How to Master the Art of Drawing Hands and Fingers
Hey folks! In today’s tutorial, I’m going to guide you on how to draw hands and fingers with utmost ease.
We all know that drawing hands and fingers can be quite challenging, even for seasoned artists like myself. So, I understand the need for simplified techniques, especially for beginners.
In this lesson, we will cover the following topics:
- Understanding the basic hand shape
- Drawing hands that aren’t intimidating
- Learning how fingers bend and move
Rest assured, the steps I’ll be sharing are straightforward, explained in plain English.
Now, let’s dive right in!
The Art of Capturing the Hand Shape
In the series of images to follow, I’ll teach you how to draw a basic open hand, facing outward.
The palm of the hand is a blend of circular and square elements. The region between the index finger and thumb appears flat, while the outer blade under the thumb is rounded.
To give your hand structure, sketch lines to represent the fingers along the top side of the hand. Don’t forget to add a line for the thumb as well.
In this step, I’ve added the wrist outline and marked the starting points for the finger joints. Pay close attention to this section, as it’s crucial for achieving accurate proportions.
Take a moment to touch your own hand and feel the joints beneath your fingers on the inner side. Although these joints won’t be visible in the final drawing, incorporating them will provide a solid foundation for depicting the finger thickness accurately.
Moving forward, let’s first draw the remaining finger joints and begin outlining each finger and the thumb.
Now, let’s discuss the finger joints in more detail. Each finger consists of three joints, including the ones we previously marked. Ensure that the joints are evenly spaced, leaving room for the fingertips above the joints.
Once you’ve identified the joints, you can proceed with outlining the fingers.
For those using a digital medium or painting software, you can start adding color to the hand. Additionally, I have a more detailed tutorial available for my Champion and Hero Tier Patrons on Patreon. It focuses on texturing, shading, and painting skin and is directly related to this lesson. Feel free to check it out!
Simply click on the image below to access the tutorial and consider supporting me on Patreon.
If you wish to further explore the movement and flexibility of hands, keep reading!
Conquering the Challenge: Drawing Hands Without the Scary Factor
One of the trickiest aspects of drawing hands is capturing their natural movement. Have you ever started drawing a hand, only to find that it looks more like a creature from a horror movie than a human hand?
Believe me, I’ve been there too.
The key lies in embracing a messy and loose approach by initially sketching out the hand.
If you want to grasp the intricacies of hand movement, sketching is essential. Remember what my art teacher would say: “Don’t erase until you’re satisfied with the overall picture.” This invaluable advice prevents frustration and helps maintain the intended posture of your drawing.
Avoid erasing your initial sketches, as doing so not only hampers progress but also obscures the natural hand position you aim to capture.
Understanding the Art of Finger Movement and Flexibility
Let’s take a moment to discuss the movement and bending of fingers in a natural context.
To gain a better understanding, perform a quick exercise. Extend your arm in front of you and observe your hand. Now, spread your fingers as wide as possible.
You’ll find that there is a limit to how far our fingers can stretch. Yet, when drawing hands, we often unintentionally exaggerate their reach, resulting in what I call “jello-fingers.” These hands appear fine overall but have fingers that appear broken or overly elongated.
Apart from side-to-side movement, fingers naturally bend forwards. It’s essential to remember that our fingers tend to maintain a slight bend, curving inward. Observe your own resting hand, and you’ll notice that it doesn’t lie completely flat without external force.
When drawing, keep this in mind. It’s easy to overlook and depict characters with arms hanging straight down, sporting rigid, unrealistic hands.
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Thank you for joining me in this tutorial on the art of drawing hands! Every read makes a difference and enables me to keep creating informative lessons like this one.
If you crave more free tutorials on various aspects of drawing anatomy, you’re in the right place! For your next learning adventure, feel free to explore the tutorial below.
