Sketch a Figure

First, recruit a classmate to be a model. Gather some props and a chair and arrange a scene for your model. Choose props with a theme that gives your scene meaning. You might choose piles of books, art supplies, or sports equipment. As you design the arrangement, make sure that the primary light source cascades across the figure from the side. Don’t light the scene from the front or back of the model, because there won’t be many shadows or highlights. Next, use a graphite pencil to lightly sketch the scene. This is a rough sketch to work out the placement of the figure and surrounding objects. You might want to crop the scene in an unexpected way. Remember to include diagonals to help define the space. 

Tip: Don’t worry about including any of the details yet.

Begin to add color using a bamboo pen and colored ink. Use loose, broken lines to create a contour drawing right on top of your graphite sketch. Slow down your drawing pace and spend as much time looking at the scene as at your drawing. Carefully draw both the interior and exterior contours that illustrate your model’s pose. As you draw, develop a style. You might use curving lines, broken lines, or rigid, mechanical lines. Remember that the scene surrounding your model is just as important as the figure. Give equal attention to the figure in the foreground and the background.

Tip: Changing the pressure you apply to your pen will vary your line weight.