How to Sketch People

Sketch is defined as a method to practice and sharpen drawing skills or a preliminary draw for a final painting. Sketch does not mean copying the replica of the subject but getting inspired by life. It is quick way an artist can record the images that he gets attracted to artistically. It is the basic way for training future artists and developing the art of drawing. Drawing is an in born talent that is sharpened by sketching.

Reasons for Sketching
Sketching helps in building the observation skills of an artist. It develops a sense of marking the minute details of the subject. Precise observation is very important to add the real life like feel to the sketch or drawing. It also helps build the freehand drawing talent of the artist. It helps understand and register the color and tone details.

Paper and Pencils for Sketching
Different paper textures give different effects to the sketches. The different textures of papers are graded as smooth, medium, rough and glossy. To produce more contrast between light and dark you should use rough paper as it holds more charcoal or graphite than smooth paper. Soft pencils should be used on smooth paper to give a dark tone to your sketch. Rough paper will give a grainy finish to the drawings. New pastels pencils help give more tone and control to the sketches. Graphite pencils are labeled hard lead (H) and soft lead (B). The higher the number on the pencil marked H or B, harder or softer is the lead. Vine charcoal pencils are subtle and the sketches made by them can be erased easily. It helps maintain fluidity in the sketch and helps in making the corrections easily.

Sketching People
Once you have decided your paper medium and pencil for drawing, you can start your sketch. Let us learn, how to sketch people?

How to Sketch Eyes?
Eyes are the most expressive features of the face. You should start drawing the outline of eyes to make sure if they are proportionately placed near each other. Next add the creases over the eyes. Draw the eyebrows using many lines. Then draw the pupils and the irises. Now, you can add the eyelashes. Give a definition to the eyelids as they touch the eye. Depending upon the lighting, shade around the top between the eyes, under the eyes, temple and eyebrows. Use the eraser to blend or define the shading.

How to Sketch Nose
Attempt the nose after sketching the eyes. The eye shading helps define the nose shape. Gently outline the nose, adding curves at the bottom middle of the nose, then either side to make the shape of nostrils and then add curves to the either side of nostrils to shape the bottom of the nose. Shade the nose according to the light, just like the eye shading. The tip of the nose should be shaded lightly to give the effect of light shining on it.

How to Sketch Mouth
Sketch the lips making the upper lip slightly darker than the lower lip. Draw the trench between the nose and the top lip. Draw the subtle lines in the lips to define them. Draw the soft or hard lines around the mouth depending upon the smile of the person. Do not make the lines between the teeth too hard and shade around the mouth, beneath the bottom lip, teeth and wherever necessary.

How to Draw Face Outline
Outlining helps define the face and facial features. Make inward curves around the eyes and outward curves around the cheekbones. The curves should move out around the cheeks, jaw and again move inwards near the chin. Shade the face as it will help you define the person's looks.

How to Draw Ears and Hair
Ears are mostly hidden beneath the hair, when sketching women. There is a lot of detailing to be added to ears as the curves inside the ears are different in different people. Sketching hair is similar to sketching the eyelashes. Draw few lines or faint lines where the light is shining and darker and closer lines in the area of shadow. Draw the hair using downward stokes for hair that simply falls down or make vertical lines for flaring hair in the area where the hair meets the head. Draw the curls or waves accordingly using more or fewer lines according to the light.

Other Details
Add neck, collars, accessories, etc. to make the sketch look realistic and adding details to the person. The focus should stay on the facial features and do not add too much detailing to the accessories as it may take the attention away from the face.

How to Draw people
Once you have practiced sketching faces, you can attempt to draw people. Observe the details of the face, like where the eyebrows end or the shape of the nose, thin eye outline or curvier neck? When drawing sketches ignore the background and context. Sketching is not like drawing a portrait. See the body language of the people, don't draw edges if they are not visible. Overlap figures and object to differentiate between foreground, middle ground and the background. Do not try to draw everything you see in and around people. Sketches can be kept incomplete as they are not portraits that need to be defined from every perspective.

After sketching a person add finishing touches and small details. Add contrast using edges and deep shading. There is no need to be accurate as it is just a sketch that can be used as a reference for a future painting or drawing. Try experimenting and have fun when practicing to sketch.