Drawing Class

Ms. Erickson

American Sign Language Hand

Drawing Project
Objective: Using your prior knowledge of
shading, line, value, as well as your new
knowledge, you will choose a hand symbol from
the ASL alphabet to draw. Each students work
will then be hung together to create an entire sign
language alphabet as a mural in order to help
educate others about ASL.

Albrecht Drers
"Hands of the Apostle"(1508)

Contour Line a descriptive

line that
defines a difference in shape
color, or
value that is continuous and has
weight.

Value the darkness or lightness of a

color or shading.

Foreshortening - the visual effect or

optical illusion that an object or
distance is shorter than it actually is
because it is angled toward the viewer.
Procedures:
1. Choose a hand symbol
2. Turn your paper vertically (the tall skinny way)
3. Measure in 1 inch form the top of your paper and draw a light horizontal line
4. Measure in 5 inches form the previous line and draw another light horizontal line
5. In between these two lines is where you will draw your letter
6. In the middle of whats left of your paper, begin to draw the outline of your hand very
lightly (do not begin shading)
7. STOP and Show Me!
8. Once youve checked to make sure that the composition and proportion of your drawing
are accurate, you may begin to add value by starting with the transitional light values.
(remember that your fingers are cylinder shapes)
9. Remember:
a. Its always easier to make things darker
b. Dont forget the reflective light
c. Make sure that you are using all values
d. Dont OUTLINE!
e. Take a break! Step away from your art and look at it from a different view.
10. When you are done drawing your hand, add value to your letter and erase the guide lines
11. When you think that you are one, look through the rubric to see what type of grade that you
might receive, and make any necessary changes.
12. Turn it in

Rubric:
Proportion /10 pts.
(image looks realistic and to scale, foreshortening used)
Value /10 pts.
(uses varieties of values from darkest to lightest)
Shading /10 pts.
(Pencil control was used no smudging)
Craftsmanship /10 pts.
(paper was not ripped, crinkled, smudged, etc.)
Artist Statement /10 pts.
(well written and free of grammatical errors)
________________________________________________
Total /50 pts.
.
Above in the painting The Mourning of
Christ the artist chose to paint the figure
from a foreshortened angle. Notice that
the feet should be bigger than they appear.

Left, in M.C. Eschers Hands Drawing

Hands its easy to see how adding value
creates depth. The outlined areas without
value look unrealistic and flat.