Teach students observational drawing skills through the study of hands. By simplifying objects (in this case hands) into simple shapes and lines while comparing height and width, students learn how to draw from observation and not prior knowledge. incorporating the study of contour lines in their hands student then think about design- creating a super cool design int he background! My high school students LOVED this project and this PowerPoint really helped! Enjoy!

1. Expressive
HANDSObservational Hand Studies
-Contour Line-
Jes Davis

2. Whatdoesthismean? Fingers Crossed= Good Luck

3. Whatdoesthismean? Thumbs up = OK
Thumbs down = not OK

4. Whatdoesthismean?
I love you!

5. Whatdoesthismean?
Rock
-n-
Roll

6. Whatdoesthismean? Praying

7. UniversalHANDS Hands can be used as a tool to
communicate universally- across
many cultures. There are two
ways to communicate via hands:
• Hand Gestures
• Sign Language

8. HandGESTURES Gestures are a form of
nonverbal communication in
which visible bodily actions
are used to communicate
important messages, either in
place of speech or together
and in parallel with spoken
words. Gestures include
movement of the hands, face,
or other parts of the body.
What are hand gestures?

9. HandGESTURES
Praying

10. http://www.nytimes.com/video/world/
europe/100000002309793/the-
italian-gesture-.html
HandGESTURES There are different hand
gestures for different cultures.
One of the most widely known
cultures to use hand gestures
are ITALIANS!
Watch here…

11. SignLanguage : a formal language
employing a system of
hand gestures for
communication primarily
used by the deaf/hearing
impaired community.
• It does differ from culture to culture. We
use ASL in the USA; but there are
universal gestures that all cultures know.
• Sign language is an evolving form of
language and has new signs much like
new words being created in English
daily.
What is Sign Language?

12. SignLanguage AlphabetWatch this little
girl
communicate
with her parents!
http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=X6F3
03aNXec

13. EXPRESSIVE
HAND
STUDY

14. Comparing for Proportion
How to Draw
a
HAND
I. Draw shape of palm
II. Compare the height of thumb to height of fingers
III. Draw implied line of finger tips
IV. Draw implied line of fingers
V. Compare knuckles and finger tips to each other
VI. Draw contour line of entire hand

15. ThePALM

16. Keep lines light until
final design
ObservationalSKILLS
Draw the shape
of the contour
of the hand.
_____________________
* Looks like a box
with an extra side.
STEP 1

17. ObservationalSKILLS
= 1
= 1
STEP 2
Measure the
palm of the
hand.
_____________________
Compare the length
of the palm to the
length of the
longest finger.
* Draw a reference
line.
Keep lines light until
final design

18. ObservationalSKILLS STEP 3
= 1
= 1
Draw the
curved implied
line of the
finger tips.
___________________
Draw an imaginary line to
the thumb in order to
compare the tip of the
thumb to the other finger
tips.
Keep lines light until
final design

19. ObservationalSKILLS STEP 4
= 1
= 1
Draw the
implied line of
the fingers.
___________________
Draw little circles for the
knuckles, comparing
knuckle to knuckle with
dotted reference lines.
Keep lines light
until final design.

20. ObservationalSKILLS STEP 5
Draw the
contour line of
the hand.
___________________
Pay attention to any small
curve and individual lines
that make up the whole
image.
Keep lines light until
final design

21. H A N D S:
FORESHORTENING
PERSPECTIVE

22. ForeshorteningHANDS What is foreshortening?
To portray or show (an object or
view) as closer than it is or as
having less depth or distance, as
an effect of perspective or the
angle of vision.
*Creates the illusion of an object receding or
moving forward in space on a 2 dimensional
surface.

23. FORESHORTENING
FACE PARTNER A: Hold your
hand out straight in your partners
face.
FACE PARTNER B: Close one eye
and look at the size of your
partners face compared to their
hand. What do you see? Discuss.
SWITCH and DO IT AGAIN!
Let your partner see 
Try THIS!!!

27. Foreshortened Hand Perspectives

28. Simplify into Shapes
How to Draw
a
Foreshortened
HAND
I. Draw shape(s) of palm
II. Compare the height of thumb to height of fingers
III. Draw implied line of finger tips
IV. Draw implied shapes of the fingers
V. Compare knuckles and finger tips to each other
VI. Draw final contour line of entire hand

29. FORESHORTENING
Draw here on board
1. Simplify palm into basic shape
2. Compare proportions for finger height.
3. Draw simple reference shapes/lines.
4. Draw final contour lines.
Keep lines light until final design

30. ASSIGNMENT:
1. Think of 5 different hands or two “concepts”. Small quick sketches or list.
Refer to handout for ideas.
Talk to shoulder partner about design until teacher makes rounds.
2. Draw 3 hands for final design:
• Has to use the entire length of 18” x 18” paper
• Hands should be in proportion to one another (same size)
• Draw very lightly until the final design
Final Project Example

31. COMPOSITION
HANDS

32. ZENTANGLES
HANDS