Here is a pencil sketch of Yoda I did tonight with a Pentel 0.5mm mechanical pencil, Derwent B pencil and a Create sketch pad.

Supplies

Create Sketch Pad

Derwent B pencil

Blenders

Kneadable eraser

0.5mm Pentel Mechanical Pencil

Step 1: Starting Off

I used this photo as my reference to sketch the lil' fella. The next photo shows the stuff I used.

Step 2: Basic Lines

I started off with a simple line drawing with basic guidelines for the eyes, nose and mouth. I put in a vertical centerline to split the face in half. I then drew a horizontal centerline to split the face in quarters. This line is also the eye line. I spaced the eyes apart, so that there would be 3 equally sized areas, with the center being where the nose would be, and the 2 outside areas where the left and right eye would be. From the horizontal centerline, I split the bottom 2 quarters of the face in half with a shorter line. This would be the center of the mouth. Usually I would split the mouth center and eye center with another line for the nose bottom. On Yoda the nose ends roughly 1/3 instead of 1/2 up from the mouth center. I drew the ears, with the bottom level with the mouth center, and the top high enough so that the eye center is the center of the ears.

Step 3: Basic Outlines

I started sketching out the eyes, starting with elipses, then adding round iris. The eye centerline is still barely visible through the eyes. I added wrinkles for the eye lids, and drew in a faint brow, made up of 4 "bumps." The nose and wrinkles were added, and the mouth and wrinkles were drawn in. The creases on each side of the nose are added. Scant garment detail is also added. Some forehead wrinkles and a little bit of ear definition is also done.

Step 4: Shading and Details

Now, some of the detail work begins. I started with the eyes, adding pupils and shading in the iris. The tops of the eyelids have shadow added and the bottom lids are light lines with bags shadowed under. The 4 "bumps" of the forehead are also penciled in. The cheeks, mouth, and chin are more defined.

Step 5: More Shading

Here is where the figure starts to come in focus. All areas of the face, neck and ears are being worked with various shading, but using the same B pencil. Lighter or heavier pressure when sketching will dictate lighter or darker values. Also, the blenders are used to soften shaded areas, as well as blend in different values. I dabbed areas that needed to be lightened with the kneadable eraser to expose more white in areas.

Step 6: ...And More Shading

The background was penciled in to allow me to use the kneadable eraser and mechanical pencil eraser to etch out white hairs. More definition to the forehead bumps, cheeks, mouth and ears, as well as neck were worked on in this photo.

Step 7: Final Touches

In the final photo, the neck area was worked on, and the entire sketch was given a once over before the signature was added. More could have been done to finish up the garment, but the focus was primarily on the face. After a few hours of sketching, the drawing was finished of my favourite Star Wars character.