5 Essential Techniques for Drawing Hand Gestures like a Pro

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 10 July 2023 5 min read

Every artist—whether a beginner or a seasoned veteran—knows that capturing the human hand is one of the most challenging aspects of drawing. Hand gestures, in particular, can be elusive and complex. But don't worry, you're about to discover some handy tricks to perfect your skills in drawing hand gestures. Here are five techniques that can help you draw hand gestures like a pro.

1. Get the Basics Right

Before diving into the depths of drawing hand gestures, it's important to establish a strong foundation. Mastering the basics can make the more complex tasks much easier. Let's break it down:

Sketching the Basic Shape

First and foremost, you need to understand the basic shape of a hand. Start with a simple oval for the palm and add smaller ovals or circles for the fingers. The thumb is unique—it's a bit like a rounded triangle. By starting with these basic shapes, you'll have a framework to build your hand drawing around.

Understanding the Hand Structure

Next, it's time to familiarize yourself with the structure of the hand. The human hand consists of 27 bones, grouped into the wrist, palm, and fingers. While you don't need to be an anatomy expert, knowing this basic structure can help you create more accurate and realistic drawings. Remember, each finger consists of three bones, except the thumb—it only has two!

Practicing Simple Lines and Shapes

Practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to drawing. Once you get the basic shapes down, refine your skills by drawing different lines and shapes. Try drawing straight lines, curved lines, circles, and ovals. This exercise will not only improve your line work but also give you the confidence to tackle more complex hand gestures in the future.

2. Master the Art of Shading

Once you've nailed the basics, it's time to bring your hand drawings to life. Shading can make a significant difference in your artwork—it adds depth, texture, and realism. It's not as scary as it sounds, I promise. Let's dive right in:

Learning Different Shading Techniques

There are various shading techniques that you can use to add depth to your hand drawings. Some popular ones include hatching, cross-hatching, and stippling. Hatching involves drawing closely spaced parallel lines, while cross-hatching adds another layer of lines going in a different direction. Stippling, on the other hand, uses tiny dots to create the illusion of light and shadow. Experiment with these techniques and see which one suits your style best.

Understanding Light and Shadow

Creating realistic drawings is all about portraying light and shadow accurately. When light hits an object—like a hand—it creates highlights, mid-tones, and shadows. The parts of the hand that are closer to the light source will be brighter, whereas those farther away will be darker. Keep this in mind when you're shading your drawings.

Applying Shading to Your Drawings

Now that you've learned about shading techniques and light and shadow, it's time to apply them to your drawings. Start by identifying the light source in your drawing. Next, add highlights to the areas that are directly hit by light. Then, fill in the mid-tones and shadows. Remember, the key to successful shading is smooth transitions between different tones.

3. Play with Perspectives

Alright, you've got your basics and shading down. Now let's shake things up a bit and play with perspectives. Drawing hand gestures from different angles can add an interesting dynamic to your work. Let's explore this further:

Drawing Hands from Different Angles

Hands are incredibly expressive and versatile, which is why they're so fun to draw. Try drawing hands from various angles—front, side, top, bottom, you name it. Not only does this make your drawings more interesting, but it also helps you understand the structure of the hand better.

Experimenting with Proportions

Playing with proportions is another great way to add interest to your drawings. Maybe you want to draw a cartoon-style hand with exaggerated fingers, or a more realistic hand with subtle variations in size and shape. There's no right or wrong here—it's all about letting your creativity flow.

Using Reference Photos

When you're just starting out with drawing hand gestures, reference photos can be a lifesaver. They can help you understand how the hand moves and how it looks from different angles. You can find hand reference photos in books, on the internet, or even take some of your own. Just remember, these are only meant to be guides—don't be afraid to put your own spin on things!

4. Create Dynamic Poses

So you've practiced drawing hands from various angles and played around with proportions—it's time to bring those hands to life! Creating dynamic poses is an excellent technique for making your drawings more expressive and realistic. Let's delve into this exciting part of drawing hand gestures:

Studying Hand Movements

Before you start drawing dynamic poses, take some time to observe how hands move. Notice how the fingers curl when making a fist, or how the hand opens wide when reaching for something. Take note of these movements and try to incorporate them into your drawings—it will make a world of difference.

Drawing Expressive Hands

Hands can express a wide range of emotions and actions, from a thumbs up signifying approval, to a clenched fist indicating anger. Practice drawing hands that convey different emotions and see how it brings your drawings to life. Remember, it's not just about getting the shape right, but also capturing the feeling behind the gesture.

Practicing with Animation

If you're up for a challenge, try your hand at animation. It's a fun way to practice drawing hand gestures and it'll definitely test your understanding of hand movements. Start with simple animations, like a hand waving hello or a finger tapping on a table. It's a tough skill to master, but once you get the hang of it, you'll see your drawings transform in ways you never imagined.

5. Polish Your Drawings

After all that hard work of sketching, shading, and creating dynamic poses, you're almost there! The final step in drawing hand gestures like a pro is to polish your drawings. This stage is about refining your work, adding textures, fine-tuning details, and taking a step back to review and revise. So let's dive into how to give your hand drawings that perfect finishing touch:

Adding Texture to Your Drawings

Texture can give a sense of realism to your drawings. For example, adding lines to suggest the curves of the skin on the knuckles, or shading to indicate the softness of the palm. Experiment with different textures and see how these small details can bring a new level of depth to your hand gestures.

Fine-tuning Details

Here's where your sharp eye comes in. Look closely at your drawing and fine-tune the details. Are the fingers proportionate? Is the shading too heavy in some areas? These little adjustments can make a big difference in your finished piece. And remember, sometimes less is more. Don't overdo it with the details—a few well-placed lines can be more effective than a dozen.

Reviewing and Revising Your Work

Last, but certainly not least, take a step back and look at your work as a whole. Reviewing and revising your work is a critical step in any creative process. Don't be afraid to make changes, even if it means erasing and starting over. Remember, every great artist was once a beginner, and every masterpiece started with a single line. So keep practicing, keep refining, and most importantly, keep drawing those hand gestures!

If you want to take your hand gesture drawing skills to the next level, don't miss the workshop 'Digitising Handmade Illustrations' by Jola Pictures. This workshop will teach you how to digitize your hand-drawn illustrations, adding a professional touch and opening up new creative possibilities for your art.