Tips on Pencil Portrait Drawing - The Arabesque - By: Alex De Mostafa

In this article we assume that you sketch directly from life or from a appropriate photo. In other words, we assume that you do not use the so-called grid method. This method relies on a grid sketched both on the photo of your subject as well as your drawing paper.

If this is so, the first thing you will do is to produce a line-drawing. And the very first part of your line-drawing will consist of drawing the so-called arabesque.

In pencil portrait drawing, the arabesque is defined as the complete positive form of your subject's head. In other words the arabesque is the outer contour of the head.

The arabesque includes the proportions, the form, and the symmetry of the head. This means that the arabesque expresses pretty much an overall likeness of your subject and often much emotional content.

In trying to realize the arabesque we meet our first test as an artist. That is, the test of "seeing the reality". Indeed, when we note an object a complex mental process is started which in part falls short of the level of accuracy necessary to produce an satisfactory portrait.

The mind, for good reasons (one is to preserve our sanity), instantly replace the very complex object with the a symbol it has stored since childhood. For example, we all know how a child sketches a house. It really is more like a symbol of a house. But this is what the mind tends to bring up and often even grown-ups sketch a house like they did as a child.

Plainly, it is these symbolic preconceptions (a left brain phenomenon) that are the enemy of the draftsperson. You must train yourself to ignore those symbols and really see what the reality of, for example, a house is.

In general, learning to sketch is about the reprogramming of the mind's eye. To this end, there is a skill-set that has been developed over the centuries since the Renaissance.

Applying this new found skill to the arabesque is particularly important. "Striking" the arabesque is probably the most important element in the production of a first-rate likeness. Once you have this skill down path all the rest will follow quite effortlessly.

The first step in striking a correct arabesque is to force your eyes slightly out-of-focus. This condition is called observing with a "soft eye". With a soft eye proportions and form are more easily seen. It also helps you to avoid the invocation of the iconic preconceptions we talked about.

To train your eye to improve your powers of observation you must always sketch first and check second. There is not much to gain from pre-measuring. The habit of pre-measuring of the height and width of your subject's head will hold you back later.

When striking the initial arabesque at all times use short straight, i.e., architectonic lines. This will impart a sense of the head's structure and the form of the underlying bones and tissues. Note that round or curving lines are iconic preconceptions.

Also keep in mind the symmetry of the head. The term "symmetry" in the context of drawing
and painting does not so much refer to the similarity of two parts but more to the attractiveness that results from correct proportioning and rhythm.

After striking the arabesque (without doing any measurements) you can check the proportions. Take a measure of the largest
width (i.e., the width of the arabesque across the brow line) and set it off vertically starting at the bottom of the chin. The end point of the width almost always ends up somewhere close to the middle of the hair.

The goal is to decide exactly where that end point is situated. Best is to judge the shorter of the following two lengths: (1) the vertical distance from the brow line up to the end point of the measure; (2) the vertical distance from the end point of the measure up to the arabesque. The smallest distance is likely to be the most accurate. Do not forget, the arabesque encompasses the entirety of the skull including the hair.

With practice your eyes will develop this critical skill. Then, once the proportion and form of the arabesque have been found you are set to proceed with placing the so-called landmarks.

In this commentary we discuss the all important drawing of the arabesque as the first step in the production of a line-drawing. We discuss its properties and its importance to the production of a correct likeness of your portrait model.

Do you want to know the secrets of pencil portrait draw? Download my brand new complementary pencil portrait draw course here: Remi's Pencil Portrait Drawing Course. Remi Engels is a pencil portrait artist and oil painter and practiced draw instructor. See his work at Pencil Portraits by Remi: http://www.remipencilportraits.com Visit Guidelines for Pencil Portrait Sketching - The Arabesque.