Hands make a great subject for drawing. There is so much more possible than the Turkey handprint you did in Kindergarten. First, you always have your hands with you. But more important, they are so expressive, and can make their meaning known with just a gesture. They are beautifully different as we age, from soft and plump, to withered with wisdom. And they can speak in a language all their own with ASL (American Sign Language).
This will be a Contour Line drawing. I’ve changed drawing media to a Sharpie for this exercise, since this is so freestyle and you don’t want to bother erasing. Adjust your non-dominate hand in any position, but NOT flat with fingers spread. Try making a fist, the o.k. sign, point your finger, whatever makes it interesting and some fingers are overlapping. Find a starting point to look at. Start drawing on the paper with a continuous line as your eye follows the outside edge of you hand. Draw ONLY what you actually see, not the parts you know are there but you can’t see them in this position. You will have to over-draw on some lines to get back to a place and go in a different direction. You may stop drawing to check where you are, but don’t lift your Sharpie. The drawing may look ridiculous! Lines going in every direction, barely recognizable as a hand, but don’t worry and don’t stop! You’re practicing.
I love drawing hands. So after I finished the simple contour drawing, I went ahead and drew another hand, varied the line quality a little with thin and thick, and added patterns in the negative areas. Play with it and enjoy!! For our next practice we will be using charcoal pencil or sticks, for added dimension to the hands.
