'Silent Screams' - steps

Hi!

Don't know if I put this in a proper category, but this is no anatomy tutorial, so I guess "shading" fits it.

Sooo, this is how I usually work:

1. Firstly I draw a sketch, or an "arabesque". Basicly it is a contour of all shapes and forms that later will be shaded and ~90% of raw lines will disappear.

2. Then I start working on face. IMO it's one of the hardest parts, so I work very precisely here. It's easyer to start on face details in the begining when you have a clear sheet of paper, because then you don't have to be afraid of accidental smudging to happen. Don't forget - always place another clear half sheet of paper under your hand to prevent it from smearing the image.
I give shape to the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, etc., by softly shading needed parts. The trick is in the curves - they can give swell or dent, depending on the shape needed.
Also finding the source of light is crucial in this step. My model was illuminated up front, so there are slightly few shadows on her face.

3. I sharpen the contour of hair, because it may be lost while shading. Then I add some more details - in this case: eyelashes, nails, and ashes.

4. I add shadows to her hands and give a basic tone for all the robe. Sharp lines mark the places where the fabric folds.

5. The most fun part - giving shape to the clothing. As I said before, correct curves in shading are very important. If you peer into center of her right sleeve (our left) you can see little hatches hooked in one or another direction. Remember: the intensity of color + curved hatches = the effect of shape.
BTW, I changed a contour of her right sleeve a bit, because it needed a little more shape.

6. I always leave drawing hair for the final part, because it's one of the hardest and most interesting things to do. And because hair cover shoulders, part of face, etc., most of the time, so - is always on top of something. The hair is something that can completely change your drawing. It's very dynamic and alive.
This time I used another technique and I'm happy about the result - the hair seems more natural. I shaded the main parts where hair darkens, then added midtones and shadows. The rest remained as light as it needed to be.
Then I added final touches to this piece, like correcting face shading, lips shading and too sharp cupid's bow.

That's all! I'm no professional and, well, drawing is something that comes naturally to me. Don't know if it helps someone, but I hope I commented clearly on each step. And sorry if I made any mistakes - english isn't my native language.

Final image: [link]

Good luck and have a nice day!