Art school admissions counselors request drawings and/or paintings of hands because it gives them an idea of the applicant’s ability to perceive and render functional structure, proportion and light on form in a realistic manner.

Images of hands that you submit for your portfolio must be drawn from direct observation of yourself or a live model and without the use of photography. Drawings and paintings may be either in black and white or in color. Hands may be shown in repose or in action.

Many artists have difficulty painting and drawing hands. It’s one of the most, if not the most, difficult subject to draw.

Through drawing a simple gesture of the hand, a person's character and personality are revealed as clearly as if you’d rendered their face. For most people their hands express feelings that we’ve taught our faces to disguise.
When you’ve taken the time to draw many people's hands, the lines, the curves, the veins, you’ll find that the hands have moods, character, and their own particular beauty.
You can use your own hands as a reference, or a friend or family member. Before you start drawing a hand, make sure you pick an interesting gesture. Try to experiment a lot, by performing a gesture and notice what happens to your hand.

Start by blocking in bigger shapes; and then later add details. Observe how the finger and thumb bones, the joints, the wrist, the palm and the arches work together and what happens to the skin and muscles.

Keep in mind that learning how to draw hands can be a challenge. Even experienced artists struggle with it. But learning how to draw hands is a vital skill that you must learn and express in your Art Portfolio.


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