1. Drawing A Chef Step by Step
There’s nothing more rewarding than starting with a basic sketch and ending with a masterpiece! Drawing a chef may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. With just a few steps, you’ll be creating a whip-smart & tasty-looking chef in no time. Let’s get comfy and cozy with charcoal, and get to it!
First of all, start with the basics: the chef’s head and body shape. Think about it like clay modeling class. Start with a roundish shape for the head, which can also be a basic oval, with the sides of the head pointing up, a little like two wings. Then, draw a slimmer rectangle for the body. It helps to lightly erase any lines that don’t look right or need to be shaped differently.
Now let’s get creative! Outline the chef’s face: two eyes and a wide smile. Add curves to the top of the head and draw a chef hat. You can add poising details to the hat: a folded edge, and two sections with lines above and below it.
Let’s dress the chef up! Give him/her a chef’s apron, draw pillows of fabric at the base of the figure with a tie for fitting. Now for the hands. Draw two scrawny circles for hands with long fingers to illustrate the cooking motions. Imagine a apple in the chef’s hands, or the chef chopping before the audience!
Finally, liven the piece up with some color and shading. We don’t have to go for a bright red chef’s hat, with tones that are a bit darker, you can achieve a powdery, scrumptious look! Of course, you can choose any amount of colors that you like, but go for hues of browns and blacks that emit a homey, inviting atmosphere.
2. Adding Proportions and Dimension
Now that we’ve got the bones, outlines and physical structure of the chef down, it’s time to add in some serious dimension to the figure. Let’s add the proportions of the shape.
First, divide the length of the abdominal region into four equal parts. Then, add length to each part accordingly to match the same length of the shoulder portion. This will create a curvy silhouette. For a more reasonable adjustment, you can use a ruler to measure and draw out the added compartments.
After that, draw the chef holding a bowl. Add a curve along the top of the bowl, followed by adding the line for the upper and lower parts of the bowl. To create dimension for the bowl and hand, draw the curve of the bowl line lower along the chef’s arm.
Next, add a detailed lookalike representation of the chef’s uniforms. Draw a hooded collar either to an oatmeal or all-white apron. Be creative — add some cartoon-like details along the edges of the apron, such as sharp edges stripes, or round circles towards the end of the apron as detail. For a more polished look, strategically add shades of white into the apron.
Finally, if you’d like to add a shading effect to your chef, erase some of the lighter lit outlines to make the figure more life-like. Also, add more shadows by the figure’s feet, in order to give the illusion of a standing figure.
3. Engaging Your Audience With Your Chef
Perfect! Now that the chef has taken form, let’s think about the audience’s expectations. We don’t know it yet, but the chef is ready to serve and entertain. What ingredients shall they include next?
Start by adding a background and setting. Imagine the scene in your mind, and draw the environment. For starters, a kitchen would look inviting — some shelves and food bowls in the background. You can also add a stovetop with a skillet in the foreground.
To add more engagement, draw in accessories that the chef can interact with: stirring spoons, ladles, cutting boards, and even a hot plate!
Continue to fill the room with familiar elements of the kitchen. You can then add a pop of color with a bright, red apple on the cutting board, and an apron hanger. Alternatively, you can draw a distressed wooden cutting board to give the piece a more rustic feel.
Think about your audience as you’re drawing. What would they expect to see? Are they seeing a chef getting ready to bake a batch of cookies? Or are they seeing a master preparing a juicy roast? Use your imagination to bring these details alive.
4. Finishing Touches
Our chef is finally ready for presentation! But let’s not forget to add some finishing flourishes and making sure everything looks perfect.
Let’s start by retracing the edge of the apron, hands and facial features. You can adjust this by adding little details, such as wrinkles on the apron or a smirk that captures a certain mood. Look closely and make sure the figure looks polished and consistent with the overall sketch.
Then, review any areas that could use more shading: in between the ties of the apron, in the chef’s hair, or creatives underarm/armpits. Shade these with gradient strokes and make sure there’s a consistent shade throughout.
We’re almost done! Finally, add highlight to the image — specifically, along the edges of the figure and props. Don’t just draw swirly lines, focus on the angle of the light and its reflection. Doing this helps to create the sense of edges being prominent.
And there you have it, your very own chef is ready to present! With just a few basic steps and a lot of creative ideas, your audience will be clapping and wowing with your delightful masterpiece in no time.
5. Boosting Your Chef’s Style Up
Let’s add a little bit more sass and pizzazz to your chef! It’s easy to make your chef look unique and standout from the crowd.
Start by adding a bit more of texture! Whether it be in the background or on the chef himself, you can use different shapes, lines, and tones to give your chef some extra flair. Imagine a sparkly background, or a shiny metal pan and cutting board — these will surely add some extra glam and interest!
For an interesting dynamic, add perspective to the background. Drawing the background in 3D creates interesting space and levels. Think about how those objects in the kitchen will look like according to the values of the scene: some may look smaller or larger than the chef itself, depending on the view.
Drop some creative elements here and there. Think props, cutlery, and even a pet mouse ambling around the kitchen! If you’re feeling adventurous, draw a wall clock behind the chef to bring the image to life.
Finally, choose between color or black-and-white. While you may be tempted to color the whole piece, it may be worth considering keeping parts of it- or the entire piece – in black-and-white for a distinctive look.
And that, friends, is how you can draw a chef! With these steps and some of your own creativity, your drawing can really pop! Now that you know the basics, it’s time to get creative and adding some flair. Enjoy your creative journey, and bon appetit!
