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In this article we will discuss the blocking-in of big masses of tone.

Tone is generally thought of as shadow. Beginners generally first draw an outline of the shadow and then fill in the shadows little by little. They usually begin with an eye and then grow out the shadows. Inevitably, the outcome is a chaos of disconnected darks and lights.

There are two different ways of viewing tone: in Western culture we see tone as shadow; in Eastern culture tone is seen as color.

Applying, or more correctly, constructing tone should be approached with a sculptural sensibility. That is, think of your sketch as a block of clay that is to be carved. Once roughly carved, you then mold the surface forms with varying intensities of tone while manipulating their edges.

A portrait drawing from life or (paper picture) begins with the striking of the construct. Two things must be correctly drawn: 1. the shape of the entire skull; and 2. the proportions.

Once the construct skull is then broken down into two parts: a large light and a big dark. No more than that. At this time, do not concern yourself with whether or not one area is darker than another. Only the large light/dark pattern counts.

Note that squinting is a good way to more clearly see the tone patterns because you are not distracted by details.

A good rule of thumb is to carve an area in two. For instance, if an observed dark area is not entirely uniform in value divide it in two and block-in the two slightly differing tones. Before long a multifaceted yet unified array of values will emerge.

From the blocking-in of the large darks you can then easily sketch the features. Over time you should try to remember the complete anatomy and “sense” the form 3-dimensionally.

You must know your anatomy to succeed in drawing portraits even at the most basic level. Learn the anatomy in bite-size portions as you sketch along. It really is the best way to learn.

A good way to draw is to toggle back and forth between line drawing and tonal sketching or hatching. Another way is to first do a entire line sketching of the subject. That is, to draw a “map” of the skull that includes all planes and scores the boundaries of the various tonal areas. As a second phase you can then hatch-in the accurate values.

While you shade be always aware of the planes of the skull and the direction of the light source.

Another skill to be acquired is the expertise to cross-hatch areas in a flat and even manner. There is nothing more off-putting than rough looking cross-hatching.

Finally, take note of a strange optical illusion called “simultaneous contrast”. It takes place when light and dark tones lie next to each other. In general, white is expansive while black is contractive. The effect is that the white area looks bigger than it is while the black area will look smaller.

In conclusion, keep the blocking-in process uncomplicated. Look for large masses first and then for the smaller ones. It is always better to work from the general to the specific. And, this point, ignore the details.

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