2. THE FORESHORTENED VIEW OF THE HAND (FINGERS COMING
TOWARD THE VIEWER) CAN BE A DAUNTING ASSIGNMENT
FOR A STUDENT TO DRAW.

3. The ‘Picture Plane is a mental construct. It is an imaginary transparent plane
like a framed window that is always parallel to the ‘plane’ of the artist’s eyes.
What the artist sees on the ‘plane’ is actually extends back into the distance,
but the plane allows the artist to see the scene as though it were magically
smashed flat on the back of the clear glass plane, much like a photograph.
Look through your viewfinder, and frame a scene that you like compositionally.

4. Always keep the viewfinder (picture plane) in front of your
face. Don’t slant it in any direction.
For practice, use your vis-a-vis marker and draw some of the
lines and angles you have ‘framed’ directly onto the
viewfinder.

5. START THE EXERCISE BY POSING YOUR
HAND IN AN INTERESTING POSITION

6. PLACE THE VIEWFINDER OVER YOUR POSED HAND
AND DRAW ALL OF THE SHAPES AND WRINKLES
THAT YOU SEE ONTO THE VIEWFINDER WITH YOUR
VIS-A-VIS PEN.

7. Remember, that we have binocular vision. That means that with both eyes open,
we see things in three dimensions. If we close one eye, then we see in two
dimensions.
Test this information by holding your hand in front of your face and closing one
eye; then open that eye and close the other...did you see your hand move?
This is why it is important to keep one eye closed often when you draw, to only
see one view. You must also keep your head still and maintain one position when
you draw.

8. ON YOUR SKETCH PAD, OUTLINE THE
EDGES OF YOUR PAPER TEMPLATE

9. AFTER WEARING DOWN THE SHARP EDGES OF
YOUR GRAPHITE STICK ON ANOTHER PAPER, TONE
YOUR SKETCH PAD PAPER WITHIN YOUR OUTLINE
TO AN EVEN MEDIUM GRAY COLOR.

10. USE YOUR VIEWFINDER TO PINPOINT THE CROSS
HAIRS, AND THEN COPY THEM INTO YOUR TONED
PAPER.

11. USE A PAPER TOWEL TO SMOOTH YOUR
GROUND INTO AN EVEN SILVERY FINISH.

12. PLACE YOUR VIEWFINDER ON A PIECE OF
WHITE PAPER SO THAT YOUR DRAWN
HAND CAN BE EASILY SEEN.

13. NOW YOU ARE READY TO TRANSFER THE BASIC INFORMATION OF YOUR
HAND ONTO YOUR TONED PAPER. CAREFULLY TRANSFER EACH
SHAPE, LINE AND ANGLE FROM EACH QUARTER OF THE VIEWFINDER
ONTO THE CORRESPONDING QUARTER OF YOUR PAPER. BE SURE TO
COMPARE THE ANGLES YOU SEE AGAINST THE CROSS HAIRS, YOUR
VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL LANDMARKS.

14. NOW THAT THE BASIC INFORMATION IS DRAWN ONTO YOUR PAPER,
PUT DOWN THE VIEWFINDER AND REPOSITION YOUR HAND JUST AS
IT WAS UNDER THE VIEWFINDER. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A LAMP THAT
CAN SHINE ON YOUR HAND TO CREATE HIGH CONTRASTS AND A
WIDE RANGE OF VALUE FOR YOUR DRAWING. NOW YOU CAN FILL IN
ALL OF THE DETAILS, WRINKLES, LINES, HIGHLIGHTS AND SHADOWS
THAT YOU SEE.

15. A GOOD TECHNIQUE IS TO ERASE OUT THE GROUND
AROUND THE EDGES OF THE HAND TO HELP IT ‘POP OUT’
INTO A THREE-DIMENSIONAL LOOK.

16. YOUR ERASER IS ACTUALLY ANOTHER WAY TO DEFINE SHAPES
JUST LIKE HAVING ANOTHER PENCIL...ERASE OUT THE
HIGHLIGHTS YOU SEE...THE LIGHT WILL BE AN EXACT
SHAPE...ERASE IT IN THAT SHAPE.

17. SINCE YOU HAVE A STRONG LIGHT ON YOUR HAND, YOU WILL ALSO SEE
DARK SHADOWS...BE SURE TO DARKEN THEM IN. BE SURE ALSO, TO
INCLUDE AS MANY SENSITIVELY DRAWN LINES AS YOU CAN. THE
DETAILS YOU INCLUDE ARE A CRITICAL ELEMENT OF YOUR DRAWING
AND WILL ADD A GREAT DEAL TOWARD CREATING A SUCCESSFUL
ARTWORK.

18. YOUR FINISHED PRODUCT MIGHT LOOK SOMETHING LIKE
THIS...THE ARTIST HERE CONTINUED THE REST OF THE
HAND OUTSIDE OF THE DRAWN FORMAT...IF YOU THINK OF
A WAY OF INFUSING SOME CREATIVE ELEMENT INTO YOUR
PIECE, BY ALL MEANS, INCLUDE IT!

19. ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES

20. THE END