Pencil drawing tutorial: shattered emotions

Greetings and warmest welcome to my blog. It's me once again, and I have come to share my artistic ability with you all. I hope you all like it. Art has always been my language of expression, a place where words fall short but creativity speaks louder. In this drawing, I aimed to capture the intensity of human emotions, specifically the raw moment of a scream breaking free. Using only a pencil, I set out to capture the raw force of a scream—an expression of inner turmoil breaking free. The cracked texture spreading across the face symbolizes not only fragility but also the strength it takes to let emotions out. Through this piece, I wanted to create an image that is both visually striking and emotionally powerful. Here's how I created this piece.

Drawing items

• A4 paper

• HB pencil

• 2B pencil

• graphite pencil

• charcoal pencil

• black pen

• eraser

• sharpener.

The idea behind my art

Every drawing begins with an idea. For this piece, I was inspired by the thought of how emotional pain can feel like breaking from within. The idea of a face cracking apart came from the thought of how emotions, if bottled too long, eventually shatter through us. I wanted the drawing to be more than just realistic; I wanted it to speak of hidden struggles, mental strength, and the intensity of human expression. With that vision in mind, I picked up my pencil and began sketching.

Drawing process

Step 1

I began with a light sketch of the face, ensuring that the proportions were balanced. The eyes were drawn tightly shut to emphasise the tension, while the rest of the facial features were arranged to follow the natural flow of emotion.

Step 2

The next stage was giving life to the features. I shaded the eyes tightly shut to express intensity, while the mouth was opened wide to capture the full emotion of the scream. Details such as the teeth and inner depth of the mouth added to the dramatic feel of the piece.

Step 3

With the face structure ready, I added the most symbolic part of the artwork—the cracks. These were drawn as uneven, jagged lines spreading across the face, much like cracks in dried earth. I allowed them to run across the forehead, cheeks, and lips, giving the illusion that the skin was breaking apart under pressure.

Step 4

To make the cracks believable, I used shading techniques around them, giving the illusion of depth. Darker pencil tones were applied inside the mouth, under the nose, and around the eyes to increase contrast. The skin areas between cracks were lightly shaded, ensuring the broken effect stood out sharply.

Step 5

After completing the shading, I stepped back to view the drawing as a whole. I made minor adjustments, darkening some areas and softening others until the balance felt right. Finally my piece was complete, and below is my final result.

A selfie of me and my drawing

This drawing is not just an image but a voice—a voice for those moments when emotions feel too heavy for words. Through pencil and paper, I transformed the silence into a scream frozen in art. It is a reminder that art has the power to express what we often cannot say out loud. I hope you all will like my art, and I would love to get your feedback.

Inviting

@SaintKelvin17

@m-fdo

@nexcis

@iamguchidanart

Best regards @emmaboy23

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME