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Tone is one of the most vexing elements of portraiture. The majority of artists are very reluctant about tone and do not push the darks far enough. This is often because:

1. Their eyes are not yet taught to see the subtle variations.

2. The fear of messing up a drawing.

Beginning artists can see big lights and big darks and halftones easily enough but it takes eye-coaching to see the finer variations in value.

In this expose we will focus on the interplay of strong unconventional lights and darks that are cast upon the subject’s head, i.e., light-dappled patterns.

As always, we first draw the arabesque and establish the facial features (brow line and base of the nose).

When working with a complicated value pattern the chief task is looking to simplify the patterns. Drawing, in general, is invariably an exercise in simplification, i.e., making choices.

The next step consists of hatching-in the overall dark/light pattern with simple tones. At this point do not yet refine the values because doing so will surely lead to disappointment.

Using a paper or your fingers, stump down the pencil dust. If you use a paper stump be careful not to deaden the values. The lights can be added, improved, and refined with your putty eraser.

The facial area and the hair are now carefully sketched in.
Keep these structural lines very light. In addition, proceed constructing the tonal forms keeping in mind that, except for the sun-dappled pattern, the tone must be suppressed, i.e., nothing in the shadows must stand out.

This is a subtle balancing act. Tone must be added and then subtly modeled and/or removed. This requires you to constantly going back and forth.

In addition, do not be tempted to finish the facial features but be sure that the likeness is already there and that the sizes are right. That is, at this stage, your drawing should look like an under-painting.

Like color, tone is influenced by the surrounding tone. You can see, for example, that once the hair is hatched-in and somewhat refined that the facial area now looks lighter than before.

Now, you can return to the facial features and break down the big value forms into their various forms and relationships by employing hatching, stumping and delicate eraser work.

The test with dappled light is to construct the delicate patterns while still maintaining a smooth entire. As a general rule, cast shadows have hard edges while form shadows have soft edges of changing degrees. When using a stump, you should barely touch the paper. This allows you to keep the small lights that reflect off the paper thereby maintaining the image alive and vibrating with light.

To lay down the most delicate tones employ the blackest, hardest pieces of putty eraser you can find.

As is the case with the facial area, the values of the hair must be subordinated to the overall light and must match with the face both physically and emotionally.

Finally, at this stage you can leave the drawing as is or you can push it further by adding more detail. That is an aesthetic decision left to you.

Do you want to learn the secrets of pencil portrait drawing? Download my brand new free pencil portrait drawing course here: pencil portrait tutorial.

Remi Engels is a pencil portrait artist and oil painter and skilled sketching teacher. See his work at pencil portraits by Remi.

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