8

I draw the little section of the ear that is showing, and the hair on the right.

The hair is not quite as curly on this side and is therefore easier to draw.

I decide to take a little break from drawing hair and work on the clothing for a while. Refer to the close-up of her clothing on the next page.

When I originally envisioned this character, I wanted her clothing to have a natural, aboriginal, or native look… to compliment her casual hairstyle. Yet I wanted to add a contemporary touch as well.

I achieved my goal with a combination of lace, fabric, and feathers.

Also, the unusual texture of the neck of her garment adds a touch of mystery and fantasy as to her origin.



9

I’m close to finishing the outline and well into my second day of working on this drawing (including making scans of the drawing in progress, of course). I’m beginning to get bored with the outline drawing and am looking forward to the shading.

I finish drawing the hair on the right and add the outline of the shoulders (visible only in small segments behind the strands of hair). Refer to the drawing on the next page.

Constantly refer to my drawing to make sure you are working in the correct squares. Compare the placement of everything with your drawing. Continue making any changes needed until you are completely happy with everything.



10



11



12

GRADUATIONS, TEXTURES, AND INTRICATE DETAILS After completing the initial sketch, I took a break, then came back and corrected a few sections with which I wasn’t completely happy. I’m now ready to begin the fun stuff – adding values!

Before you begin adding values, examine the completed drawing on the right to get an overview of the shading goals. The dominant light source is from the right and above. Remember, the shading of the hair is lighter in some places with the white paper showing through. The strands of hair are generally thicker, lighter in value, and more detailed closer to the face.

I use the edge of my vinyl eraser to erase the vertical and horizontal grid lines in the sections in which I plan to work.

I leave some of the diagonal lines as references for my crosshatching lines. The background is shaded with crosshatching graduations. All my crosshatching lines are diagonal rather than horizontal and vertical. This is a matter of personal preference and style.

Before you begin each section, pat the drawing with a kneaded eraser to lighten the sketch lines, and remove any remaining eraser crumbs. A 2H pencil works well for the light values, and an HB for the darker areas in the upper corner and toward the bottom.

The images in this tutorial are fairly self-explanatory, so you’ll find very little text from this point onward.



13

Experiment with different techniques to find a comfortable style for shading the hair before you begin. Remember, this drawing has a LOT of hair, so, if you don’t have an extraordinary attention span, choose a less tedious style of shading.

I first added shading to the darker hair on the left with curved hatching lines that follow the perceived form of each strand of hair.

I have attempted to give the hair a yarn or dreadlock texture.

Before you start shading each section, remember to erase the grid lines



14

I add light and medium values to the hair with 0.3mm and 0.5mm mechanical pencils, from 4H to HB.

The darkest values will be added later with a 2B pencil, when the drawing is almost complete.

Generally speaking, the hair in the background is dark and the strands become progressively lighter in value toward the foreground.



15

I add shading to the section of the ear that is showing on the left, with 2H and HB pencils. This shading graduates darker closer to the side of the face.

I add more textured shading to the hair strands on the left side of the bangs.

The very dark shading that is peeking out from under and below her ear is rendered with an HB pencil.



16

With 2H and HB pencils, I add shading to the sections of hair in front of and around the ear.

The different values give form to the hair, and the technique of shading with curved hatching lines, adds the texture.

I complete the background shading on this side, graduating the values to dark, closer to the bottom of the page.



17

I complete more strands of hair on the left.

An HB pencil works well to add dark shading to the tiny section of the neck.

With 2H and HB pencils, I add a little shading to her clothing, paying close attention to the different values, which give the illusion of depth to the gathers of the fabric.

I add the texture and design of the band of trim on her sleeve.



18

Most of the hair on the other side of her head is lighter in value because it is closer to the light source. I use mostly 2H and HB pencils.



19

I erase the grid lines from the face in preparation for shading.

I begin with the forehead and slowly progress down the face to the chin and neck.

All the delicate facial shading is done with diagonal crosshatching lines.

To render intricate crosshatching lines, you need to keep your pencil point very sharp. I use my 2H pencil for the lighter areas on the face, and my HB for the darker shadow areas.

The shading that defines the forms of the forehead, eye sockets, cheeks and chin is slightly darker on the left. The areas in the shadows of the nose, corners of the mouth, and the strands of hair on the forehead, are indicated by darker shading.



20

Before I began shading the facial features, I fix a lock of hair over the eyebrow on the right, which I just didn’t like. I erased the section touching the brow, and shortened and straightened it.

Using a shading style similar to that of the hair, I shaded the eyebrows and added a shadow under each brow. I outline the pupil, iris, and the highlight of each eye, and add shading to the nose. The shading of the nose is similar to shading a sphere. Remember to leave the highlight white, and to leave a light area along the shadow edge of the nose to represent reflected light.



21

The iris of each eye is shaded with an HB pencil, and the pupil with a 4B.

The irises are darker on the side where the highlight is drawn.

The shading on the face around and between the eyes is darker on the side of the face further away from the light source.

The dark shading on the ear creates the illusion of the ear being under the hair and set further back than the edge of the face.

With HB and 2H pencils, I continue with more shading in the background, noting that it is becoming progressively lighter as it is drawn diagonally towards the lower left corner.

I added dark shading to the strands of hair under her ear behind the side of her face.



22

I add several more strands of hair on the right.

HB and 2H pencils work great for adding more graduated shading to the background.

At this point, the values become gradually darker toward the bottom of the page.

The shoulder on the right becomes more clearly defined when I add the shading to the background and draw more strands of hair.



23

With 2H, 2B, and HB pencils, I continue shading the clothing, varying the shading techniques for the different textures of the fabric, trim, lace, and feathers.

As you can see in the below illustration, I am almost finished shading the lace around her neck, the fabric on the shoulder and sleeve with its decorative band, and the feathers.

I complete the lower section of background shading on this side.



24

I finish the hair on this side of the drawing.

ADDING FINAL TOUCHES At this point, the shading is comprised of mostly middle values; hence, I need to lighten some sections with my kneaded eraser and darken others with a 2B pencil to enhance the overall contrast.

First of all, I go over the entire drawing and pull out the lightest values, such as the highlights in her eyes, and on her nose, chin, and cheeks.



25



26

With freshly sharpened 2B and 4B pencils, I darken tiny sections of shading, especially in the shadow areas.

Refer to the close-up of her face (on the right) and the following five illustrations.



27

Practice gigglecatures on your family and friends either from life, sketches, or photographs. Even though they are a lot of fun, you are still learning valuable drawing skills.

The secret to drawing a likeness to an actual person is to exaggerate prominent features. Strong observation skills and a creative mind will result in an exciting project. Only practice, practice and more practice will help you improve.



28

Take a few minutes and check over your drawing and make any adjustments needed.

Sign your name and put today’s date on the back of your drawing.



29



30

BRENDA HODDINOTT - BIOGRAPHY As a self-educated teacher, visual artist, portraitist, forensic artist, and illustrator, Brenda Hoddinott utilizes diverse art media including graphite, technical pen, colored pencil, chalk pastel, charcoal, conté crayon, and oil paints.

My philosophy on teaching art is to focus primarily on the enjoyment aspects while gently introducing the technical and academic. Hence, in creating a passion for the subject matter,

the quest for knowledge also becomes enjoyable. >Brenda Hoddinott<

Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Brenda grew up in the small town of Corner Brook. She developed strong technical competencies with a personal commitment to self directed learning, and the aid of assorted “Learn to Draw” books. During Brenda’s twenty-five year career as a self-educated civilian forensic artist, numerous criminal investigation departments have employed Brenda’s skills, including Royal Canadian Mounted Police and municipal police departments. In 1992, Brenda was honored with a commendation from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and in 1994, she was awarded a Certificate of Membership from “Forensic Artists International”.

Her home-based art career included graphic design, and teaching recreational drawing and painting classes. As supervisor of her community’s recreational art department, Brenda hired and trained teachers, and designed curriculum for several children’s art programs. In 1998, Brenda chose to end her eighteen-year career as an art educator in order to devote more time to writing, drawing, painting, and developing her websites.

Drawspace http://www.drawspace.com incorporates her unique style and innovative approach to curriculum development. This site offers downloadable and printable drawing classes for students of all abilities from the age of eight through adult. Students of all ages, levels and abilities have praised the simple step-by-step instructional approach. These sites are respected as a resource for fine art educators, home schooling programs, and educational facilities throughout the world.

LEARN-TO-DRAW BOOKS BY BRENDA HODDINOTT Drawing for Dummies (2003): Wiley Publishing, Inc., New, York, NY, this 336 page book is available on various websites and in major bookstores internationally.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Drawing People (2004): Winner of the Alpha-Penguin Book of the Year Award 2004, Alpha - Pearson Education – Macmillan, Indianapolis, IN, this 360 page book is available on various websites and in major bookstores internationally.

W06 hallie kate

Education

Transcript of W06 hallie kate