Drawing Children: Charcoal Portraits
Hetty Easter
Class Preview
0:53
- In-depth Instruction; over 172 mins
- On-demand video access anytime
- Bonus downloadable PDF resources
- Access to class Q&A
Introduction to Charcoal
19:48
Meet your instructor, Hetty Easter, as you discover a variety of charcoals, erasers and blending tools that will help you bring your drawings to life. Next, Hetty offers professional tips for taking photos that capture the unique characteristics of each child, including techniques to capture flattering light and natural poses.
Blocking In Values
27:21
Select your favorite reference photo and set to work blocking in the values of your portrait. Hetty helps you determine the mood of your piece as you analyze ways to bring out the child's personality and highlight key features in the setting. Next, you'll train your eye to identify various values as you block in areas of shadow and light and start to sketch significant facial features.
Placing Features
33:00
Transition from value into form as you learn how to draw children's heads and faces, starting with the largest shapes and working your way toward more specific details. Hetty shares valuable tips for identifying and sketching accurate proportions, including ways to train your eye to see what's really in front of you instead of what we are trained to assume. You'll learn how to create realistic eyes, noses and mouths as you gain a better grasp of working with shadows and contours.
Developing Form
25:05
Assess your portrait for secondary values as you develop more subtle edges between light and shadow, creating contours and nuances in the subject's face as you work. Hetty shares troubleshooting advice as she demonstrates ways to continue pushing and pulling the charcoal, using a chamois and eraser to bring splashes of light and gentle shadows where they're needed.
Expressive Details
27:26
Focus on some of the most challenging aspects of portraits as Hetty explains how to transform amateur approaches into professional art. Develop the movement and form of various hairstyles and capture a spectrum of skin complexions. Hetty also demonstrates techniques that can be used to accurately capture the mystique of a smile and avoid cluttering the portrait with distracting details.
Showing Age & Gender
12:43
How does a face age over time, and how can you imply a child or infant's gender without being too obvious? Hetty shares tips to address these questions and more, including helpful examples of ways to incorporate accessories that don't compete with or detract from the child's face.
Refining the Loose Sketch
25:47
Revisit your reference photo to determine any final details you want to include, and then put it aside as you add your own touches to the portrait. Hetty shares valuable finishing tips that bring a spark of life to your subject, such as eyelashes and highlights in the eyes. You'll finish with a stunning portrait, and an array of new tools at your disposal for future charcoal portraits.
Learn how to draw a charcoal portrait with artist Hetty Easter as your guide! Explore the expressive properties of this versatile medium as you choose a reference image and begin to block in a loose outline. Use bold lines, softly shaded areas and value shifts to convey mood and create lifelike dimension. Then, learn simple techniques to draw the head, ears, eyes, mouth and nose with realistic proportions. Discover tips for successfully sketching children of all ages and add contours and nuance to your portrait with charcoal’s painterly effects. Find out how to depict a spectrum of skin tones and various hairstyles and discover instrumental mark-making skills to conquer challenging areas like teeth and accessories. You’ll finish this class with a beautiful portrait and a range of valuable techniques to add to your artistic repertoire.
Hetty Easter
Hetty Easter received her BFA from the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University, and studied figurative fine art at the Art Students League and Studio Incamminati in Pennsylvania. She currently teaches at Syracuse University in the Fashion Design Department. Hetty also maintains a fine art studio, and her work is privately held in collections worldwide.
Bonus materials available after purchase