PORTRAIT TECHNIQUES

Shadows & Highlights

This drawing of the head was deliberately kept in halftone (a middle value of graphite) so you can see the elements of shading more easily, without the darkest darks.

How to Light the Model

Always use one dominant light on your model. It's okay to have some general light in the room, but several competing lights directed at the model will create forms that are flat or hard to read. Below are two drawings of the same woman done with two different lighting styles. One creates a harsh look with distinct shadows and more contrast (high-contrast side lighting); the other produces a more delicate image (low-contrast front lighting).

SIDE LIGHTING This portrait was drawn in a dark room with one light positioned to the model's right. This style makes the model look older and more serious, as the contrasts create harsh shadows, deepening and creating lines on the face and neck. This type of lighting is best for giving a model an air of power.

FRONT LIGHTING This method involves using a well-lit room with one light positioned in front of the model. When using this method, position the light as far away as possible to avoid hurting the model's eyes.

Anatomy of the Head

Knowing the anatomy of the head will help you understand the basic forms beneath the skin. Listing the names of the points on the skull isn't practical for our purpose here. Instead, there is a dot at each point of the skull that you should be aware of when you draw. These points make an impression on the surface, and, if you include them, your drawings will be more accurate.

The diagram directly below includes the temporalis (on the temple) and the masseter (on the jaw) muscles. These muscles allow you to chew by pulling the jawbone. The illustration below right is a general (though not complete) diagram of the facial muscles so you can see the shapes of the muscles that lay over the bone.

FACIAL MUSCLES & EXPRESSIONS

Below is a list of the most important muscles used in facial expressions. Familiarizing yourself with them will help you understand how the muscles move to affect the shapes and bulges of the skin.

• The (eye) and the orbicularis oris (mouth) squeeze and narrow the eyes and mouth. They also close the eyes and mouth, respectively.

• The zygomaticus major is anchored on each cheekbone and inserts into a node at each side of the lips.

When they pull, they widen and raise the lips, forcing a cheek bulge under each eye. These are the main muscles for smiling.

• The procerus is in the middle of the brow ridge; the corrugator is on each side, like little wings. The orbiculares oculi (see below) work together with these muscles to create a frown.

• The frontalis contracts to create wrinkles on the forehead. It can contract in the middle alone (indicating sadness) or in the middle and on the sides (indicating surprise).

• Each levator is anchored to the skull and yanks up the side of the lip so you can sneer at other artists' drawings.

• The triangularis muscles are anchored on the jaw and tug at the nodes on the sides of the lips, pulling down the corners of the mouth.

• The mentalis is anchored below the teeth and pulls up the flesh of the chin. This creates a pout or the appearance of someone thinking (mental — get it?).

• The platysma is anchored to the fascia of the muscles on the chest. It goes up and over the front of the neck to the bottom lip and lip nodes. It tugs hard on the lips for extreme expressions. On the neck, it can contract itself into cords that stand out dramatically.

General Proportions

Proportion (the comparative sizes and placement of parts to one another) is key to creating a likeness in your drawing. Although proportions vary among individuals, there are some general guidelines to keep in mind that will help you stay on track. Before you study the diagrams and tips below, memorize these two most important guidelines:

1. The face is usually divided into thirds: one-third from the chin to the base of the nose, one-third from the nose to the brow ridge, and one-third from the brow ridge to the hairline.

2. The midpoint of the head from the crown to the chin aligns with the tear ducts.

The mouth is usually the same width as the distance between the pupils. This particular model's tear ducts are higher than the midpoint.

Heads are somewhat heart shaped. The temple (A) is wider than the cheek bone (B), which is wider than the jawline (C).

Generally, the distance between the tip of the nose and back of the head is longer than the distance from the top of the head to the bottom of the head.

To determine the width of the neck, use the features directly above each side of the neck to serve as guides for placement. To easily see this, hold up your pencil vertically in front of you, lining it up with the side of the model's neck.

Planes of the Head

It's helpful to approach the head with a general idea of what can be expected. With practice, you will automatically check for the basic forms and plane changes described below. Memorizing the planes early on will save you time.

• Artists unfamiliar with the top view of the head make errors at the brow, with the shape of the forehead, and in the head's overall length and width.

The face wedges toward the nose like this helmet. Notice the exaggerated highlights (A) and reflected light (B) on the metal.

• The neck doesn't narrow at the top, and it isn't concave at the sides (A). The body's forms bulge out (B). They can be flat but not concave (except in tiny transitions that are barely visible).

This illustration shows how the face wedges toward the center.

This illustration shows a flatter face and sharper angles at the sides of the head.

Shifts in Guidelines

When drawing the tilted head, it's essential to first measure to find the midpoint to see where it has shifted (A). Next draw lines to indicate the new positions of the features (B). A bit of shading is applied to make the horizontal lines easier to judge by.

ADJUSTING GUIDELINES As the head tilts, the curvature of the surface of the face becomes more prominent. Keep this in mind while marking your guidelines.

Facial Features

Now that you are acquainted with the basic forms and proportions of the head, let's examine the individual features that make up the face.

BASIC SKETCHING

1 First, place the basic shape of the head with an HB pencil. The subject's head is tilted at a three-quarter angle, so shift the vertical centerline to the right a bit. Foreshorten the left eye, and draw only one nostril. Make the mouth...