How to Draw a Pointing Hand

Make three ovals that get slightly smaller (from top to bottom).

Do your best to observe this reference picture and put in these three connected shapes. Notice the angle, created by the top and bottom lines, slopes towards each other.

Observe the picture (above) and put in the four lines. Notice the direction of each of their curves.

Put in the shape for the pointer finger. The small banana shape that you see to the left is the fingernail. Do not close the top!

Close the shape to create the knuckles.

Put in the triangle shape above the pointer finger.

Close the shape at the top by connecting the top of the banana shape with the top of the triangle. Notice the creases of skin on the foreshortened finger.

Put in the shape that sort of looks like a birds head from the side.

Make a kite shape below the beak of the bird head shape.

Close the shape

Start the shading by using the method of cross hatching. Cross hatching is a series of lines from the pencils tip (watch the video).

Use a blending stump (also known as a Tortillion) or a Q-Tip to smudge the pencil lines. Continue to cross hatch over what you smudge to create strong shadows.

The darkest areas will be the area under the pointer finger and the area that is being blended in photo 16. The creases of the foreshortened area of the pointer finger is also quite dark.

To finish, use a 2B and 4B pencil to put in the darkest tones.