Men's head 

Kazimir Malevich created this drawing, "Men's Head," with graphite on paper. It’s an interesting choice of material because it doesn’t give us much to go on in terms of surface or texture. But look at what Malevich does with just a simple pencil. He coaxes a range of tones from the graphite, varying the pressure to create different values. See how he uses quick, loose lines for the hair, in contrast to the more deliberate strokes that define the collar and jacket. The drawing feels immediate, like a fleeting impression captured on paper. There's not much labor or effort involved, it's a simple drawing on paper, and it invites us to consider the relationship between the artist's hand, the material, and the final image. It prompts us to see how even the simplest of means can be used to suggest the complexity of the human form.