Heavy Metal Portrait Drawing, Into the Deep End

If I had to start the conversation about these lessons with one sentence it would be this: It's not about what you say, it's about how you say it.

This lesson focuses on analyzing and replicating the drawing style of Vasily Grebennikov, a little-known 20th-century artist who studied at the Repin Academy in St. Petersburg. The goal is to understand Grebennikov's artistic choices and develop a deeper understanding of his "form sense" through meticulous observation and imitation of his techniques.

The lesson utilizes a master study approach where students meticulously copy a Grebennikov drawing to internalize his techniques. This is the best way to commit the subject to visual memory and truly "see" the image.

Key actionable points:

• Inside-Out Approach: Instead of starting with a conventional block-in, I imagine Grebennikov began with a central design element, such as the nose's shadow shape, and built outward from there. This means establishing key proportional relationships between features rather than relying solely on outlining the entire head shape first.
• Emphasis on Shapes and Design: Grebennikov's drawings prioritize shape design and abstraction over strict anatomical accuracy. Focus on understanding the underlying forms and translate them into simplified, geometric shapes. This involves observing how Grebennikov uses jagged, planar shapes to create his distinctive visual language.
• Expressive Mark-Making: Grebennikov's work embraces bold, expressive marks and textures. Experiment with various tools, including paper stumps, bristle brushes, fingers, and different grades of pencils and charcoal, to mimic these effects.
• Understanding Value and Contrast: Grebennikov utilizes strong contrasts to emphasize focal areas and create depth. Pay attention to how he employs hatching and erasing techniques to create crunchy transitions between light and shadow. He often uses "back cutting," a technique where he extends a value past the form's edge and then uses an eraser to create a sharp delineation.
• Embrace the "Spirit" of Detail: Grebennikov's drawings capture the essence of detail without getting bogged down in photorealism. He utilizes broken lines, numerous angle breaks, and the texture of his materials to convey a sense of complexity within his simplified forms.