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In this commentary we will discuss the blocking-in of large masses of tone or value. Value is commonly thought of as shadow. Beginners commonly first draw an outline of the shadow and then fill in the shadows bit-by-bit. They usually start with an eye and then grow out the shadows. Inevitably, the result is a chaos of disconnected darks and lights. There are two distinct ways of viewing tone: in Western culture we see tone as shadow; in Eastern culture tone is seen as color. A Western viewer seeing a Chinese drawing will be struck by its 2-dimensionality. Conversely, Chinese connoisseurs in the 18th century seeing for the first time European portraits were perplexed by the "dirty scuff-marks" under the nose. Applying, or more accurately, constructing tone should be done with a sculptural sensibility. That is, think of your drawing as a piece of clay that is to be carved. Once roughly carved, you then model the surface shapes with varying degrees of tone while manipulating their borders thus defining the shapes present in the skull. A portrait drawing from life or (photograph) starts with the striking of the construct. Two things must be accurately sketched: 1. the shape of the entire head; and 2. the proportions (i.e., length and angle relationships). This is a learned ability that no one is born with. Once the construct has been struck, the entire head is then broken down into two pieces: a large light and a large dark. No more than that. At this stage, do not worry about whether or not one area is darker than the other. Only the large light/dark pattern counts. Observe that squinting is a good way to more clearly see the tone patterns because you are not distracted by details. A good rule of thumb is to carve an area in two. For instance, if an observed dark area is not completely uniform in tone divide it in two and block-in the two somewhat differing tones. Before long a multifaceted but cohesive array of tones will emerge. From the blocking-in of the primary darks you can then readily draw the features. Over time you should try to memorize the complete anatomy and "sense" the shape 3-dimensionally. This, too, is an acquired ability. You must know your anatomy to be successful in drawing portraits even at the most basic level. Study the anatomy in small portions as you draw along. A good way to draw is to toggle back and forth between line drawing and tonal drawing or hatching. Another way is to first do a complete line drawing of the subject. That is, to draw a "map" of the head that encompasses all planes and scores the boundaries of the various tonal areas. As a second phase you can then hatch-in the correct tones. While you shade be always aware of the planes of the head and the bearing of the light source. Another ablity to be acquired is the ablity to cross-hatch patches in a flat and even manner. There is nothing more off-putting than scratchy looking cross-hatching. Finally, take note of a curious optical phenomenon called "simultaneous contrast". It takes place when light and dark tones lie next to each other. Generally, white is extroverted while black is contractive. The consequence is that the white area looks bigger than it is while the black area will look smaller. In conclusion, keep the blocking-in process simple. Look for large masses first and then for the smaller ones. It is always better to sketch from the general to the specific. And, at this point, ignore the details.
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