Portrait Exercises-Structure

In the final part of his series, HASHIM AKIB shows how to establish a facial structure while still keeping the brushwork expressive

- Hashim Akib

Being able to draw provides the confidence and perception to create a convincing representation of a subject. The skill creeps up on you through practise and ingrains as a habit making the act so much more instinctive.

The other skill you acquire is simply the patience to look at something. You break it down, conceptualise it, and put it back together in some kind of creative form; you might even leave bits out or reinvent the thing all together.

It becomes tricky when balancing the need to master the drawing mechanics with the instinctive, creative urge to simply expressive yourself. In painting – and especially portraiture – the outline you use to guide your path can become the shackles that restrict the free movement of your arm and your imagination. You could try portraiture without an initial drawing and see what happens. The painting will look liberated, but the likeness may suffer.

Having gone through the apprenticeship of life drawing classes and picked up traditional drawing methods, I have found the trick is to forget everything. If you’re a beginner there are plenty of tutorials you can follow in books, magazines, online or through workshops. These may include using a grid to break down the drawing into smaller chunks or starting with the standard egg shape and adding plenty of construction lines.

They’re all valid methods, I have just found any elongated time spent on the initial drawing of a portrait kills the spark of passion and instils a sense of preciousness about the line work. This can easily stifle those expressive, confident brushstrokes that creates a sense of ownership over your paintings. Starting with an accurate drawing is such a staple approach to portraiture that no one questions it.