Shape: Drawing a Tomato

Complete this portrait of a woman with charcoal, focusing on capturing her likeness through accurate proportions, value control, and delicate lines. The turn of the head and strong lighting make this a great practice exercise to build your portrait drawing skills!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Charcoal paper, 8” x 10” or larger • Vine charcoal • 2B and 6B charcoal pencils • Rubber and kneaded erasers • Blending stump • Paper towel or soft rag

1. BLURRED REFERENCE

Use this simplified, blurred reference to establish a quick gesture drawing in step 2.

2. GESTURE DRAWING

Use fine charcoal with an overhand grip to create light, loose marks, quickly establishing a gesture drawing.

REFERENCE

9. FINISH

Add final details to the remaining parts of the drawing. Use a rubber eraser to lift hair highlights. Use the 6B graphite pencil with an overhand grip to create the fine, dark lines in the shadows. Smooth areas of the face with a blending stump and soften the background with a paper towel or rag as needed.

CHAPTER 5 Scenes & Skies

Landscapes, buildings, and natural elements are subjects for the projects in this section. You’ll test your understanding of value relationships, challenge your skills with perspective, and learn to trust your materials to suggest details rather than be overwhelmed by them.

Enjoy the Scenery

The landscape offers an endless supply of subjects, from wide-open spaces like this drawing of the Grand Canyon, to the house next door. Practice with the projects in this section to help you take on more complex landscapes, or stick to simple nature studies. A large subject like this can seem overwhelming, but once you learn the basics taught here, you can do it!

3. ANGLE-SIGHTING

Correct angles and proportions in step 5 below using this angle-sighting guide. This helps to establish the large shapes before applying details.

4. IDENTIFY PROPORTIONS

This measurement guide uses the height of the road to compare to the height and width of the tree. Notice here how the height of the tree is three times greater than the height of the road. The width of the tree is then slightly greater than its height.

5. ADJUST PROPORTIONS

Use a light overhand grip and 3H graphite pencil to keep your marks light. Transfer the angles and measurements from the reference images directly onto your drawing.

8. FINISH THE TREE

Refine the entire shape of the tree using the medium F pencil. Use an overhand grip, relying on the tooth of the paper to suggest the texture of the leaves. Add the darker shadows using the softer 6B graphite pencil.

9. FINISH THE ROAD

Finish the road with both the F and 6B pencils. Use a blending stump to smooth and add texture to the ruts in the road. Then, lift light lines in the road using a rubber eraser.

Play with depth, atmospheric perspective, and texture in this scene. Using gray-toned paper challenges your understanding of value contrast to create depth. Try not to get overwhelmed by the texture of the water and grasses in the foreground, and simply enjoy the mark-making process!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Gray-toned drawing paper, 9” x 12” • Vine charcoal • 2B and 4B charcoal pencils • White charcoal pencil • Rubber or kneaded eraser • Paper towel or soft rag • Blending stump

1. BLURRED REFERENCE

Use this simplified, blurred reference to establish a quick gesture drawing in step 2.

2. GESTURE DRAWING

Use vine charcoal with an overhand grip for light, loose marks to quickly establish the larger shapes.

REFERENCE