Posing your model surrounded by a number of props can add much attention, dimension, and appeal to a portrait and goes a long way to describing your model. A prop can add considerably to the composition of the portrait.

Sketching a portrait with a prop, such as a book or even ear muffs, requires you to above all pay attention to the construct.

Quite often the starting draftsperson will be tempted to approach a prop as a separate entity or an afterthought so that rather than complimenting and blending in a supporting function with the model’s face, it looks contrived and overwhelms the model or is incorrectly sized or drawn.

In this expose you will learn the professional approach to drawing a prop entity that frames the center of interest even with a prop entity that is bigger than the face.

First, the presence of a prop does not alter the approach to drawing the pencil portrait. As with drawing any other portrait, you should employ all your usual fundamental skills and apply them throughout the normal processes of your drawing effort.

So as always, you begin with the arabesque which in the case where the skull and the prop entity overlap will be a “construct” which is a complete arabesque that encompasses not only the shape and proportions of the skull but also of the contour of the prop entity where it overlaps with the skull.

In the context of the presence of a prop entity that overlaps with the skull, the construct becomes of crucial importance. It helps a lot with the maintenance of cohesion. If you do not draw from the reference of a construct, the skull and the prop will appear as separate structures.

While you work through the subsequent stages of your portrait drawing (proportions, landmarks, blocking-in, stumping, etc.) you should continually be aware of the fact that your prop entity should not overwhelm the face of your model.

The face of your model should remain the primary focus. Your sketch should not turn into a still life of your prop entity that also happens to show a person’s face in the background.

One trick that can help you with understating of the prop entity is to only draw the merest of details inside the prop entity. Another one is to soften the values of the prop entity but only if it this appropriate in the context of the overall intent of your sketch.

Again, we cannot stress enough the importance of maintaining the cohesion between your model and the prop entity. That is why it is significant that you draw from the construct which already links the model and your prop entity as one overall object. Of course, this also implies that you do the toning in a similar spirit and not overdo the lines and values that separate the model and the prop entity.

So, in conclusion, the key considerations when including props items in your sketch are to make sure that the arabesque covers the entire contour of the skull and the props items.

In addition, be sure that at all times you keep in mind that the props items should never become the focus of your sketch. If you stick to these guidelines, the employ of props items should never become a problem for you.

Do you want to learn the secrets of pencil portrait sketching? Download my brand new free pencil portrait drawing tutorial here: pencil portrait course.

Remi Engels is a pencil portrait artist and oil painter and skilled sketching teacher. See his work at graphite pencil portraits by Remi.

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