You have three resources to work from. 1.) the video 2.) The step by step directions on this page 3.) A printable PDF (Link at bottom) with step by step directions. Take your time! I have noticed that the most successful students look at their reference image more often. Remind yourself to look at the reference image at least once for every five seconds (This is especially important during the shading). If you get stuck, refer to the video. Leave a comment at the bottom and let me know how you did! If you want to E-Mail me a picture of your work. I will post it on this page! Good Luck!

How to Draw a Pointing Hand (Step by Step)

Step 1: Make three ovals that get slightly smaller (from top to bottom).

Step 2: Do your best to observe this reference picture and put in these three connected shapes. Notice the angle that the top and bottom lines slope towards each other.

Step 3: Observe the picture (above) and put in the four lines. Notice the direction of each of their curves.

Step 4: Put in the shape for the pointer finger. The small banana shape that you see to the left is the fingernail. Do not close the top!

Step 5: Close the shape to create the knuckles.

Step 6: Put in the triangle shape above the pointer finger.

Step 7: Close the shape at the top by connecting the top of the banana shape with the top of the triangle. Notice the creases of skin on the foreshortened finger.

Step 8: Put in the shape that sort of looks like a birds head from the side.

Step 9: Make a kite shape below the beak of the bird head shape.

Step 10: Close the shape Steps

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SHADING:

11 and 12: Start the shading by using the method of cross hatching. Cross hatching is a series of lines from the pencils tip (watch the video). I started out my shading with a regular #2 Pencil (also known as a HB pencil) Steps

13 and 14: Use a blending stump (also known as a Tortillion) or a Q-Tip to smudge the pencil lines. Continue to cross hatch over what you smudge to create strong shadows.

Steps 15 and 16: The darkest areas will be the area under the pointer finger and the area that I am blending in photo 16. The creases of the foreshortened area of the pointer finger is also quite dark.

Steps 17 and 18: To finish, I used a 2B and 4B pencil to put in the darkest tones.

CLICK HERE (To download the PDF)

Good Luck! -Merrill Kazanjian

Staedtler Lumograph Drawing and Sketching Pencils These high quality graphite pencils glide smoothly over the paper. They are highly break-resistant and easy to erase. The entire length of the graphite pencil lead is bonded to the wood to help prevent breakage, especially when sharpening. They're available from Staedtler in finely differentiated degrees from especially soft (8B) to extra hard (6H). Soft leads are best suited to sketching and blending. Harder pencils excel for their ability to hold sharp points, and are used for straight line and detail work. Pencils are pre-sharpened.

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