Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Sketch a few pages of thumbnail drawings in your notebook of an actual Chinese doll if you have one available to draw from. If you don't have a Chinese doll, use photographs like the one illustrating this article as references for your drawings. Making thumbnail sketches first has two benefits for your final drawing. First, like a pitcher warming up before a baseball game, making thumbnail sketches gives you time to warm up before tackling the large drawing. Second, thumbnail sketches give you an opportunity to decide how to compose your drawing on the large paper, and to decide what drawing effects will work best.
Lay the doll to the left or right of your drawing paper and begin drawing a line drawing of the entire doll with your pencil. Do not worry about fine details or color at this first point. Concentrate on getting the proportions and shapes correct. If you are unsure, use a ruler to measure the height and width of the doll and match these measurements to the measurements on the sketch on your drawing paper. You can also lay the doll directly on your drawing paper and trace an outline around it to get the exact proportions.
Draw in the various areas of the doll, still in line only in pencil. Start with the head. Notice how the shape of a Chinese doll face is oval with a pointed chin. Sketch in the head, and the large mass of black hair that encircles it like a picture frame, followed by the ribbons in the hair. Lightly draw in features of the face such as the slanted oval eyes, curved brows, delicate nose and small pouting lips. Draw lines for the sleeves down to the hands and sketch the hands in. Note how the hands are very small and delicate. Finish the line drawing by indicating the large folds of the dress, as well as finer details such as the belt, feet and shoes, and design pattern of the dress. The key to drawing clothing is to think about how it was made while you are drawing it and reconstruct it in your drawing.
Fill in the colors of the doll with the colored markers, starting with light colors first. For instance, fill in the light pink flesh of the face and hands and feet first, followed by the light yellows, pinks or cream colors in the costume. Complete this color fill-in stage of the drawing by coloring in the bright body color of the outfit, as well as the bows in the hair and belt.
Outline the finished colored drawing with the black fine point marker, varying the line width in shadow areas to create interest and depth. Use the black fine point marker to indicate the eyes, the brow and any detail in the hair. Draw in the lips with the red fine point marker. Fill in the black hair of the Chinese doll with the black wide point marker. Finish the drawing by adding a few single hairs to the head with the black fine point marker and a light, soft and blended touch of pink pastel blush to the cheeks.