v03 photorealistic dagger

PHOTOREALISTIC

Brenda Hoddinott V-03 ADVANCED: NATURE AND STILL LIFE In this project featuring a detailed drawing of a dagger rendered from a photograph, artists use contrasting values to identify its forms, textures and patterns according to the lights and darks created by the dominant light source.

This lesson is divided into the following three sections:

BEFORE THE DRAWING BEGINS: I briefly discuss the processes of taking reference photos, and choosing a composition.

FROM PHOTO TO DRAWING PAPER: The goal of the initial sketch is to put the dagger on the paper proportionately correct. You stretch your visual skills as you follow along with drawings that illustrate each important stage.

SHADE IN THE BLADE AND GUARD: From this perspective, the blade is farther away from the viewer than the handle. Hence, the shading of the blade needs less contrast in values than the handle, which is the focal point. The handle sections are drawn with more intricate details than the blade.

ADD THE PATTERN AND SHINY TEXTURE TO THE GRIP: You create a shiny texture and an intricate pattern with a full range of values, by progressively layering medium and dark hatching and/or crosshatching over some sections of lighter values.

ADD SHINE TO THE POMMEL: You complete the drawing by shading the end of the handle. Light values are added before the medium and dark.

You need 2H (light values), HB (middle values), and 2B (dark values) mechanical pencils, good quality drawing paper, and erasers. If you plan to use regular wood pencils instead of mechanical, you also need a pencil sharpener and a sandpaper block.

This lesson is recommended for artists with a lot of patience and/or strong drawing skills, as well as home schooling, academic and recreational fine art educators of advanced students.

11 PAGES – 23 ILLUSTRATIONS Published by Hoddinott Fine Art Publishers, Halifax, NS, Canada - 2006

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

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BEFORE THE DRAWING BEGINS In this section, I briefly discuss the process of taking reference photos, choosing a composition, and enhancing the primary photo in Adobe Photoshop.

To take a photo of the dagger, I first placed it on a flat surface in front of a brightly lit window. I took several photos from various angles, and downloaded them to my computer. After examining them closely, I finally settled on this one.

However, I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of drawing the dagger from this angle, so I rotated the photo in Adobe Photoshop until I was happy with the composition.

I also changed the image to black and white instead of color, so the individual values were easier to distinguish.

I then digitally erased the background and enhanced the contrast, to make the pattern on the handle stand out more.

Using photos as references is rarely as reliable as drawing from actual objects. However, if you have no choice, make sure you take lots and lots of photos from every conceivable angle. Also, take numerous close-ups of the more intricate parts of your subject, so you won’t be left guessing which parts connect to what and how!

As an aside, my fascination with medieval history motivated a friend to give me this wonderful replica of an old dagger. Ever since I removed the gift wrap, I’ve wanted to try to capture its fascinating forms, textures and pattern in a drawing.



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FROM PHOTO TO DRAWING PAPER Set up your drawing supplies, make sure you have good lighting, and get comfortable. In this lesson you need to stretch your visual skills to their limit, and follow along with drawings that illustrate each important stage. However, just so you don’t feel totally abandoned, I do offer a few tidbits of information and suggestions along the way.

The goal of the initial sketch is to put the

dagger on the paper proportionately

correct.

The lines need to be sketched so faintly that you can barely see them.

When you are happy with your sketch, begin adding more details and refining the outlines of the various parts of the dagger (refer to the drawings on the next page).

Remember to keep the outlines very light so they will eventually blend into the shading.



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The guard section of the handle of a dagger (also called a hand-guard) is the section between the handle grip and the blade, and is designed to prevent the hand from slipping toward the blade.

The grip is the cylindrical section that is held to safely control the dagger.

The pommel is on the end of the handle and is often

distinctively shaped, giving the dagger its charm and status.

SHADE IN THE BLADE AND GUARD From this perspective, the blade is farther away from the viewer than the handle. Hence, the shading of the blade needs less contrast in values than the handle, which is the focal point. The guard is drawn with more intricate details than the blade.



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A 2H pencil and hatching lines work well to add light values to the blade.

Light values are added along the edges of the triangular-shaped form of the blade to enhance the illusion of three dimensions.

A highlight, on the section of the blade close to the guard, is left white.

Hatching lines become crosshatching and the texture of the blade becomes smoother.

In preparation for adding shading to the hand guard section of the handle, a shading map is lightly sketched, based on the different values I see in the reference photo.



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The process of adding values to the hand guard is demonstrated in the following three drawings. 2H (light values), HB (middle values), and 2B (dark values) mechanical pencils are sequentially layered to create a full range of values. I also vary the density of the shading lines and the pressure used in holding the pencils.

The shading process focuses on values and forms rather than lines and shapes.

Very few lines separate (or outline) the many different parts of the dagger, in either the reference photo or the drawing.

Rather, contrasting values help define the edges of the hand guard to visually separate it from the blade.



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ADD THE PATTERN AND SHINY TEXTURE TO THE GRIP The hatching lines run along the contours of each individual form of the grip.

You create medium values by layering hatching or crosshatching lines over some sections of light values. Make sure you leave lots of light values close to the highlights on the grip.

The cast shadow and the pattern on the grip are shaded

with an HB pencil.

As you work, continuously go back over your drawing and adjust the values. To make a section lighter, pat the shading lines gently with a kneaded eraser that is molded to a point. To make a section darker, simply add more shading lines and/or use a darker pencil.



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If you are using regular pencils, make sure you sharpen the point of the pencil with a sharpener and/or sandpaper block after each tiny section of shading is added.

The outline of the shape of the cast shadow is very similar to that of the upper edge of the handle. Light and medium values are added to the cast shadow with crosshatching.

As you work, focus on the broad range of values that exists in between the darks and lights. Very light and very dark values are fairly easy to achieve. The real challenge is creating graduations of medium values.



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The dark values of the cast shadow graduate from very dark close to the dagger, to slightly lighter farther away.

Many more curved lines make up the striped pattern in the darker sections of the grip than in the lighter areas.

No white paper is visible in the darkest of the dark values. Very little white paper is showing through in the sections with light and medium values, except for the highlights of course, which are left completely white.



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ADD SHINE TO THE POMMEL In this section, you complete the drawing by shading the end of the handle. Light values are added before the medium and dark.

Compare the final drawing to the photo (below) and make changes to any sections of your drawing with which you are not happy.

I took a little artistic license by lightening some sections of the dagger that are hidden in the shadows of the photo; hence the illusion of depth is enhanced.

As you develop stronger technical skills, you feel more confident to make changes and adjustments to your drawings.



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Try this same technique to draw another object (or small section of an object) from either a photo or life.

BRENDA HODDINOTT - BIOGRAPHY As a self-educated teacher, visual artist, portraitist, forensic artist, and illustrator, Brenda 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. This site is 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.