After my previous posts on the Cybernetic hands (#1, #2, #3), I wondered if I would be able to draw a new one, since the last time I drew them was in the early 1990s. Today I attempted to draw a new one using my left hand and forearm as reference.
“Life Finds A Way” (May 2006), Pencil/ Ink on sketch paper. Lower res scan 600 x 954 pixels
Initially I planned to do just a sketch of a cybernetic hand and forearm. However, for some reason, I felt it was a bit boring and lost interest. After leaving the preliminary sketch aside, about an hour later, it occurred to me that I could do a Sci-Fi piece. Sort of like a post-apocalypic scene — where a severed cybernetic hand protruding from the groun starts sprouting life, where the cybernetic morphs into something organic. “Life Finds A Way” indeed.
How it was done
From the rough sketch of my own left hand, I added some flowers (using real flowers that my wife grows) and they looked kinda OK. But not great.
At this stage, I am still formulating how the drawing should proceed. Frankly, I wasn’t confident that it would turn out nice but I didn’t abandon the sketch.
At this point, I required greater precision so I switched to a mechanical pencil to outline the main parts of the drawing — the flowers, the section joints, the stem of the plant that’s snaking around and embedded in the hand, the metal/ plastic parts of the cybernetic hand.
Next, I started to ink over the main pencil outlines. I used a Uniball pen (0.5, I think) with permanent ink. I’m rather careful at this stage to ensure that the correct overlaps (for the cables and parts) are drawn. I can amend it digitally later but I’d prefer to keep them correct as much as possible.
More inking of the main lines. I continue to establish the cables and parts of the biotech hand, which will help me establish the areas for fills and finer details. At this stage, I’m still a bit more careful not to overdo the details or else it might get too cluttered later.
Here’s a close-up of the cables. It’s not as hard as it looks. Takes a bit of patience and good eyesight though : )
I’m almost done by this time. I switch to applying Indian Ink using a calligraphy nib/ pen. Indian Ink has a darker and more robust quality compared to the pens’ pigments, hence I used it to give the required areas more depth and as a contrast to the other dark lines.
Finally I shade the drawing with the mechanical pencil. I intend to try using the layering technique in photoshop to put a fill layer underneath (or maybe it should be above?) the shaded areas. Not too sure how I’m going to do it though. Will have to experiement. Here’s the close-up of the pencil shadings.
Compared with the Cybernetic Hand which I did in 1990…
… mmm, there’s certainly more details in the earlier sketch, primarily due to the larger drawing area. But I have to admit that I was a lot more inspired then!
Well, next part — attempting to paint this digitally using Photoshop.
Photo references for “Life Finds A Way” – for the finger tips and thumb that’s being transformed from metal/ plastic to something organic.
You’re amazing Ivan! π
Thank you. It just looks nicer when resized down. The details aren’t that amazing when up close : ) BTW I have some small talent and interest but that’s it. I’m not being modest here. Just stating as it is.
Love the piece, the tutorial, and the added touch of the orchids! Good job Ivan.
Cynthia Padilla, Editor of Sketching & Drawing for Garden & Hearth Publishing: http://www.gardenandhearth.com/SketchingandDrawing.htm
Just bumped into your art site, this is an awesome piece of drawing. Thx for the tutorial, btw. π
Cool stuff! I also bumped into this by mistake- but lucky I. Will follow up on you! Later