Making Hands

Making Hands

I've been asked several times how I make hands for my graphics; there's no mystery and its not hard at all!! If you can draw eclipses and path edit them to shape like your own hands, use a bit of shading, you can have realistic looking hands too!

	Version: PI 8 (can be done in any version) Level: Intermediate Tools used: path shapes, burn, dodge, blur, path edit Additional files needed: none
	1. Start with a 300 x 300 white canvas. Using the path tool, Round Edges 3 shape, draw your shape approximately 83 wide x 93 long, 2D, Hex#FADDCF.
	2. Go into path edit mode and pull the top node down a little, the bottom node up a little and make sure your handles are pulled out like in my example. When you shape resembles mine, come back out of path edit mode into 2D.
	3. To make your first finger, draw an eclipse (2D) 25 wide and 100 long. Position your finger as shown in my example (the length is to help shape where the finger meets the palm). Go into path edit mode again, pull the side node handles down some, so that the area that meets the top of the palm is thicker. When your shape is what you want, come out of path edit mode. I simply duplicated the finger 3 more times and positioned. Take a look at your own hand; you'll see that the fingers are NOT perfectly straight. Also, the middle finger is longer, the first and fourth are almost identical in length (at least on MY hand they are...LOL) and the pink of course is shorter and a bit thinner.
	4. Now, lets make our thumb!! Again using the eclipse 2D, draw a shape 60 wide x 24 high. Go into path edit mode and pull the right node in, pull the handles straight up and down as shown. Make sure the other nodes are positioned as shown too. When your shape resembles mine, click out of path edit mode.
	5. Now for shading. Select the palm and the thumb and merge as a single object. Using the burn tool, size 5, level 45, burn the web between the inner thumb and upper palm. Switch to a smaller size (about 2) and burn the line that extends into the palm (look at your own hand....)Still using the smaller size, burn in the lines where your thumb bends, your lines in the palm itself (if the middle one is your lifeline, I'm in trouble, aren't I??? LOL) Use the blur tool at level 2 to gently blur. If you have blurred too much and your lines are no longer noticeable, burn them again, and blur by TAPPING them as you go. Switch to the larger size of burn again and burn some along the bottom of the palm and under the thumb. Now its starting to emerge, isn't it!
	5. Now, select the index finger, right click and convert to object. Using the burn tool again at the previous settings (2 for the lines, 5 for the outer sides) burn in the lines where the finger bends (look at your own fingers for placement) and darken the sides a bit. Send to back if its not already. Do this with each finger. When you've done all 4, send all to back and merge with rest of hand. A finishing touch is to burn the lines where the finger meets the palm, then blur them gently. You can also dodge the pads just under the fingers on the palm a bit, level 60 and blur well. You don't' want glaring white spots, just enough to show a very subtle difference.
	TA DA!!! your hand is complete!!! Oh, you want the other side too??? Well, here's a cheat for you. Duplicate this hand, flip it, and move to its own canvas. Then go to Edit/Trace/Selection Marquee. Then go to 2D, move to your hand canvas, then burn/blur as before using your own hand for inspiration. My example is rough; you'll undoubtedly want to fine tune yours! To get the nails on the flip side, I burned the cuticles in like we do the lines, going over them several times. Don't forget to dodge a bit above the knuckles on your top of the hand too. For the wrist, I simply drew a long eclipse, edited it to be wide at the bottom and tapering into the palm, right clicked and converted to object, then sent to back before merging with rest of hand. A bit of shading under the palm, down the sides, then blurring to erase the line between them....done!! *A handy (LOL) hint; if you're happy with how the whole thing turned out, why not drag to your Easy Palette for future use???* You can also make your fingers bent (as per my example at the top) and all kinds of things. Just look at your own hands for inspiration!!