Here are tips to make your hand drawing fears fade away.
Most artists have problems drawing hands in the beginning. Let's be honest, they're hard to draw. Some beginning artists tend to solve this problem by hiding their subject's hands behind their backs or behind props. Eventually, though, a time comes when the artist just has to bite the bullet and draw. Here are some surefire ways to draw hands...so no more excuses!
Fingers
Properly drawn fingers are one of the keys to good looking hands. Take a look at example number one. Notice how all of the fingers are different sizes? The difference between finger sizes varies from person to person, but, in general, most people have fingers that arch in in size.
The middle finger is the longest finger and the highest point in the arch. The pinky finger is the smallest finger in the arch and the arch gently slopes to the pinky from the middle finger. On the other side the slope is much more dramatic. The difference between the middle finger and the index finger is usually much more than any other finger.
Drawing fingers is a lot like drawing cloth. Take a look at your own hand. The skin drapes around your knuckles much like cloth. In many drawings you will be able to simply imply these folds with simple marks. Take a look at example number two. See how the folds are simple lines?
Nails
Properly drawn nails make your hand drawing much more realistic. Here are some things to remember:
- Draw a light line that curves downwards to indicate the white area of the nail.
- Make sure to draw the cuticle on each nail when drawing hands close-up.
- Remember, some nails are rounded, some nails are square, some extend past the fingertip, and some don't.
- Nails don't go all the way to the edge of the fingers. There are areas of flesh on each side.
Thumbs
Thumbs often get confused with fingers. Thumbs shouldn't be drawn like short fingers; they have a shape all their own.
First, notice how most thumbs curve outward, away from the hand. They also have only two joints, unlike fingers, which have three joints.
Thumbs are rounder than fingers, as well. When drawing them, think of a potato-like shape that connects to a round, fleshy joint.
The Palm
The palm should be drawn like a square with rounded edges. When you are drawing a hand in motion, think of it as a folded square. There's no need to make it much more complicated then that.
Take a look at example number three. The hand is in motion and the palm is basically bent into a fold. The part that is closest to the viewer looks like half a square. The part farther away is very shadowed, but basically follows the shape of the part that is closer.
To draw a hand as a whole you need to combine these tips to make a realistic whole. Use your own hand as a model and practice. One day drawing the hand will be as easy as the rest of the body.
