How To Draw Thomas Jefferson
Drawing Thomas Jefferson is a timeless act of patriotism, a chance to reflect upon the achievements of one of America’s founding fathers. Capturing the inspiration of Jefferson’s life may seem a difficult endeavor, but don’t let that intimidate you. With these simple steps, you’ll uncover the basics to drawing Thomas Jefferson, creating your own rendering of this iconic figure.
Start simply, by sketching an oval. This will serve as your guiding shape as you take the first steps, and slowly – bit by bit – you’ll form the foundation of your portrait. For those starting out, go with a light touch – use thin strokes and stay away from heavy lines. Once you have a general outline, start adding more details: add light shading to the oval, deepening and extending it at the chin and forehead, and use thin lines to form the brows. Then, take it a step further, starting to form the facial structure. Keeping in mind the figure you have sketched, accentuate the long and thin nose, the arched eyebrows, and Jefferson’s signature pursed lips.
Now that you have the basics in place, it’s time to bring your portrait to life! Visualize the depth, shading the nose and chin to bring out their weight, softly layering around the mouth. Smoothly swipe your pencil across the oval to add texture, texture that will bring your rendering to the next level. And don’t forget to hug your oval – break the line from ear to ear, creating more definition and giving your portrait a more anatomically true feel.
As you go deeper into your drawing, pay attention to the details that made Jefferson himself. Think of how his wit and political skill were reflected in his features. His intelligence is illustrated in the eyes and the kindness in his curved lips. Start with the eyes, emphasizing their kind aspect – a reminder to himself and to the world of Jefferson’s greatness. Let the eyes guide you to the rest of the face, lightly drawing his long nose and endearingly pursed lips.
Finally, you’ll want to add the finishing touches to your newly created piece of art. Start with the hair – swooping curved lines to illustrate its fullness – then spend some time creating the soft waves around the forehead, giving a final detail to your portrait. Take a step back and admire your work – you’ve commemorated one of America’s founding fathers, giving a window of Jefferson’s spirit!
Dabbling with Colors
Adding color to your artwork elevates it to the next level, opening another door to the life and achievements of Thomas Jefferson. Start by layering the shadows, begin by creating the darkest areas and blending them out to the lighter regions. From there, start adding highlights and lowlights, gentle transitions between light and shade. When choosing your shades, tap into the feeling of the portrait. Think blues for the soft hues around the eyes, tones of purple for the regality and eloquence of Jefferson’s figure, and yellows and browns for the skin.
Blending is key. Gradually stroke the surface until the colors become one, until the piece isn’t just a portrait of Thomas Jefferson, but a portion of his life, or of yours. Further softening and blending your shades in different areas of the portrait shows varying portions of his life and character, reflecting the dynamic that went into his life. Blending out the dark purples and blues in the hair, transitioning them to lighter tones, will showcase the intelligence, wisdom, and life of Thomas Jefferson.
Bringing It All Together
Now it’s time to take your drawing up to the next level. Take a look at your portrait – notice the accomplishments embodied within, then slowly add those felicitous features to your work. Now is the time to give Jefferson the body and essence he deserves, weaving story-lines of life and hardship, of friendship and love. Add poses that show his wise nature, his political acuity, or his work in the humanities. Allow the posture to reflect his character, swelling and dipping to create movement – illustrating the adventures and life of Thomas Jefferson!
Continue this same mantra with your coloring, adding tones of blue and tans to represent Jefferson’s courage, strength and stature. As you add the final touches, imagine what he may have held in his hands and eyes. How he looked upon the future, how his views changed and evolved. As you complete your rendering, you too can capture the emotion, intelligence, and vivacity of Thomas Jefferson!
Adding Details and Flourish
Adding even more fabric and depth to your figure can be the cherry on top. Starting with scenery, create vivid scenes of adventure and accomplishment, rolling hills and seawaves, each a reminder of his life, his devotion and his love for America. Adorn the background with symbols of your choosing: the Declaration of Independence, the bell of freedom, or even a tribute to his beloved Martha.
Going back to Jefferson himself, don’t forget the wardrobe. Finding perfect hues of blue, a reminder of the United States’s original hue, add the stripes of his jacket. Geometric shapes define his intricate details and the cuffs of his jacket add a sense of regality – a sign of Jefferson’s strength and power, one that he carried with him before, during, and after his service.
Lastly, create the props and pocket watch, each a reference to the moment in which he lived, allowing your portrait to transport you to his era. Take this last step to honor Jefferson, giving life to the man he was and imaginations to the man he wanted to be. Add the props and pocket watch to your canvas and let your finished portrait invoke the legacy of Thomas Jefferson!
