Hand Drawing

Hands First

As children, the first thing we draw with a pencil is a wiggly, little line. From that point, we try to perfect lines through drawing and lettering. If we try to draw from observation by only focusing on line, we miss out on ne vital step. This step is demonstrating accurate proportions and will allow for more success in your drawings.

Learning how to draw hands is the first step towards drawing with accurate proportions. It involves matching angles, geometric shapes, and sizing. Which sounds like math. Well, math is used. It's just more visual, like creating a blueprint for a building. The methods shown in the videos work for any hand shape.

It is important to know that art is like basketball. You are better the hundredth time you played, then the first time you played. Art is all about correcting mistakes. That's why pencils have erasers.

The art piece to the left is a drawing of my husband's hand with a city drawn in three-point perspective. I know it's hard to see, but I drew signs with more hands in them.

First, the sketchbook assignments on the three basic hand poses.


Open Palm

Fist

Resting Hand

Demonstration Video: Open Palm

Demonstration Video: Fist

Demonstration Video: Resting Video

After students practice drawing the three different hand positions, they design a hand painting using Abstract Expressionism. I teach them about Jackson Pollock and Wassily Kandinsky and then demonstrate a variety of painting techniques to achieve this style.

I love this project because it combines accurate proportion with creative expression. It also allows students to play and experiment with different color combinations.

The picture below shows the techniques demonstrated in class.

This video shows how to paint the hands

Watercolor Hands 2.mp4





In closing: I have drawn plenty of hands. There are so many techniques and ideas that can be applied to hand art. Learning how to draw hands is a launching pad to learning how to draw everything.

P.S.

Here is one more art piece I loved making with a hand. Bright yellow paper was donated to the art room, and I used it create this drawing a hand drawing a tiger, a dragon, and a fish. I realized when I was done, that I should have drawn a pen instead of a pencil. Later, my daughter wanted to add to the drawing by putting scribbles on it.