Understanding Negative Space
When simplifying a three-dimensional object into a two-dimensional drawing, you’re essentially mapping its shape on the surface of the page. Sometimes you might find it helpful to stop focusing on the ‘positive’ shape of your subject and instead look at the shapes surrounding it; these are the negative spaces. Sometimes these shapes will have boundaries on all sides – this is what we mean by trapped shapes – and sometimes you’ll need to create boundaries for them.
Making the Underdrawing
Pose your hand, or ask your model to hold a position, and start your drawing off with a loose, light, intuitive sketch in HB pencil. Simply look and draw what you see in less than a minute, keeping your marks energetic and allowing yourself time to look over your subject without agonising over the specific proportions.
Setting Your Limits
Using the initial sketch as a rough guide, mark out the top, bottom, left and right limits to your drawing. This will ensure that you don’t lose your drawing off the edge of the page and also help you to better establish a sense of scale within the image.
Drawing Out a Box
Use these new limits to construct a box around your subject. Imagine your subject within a box: what dimension would that box be? Short and squat or long and thin? Would it be in portrait or landscape format?
Carving Big Shapes
Now look for the big shapes that make up your hand, keeping your marks rough and angular. Work as if you were carving the hand out of wood, making straight cuts to rough out the form of your subject before carving in the detail.
Inserting Negative Spaces
Maintaining your simple marks, draw the triangular wedges of negative space between the fingers. Try not to draw the fingers at all, just concentrate on the shapes themselves and let the rough shapes of the digits appear as you draw.
Erasing the Outline
Once you have a rough, angular drawing established on the page in HB pencil, use your eraser to lightly rub out the lines of your drawing, leaving them only faintly visible to guide you as you draw.
Redrawing the Hand
Using the faint underdrawing as a guide, redraw the hand from observation in 3B pencil. As you draw, use the negative spaces to check the proportion of your evolving image. Do the negative spaces in your drawing look the same shape as the spaces between the fingers of the hand you’re drawing? Think of the spaces like jigsaw puzzle pieces: they should fit with the positive space to make the final, resolved image.
Elaborating the Lines
Next we’ll refine the drawing, using a lighter, more playful line to delineate the shapes within the hand and reaffirming the outline of the fingers. Think about how you might capture the tension within the hand, or suggest pressure where the fingertips are pressed up against surfaces.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you can create a detailed and accurate drawing of a hand. Remember to focus on the core shapes and movement, and don’t be afraid to simplify and refine your drawing as you go along.
FAQs
Q: What is negative space?
A: Negative space refers to the areas around and between objects that are not filled by the object itself.
Q: Why is it important to use negative space in drawing?
A: Using negative space can help you create a more accurate and detailed drawing by allowing you to focus on the shapes and proportions of the object, rather than just drawing the object itself.
Q: How can I use negative space in my drawing?
A: You can use negative space by drawing the areas around and between objects, and by paying attention to the shapes and proportions of the objects themselves.
Q: What is the difference between a rough sketch and a refined drawing?
A: A rough sketch is a quick and simple drawing that is used to get an idea of the overall shape and proportions of the object, while a refined drawing is a more detailed and accurate drawing that is used to capture the subtle shapes and details of the object.
