Drawing: People with William F. Powell

Learn to paint step by step

William F. Powell

• Publisher: Walter Foster Publishing
• Year: 2003
• ISBN:
  9781610598514
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Art Techniques

Artist William F. Powell invites you into his artistic world as he shows you how to re-create an intriguing array of people in pencil. Powell explores basic drawing techniques as well as art concepts that apply to drawing people, including proportion, perspective, and composition. He also explains how to render facial features, heads from various angles, and the figure in action, step by step. With this helpful guide, you'll even discover specific tips and tricks for drawing individual body parts, such as eyes, ears, noses, lips, hands, and feet. This comprehensive how-to-draw book is a valuable addition to any artist's drawing library!

Shading Techniques

Shading enables you to transform mere lines and shapes in your drawing into three-dimensional objects. As you read through this book, note how the words shape and form are used. Shape refers to the actual outline of an object, while form refers to its three-dimensional appearance. See the examples below.

This is an oval shape.

This has a three-dimensional, ball-like form.

As you shade, follow the angle of the object’s surface, and blend to allow the texture to emerge.

As you can see, pencils can be used with sharp, round, flat, and blunt points, and several techniques can be combined on one surface. The paper stump helps smear the lead, making a blend softer. Experiment and see what kinds of textures you can create on your own.

Note the different kinds of lines each type of drawing tool can create.

FLAT SKETCH

ROUND SHARPENED FLAT

TIP OF SHARP ROUND

SIDE OF ROUND

BLUNT ROUND

PAPER STUMP/TORTILLON

Make patterns like the ones above using the side, rounded tip, and sharpened point of an HB pencil. Shade backgrounds first; then draw patterns over them. Pressing harder creates darker effects.

Gradual blends like these above can be created using the side of a 2B pencil. Shade in one direction to make the vertical finish on the left. On the right, see that two “blend angles” produce a smoother finish. Start lightly and increase pressure as you work to the right.

Use a sharp-pointed HB to draw this line pattern.

Shade a light background with a round-pointed HB. Then use a sharp-pointed one to draw the darker, short lines over the background.

Draw groups of randomly patterned lines using a round HB lead.

Use the side of an HB to shade the background, blend with a paper stump, then add patterned lines over the background.

Create blends and lines like these with a blunt round 2B pencil.

Use the same technique as the left example, then blend soft...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Getting Started
• Shading Techniques
• Pictorial Composition
• People in Perspective
• Adult Head Proportions
• Head Positions & Angles
• Facial Features—Eyes
• Facial Features—Noses & Ears
• Facial Features—Lips
• Facial Features—the Smile
• The Profile
• The Three-Quarter View
• Child Head Proportions
• Mature Faces
• Adult Body Proportions
• Child Body Proportions
• The Body
• Hands & Feet
• Clothing Folds
• Foreshortening
• Movement & Balance
• Bending & Twisting Figures
• Figures in Action
• Sports Figures in Action
• Children in Action
• Applying your Skills
• About the Artist
• Copyright Page